New Project

Hosted by Deb Kuttel, Executive Assistant to the Director, Olympia. Features include: - Tips on recreational crabbing, Rich Childers, Puget Sound Crab Mgr. - Ellensburg kids fishing tournament. Interview with Kittitas Field & Stream Club official. - Fishing opportunities across Washington - School children in Lincoln County explore shrub-steppe habitat on our Swanson lakes Wildlife Area. Juli Anderson, Area Mgr. - Where to see Washington's wildlife. See: http://wdfw.wa.gov/pubaffrs/wildwash/

breve spezzone di strada tra Las Vegas e Los Angeles al tramonto. "The road from Las Vegas to LA is one of the worst. It's in really bad condition and HOT, like there's a furnace blowing in your face at all times." -Hilary SONG: "Train,Train" -Dolly Parton The Mojave Desert (pronounced /moʊˈhɑːvi/ or /məˈhɑːvi/), (Hayikwiir Mat'aar in Mojave), locally referred to as the High Desert, occupies a significant portion of southern California and smaller parts of central California, southwestern Utah, southern Nevada, and northwestern Arizona, in the United States. Named after the Mohave tribe of Native Americans, it occupies well over 22,000 square miles (57,000 km2) in a typical Basin and Range topography. The Mojave Desert's boundaries are generally defined by the presence of Joshua Trees — they are considered an indicator species for the desert. The topographical boundaries include the Tehachapi together with the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountain ranges. The mountain boundaries are quite distinct since they are outlined by the two largest faults in California: the San Andreas and the Garlock. The Great Basin shrub steppe lies to the north; the warmer Sonoran Desert (the Low Desert) lies to the south and east. The desert is believed to support between 1,750 and 2,000 species of plants.

The European settlers must have wanted something familiar. So they brought their food. But this country had food, possibly better than any cultivated crop has ever been- that was overlooked, plowed under, and almost forgotten. (this parcel of land burned in 2008 after this video was taken- an open invitation for weeds to take over)

Can you identify this bird nest? Adirondack Mountains NY. Turns out this bird is an OSPREY. Thank you for helping me to identify the bird-here is a bit more info: North American RangeThe Osprey is a unique bird that is unmistakable when seen at close range. It is the only species in its family, and it is found worldwide. Its breast and belly are mostly white, with some dark streaks. The white extends out the wings, but the primaries, secondaries, and tail feathers are mottled black-and-white. The back is mostly black or dark brown. The head is distinctive with a white crest, a face bisected by a dark eye-stripe, and yellow eyes. While there is much variation, the female tends to have a streakier breast than the male. The Osprey's talons are uniquely adapted for catching and carrying fish: their surfaces are rough, and their toes can be held with three forward and one back, or with two forward and two back, an arrangement seen in owls but not in other diurnal raptors. In flight, they are most often confused with gulls because of their long wings, which are bent at the wrist. However Ospreys have a bounce to their flight that gulls lack. Habitat for the OSPREY: Ospreys live near rivers, estuaries, salt marshes, lakes, reservoirs, and other large bodies of water. They are rare along rivers in the shrub-steppe zone, as they prefer water surrounded by forested habitat. They can be found near fresh or salt water, as long as the water can sustain medium-sized fish. Behavior of the OSPREY: Ospreys hover over the water, plunging feet first when they spot prey. They fly with slow wing-beats interspersed with glides. Ospreys form pair bonds through aerial flight displays and courtship feeding. Diet The vast majority of the Osprey's diet is fish, typically 5-16 inches in size. Only occasionally, when fish aren't available, will the Osprey eat small mammals, birds, or reptiles. However, the Osprey is highly specialized for eating fish and does not stray from this diet unless necessary. When it catches a fish, the Osprey usually flies with it held headfirst. back to top Nesting Ospreys build large nests near water, on top of dead trees or artificial structures that are similar to dead trees, such as utility or nesting poles. Nests are made of branches, sticks, and twigs, lined with smaller twigs, grasses, bark, moss, fish bones, and other material. They will reuse nests year after year and continue to add sticks each year, ending up with a huge nest. Nests may be more than seven feet across and over five feet deep. The female typically lays 3 eggs, although clutch sizes between 2 and 4 eggs are normal. Both members of the pair incubate the eggs for 38-43 days. After the young hatch, the female stays with them, and the male brings food. Once the young can be left alone, both parents provide food. The young do not fledge until they are 44-59 days old. back to top Migration Status Ospreys are migratory, the majority wintering south of the US border. Most reports of Ospreys wintering in Washington are likely to be misidentifications of sub-adult bald eagles. back to top Conservation Status The Osprey suffered great declines in the past century as a result of DDT and other eggshell-thinning pesticides. Since the ban of DDT in 1972, the Osprey has made, and continues to make, a strong comeback in much of North America. Range expansion into formerly occupied areas has been slow due to their strong philopatry to nesting areas. Artificial nest platforms have significantly increased nesting in many areas.

a temporary exhibition .... 4:15, no sound, stills and video The snow will soon abate the flowers are not late then we will see a spate of tender architecture, mate! They live here; please don't hate.

Can you identify this bird nest? Adirondack Mountains NY. Turns out this bird is an OSPREY. Thank you for helping to identify the bird-here is a bit more info: North American RangeThe Osprey is a unique bird that is unmistakable when seen at close range. It is the only species in its family, and it is found worldwide. Its breast and belly are mostly white, with some dark streaks. The white extends out the wings, but the primaries, secondaries, and tail feathers are mottled black-and-white. The back is mostly black or dark brown. The head is distinctive with a white crest, a face bisected by a dark eye-stripe, and yellow eyes. While there is much variation, the female tends to have a streakier breast than the male. The Osprey's talons are uniquely adapted for catching and carrying fish: their surfaces are rough, and their toes can be held with three forward and one back, or with two forward and two back, an arrangement seen in owls but not in other diurnal raptors. In flight, they are most often confused with gulls because of their long wings, which are bent at the wrist. However Ospreys have a bounce to their flight that gulls lack. Habitat for the OSPREY: Ospreys live near rivers, estuaries, salt marshes, lakes, reservoirs, and other large bodies of water. They are rare along rivers in the shrub-steppe zone, as they prefer water surrounded by forested habitat. They can be found near fresh or salt water, as long as the water can sustain medium-sized fish. Behavior of the OSPREY: Ospreys hover over the water, plunging feet first when they spot prey. They fly with slow wing-beats interspersed with glides. Ospreys form pair bonds through aerial flight displays and courtship feeding. Diet The vast majority of the Osprey's diet is fish, typically 5-16 inches in size. Only occasionally, when fish aren't available, will the Osprey eat small mammals, birds, or reptiles. However, the Osprey is highly specialized for eating fish and does not stray from this diet unless necessary. When it catches a fish, the Osprey usually flies with it held headfirst. back to top Nesting Ospreys build large nests near water, on top of dead trees or artificial structures that are similar to dead trees, such as utility or nesting poles. Nests are made of branches, sticks, and twigs, lined with smaller twigs, grasses, bark, moss, fish bones, and other material. They will reuse nests year after year and continue to add sticks each year, ending up with a huge nest. Nests may be more than seven feet across and over five feet deep. The female typically lays 3 eggs, although clutch sizes between 2 and 4 eggs are normal. Both members of the pair incubate the eggs for 38-43 days. After the young hatch, the female stays with them, and the male brings food. Once the young can be left alone, both parents provide food. The young do not fledge until they are 44-59 days old. back to top Migration Status Ospreys are migratory, the majority wintering south of the US border. Most reports of Ospreys wintering in Washington are likely to be misidentifications of sub-adult bald eagles. back to top Conservation Status The Osprey suffered great declines in the past century as a result of DDT and other eggshell-thinning pesticides. Since the ban of DDT in 1972, the Osprey has made, and continues to make, a strong comeback in much of North America. Range expansion into formerly occupied areas has been slow due to their strong philopatry to nesting areas. Artificial nest platforms have significantly increased nesting in many areas.

A member of the Lily family, the North American endemic genus- Calochortus- is one of the most beautiful. The common names for this genus are mariposa lily and cats ear for the species with fringes of hairs on the tepals. This species of Calochortus is Lyall's mariposa or cats ear, and is found exclusively in Central Washington.