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  • The creeping vole (also known as the Oregon vole or Oregon meadow mouse) is the smallest of the Pacific Northwest vole species and can be found from British Columbia to Northern California, west of the Cascade Mountains.They are so small that a full-grown adult weighs around two-thirds of an ounce! This was one found by sheer chance on a chilly autumn evening at the beach in Des Moines, Washington on the Puget Sound.
    Creeping Vole
  • The creeping vole (also known as the Oregon vole or Oregon meadow mouse) is the smallest of the Pacific Northwest vole species and can be found from British Columbia to Northern California, west of the Cascade Mountains.They are so small that a full-grown adult weighs around two-thirds of an ounce! This was one found by sheer chance on a chilly autumn evening at the beach in Des Moines, Washington on the Puget Sound.
    Creeping Vole
  • The creeping vole (also known as the Oregon vole or Oregon meadow mouse) is the smallest of the Pacific Northwest vole species and can be found from British Columbia to Northern California, west of the Cascade Mountains.They are so small that a full-grown adult weighs around two-thirds of an ounce! This was one found by leisurely walking among the fallen autumn leaves near the beach in Des Moines, Washington on the Puget Sound.
    Creeping Vole
  • The creeping vole (also known as the Oregon vole or Oregon meadow mouse) is the smallest of the Pacific Northwest vole species and can be found from British Columbia to Northern California, west of the Cascade Mountains.They are so small that a full-grown adult weighs around two-thirds of an ounce! This was one found by sheer chance on a chilly autumn evening at the beach in Des Moines, Washington on the Puget Sound.
    Creeping Vole
  • The creeping vole (also known as the Oregon vole or Oregon meadow mouse) is the smallest of the Pacific Northwest vole species and can be found from British Columbia to Northern California, west of the Cascade Mountains.They are so small that a full-grown adult weighs around two-thirds of an ounce! This was one found by sheer chance on a chilly autumn evening at the beach in Des Moines, Washington on the Puget Sound.
    Creeping Vole
  • The creeping vole (also known as the Oregon vole or Oregon meadow mouse) is the smallest of the Pacific Northwest vole species and can be found from British Columbia to Northern California, west of the Cascade Mountains.They are so small that a full-grown adult weighs around two-thirds of an ounce! This was one found by sheer chance on a chilly autumn evening at the beach in Des Moines, Washington on the Puget Sound.
    Creeping Vole
  • Sailboats on Lake Washington at Coulon Beach in Renton.
    Lake Washington Sailboats
  • Sea stacks tower above the sitka spruce that line the Pacific coastline of Washington's Rialto Beach and Olympic National Park.
    Sea Stacks and Coastline at Rialto B..gton
  • Extremely dry and arid throughout the year, White Pass in Central Washington experiences a boom in greenery as spring turns into summer.
    White Pass in Central Washington 3
  • Dense foliage grows in the riparian parts of White Pass near Naches, Washington along the Tieton River. Here you can find several types of sage, bitterbrush, ponderosa pine, Oregon white oak, rare cactus and a profusion of wildflowers in the springtime.
    White Pass in Central Washington 1
  • This purely wild coastline on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, is the meeting point where the Pacific Ocean joins the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
    Washington's Rocky Coast
  • Icicle Creek is one of the numerous picturesque creeks to be found in Washington's Cascade Mountains. It flows through Wenatchee National Forest and the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and winds its way down towards Leavenworth before merging with the Wenatchee River. With fresh snowfall, it's a hard to find a more beautiful sight!
    Icicle Creek - 2
  • Icicle Creek is one of the numerous picturesque creeks to be found in Washington's Cascade Mountains. It flows through Wenatchee National Forest and the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and winds its way down towards Leavenworth before merging with the Wenatchee River. With fresh snowfall, it's a hard to find a more beautiful sight!
    Icicle Creek - 1
  • An amazing late afternoon on Ruby Beach on Washington's Olympic Peninsula during the golden hour, when the light is warm and radiant while the evening cools and colors can appear both warm and cool at the same time.
    Ruby Beach
  • Volcanic basalt cliffs, steep slopes and sagebrush steppe pretty much define Central Washington's White Pass. Springtime turns the typical brown desert landscape into a green paradise attracting a plethora of wildlife to the region.
    White Pass in Central Washington 2
  • The Red-belted polypore (or conk) mushroom is very striking member of the Aphyllophorales family. Most often found on black cherry trees, it can also be found growing on conifers. This one was photographed on West Tiger Mountain, in Western Washington.
    Red-Belted Polypore
  • Several wedges of Moffitt's Canada Geese (a subspecies of the Canada goose found in Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon) fly over the Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge in Central Washington.
    Migrating Moffitt's Canada Geese
  • A view from atop Rattlesnake Mountain in Washington State. Maibox Peak to the left with Dirtybox Peak just to the right and behind it. On the right side is Mount Washington with Cedar Butte (the large hill) in the foreground. Between the mountains is a part of the Upper Snoqualmie Valley and the South Fork Snoqualmie River.
    Upper Snoqualmie Valley and Cascades
  • The Carbon River gets its start from the Carbon Glacier high on Mount Rainier in Washington State and flows generally northwestwardly with a lot of meandering toward the valleys below. It gets its white, mineral-rich water from silt and sediments washed down this active volcano's peaks downhill where it joins the Puyallup River where it empties into the Puget Sound. This portion of this beautiful river was photographed just a few miles upstream from Carbonado, Washington on a sunny, warm July day, about 15 miles northwest of Mount Rainier.
    Carbon River
  • The thatched barnacle is common barnacle found along the Northern Pacific coast from Alaska to Baja California, but is most common on the rocky shores of Washington state and Oregon. It is easy to identify by the interesting vertical ribbing on the six wall plates that form its shell. This one was found at low tide on a rocky outcrop in Washington's Deception Pass.
    ThatchedBarnacle2020-1.jpg
  • The thatched barnacle is common barnacle found along the Northern Pacific coast from Alaska to Baja California, but is most common on the rocky shores of Washington state and Oregon. It is easy to identify by the interesting vertical ribbing on the six wall plates that form its shell. This one was found at low tide on a rocky outcrop in Washington's Deception Pass.
    ThatchedBarnacle2020-2.jpg
  • Change Creek flows down Mount Washington to the South Fork Snoqualmie River about 30 miles east of Seattle.
    Change Creek
  • The Carbon River gets its start from the Carbon Glacier high on Mount Rainier in Washington State and flows generally northwestwardly with a lot of meandering toward the valleys below. It gets its white, mineral-rich water from silt and sediments washed down this active volcano's peaks downhill where it joins the Puyallup River where it empties into the Puget Sound. This portion of this beautiful river was photographed just a few miles upstream from Carbonado, Washington on a sunny, warm July day, about 15 miles northwest of Mount Rainier.
    Carbon River
  • The western redback salamander is a small but relatively common amphibian in the Pacific Northwest. It has a restricted range that is west of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington, all of Victoria Island in British Columbia, as well as around the Vancouver area. Highly adaptable to varying habitats, this little salamander is found at higher elevations than any other member of its family, and in drier habitats than many of its relatives. This nearly two-inch salamander was found under a rock next to a tiny stream in the mountains above the Carbon River near Mount Rainier, Washington on a hot summer day.
    Western Redback Salamander 2
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-12.jpg
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-6.jpg
  • Easily distinguishable from the other four native species of piperia orchids in the Pacific Northwest, the slender white piperia (Piperia candida) is the only one with a spur (a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower) that is equal to or shorter than the lip (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal"), and also  has white flowers. Two other species fit this description, but both of those have green to yellowish-green flowers. It is also one of the westernmost species, found growing geographically near the Pacific Ocean in California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska. This one was found growing near the Deschutes River in rural Thurston County, just west of Mount Rainier in Washington State.
    Piperia candida-3.jpg
  • Close-up view of the slender white piperia orchids, easily distinguished from the other four native species of piperia orchids in the Pacific Northwest, the slender white piperia (Piperia candida) is the only one with a spur (a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower) that is equal to or shorter than the lip (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal"), and also  has white flowers. Two other species fit this description, but both of those have green to yellowish-green flowers. It is also one of the westernmost species, found growing geographically near the Pacific Ocean in California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska. This one was found growing near the Deschutes River in rural Thurston County, just west of Mount Rainier in Washington State.
    Piperia candida-2.jpg
  • Easily distinguishable from the other four native species of piperia orchids in the Pacific Northwest, the slender white piperia (Piperia candida) is the only one with a spur (a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower) that is equal to or shorter than the lip (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal"), and also  has white flowers. Two other species fit this description, but both of those have green to yellowish-green flowers. It is also one of the westernmost species, found growing geographically near the Pacific Ocean in California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska. This one was found growing near the Deschutes River in rural Thurston County, just west of Mount Rainier in Washington State.
    Piperia candida-1.jpg
  • These native beauties are very common in the springtime in the Pacific Northwest and can be found in California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia anywhere with moist soil and lots of shade. One interesting feature of the Pacific bleeding heart is how it is spread. The one to two inch pod contains large black seeds with a bit of white fat attached to each one. Ants love this fat, and carry the seeds away. When the seed is discarded, it has a chance to grow in a new location! These were found growing in an old coniferous forest near Deep Lake in Enumclaw, Washington.
    Pacific Bleeding Hearts
  • This most common of the orb weaver spiders found in Washington State, the cross orb weaver is found in a wide range of habitats. It has extremely variable markings and patterns, but they all have a white cross on the back of the abdomen. This large female was found eating its prey - some sort of flying insect - that she trapped in her web next to Coal Creek in Bellevue, Washington on an early fall afternoon.
    Cross Orb Weaver
  • Found all over western North America plus Michigan and West Virginia, this native flax is found as far north as Alaska and the Northwest Territories in Canada, all the way south to Mexico's Baja California. It prefers dry climates in open grasslands, sagebrush steppes and both ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir forests. It has been recorded that the Nlaka'pamux Indians of Southern British Columbia and Northern Washington State used to boil parts of this plant to make a hair and scalp tonic. This one was found in growing along the side of Umtanum Creek below the Cascade Mountains north of Yakima, Washington.
    Western Blue Flax
  • A young male Columbian black-tailed deer feeds on the foliage below Hurricane Ridge in Washington's Olympic Mountains. This subspecies of the mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) is found only in the coastal temperate rainforests and mountains of the Pacific Northwest from Northern California to Washington.
    Columbian Black-tailed deer Young Buck
  • A male acmon blue butterfly in Central Washington drinks moisture from the mud after a soaking summer rain in the rural canyons south of Yakima, Washington.
    Acmon Blue Close-up
  • An unusual-colored salmonberry growing in the wetlands above Deep Lake in Thurston County, Washington.
    Salmonberry
  • Closeup of the densely packed flowers of the elegant piperia orchid. Looking very similar to ladies-tresses orchids, these distant relatives are found in very scattered locations from British Columbia, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Northern California. This one was found in early summer in Washington's Klickitat County.
    Elegant Piperia (Piperia elegans)
  • The California ground squirrel is a very common western species that has recently expanded north into Washington, as this one was found in the  Washington side of the Columbia Gorge with the Columbia River and Oregon in the background. Highly intelligent, this common prey of rattlesnakes has been known to outsmart attacks using many ingenious methods and is even thought to be somewhat immune to rattlesnake venom.
    California Ground Squirrel
  • The western redback salamander is a small but relatively common amphibian in the Pacific Northwest. It has a restricted range that is west of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington, all of Victoria Island in British Columbia, as well as around the Vancouver area. Highly adaptable to varying habitats, this little salamander is found at higher elevations than any other member of its family, and in drier habitats than many of its relatives. This nearly two-inch salamander was found under a rock next to a tiny stream in the mountains above the Carbon River near Mount Rainier, Washington on a hot summer day.
    Western Redback Salamander 1
  • The western redback salamander is a small but relatively common amphibian in the Pacific Northwest. It has a restricted range that is west of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington, all of Victoria Island in British Columbia, as well as around the Vancouver area. Highly adaptable to varying habitats, this little salamander is found at higher elevations than any other member of its family, and in drier habitats than many of its relatives. This nearly two-inch salamander was found under a rock next to a tiny stream in the mountains above the Carbon River near Mount Rainier, Washington on a hot summer day.
    Western Redback Salamander 3
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-11.jpg
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-10.jpg
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-8.jpg
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-9.jpg
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-7.jpg
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-5.jpg
  • Close-up look of one of my favorite native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid. It is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-3.jpg
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-4.jpg
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-2.jpg
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-1.jpg
  • A very lucky find in Washington's Olympic Mountains! This tiny orchid was in full bloom up a narrow mountain goat trail overlooking the majestic glaciers and peaks found in Olympic National Park. Found only in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia, this easily overlooked beauty is only one of two green-flowered Piperia species growing in the Pacific Northwest. How you tell this one apart from the somewhat similar Alaskan piperia is the length of the spur. This one (Piperia elongata) has a spur on the flower that greatly exceeds the length of the lip, while the closely related Alaskan piperia (Piperia unalascensis) has a spur that is equal to or slightly less than the length of the lip. The spur in this photo looks a bit like a horn growing underneath each flower, and the lip is the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower.
    Piperia elongata-3.jpg
  • A very lucky find in Washington's Olympic Mountains! This tiny orchid was in full bloom up a narrow mountain goat trail overlooking the majestic glaciers and peaks found in Olympic National Park. Found only in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia, this easily overlooked beauty is only one of two green-flowered Piperia species growing in the Pacific Northwest. How you tell this one apart from the somewhat similar Alaskan piperia is the length of the spur. This one (Piperia elongata) has a spur on the flower that greatly exceeds the length of the lip, while the closely related Alaskan piperia (Piperia unalascensis) has a spur that is equal to or slightly less than the length of the lip. The spur in this photo looks a bit like a horn growing underneath each flower, and the lip is the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower.
    Piperia elongata-2.jpg
  • A very lucky find in Washington's Olympic Mountains! This tiny orchid was in full bloom up a narrow mountain goat trail overlooking the majestic glaciers and peaks found in Olympic National Park. Found only in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia, this easily overlooked beauty is only one of two green-flowered Piperia species growing in the Pacific Northwest. How you tell this one apart from the somewhat similar Alaskan piperia is the length of the spur. This one (Piperia elongata) has a spur on the flower that greatly exceeds the length of the lip, while the closely related Alaskan piperia (Piperia unalascensis) has a spur that is equal to or slightly less than the length of the lip. The spur in this photo looks a bit like a horn growing underneath each flower, and the lip is the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower.
    Piperia elongata-1.jpg
  • This beautiful small, and beautiful blue member of the figwort family is found in conifer forests from mid-to-low elevations in California, Utah, Oregon, Idaho, Washington and British Columbia. While its species name (Collinsia grandiflora) means "large-flowered", the tiny flowers of the giant blue-eyed Mary are still much larger than other members of the Collinsia genus. This one was found growing in thick mats scattered over the serpentine outcropping on the northwestern corner of Washington's Fidalgo Island.
    Giant Blue-Eyed Mary
  • These native beauties are very common in the springtime in the Pacific Northwest and can be found in California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia anywhere with moist soil and lots of shade. One interesting feature of the Pacific bleeding heart is how it is spread. The one to two inch pod contains large black seeds with a bit of white fat attached to each one. Ants love this fat, and carry the seeds away. When the seed is discarded, it has a chance to grow in a new location! These were found growing in an old coniferous forest near Deep Lake in Enumclaw, Washington.
    Pacific Bleeding Hearts
  • The Pacific banana slug (Ariolimax columbianus) is the world's second-largest terrestrial slug in the world and can grow up to 9.8 inches (25 cm) long. They live on the forest floors in the Pacific Northwest, and are most often seen cruising along the leaf litter or on decaying wood at a maximum speed of  6 1⁄2 inches (17 cm) per minute. Because they get moisture through their skin, banana slugs need a moist environment in order to survive, and the wet, mild climate of western Washington, Oregon and British Columbia meets that need perfectly. This one was found in a disturbed suburban park in Kent, Washington.
    Pacific Banana Slug
  • This most common of the orb weaver spiders found in Washington State, the cross orb weaver is found in a wide range of habitats. It has extremely variable markings and patterns, but they all have a white cross on the back of the abdomen. This large female was found eating its prey - some sort of flying insect - that she trapped in her web next to Coal Creek in Bellevue, Washington on an early fall afternoon.
    Cross Orb Weaver
  • This most common of the orb weaver spiders found in Washington State, the cross orb weaver is found in a wide range of habitats. It has extremely variable markings and patterns, but they all have a white cross on the back of the abdomen. This large female was found eating its prey - some sort of flying insect - that she trapped in her web next to Coal Creek in Bellevue, Washington on an early fall afternoon.
    Cross Orb Weaver
  • The common snowberry is a found throughout most of central and northern North America and is most commonly seen in lower-elevations mountainous forests where it can form immense thickets. Although it is a staple food source for many birds and mammals such as deer, bears, and bighorn sheep, all parts of the plant and fruit are somewhat toxic to humans if eaten in quantity, although many native tribes used them medicinally. Only the Sqauxin Indians of the Olympia, Washington area are reported to have eaten them regularly. These were found and photographed in the Mercer Sough of Bellevue, Washington.
    Common Snowberry
  • The common snowberry is a found throughout most of central and northern North America and is most commonly seen in lower-elevations mountainous forests where it can form immense thickets. Although it is a staple food source for many birds and mammals such as deer, bears, and bighorn sheep, all parts of the plant and fruit are somewhat toxic to humans if eaten in quantity, although many native tribes used them medicinally. Only the Sqauxin Indians of the Olympia, Washington area are reported to have eaten them regularly. These were found and photographed in the Mercer Sough of Bellevue, Washington.
    Common Snowberry
  • A bold female Columbian black-tailed deer feeds on the wild grasses growing along Hurricane Ridge in Washington's Olympic Mountains. This subspecies of the mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) is found only in the coastal temperate rainforests and mountains of the Pacific Northwest from Northern California to Washington.
    Columbian Black-tailed Doe
  • The copperbush is a somewhat uncommon shrub found in the subalpine wet/damp forests in the mountains of Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska. Often associated with bogs, this rather unremarkable shrub has beautiful coppery bark and pale flowers. This one was blooming next to Lake Elizabeth at the top of Washington's Stevens Pass.
    Copperbush
  • This small daisy is found at lower elevations in the drier, rocky parts of Central and Eastern Washington and Oregon. It is closely related to other similar aster species found in the same region but at higher elevations. This one was found with many others growing from a crack in a basalt canyon rock wall outside of Naches, Washington just west of Yakima.
    Dwarf Golden Daisy
  • Garry oak leaves in the sagebrush desert just outside of Yakima, Washington. This attractive tree is native to Oregon, Washington and British Columbia and is depended upon by many different species of wildlife for their survival, such as the western gray squirrel, Lewis woodpecker, and slender billed nuthatch.
    Garry Oak Leaves
  • The Palouse River is a somewhat short river in southeastern Washington that joins the Snake River, which in turn joins the mighty Columbia River that forms the border between Washington and Oregon. It is best known for it's magnificent waterfall - Palouse Falls.
    Palouse River
  • The Palouse River is a somewhat short river in southeastern Washington that joins the Snake River, which in turn joins the mighty Columbia River that forms the border between Washington and Oregon. It is best known for it's magnificent waterfall - Palouse Falls.
    Palouse River
  • The Palouse River is a somewhat short river in southeastern Washington that joins the Snake River, which in turn joins the mighty Columbia River that forms the border between Washington and Oregon. It is best known for it's magnificent waterfall - Palouse Falls.
    Palouse River
  • Snail Rock with a lone bald eagle perched on top on the Makah Indian Reservation near Neah Bay, Washington. This huge rock stands in the Strait of Juan de Fuca which separates Washington State from British Columbia, Canada (which you can clearly see in the background). When the tide is lower, more exposed rock on either side of it (where the surf is) makes it look like a giant snail!
    Snail Rock
  • The little bear beetle is a type of scarab beetle associated with apple and pear orchards in the dry parts of Washington, Oregon and California. This one rests in an antelope bitterbrush bush in the sagebrush desert in Central Washington.
    Little Bear Beetle
  • One of the largest species of chipmunk in North America, the Townsend's chipmunk  is found only in the Pacific Northwest, from most of the Oregon coast area, all of Washington west of the Cascade Mountains, and just the southern tip of British Columbia in Canada. This curious individual posed for me for about ten minutes at Ruby Beach, Washington.
    Townsend's Chipmunk
  • Common pincushion is a very frequently encountered and wonderfully soft-to-the-touch moss found around the world in wet climates at low altitude where it is found growing in clumps on rocks, soil or the trunks of trees. This patch was growing on a fallen tree next to Soos Creek in Western Washington's King County.
    Common Pincushion (Dicranoweisia cir.. - 4
  • Common pincushion is a very frequently encountered and wonderfully soft-to-the-touch moss found around the world in wet climates at low altitude where it is found growing in clumps on rocks, soil or the trunks of trees. This patch was growing on a fallen tree next to Soos Creek in Western Washington's King County.
    Common Pincushion (Dicranoweisia cir.. - 2
  • Ingalls Creek in Washington's Cascade Mountains is utterly beautiful throughout the year. In summer, it is surrounded by tall granite mountains and lined with millions of subalpine and montane wildflowers. In winter with fresh snow, it provides a view that's hard to beat. This particular section of the creek was found by accident while following a downy woodpecker through the snow on a chilly late January afternoon.
    Ingalls Creek - 2
  • Ingalls Creek in Washington's Cascade Mountains is utterly beautiful throughout the year. In summer, it is surrounded by tall granite mountains and lined with millions of subalpine and montane wildflowers. In winter with fresh snow, it provides a view that's hard to beat. This particular section of the creek was found by accident while following a downy woodpecker through the snow on a chilly late January afternoon.
    Ingalls Creek - 1
  • Common throughout most of the United States and Canada (except the Southeastern states) the horned lark (Eremophila alpestris) is a passerine songbird that holds an enormous range of not only habitat, but also altitude. It can be found from sea level to alpine regions up to thirteen thousand feet. Wherever they may be encountered, they might be considered impossible to see, such as this juvenile that is so perfectly camouflaged in its dry and dusty home in the hills above Cowiche Canyon near Yakima, Washington that I didn't even notice it until it moved.
    Horned Lark-2
  • What a beauty! The shrubby penstemon is one of the many species of very pretty beardtongue wildflowers found all across the Pacific Northwest. This particular species is found growing in dense mats in the more arid regions on the eastern side of the Cascade Mountains where there is less rainfall and more sunlight throughout the year. This one was found growing in thick profusion along one of the sides of Cowiche Canyon, just outside of Yakima, Washington.
    Shrubby Penstemon
  • This pretty little bright yellow flowering pea is an invasive plant from Eurasia and Northern Africa and Africa that has taken over large parts of North America where it was once used to help control soil erosion in agricultural areas. These "escaped" plants were found growing in abundance along Soos Creek in Kent, Washington on a cloudy summer day.
    Bird's-Foot Trefoil -1
  • Witch's butter (Tremella mesenterica) is a very interesting jelly fungus found most frequently on recently dead wood in wet habitats, such as this one found on a wet winter day in Kent, Washington next to Soos Creek. Considered edible but flavorless, I can't imagine being the person who would be the first to try this slimy and slippery fungus in the first place!
    Witches' Butter-1
  • This perfect specimen of a turkey-tail mushroom stands out beautifully against the wet green moss on a cold and damp Pacific Northwest winter day next to Soos Creek in Kent, Washington.
    Turkey-Tail (Trametes versicolor)
  • A mallard drake (male) with paddles around in Soos Creek on a chilly Pacific Northwest winter day in Kent, Washington.
    Mallard Drake
  • A very cool find: a western pondhawk dragonfly laying her eggs in a pond in Soos Creek in Kent, Washington! When the eggs hatch, the voracious aquatic nymphs that emerge will active hunt down any kind of aquatic insect it can find, such as mosquito and mayfly larvae, and even small fish and tadpoles until it is time for them to emerge from the water as adults.
    Female Western Pondhawk
  • A rare view of a tree swallow perching in a tree next to its hollowed-out nest above Soos Creek in Kent, Washington.
    Tree Swallow
  • The western pondhawk is a common dragonfly in the western states and provinces of North America. With its oversized jaws, it can overpower and devour most large flying insects such as butterflies, damselflies and even other dragonflies. It is most often seen perched on vegetation as it scans for a potential meal to fly by. This male was seen lying in wait along Soos Creek, in Kent, Washington.
    Male Western Pondhawk
  • A mallard hen swims in Soos Creek in Kent, Washington on a bright summer day.
    Mallard Hen
  • A song sparrow perches in a tree on a bright summer morning above Soos Creek in Kent, Washington.
    Song Sparrow
  • The American red raspberry is an incredibly delicious native and wild fruit found throughout every Canadian province and territory, as well as every American state except for Kansas, Kentucky, Arkansas, Hawaii, and all of the Gulf Coast states. Most could argue that they are even tastier than the commercially grown raspberries found in grocery stores! These were found growing in the mountains above the Carbon River near Mount Rainier, Washington on a hot summer day.
    American Red Raspberry 2
  • The American red raspberry is an incredibly delicious native and wild fruit found throughout every Canadian province and territory, as well as every American state except for Kansas, Kentucky, Arkansas, Hawaii, and all of the Gulf Coast states. Most could argue that they are even tastier than the commercially grown raspberries found in grocery stores! These were found growing in the mountains above the Carbon River near Mount Rainier, Washington on a hot summer day.
    American Red Raspberry 1
  • A protective mother wood duck hen speeds across a duckweed-covered pond with her chicks hot on her tail by Soos Creek in Kent, Washington on a hot summer day.
    Wood Duck Hen with Ducklings
  • An incredible find! Swallows are among the most difficult birds to photograph because they are so secretive, fast, low-flying and extremely erratic in flight. Not to mention they are very small and almost never land where you can see them. Tree swallows? Even more impossible. I found this tree swallow only after I just happened to notice it fly out of a nearly-invisible hole in a dead tree. I waited and waited in the wetlands of Soos Creek in Kent, Washington until it came back to its nest.
    Nesting Tree Swallow 1
  • I've spent over a decade telling everyone I know that this beautiful member of the Balsaminaceae of plants was an invasive, exotic species from Asia and I was completely wrong. I recently discovered that it is natively found near wetlands and streams in all over North America except the arid American Southwest, Wyoming, Montana and Alaska.<br />
<br />
What I wasn't wrong about is it's natural characteristic as a cure for poison ivy (which I suffer greatly from every time I come into contact with it). Sap from the crushed leaves and stems if applied soon after contact can negate or greatly reduce the rash from contact with poison ivy. Just be wary of the berries produced after the flowers are pollinated as they can be quite toxic to humans, especially children.<br />
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This one was one of thousands found growing on the edges of Soos Creek in Southern King County, in Kent, Washington.
    Jewelweed
  • Perhaps the most strikingly beautiful of all of the large dragonflies of Western Canada and the United States, the eight-spotted skimmer contrasts greatly with its environment, whether it is in lowland marshes and ponds or along desert creeks and rivers. This one was seen perching over a duckweed-covered pond near Soos Creek, part of the Green River watershed system in Kent, Washington on a very hot summer day.
    Eight-spotted Skimmer
  • This rather small plain brown amanita mushroom, but if you stop and look at it, it has the spots very similar to it's famous relative, the Amanita muscaria. This one was found in a heavily forested area above the Carbon River near Mount Rainier in Washington State.
    Candlestick Amanita (Amanita calyptr..des)
  • Getting their name from the sweet nectar produced by their beautiful bright red-orange flowers and tube-like flowers, the western trumpet honeysuckle is a beautiful flowering vine found throughout much of the western United States, including British Columbia in several types of coastal to lower-elevation mountain habitats. These were found growing on a bright summer day overlooking the Puget Sound on Fidalgo Island in Washington State.
    Western Trumpet Honeysuckle
  • Getting their name from the sweet nectar produced by their beautiful bright red-orange flowers and tube-like flowers, the western trumpet honeysuckle is a beautiful flowering vine found throughout much of the western United States, including British Columbia in several types of coastal to lower-elevation mountain habitats. These were found growing on a bright summer day overlooking the Puget Sound on Fidalgo Island in Washington State.
    Western Trumpet Honeysuckle
  • This plant needs no introduction to most of us. I learned about it the hard way while unknowingly walking through a huge patch of it in shorts. While not native to North America, this "uncomfortable" is an unfortunate import from Europe, Asia and Western Africa where it has been stinging people and animals forever and now can be found growing in every state (except Hawaii) and province of the United States, Canada, and even in parts of Northern Mexico. As an act of delicious revenge, when the leaves of the stinging nettle are added to boiling water, the tiny stinging hairs break down resulting in a very healthy and nourishing food source, similar to cooked spinach. This one was found growing above the forrest cliffs of Whidbey Island in Washington State's Puget Sound.
    StingingNettle2020-1.jpg
  • The long-toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum) is an attractive medium-sized dark-colored salamander with a yellow, gold or green stripe down its back, that is covered with tiny white speckles along the sides of its body and face. It gets its name for its long fourth toe on its hind feet. Native to the Pacific Northwest , it can be found in all of Washington, and parts of Oregon, Northern California, Northern Idaho, Western Montana, Most of British Columbia and the southwestern edge of Alberta. This one was found hiding under a log in Maple Valley, Washington on a warm early spring afternoon.
    Long-toed Salamander
  • This tall, beautiful member of the mint family is found up and down the Western coast of North America from Mexico to Alaska, and is most often associated with coastal woodlands that receive a lot of rain. I almost always see them in flower with large numbers of bumblebees every summer. These were found growing alongside a cold mountain stream in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula on a hot summer day.
    Mexican Hedge Nettle
  • This tall, beautiful member of the mint family is found up and down the Western coast of North America from Mexico to Alaska, and is most often associated with coastal woodlands that receive a lot of rain. I almost always see them in flower with large numbers of bumblebees every summer. These were found growing alongside a cold mountain stream in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula on a hot summer day.
    Mexican Hedge Nettle
  • Late summer afternoon on Lake Washington in Medina, WA as snowy Mount Rainier rises above the landscape.
    Mount Rainier
  • Common St. Johnswort is found in most places in North America except the coldest regions or the driest of deserts. It is traditionally used as an herbal medicine for treating depression. This was photographed near the Oregon-Washington border just north of the Columbia River in Washington's Klickitat County.
    St. John's Wort
  • A large elk bull patrols his harem of does on a cold wintery desert day on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains in Washington State near Cowiche Canyon.
    Dominant Bull Elk
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