Not only are Great Gray Owls the largest owl in North America with the largest wingspan, their stature and countenance spark a sense of wonder. With alternate names such as “Great Grey Ghost” and “Phantom of the North,” they inspire awe and pique our curiosity. From unique adaptations for locating prey, to behaviors for defending their nests, to strategies for successful breeding, these masters of silent flight capture our interest.
Are you curious about the native plants growing around you? “What is this species, and what do I need to know about it?” On Sept. 26, 2014, OHA invited the community to bring photos and/or samples to our “Evening with the Experts,” event, along with observations about the plant. Community members were encouraged to bring digital photos on USB flash drives, SD memory cards, or email in advance to julie@okanoganhighlands.org. The event was open to everyone, whether they brought in a mystery plant or not. There were plenty of examples available for everyone to learn from.
Okanogan Highlands Alliance (OHA) provided another extraordinary outdoor learning opportunity: a tour highlighting the geology of the highlands, expanding on what was shared during the past three years’ Highland Wonders geology tours. On Saturday, August 16th, Geology of the Okanogan Highlands, Part IV was led by a team of speakers who each brought a different emphasis. The team was headed by Dr. Karl Lillquist, a professor in the Geography Department and Co-Director of the Resource Management Graduate Program at CWU. He was also an instructor for the Ellensburg Chapter of the Ice Age Floods Institute, and co-led last year’s OHA Geology Tour. Karl has degrees in Geography and Geology, and a special interest in geomorphology, a field of study that focuses on landforms and how they originated.
On Saturday, July 19th, freshwater ecologist and emeritus professor Dr. Mark Oswood came to share his expertise in the Highland Wonders series. This event aimed to increase our community’s understanding of stream ecology, and how riparian zones and streams interact to support and affect populations of aquatic insects. Connections were made between populations of aquatic insects and what their presence indicates about water quality.
Okanogan Highlands Alliance sponsored a new kind of educational event called, “Viva la Naturaleza,” in partnership with the Tonasket School Garden, Tonasket High School MEChA Club, Tonasket School District, Tonasket Migrant PAC, AmeriCorps/VISTA, Team Naturaleza, and the Viva la Naturaleza Student Leadership Team.
In this Highland Wonders presentation, Scott Fitkin gave an overview of our local amphibian species, including their identifying characteristics, life history and presumed distribution.
He touched on the crucial role they play in our ecosystems as secondary consumers in the food web, and as indicators of environmental change. This event provided information about the natural history, amazing adaptations, and ecological status of our region’s frogs, salamanders and other amphibians.
The April 11th, 2014, Highland Wonders event on Wild Mushrooms and Fungi Ecology was dedicated to OHA volunteer Marge McCormick, who recently passed away after a battle with cancer. We appreciate everything Marge did to help further OHA’s work in the highlands, and she will be greatly missed.
On February 7th, 2014, wildlife biologist Ken Bevis, who is also a singer/songwriter, provided an entertaining evening of stories, photos, songs and science, aiming for a closer understanding of some of Washington’s fish and wildlife… sometimes from the viewpoint of the critters themselves! This family-friendly program was fun for all ages! Species featured in the “Saga of Washington’s Fish and Wildlife” presentation included: sandhill crane, bull trout, chinook salmon, hummingbirds, black bear, and more…
On Friday, January 10th, David Moskowitz came to Highland Wonders to speak about squirrels. This was David’s first time offering a presentation on squirrels.
“The Pacific Northwest has some of the highest diversity of squirrels in the world. There are about 112 squirrel species in the world, and we have about 25 of them here in the Pacific Northwest… And part of the reason we have such a tremendous diversity is because of the diversity of the landscape that we have here, ranging from coastal rainforests to interior deserts and then of course the mountains all the way up to boreal and alpine highland forests.”
Jack Nisbet kicked off the 2013-2014 indoor Highland Wonders educational series with a fascinating presentation about naturalist David Douglas.