Lazuli bunting male — Lazuli Bunting – Listen for the first arriving males begin singing to establish a territory in the coming weeks

Welcome to the final week of our 10-week challenge, designed to encourage new naturalist discoveries as we continue to practice social distancing and wait for the coming vaccinations! We are nearing the end March and the full arrival of spring. This is a great time to schedule a weekly nature walk with yourself in the watershed.

serviceberrry — Golden Current (Ribes aureum)

Each week, I have invited you to select one of the 60 total activities designed to delight your senses, stimulate your curiosity, and remind you of the joy that springs up just by being outside in nature. Please let me know if you took part in any of the suggested activities, by email (skylinebal@gmail.com).

Below are six options for our final Week 10 – It’s not to late to try just one!

Read

Read poems written by Native American poets. This Poetry Foundation link above provides a curated list that includes Spokane/Coeur d’Alene tribal member Sherman Alexie, who grew up in Spokane.

Rock Island Creek, Douglas County WA photo: Jenny Graevell

Listen

Train your brain to listen to the sounds of nature and discover a new world. Try out some of the tips offered in this article that will also bring relaxation as you learn to quiet internal noise and hear nature sounds around you.

Watch

Select a recorded webinar to watch on the Seward Park Audubon website. Options include authors, researchers, artists and newsmakers who have shared time with the Seattle Audubon community. Each talk will broaden your knowledge and offer new perspectives.

This springtime buck watches Dave Hillestad in early morning on Grade Road in Douglas County.

Journal

Taking good outdoor photos has challenges. Read one or more of a series of seven skills-focused articles offered free by REI, and then get outside to try some tips!

Visit

Drive to Entiat’s Columbia Breaks Fire Interpretive Center to take a short 1/2-mile interpretive trail walk and see a variety of spring wildflowers and birds. Follow the path to a rocky knoll for a terrific view of the landscape. Check out this bird guide for the site.

Advocate

Check out a few local non-profit conservation organization websites. Start with this list (with links) on the Community Foundation of North Central Washington website.

Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) 4/10/2020 — Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) will soon be in full bloom in the Wenatchee Valley- look for “clouds of white” in shrubby ravines

Free Late March Offerings

WRI presents

Native Planting 101 Workshop – Monday, March 29: Q&A and Panel Discussion with the experts at 7:00 pm. (virtually via Zoom – one hour session) RSVP here. Questions? Contact KirkB@cascadiacd.org or (509) 436-1601