If a hiker in a Kitsap forest were to come upon someone looking through a pair of binoculars, it is only natural to ask what he or she is seeing. If the response is “brown creeper,” some people may think the individual is … read more

The orchard mason bee, also known as the blue orchard bee, is the Western native pollinator that appears each year in late winter and early spring to pollinate the early-blooming fruit trees and flowers. Its scientific name, Osmia lignaria propinqua Cresson, describes the … read more

Last month, my husband and I visited a small public garden in Southwest Washington called the Wildlife Botanical Gardens. The garden is a project of the NatureScaping organization, devoted to showing homeowners ways to attract birds and other wildlife to their yards by … read more

Namibia. Where, you say? You’re not alone. Few American tourists have heard of it, let alone ventured here. But this vast and undiscovered country in southwest Africa is the new safari destination for Africa, as well as so very much more. The scenery … read more

Have you heard the sound of raindrops on calm water? It has a soothing effect on the soul, and when you add the sound of kayak paddles gently dipping and purple martins twittering above, one gets a sense that all is right with … read more

To implement the Hood Canal Coordination Council’s In Lieu Fee Mitigation Program, Great Peninsula Conservancy and Hood Canal Coordinating Council have teamed up to conserve, restore and protect marine shoreline and tideland habitats. Fees paid by developers as compensation for impacts to marine … read more

Depending on their numbers, the popularity of geese can wax and wane. It’s the Canada geese that produce these mixed feelings. Brant geese, their much smaller cousin, is looked at in an entirely different way. Some even think of this goose as “cute.” … read more

At the end of March, birds hunt for suitable nesting sites to raise their brood. It is the time of year to clean out the birdhouses and make them livable, or erect new ones for the next bird couple. Until humans decided to … read more

More than 60 percent of the households in Kitsap County have a pet, and for the past 25 years, the Kitsap Humane Society has delivered compassionate, individualized care to the animals that come through the doors each year for adoption. For the last … read more