Lichen: Life Working Together
By Rob Roy McGregor, SJPT Land Steward Last winter, I became a bit obsessed with lichens, and like a mad numerologist [...]
The “Steller” Stars of Whale Rocks
Dr. Frances Robertson, Coordinator of the San Juan County Marine Resources Committee (MRC), takes a boat trip to the swift waters [...]
Zylstra Lake Preserve Opens for Public Access
The "year-round" portion of the trail (turquoise line) opens this fall. September 21, 2020 — The timing couldn’t be more perfect: This [...]
If You Build It …
In May we mounted Purple Martin nest boxes built by volunteer Joshua Johns on the dock house at the Marilyn and [...]
Learn-at-Home Project: Purple Martins
(L to R:) Elani, Josh, and Orion Johns on Orcas Island Elani and Orion drew pictures and took research notes [...]
Snowy Island Scenes
It wouldn't count for much in truly snowy places, but the islands were cloaked in 2–6 inches of the cold white [...]
A Swan’s Sounding Sojourn
If you sleep with your windows open, you may have noticed the morning songs of passerines (songbirds) gradually diminishing, until one [...]
We Love Dogs, But …
Well-behaved human and dogs on Turtleback Mountain We're all creatures of habit, and some of us are in the habit of [...]
Winter Bird Walk at Zylstra Lake Preserve
Trumpeter Swans on Zylstra Lake | Kurt Thorson Winter is a wonderful time to see migratory waterfowl, and Zylstra Lake Preserve [...]
Night at Red Mill Farm
SJPT Land Steward Rob Roy McGregor took these photos on a recent night at Red Mill Farm Preserve on San Juan [...]
Capturing Fall Photos on Vendovi
A group of photo enthusiasts boated to Vendovi Island on October 20 to capture images of autumn splendor. They found plenty, [...]
Celebrate the Year of the Bird on Sunday, May 6
From our friends at the San Juan County Land Bank: Western Tanager on Vendovi Island | Kurt Thorson Join [...]
Field Note by Susan Vernon: Black Sea Pies
The last day of February I hear the startling wheep, wheep, wheep, wheep of four black oystercatchers as they come screaming down the [...]
The Swan Count Results Are In!
Trumpeter swans on Zylstra Lake | Kurt Thorson SJPT Stewardship Manager Kathleen Foley, who coordinates the annual swan count [...]
In Search of Forest Fungi
Last month’s “Forest Fungi Foray” outing to Waldron Island attracted an enthusiastic group of Preservation Trust members. All was in place for [...]
November 2017 Field Note by Susan Vernon
Arrival of the Swans On November 2, a friend calls to tell me the swans are back. … It is exhilarating to [...]
September 2017 Field Note by Susan Vernon
In the San Juans, September is a time of transition for the birds. The change seems subtle at first—recognition that the [...]
Hot Spots for Eclipse Viewing
Photo: ajmexico | CC by 2.0 Okay, so the solar eclipse on August 21 will not be full in [...]
On the Trail of Two Rare Species
Following SJPT’s 38th Annual Meeting in Friday Harbor last month, 20 SJPT members piled into a minibus and took off in [...]
Licensed to Drone
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, drones—the remote-controlled, helicopter-like gadgets that have inspired a whole new generation of potato guns—can be a [...]
A Naturalist Reports on an SJPT Outing
For those who did not join us on our "Butterflies of the San Juan Islands" walk after our Annual Meeting in [...]