An Antidote for Cabin Fever

Great Blue Heron and the Blue Mountains © Diane B. Reed

After a spate of overcast days and bouts of snow and ice, the year is ending with brilliant sunshine and bitter cold. Time to get out of the house and head for the hills (and dales). A short drive from our pond takes you to out in the countryside and into the foothills of the Blue Mountains, dotted with farms and vineyards. Although the blanket of snow might lead one to believe that nature is sleeping, as soon as I arrive at the edge of town I see a lone Great Blue Heron searching for a meal in a field of stubble.

The closer I get to the Blues the more raptors I see. Red-tailed hawks dot the telephone pole crosspieces at regular intervals that seem to mark their hunting territory. The barren fields provide few hiding places for their prey and little escapes their notice. They alternate between perching on the poles and soaring over the fields looking for any sign of movement.

Red-tailed hawk searches for prey                © Diane B. Reed

Kestrel                                                                  © Diane B. Reed

 Kestrels perch delicately on the lines between the telephone poles, ignoring their larger relatives.  They swoop down after voles and mice that make the mistake of venturing out. As I watch, one drops swiftly to the ground and takes off with a fat vole. He flies up to the crosspiece on a vacant telephone pole and settles down for his meal.

Tiger cat on the prowl                   © Diane B. Reed

Hugging the foothills, I make my way up to Bennington Lake, one of my regular destinations, to see if there are any Eagles or birds of note. But today the lake is quiet and mostly frozen. On my way back I spy a fat cat hunting near the gate to the park, the only animal that seems to be out and about. He's a handsome fellow who reminds me of his wild cousin the Bobcat.

To all the creatures, large and small, a very Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas from the Pond

The Pond at Lions Park, College Place WA    ©Diane B. Reed

A lake is the landscape's 

most beautiful and expressive feature.
It is Earth's eye; looking into which 

the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.

Henry David Thoreau, Walden

The pond is quiet and somber as we settle into winter 

and await that silent night and the magic of Christmas. 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Pond

Hoar frost along the Columbia River, Oregon © Diane B. Reed

Winter Solstice

 As we approach the shortest day of the year, it's easy to dwell on the darkness instead of embracing the solstice as the pause before the season turns toward Spring.  A good friend sent me the meditation below.  I thought it was worth sharing.

© Diane B. Reed

A Meditation for the Solstice 

by Christine C. Robinson, Senior Minister, First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque

Spirit of winter rest, help us to enjoy your peace in this quiet place.
Remind us to pause during this season.
Grant us awareness, keep our gratitude fresh each day.
May the songs in our heart be blessings and insights to us and to others
and may compassion always shine forth from the depths of our hearts.

"Oregon" Junco in the snow                          © Diane B. Reed

Let it Snow?

              Pioneer Park, Walla Walla                                       © Diane B. Reed

The snow has come and gone for the time being, except for the frosting higher up in the Blues. As soon as it arrived lots of folks embraced it, breaking out the sleds, snowboards, and skis. Pioneer Park in Walla Walla was a winter wonderland for all ages. Families were out enjoying the park, and a couple of snowmen had already popped up near the snow-capped bandstand.

Fort Walla Walla Park                                             © Diane B. Reed

 It was fun to stop by Fort Walla Walla Park to watch kids of all ages sledding and snowboarding until the slopes of the hills and the BMX track were bare. I'm not sure if the designers of the track planned on its use for sledding, but it's hard to resist such a perfect place for it.

Lions Park, College Place Washington                   © Diane B. Reed

Lion's Park in College Place, home to our pond, has no hills for sledding. But it offers a tranquil place to enjoy the beauty of a snowy winter day. Some of the leaves seem reluctant to give up their grip, reminding us that the Fall was just a few short weeks ago. 

Who knows if we'll have a white Christmas this year. So far it's not in the forecast. On the other hand, it may be that with the influence of La Niña this is only the beginning. 

Wigeons, Bread, and Squirrel Wars

American Wigeons and Mallards

© Diane B. Reed

Some of the seasonal visitors to the pond, American Wigeons, have arrived. They join the resident Mallards who winter over. The recent snow and ice provided a cold welcome for them and they huddled on the walk surrounding the pond, cozying up to their cousins. 
     Occasionally people visit the pond bringing loaves of stale bread to feed the ducks. I know that their intentions are good, but feeding bread to ducks is terrible for them. They can't digest it properly, and it can actually cause them to become malnourished and die. They're used to foraging for themselves and feeding them discourages them from finding natural foods and can lead to overpopulation at ponds.

© Diane B. Reed

Many of us enjoy having bird feeders, but providing nutritional seed for birds is an expensive proposition, and squirrels can eat through your seed budget and chew up your bird feeders in record time. We've found several feeders that are essentially squirrel proof. The first has a heavy-duty wire cage around the feeder which allows small birds to get to the food but keeps it out of reach of the squirrels. They try to get the seed periodically, but they can't get to it and the wire cage is too thick for them to chew through.

© Diane B. Reed

We recently got a new feeder which keeps them away from the seed, and even provides some entertainment. The feeder, made by Droll Yankees, is called the Yankee Flipper (watch the video, it's hilarious). It's pricey, but it beats chewed up bird feeders and bags and bags of seed. This feeder is designed to be too large for the squirrel to grip to get to the seed ports--they just slide right off. And if they go for the perches it activates the battery which twirls the perch until the squirrel goes flying. Eventually, they decide to munch on the seeds that end up on the ground--at least for awhile.

Snow, birds and coffee

Winter on the Pond, Lions Park, College Place WA  © Diane B. Reed

The snow has descended from the mountains and arrived in town. The pond is beginning to freeze, the trees have finally lost their leaves and the bird feeders are bustling. Nearby Fort Walla Walla Park is filled with sledders and snowboarders enjoying the slopes. It's a scene right out of Norman Rockwell.

House Finch, orange variant © Diane B. Reed

Time to get cozy and enjoy a good cup of coffee while I enjoy the winter aspect of the pond. Coffee is the subject of my latest "Ponderings" column that  appears in December's issue of Walla Walla Lifestyles magazine which arrived with today's Walla Walla Union Bulletin. The current issue of the magazine will be online soon.

Coffee Cravings on West Poplar, Walla Walla  © Diane B. Reed

Coffee is in the blood of Northwesterners, even transplanted ones like me. In an area known for its fine wine and elegant tasting rooms, don't forget that coffee aficionados are blessed to have lots of great places to find a great cuppa!  A good local source for coffee, Walla Walla Roastery has a wide variety of coffees both at the roastery near the airport, and at stores and restaurants in town. Coffee Perk on 1st Avenue also serves their coffee.

So why not settle in with a good cuppa and enjoy the season!

Turkeys and LBBs

Wild turkeys near Weston Oregon          © Diane B. Reed

Thanksgiving is almost upon us, so it seems appropriate to feature the turkeys we came across near Weston, Oregon. Yesterday, Blue Mountain Audubon had their annual Turkey Trot count in Walla Walla and Columbia Counties. Word has it that they saw 291 wild turkeys!  Outstanding!

A friend of mine told me that her husband went out turkey hunting every year for more than fifteen years, slogging around in the woods and getting cold, tired, and hungry. Despite his persistence, he never bagged a turkey. But when he and his wife went on hikes they saw lots of the big birds up close. He was so exasperated that he gave up turkey hunting and became a birder.

Pine Siskins and House Finches © Diane B. Reed

Speaking of birding, it's easy to get frustrated trying to identify the myriad of small birds that are found in our area. Even experienced birders have trouble identifying birds at a distance, and often refer to these unidentifiable birds as "LBBs" (little brown birds). If you have a bird feeder, or you're lucky to get close enough, you find that these seemingly nondescript birds can be much more colorful  and varied up close than you might expect. Our feeder attracts a number of different LBBs including Pine Siskins, Goldfinches, House Finches, Juncoes, and Chickadees.

House Finch (orange variant) © Diane B. Reed

There's a lot of competition at the feeders and it's entertaining to watch the flapping and fighting over a perch, even when there are plenty to go around. The instinct for survival is a deep-seated one, even when they're enjoying a free meal. At the same time they have to keep their eyes out for the Sharp Shinned Hawk and the neighborhood cats.

We should be thankful that we don't have to compete for our meals and  look over our shoulders for predators. I know I am.

Snow!

Snow in the Blue Mountains near Walla Walla WA        © Diane B. Reed

Woke up this morning to gray skies and snow on the Blues, almost reaching to the valley floor. By afternoon the skies cleared and by dusk the mountains were glowing in the late afternoon light. Downright magical! 

Snow in the Blue Mountains near Walla Walla WA                       © Diane B. Reed

Of course, the alpenglow only lasts for a few fleeting moments before darkness sets in (these days about 4:30). 

Moonrise over Fort Walla Walla  Park   © Diane B. Reed

 As the light fades, the moon rises over Ft. Walla Walla Park and the Blues fade into the twilight. I know we'll be tired of the snow soon enough, but at least for today I think I'll just enjoy the magic.

The Blues

The valley of the south fork of the Walla Walla River
from Lincton Mt. in northeast Oregon  (© Diane B. Reed )

In southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon, the Blue Mountains are just called "the Blues." We see our pond out our back windows, but we see the mountains out our front windows. Wherever we go around town the Blues are there. They rise east of the Palouse Hills, defining the eastern boundary of the valley, even as the various branches of the Walla Walla River and its tributaries make their way down the canyons from higher elevations of the mountains. 

The Blue Mountains, Oregon                                        ©Diane B. Reed

The Blues are not the Rockies, but they rise to more than 6,000 feet in places, and can be a formidable barrier to travel. There are few roads over them. The Oregon Trail crossed the Blues south of here (east of Pendleton) and provided the pioneers with a final difficult mountain passage into the Oregon Territory and their new homes. Even with today's interstate 84, travel over the Blues (especially in winter) is challenging.

The foothills of the Blue Mountains                                             ©Diane B. Reed

 Traveling up into the mountains reveals a progression of grassy foothills dotted with Rabbitbrush and Bitterbrush, leading into a forest of Ponderosa Pines and higher up Douglas Fir, Engelmann spruce and Larch.

These pictures were taken just a few weeks ago, when the Fall seemed reluctant to yield to the oncoming winter. The struggle is still evident as the snow comes and goes on the highest peaks, but soon the snow line will creep down the slopes, announcing the arrival of winter. We're waiting and watching.

The Cat Days of Winter

© Diane B. Reed

A hard frost hit overnight, and the grass and flowers are covered with frost. There's a faint wisp of steam coming off the pond. But it's been weeks since we knew winter was coming. Our cat always let us know when the cold weather is approaching by heading for her heated bed, which she ignores over the summer.

Many of you may wonder why an avid birder even has a cat. Let me reassure you that our cat is an indoor cat. Her only contact with birds is sitting in the window overlooking the bird feeders and the pond watching what we've dubbed "kitty TV." She keeps track of the birds, the squirrels, and visitors to the park out the pond window, and watches passers by and dog walkers out our front window.

She spends much of her time patrolling the house, upstairs and down, and keeping tabs on wildlife and the neighborhood cats that pass by.  But at this time of the year she spends a fair amount of time seeking out the warming rays of the sun in the window, or curling up in her heated bed. It's a good life. If there is such a thing as reincarnation I think I'd like to come back as a cat.

© Diane B. Reed

Terror in the Skies

Flicker © Diane B. Reed

Despite the approach of cold weather, there's still a lot of activity at the pond. The resident Mallards paddle quietly through the golden leaves that dot the pond's surface. Occasionally, the tranquility of the scene is  broken by the noisy arrival of a small flock of Canada Geese stopping over. A pair of Flickers have been probing the dead Lombardy Poplar in search of insects. Our bird feeders are bustling with House Finches, Goldfinches, and Chickadees. 

All of a sudden, there is an explosion of wings. Birds scatter in every direction, one hits the window in its haste to flee. Out of the corner of my eye I see a swooping Sharp-shinned Hawk dropping down off our roof. He's a master of surprise, flying low and unseen until he appears over the rooftop a split second before he descends on the bird feeder. Pity the poor bird that he singles out!  

This time he misses, so he lands on the walnut tree below and positions himself on a branch near the trunk where the leaves hide him from view. He waits patiently for an unsuspecting bird to land nearby or on the feeders. Finally, he seems to give up and flies to a nearby porch for one more look around, then soars off into the distance. 

Sharp-shinned Hawk                        © Diane B. Reed

A Surprising Visitor

Fall overlooking the pond, Lions Park, College Place WA                                                  © Diane B. Reed

It's hard to believe that November has crept up on us, it still seems like Fall hasn't fully arrived. Although we haven't had a hard freeze, the colors are spectacular.  I'm particularly fond of our Sourwood tree which has turned a brilliant red. It's a variety of tree that I hadn't been familiar with, but apparently it's quite hardy and drought resistant.

I've found that writing by my window on the pond isn't conducive to getting my work done, so I have to retreat to my office which faces the street and fewer distractions. But when I glanced out the window this afternoon I was surprised to see a small snake sunning itself on my front walk.  I went out to identify it and encourage it to move so it wouldn't be bothered by anyone coming up the walk. It was a young Western Terrestrial Garter Snake soaking up the few rays of sunshine that had warmed the sidewalk. Despite its small size (about a foot long) it went into defensive mode as soon as I approached, coiling and striking out at me as though it was a rattler. Finally it slithered off under a bush and out of harm's way.

Western Terrestrial Garter Snake                    © Diane B. Reed

Catch " Walla Walla Ponderings" in Walla Walla Lifestyles magazine!

View of the pond at Lions Park, College Place WA                                                   © Diane B. Reed

October 31, 2010

My first "Ponderings" column was published today in the November Walla Walla Lifestyles magazine included in the Walla Union Bulletin. To view the article go to www.wallawallalifestyles.com. My column appears on the home page, and the magazine will soon be available online in its entirety at www.union-bulletin.com by clicking on the Features tab, then Lifestyles.

Osprey warns off a posse of Magpies                                                                   © Diane B. Reed

I plan on including a few extra photos in my blog that illustrate the columns but couldn't be used due to space issues, and to provide some interim observations from the pond and the area.

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Osprey reacts to Magpie harassment                                                                       © Diane B. Reed

Blogging is a new endeavor, so bear with me as I learn the ins and outs. Always happy to hear from you!

The Magpie posse zeroes in on the Osprey                                                      © Diane B. Reed

Stay tuned!