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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 5, 2020)
Sisters Country birds By Douglas Beall Correspondent The mountain quail (Oreortyx pictus) is the largest quail in the United States. I found these colour- ful quail on the shoulders of Mt. Jefferson, and while waiting for a good oppor- tunity to capture an image from my truck, had one sit- ting on a log staring at me and he did not blink for 40 minutes. In foothills and moun- tains of the far west, cov- eys of these striking birds scurry through the man- zanita thickets. Mountain quail are often overlooked, because they keep to dense cover; when approached, they often sit motionless in the brush, where they are very difficult to spot. The nest is a simple scrape made by the male, concealed in vegetation, often at the base of a tree and usually close to water. Breeding among mountain quail is monoga- mous and the female lays 8-15 creamy pinkish eggs. Incubation lasts 21-25 days, usually performed by the female, rarely by the male. The chicks begin feeding immediately, with insects being the majority of their diet until they slowly add vegetation. They have a wide vari- ety of foraging techniques. They often pick up items from the ground, scratch- ing among leaf litter and use their feet to dig for bulbs, also they climb in shrubs and trees to pick berries. Although their secretive nature makes it difficult to accurately census, they have clearly experienced a great decline in the past 50 years in parts of their range. A group of quails has many collective nouns, including a <battery,= <drift,= <flush,= <rout,= and <shake= of quails. To view more images of the mountain quail, please visit my website and enjoy the small things: www. abirdsingsbecauseithas asong.com/recent-journeys. Wednesday, February 5, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon STARS: Visit Oregon Observatory to learn about astronomy Mercury stands 11 degrees above the southwestern hori- zon half an hour after sunset. This will be the best time to see the planet all year. Venus is there too, of course, as it is the brightest object in the sky after the sun and moon. The three remaining supe- rior planets are all morning objects. Mars rises first just before 4 a.m. local time at the beginning of the month. Jupiter pops up around 90 minutes before the sun, fol- lowed by Saturn 40 minutes later. By the end of February all three planets rise before twilight begins. Let9s not forget about the earth9s closest natural body in space. Our moon will become the Full Snow Moon on the 8th, last quarter on February 15 and new moon on February 23. Additionally, the moon will be closest to the earth (perigee) on February 10 at 223,980 miles and farthest away (apogee) on February 26 at 252,450 miles. If you want to learn more about astronomy, con- sider a visit to the Oregon Observatory at Sunriver. During February the facil- ity is open for solar view- ing Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Wednesday and Saturday nights 7 to 9 p.m. The obser- vatory has the largest collec- tion of public viewing tele- scopes in the country. PHOTO BY DOUGLAS BEALL BIG ISLAND-HAWAII APRIL 21-28, 2020 $2,849 PPDO Includes air, taxes, transfers, 7 nts, Big Island Tour, Seahorse Farm Tour, Parker Ranch w/lunch, Royal Kona Luau & more! Audry Van Houweling PMHNP-BC Now Accepting Insurance 541-595-8337 • www.shesoarspsych.com 102 E. Main Ave., Downtown Sisters Bring your equipment in now for pre-season tune-ups and servicing! Mowers • Lawn Tractors • Blowers Trimmers • Chainsaws & More! BRANSON, MO MAY 13-19, 2020 STARTING AT $2,349 PPDO Includes air, taxes, transfers, 12 meals, 11 shows/attraction, 7 days/6 nights. ALASKA CRUISE MAY 27-JUNE 6, 2020 STARTING AT $2,699 PPDO Includes air, taxes, transfers. Anchorage, Fairbanks, Denali Wilderness Lodge, Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, Vancouver, B.C. WINNEMUCCA, NV JUNE 19-21, 2020 $124 PPDO Two nights & $15 in free slot play, and $15 in food coupons! WINNEMUCCA, NV AUG 21-23, 2020 $124 PPDO Two nights & $15 in free slot play, and $15 in food coupons! Single occupancy additional $20 NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE SEPT. 17-22, 2020 $2,149 PPDO Downtown hotel! General Jackson River Cruise, Grand Ol’ Opry, Trolley Tour, Country Music Hall of Fame, Tour of the Ryman Auditorium, Opryland and more. 506 N. Pine St. 541-549-9631 Sales • Service • Rentals • Accessories | www.SistersRental.com Deadline looms for writing contest Continued from page 7 The mountain quail. Holistic Mental Health Solutions Medication Management Counseling • Functional Medicine 9 Connie Boyle 541-508-1500 Box 615 Sisters, OR 97759 Tick tock! Waterston Desert Writing Prize submis- sions for the 2020 prize are due by midnight, April 1. If you are planning to submit, it9s time to get serious about applying. Find all the guide- lines and a link for submis- sions at www.waterstondeser- twritingprize.org. The prize honors creative nonfiction that illustrates artistic excellence, sensitivity to place, and desert literacy, with the desert as both subject and setting. Inspired by author and poet Ellen Waterston9s love of the high desert of Central Oregon, a region that has been her muse for over 30 years, the prize recognizes the vital role deserts play world- wide in the ecosystem and the human narrative. The prize-winner will receive a $2,500 cash award, a reading and reception at the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon, and a resi- dency at PLAYA at Summer Lake, Oregon. The win- ner and finalists will be announced in April. The award event, including <A Desert Conversation,= will take place Wednesday, June 24, at the High Desert Museum. The prize is funded from an endowment managed by the Oregon Community Foundation, with the impetus for the creation of the endow- ment provided by actor Sam Waterston, after whom the prize is named. For more information about the Waterston Desert Writing Prize, visit www. waterstondesertwriting prize.org or email info@ waterstondesertwritingprize. org or call 541-480-3933 or 541-419-0414.
