New Forest Voices
“Cheerio~ Cheeriup~ Cheerio~ Cheeriup~” The American Robin’s song is a loud, optimistic voice of spring. However, at times here in the mountains it is difficult to hear …
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Blog
Naturalist Notes
A day on the islands
Last week the Cohort 8 graduate students headed to the islands of Diablo Lake for class. The topic of the day: island biogeography, which is the study …
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Fairy slippers, lady fern and trailing yellow violet
Unbelievable! So many plants are pushing their way out of the ground. Just a quick glimpse at what is rapidly unfurling and flowering around the learning center.
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Snow and ice on Diablo Lake
I woke this morning to what has become a common weather event at the learning center this spring, snow. Perhaps snow in April is “normal” and I’m …
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The State of the Birds
Springtime is slowly and reluctantly arriving in the North Cascades. I’ve been delighted to hear some familiar bird songs returning; brightening up the forest and telling me …
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Tracking the Puma concolor
Puma, Mountain Lion, Cougar…regardless of nomenclature this incredible animal is synonymous with elusive. Many could spend a lifetime in cougar habitat and never glimpse even a sign …
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Twig tracking: a sport for the impatient
A winter weather advisory is currently in effect for the west slopes of the Cascades, the trails around the learning center are covered with deep, crusty snow …
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Middens abound
I went exploring last week, just to see what I could discover on a cold winter day in February. What I found was abundant evidence of one …
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Twig tracking
I’ve recently taken up a new hobby, I like to call it twig tracking. I started twig tracking to feel more connected, to feel at home in …
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The destructive forces of Mother Nature
Anyone that has spent much time at the ELC has seen, or at least heard stories, of the waterfall. Every Mountain School student secretly hopes to visit …
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