What is Slugyard?

Slugyard is a window to the world around you. Most of these photos were taken from in or around my yard. I hope they encourage you and your family to pay more attention to the world outside your door.

NORTHWEST NATURE BLOGS

OTHER NATURE BLOGS

Camas in Bloom

By Mike, on May 19th, 2011
Camas and Honey Bee

My friend Joe took this incredible photo of a camas flower at Camassia (the natural area near my house). The camas is in full bloom there right now and, as you can see, the honey bees like it. Notice the loaded pollen basket on the bee’s “knees”. Check out my Honey Bee post from . . . → Read More and See Photos: Camas in Bloom

10 comments   Insects, Plants, Your Photos   , , ,  

4th Year Bald Eagle

By Mike, on March 22nd, 2011
Bald Eagle 4th year

My friend Jeff took this outstanding photo of a 4th Year Bald Eagle this past weekend in Central Oregon. What does 4th year mean?

Just like with people, it takes eagles a few years for them to grow into adults. See the dark marks on its mostly white head? Bald Eagles don’t have white . . . → Read More and See Photos: 4th Year Bald Eagle

16 comments   Birds, Your Photos    

Bird Gatherings

By Mike, on March 1st, 2011
Blue Herons on gravel bar

The river below our house is a great site for watching groups of birds. I’ve been posting a lot about the heron rookery on Goat Island (across the water in these photos). Last week my friend Joe was down there taking pictures when a hawk scared the herons off of their nests and into . . . → Read More and See Photos: Bird Gatherings

19 comments   Birds, Your Photos   , ,  

From Bushtit to Bald Eagle

By Mike, on January 8th, 2011
Bushtit

Sometimes little birds aren’t kind enough to just stand still for a moment in a well lit location and pose for us to photograph. Bushtits are a good example of this, although my friend Joe got a nice shot of this one.

Joe also got a nice photograph of this Bewick’s Wren.

. . . → Read More and See Photos: From Bushtit to Bald Eagle

8 comments   Birds, Your Photos   , , , ,  

Coyote in Early Morning Twilight

By Mike, on December 15th, 2010
coyote

My neighbor Ben took this photo on his way to work yesterday morning. It’s a bit fuzzy, but that is a coyote in the middle of our street. Possibly it is a member of the pack of which I posted photos from my backyard earlier this year.

Coyote interactions with humans seem to be . . . → Read More and See Photos: Coyote in Early Morning Twilight

One comment   Mammals, Your Photos    

Cover Bird

By Mike, on November 28th, 2010
Bend bird

My friend Jeff took these photos some time ago in his backyard in central Oregon. I immediately recognized this bird- not because I’d seen it live before, or because I knew what it was. Rather, I’ve seen it’s picture many, many times…on the cover of my Sibley Guide (The Sibley Field Guide to Birds . . . → Read More and See Photos: Cover Bird

6 comments   Birds, Your Photos    

Scorpions Aren’t Always Poisonous

By Mike, on October 23rd, 2010
Arizona scorpion

My friend Beth found this critter in her house in Arizona. It is a scorpion!

We don’t have scorpions (that I know of) here in western Oregon, although the National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest says that there are scorpions east of the Cascade Mountains. They are apparently harmless to . . . → Read More and See Photos: Scorpions Aren’t Always Poisonous

10 comments   Your Photos    

Steller’s Jay With a Meal

By Mike, on August 28th, 2010
steller's jay

WARNING – Photo below that some might find unpleasant!!!

Steller’s Jays are one of the easiest birds to identify in the West. Their black head and crest with blue bodies are obvious. This one is foraging in my backyard. It might be a juvenile since its crest doesn’t look quite as big as most . . . → Read More and See Photos: Steller’s Jay With a Meal

7 comments   Birds, Your Photos    
 
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