Nature

May 5, 2024May 4, 2024

Face to the Sky

Weather has taken a toll on this fence post.

It seems that weather, or the discussion of weather takes up disproportionate space on this blog. Perhaps not on par with fishing, but close.

This can be attributed to a couple of things, really. When you’re going outside the weather is part of the process. However, when that outside is on the high desert, the weather becomes the view.

Layers of storm clouds fill our view east

Since moving to Central Oregon, we’ve noticed that you can literally watch the weather. Not just the weather you’re in, but all those storm cells moving about you.

Winter still has a hold on the high country, but winter wheat has turned fields green

Get up on a butte and it’s 360 degrees of weather. We were used to small openings through groves of Doug Fir. Doesn’t really matter because that weather was typically hitting against your hat.

Drove ’97 North this week. As you finish the grade to the Cow Canyon Rest Area, just past South Junction Road, the horizon line drops to a constant lower third. The other two thirds is sky and this trip we got lucky with the weather filling all that space.

John Day River Canyon walls are covered with fresh spring growth

Half a dozen storm systems were scattered about. Directly above us white streaks of Cirrus filtered the sunshine. Blackish thunder heads trailing gray curtains of rain bumped against the Cascades.

To the East, less ominous but more abundant fronts hung behind projections of windmills and grain elevators.

After the sun sets there are additional perks to being on this side of the Cascades. It’s our impression that Central Oregon experiences more cloudless days than the place we moved from.

Regardless, the vista is wider, even at the bottom of a river canyon.

This particular April evening offered excellent star gazing. You just had to scoot chairs off the cabin porch. Constellations I’m familiar with got lost in a night sky filled with the stars not visible in an urban settling.

Constellations I’m familiar with got lost in a night sky filled with the stars not visible in an urban settling.

Looking east . . . the constellation Hercules might be there on the left.

Much like birding, identification isn’t critical to enjoying the moment. We regularly cast an eye to the night, or early morning sky. On this trip JQ braved the early morning cold and got some excellent images.

If the weather is right you can turn your face to the sky and see all kinds of wondrous views.

April 28, 2024April 27, 2024

Spring at Cottonwood

A dog friendly cabin, our favorite, at Cottonwood Canyon State Park.

A few years ago we discovered a spot on the lower John Day with cabins, bass fishing and great walking paths. Since then we try to snag cabin reservations in spring or fall, but it’s no easy task.

It takes some time for the sun to clear these hills in the morning

Cottonwood Canyon State Park is one of Oregon’s newest additions, and for us a cabin makes the overnight easy.

Spring’s growth on sage and in the grasses turns the hills a bright green

We have also made day trips there, as there is an excellent day use area.

Our cabin was one of four sitting on old pasture land. The river runs along the south edge, at the base of rock wall.

Looking south from the cabin toward the river

Walking to the cabin from river’s edge, you pass a line of willow, then cottonwood, across a stone beach, before passing through a hedgerow of sage, onto a grassy plain.

A line of rounded hills mark the park’s northern edge and in April they are green with fresh growth, but only an occasional tree.

Big Horn Sheep can be seen grazing high up amid rocky outcroppings. We’ve also seen a variety of raptors, song birds and Canada Geese.

While area signage warns of cougar or rattlesnakes, we’ve yet to encounter either, which is fortunate.

It’s a peaceful spot to spend some time, wander the banks of the John Day and while not during spring runoff, there are smallmouth bass to catch.

April 14, 2024April 20, 2024

Getting Older

The willow buds are about to burst at Summer Lake Refuge

Over the course of a week we picnicked on three different rivers. It was a busy week . . . at last.

The week also contained Jack’s birthday. We won’t pretend celebrating was limited to a single day. With upcoming posts we’ll catch you up on the state of spring fishing in Oregon.

Getting older gets easier, but there remains a sensitivity to being reminded of the fact. On a recent internet scroll , I hit a meme that suggested a natural outcome of aging was . . . bird watching .

That stung a bit.

The thing is . . . we sort of do bird watch.

We make regular pilgrimages to Summer Lake’s Wildlife Refuge, known for its birding. We have identified most of the regular visitors to trees that surround our house. And, if a raptor should perch nearby, all activity ceases.

I guess that counts as bird watching and as birders we suggest everyone try it.

The Summer Lake spring birding trip also occurred this week. There was a crowd.

Well . . . in reality a ranger, a group of bird watchers and an older couple from Prineville. But that was 8 more than we saw on the winter visit.

A typical wildlife refuge greeting opens with, “you seen anything unusual”? This makes it easy for someone to assess your level of interest and birding acumen .

Our depth of knowledge was tested with the Snowy Plover gaffe of 2023 when we learned to always have a copy of Sibley’s bird book readily at hand.

There weren’t a lot of ‘new’ faces paddling around, just greater numbers. We’re not the counting kind of birders. There are no notebooks. There are however, lots of images, many shared in this blog.

On this trip a muskrat swimming along the dike actually got more attention than an Avocet, a Pelican rookery or Grebes diving.

It’s more of an interest in nature than birdwatching per se. The trick is to just slow down, which so happens is exactly what one does as they get older.

March 31, 2024March 30, 2024

Getting Outside

The week offered a mixed bag of weather, starting with some warm sunny days and ending with overcast and even snow flurries.

We took advantage of any nice days with time on the river.

The snow has disappeared at lower elevations, but stream levels are still low and it’s possible to get in some fishing. We stopped at a favorite day use area to enjoy a relaxing afternoon.

Later in the week, clouds moved in and temperatures dropped, bringing a short-lived dusting of snow.

We retreated to the kitchen and turned some of last summer’s fruit into jelly.

The days are getting longer so we expect there will be way fewer impediments to our travels.

In the meantime. we’ll finish up the last of winter’s chores.

March 24, 2024March 30, 2024

Stream Time

This week marked the Vernal Equinox.

The official beginning of spring. Equal parts day and night . . . and it actually began with some very spring-like days.

Though, we are under no illusion that this will last.

A perfect day in the Deschutes River Canyon

In the high desert there is this time between the end of winter and the beginning of spring.

The mountains are still capped with snow, but the days get shirt-sleeve warm. The lakes hold on to winter’s ice and streams have yet to swell with runoff. The conditions are ideal for a picnic in the canyon.

A couple trips to the rivers in late March, ahead of last minute ice storms are always in our plan. We set up the camp chairs along the stream and bask in spring sunshine.

The melt is coming. The mornings are still frosty and there will be some rainy days.

For the next week or two we’ll take advantage of this typical Central Oregon start to spring.