Black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) To kick off spooky season, this week we’ll meet an Oregon resident who could easily have waded out of the murky waters of a gothic novel. Meet the black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax).Every syllable of their common name is spot on. The crowns of adults[Read More…]

Western screech owl (Megascops kennicottii) Continuing with our October Spooky Season theme, this week we’ll meet one of our most common, least seen “creepy” critters. Meet the western screech owl (Megascops kennicottii).Despite the screech owl’s elusive nature, you do have a chance of seeing one IRL (in real life) because[Read More…]

Genus Desmia moth This week we’ll meet a mysterious moth! Meet the Genus Desmia moth. Our pictured magical little moth is either a grape leafroller moth (Desmia maculalis) or a grape leaffolder moth (Desmia funeralis).The only way to tell these goth moth cousins apart (aside from DNA) is the markings[Read More…]

Common Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) This week we’ll revisit a crawly we briefly met in the past, because these critters deserve a more thorough introduction (along with a few corrections to our previous introduction). This crawly is definitely more of a “swimmy.” Meet the Common Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus).What’s in a name?[Read More…]

Red net-winged beetle (Dictyoptera simplicipes) This week’s crawly is one stand-out beetle. Meet the red net-winged beetle (Dictyoptera simplicipes).Even their diminutive size (just over one-quarter of an inch) doesn’t prevent these fire engine red beetles from being easily spotted.That said, they are fairly uncommon in Oregon (this one was hanging[Read More…]

Yellow-rumped warbler (Setophaga coronata) This week Crawlies takes wing as we meet a feathered friend with arguably one of the most fun to say common names. Meet the yellow-rumped warbler (Setophaga coronata).Yellow-rumped are among the most common warblers in North America. However, in Oregon we have an uncommon embarrassment of[Read More…]

Petite Genus Micromus brown lacewing This week’s crawly is another prime example of “good things come in small packages.”Meet the petite Genus Micromus brown lacewing.At just about one-quarter of an inch in length these voracious predators and crop and garden protectors can easily go unnoticed.Micromus lacewings are so teeny you[Read More…]

Zerene Fritillary (Speyeria zerene) No, we didn’t go overboard with the color saturation on the photo of this week’s crawly; the zerene Fritillary (Speyeria zerene) really is that vibrant!That is to say, at least this one was. Zerenes run the orangey rainbow from a non-retina burning warm orange to this[Read More…]

Whirligig beetle (Genus Gyrinus) This week’s crawly may have the most-fun-to-say-out-loud common name ever. Meet the whirligig beetle (Genus Gyrinus).If you’ve spent any time around ponds, lakes, rivers and/or streams (and who of us hasn’t) you’ve most likely seen these bitty beetles in action, but probably haven’t been able to[Read More…]

If you’re looking at some of your yard birds this month and thinking, “What is wrong with that bird?!” Don’t panic. It’s that molting time of year for our feathered friends.Molting is how birds replace their feathers. They need to be able to fly so they’ll molt in stages. Some[Read More…]