Outside

O Backyard Badgers and Ground Squirrels are Fair Game, but They Shouldn’t Be

Open season on these ‘pests’ harms ecosystems

By Jim Anderson

You’ve seen them. They’re big furry critters about the size of a bear cub that sort of roll over the surface of the earth as they rush from point “A” to point “B.” If you get too close to them — as you investigate what that blur of fur was that scuttled behind the sagebrush — you’ll hear a deep grumble, and if you’re quick, you’ll also see a lot of soil flying and that clump of fur vanish underground.

You probably already guessed it, if you’ve had an encounter with the American Badger. They are very common throughout the High Desert, where, unfortunately they are shot on sight by most so-called “sportsmen” and far too many horse people.

There is no wild animal in the State of Oregon that eats ground squirrels faster and more often than badgers. Wildlife biologists say they have a major impact on the biodiversity of the Sisters Country, which is an understatement. The agricultural industry in this neck of the woods, with its irrigated farms, has had a profound impact in increasing the populations of the various ground squirrels — Belding’s in particular — which has created a new business: shooting ground squirrels, or “sage rats,” as some people know them.

At Hampton Station you may see an old bus that’s been converted to a shooting platform that takes customers out to the edge of the hay fields to shoot (as in kill) ground squirrels. This is causing a terrible calamity to the various raptors that also kill (and eat) the ground squirrels.

The ground squirrels that have been killed with lead shot become carriers of lead that enters the life stream of eagles, hawks and owls of the region. The lead in the dead ground squirrels is ingested by the raptors, with hideous results.

There is no worse sight in the wild than a bald eagle suffering from the results of ingested lead. Death eventually overtakes them as they crawl on their bellies, unable to eat, drink, or fly. In most cases, if the bird(s) do get to a vet’s lab, it will take as long as a year of medicating a bird to get the lead out of their bodies.

To make matters worse, if the raptor feeding on lead-infested squirrels is nesting, the adult will bring the contaminated ground squirrel back and feed it to the nestling. The result: the baby bird dies before it can fledge.

Then there’s the badger who also feeds on great numbers of ground squirrels. They are nocturnal most of the time and dig out ground squirrels from their burrows at night, and throughout the winter. Yes, it’s that infernal digging that gets the poor old badger into trouble with equestrians. Again and again, one hears reports of horses that have fallen into a badger hole, broken a leg, and had to be euthanized.

There is no easy answer to that problem, except for horse lovers to chase the badgers far enough out of the pasture enough that they don’t return. But ground squirrels and horse pastures go together like hand and glove. Using lethal means to rid the pasture of ground squirrels causes more problems than shooting the badger, so that’s out.

Trapping ground squirrels is labor intensive, but by far the best solution, especially if one hires a high school student to do it; he or she can build up a wonderful college fund.

And then there’s the off-hand shooting (as in killing) of badgers for the fun of it. Unfortunately, the badger isn’t protected by any state or federal regulations. The first settlers who didn’t like badgers — or the look of them — could just kill them and that was that; it’s the same today, except you must have a hunting license and permission to be on the land.

That’s got to change because of the badger’s vital role as a member of juniper, sage and grassland ecosystems. And besides that, they are living members of our wildlife community.

Looking at badgers as treasured members of Oregon’s total wildlife community should be the attitude we all share every time we see one crossing the road, or burrowing into a meadow eliminating pestiferous ground squirrels. We need them, and they need us!

Jim Anderson

Caleb Anderson looks over a badger killed and hung from a fence in Oregon’s Great Sandy Desert.

By Chris Williams

Wiki Commons

2022 Central Oregon Pride

The first official Pride March was held in New York City on June 28, 1970. The event commemorated the Stonewall Riots a year prior - a series of nights in which the LGTBQ+ community in New York fought back against police who were harassing, arresting and physically/verbally abusing patrons at the notorious Stonewall Inn. The bar is now a nationally recognized landmark. The first march welcomed a few thousand protestors standing up for gay/trans rights and liberation, while today, marches across the world number in the millions.

June is now recognized as LGBTQ+ Pride Month with events held across the world spanning the entirety of June. Local groups such as OUT Central Oregon, Cult of Tuck, and numerous others have been hosting events in celebration of Pride month. This has spanned from fun active meetups like Pride roller skating and night paddle adventures to art and fashion shows. Central Oregon Pride 2022 will be a culmination of a month’s worth of celebration at Drake Park. The high energy event will feature local vendors, drinks/ food and lots of music and dancing!

Back this year from 2019 is the Pride 5k Run/Walk that follows an out and back trail along the Deschutes River that starts and ends in Drake Park. Paired with the run/walk is the Drag Dash which will feature Central Oregon Kings and Queens competing for the coveted title of Drag Dash Darling.

While June is officially recognized as Pride month, there are weekly and monthly events happening year-round in Bend hosted by the LGTBQ+ community. Each month brings a get together at Dogwood Cocktail Bar, an LGBTQ+ Climb Night at Bend Rock Gym, and various outdoor gatherings and tons of shows and meetups that are too numerous to list. OUT Central Oregon has an extensive list of events on its website: https://outcentraloregon.com/events/

2022 Central Oregon Pride

O Butterflies of Central Oregon and Their Host Plants

Five species to watch for, and where to find them

By Sarah Mowry and Amanda Egertson

Butterflies flitting about the forest, meadow, or your yard are a sure sign of summer in Central Oregon. Warmer weather and blooming flowers bring out a wide variety of these amazing, delicate creatures, making them easy to spot and watch. It’s the bright colors that catch many people’s eye, but did you know that all butterflies are also deeply connected to the land around them? They rely on native plants as hosts for laying eggs, to provide the food young caterpillars need to survive, and as nectar sources to sip the liquid ingredients they need for nourishment. One of the most well-known examples is, of course, the monarch butterfly, which relies on milkweed as its sole host plant for egg-laying and caterpillar leaf-munching. This intricate relationship between butterfly and plant lends to the wonder of nature, and also offers a clue for where to look to find and identify the butterfly. Here are five butterflies to watch for that are common in early summer, along with their host plants and nectar sources:

Courtesy Deschutes Land Trust

A California tortoiseshell butterfly rests on a flower during the summer at Skyline Forest.

California Tortoiseshell, Nymphalis califor-

nica. This medium sized (~ 2.5 inches) butterfly is bright orange with black wing margins and black spots. They are very common in Central Oregon and are often seen starting in late winter or early spring since they overwinter as adults, often hiding in crevices and other sheltered locations. Tortoiseshells rely on snowbrush (Ceanothus velutinus) as their host plants. This large shrub is a common understory plant in our pine forests that, when blooming, is covered in masses of white flowers. Tortoiseshells will lay their eggs in bunches on the snowbrush, and then the caterpillars will eat the leaves once they emerge. Snowbrush is a nectar source for these butterflies, but they will also sip from other flowers, from sap and even from drippy fir needles in spring! Tortoiseshells can be spotted flying about spring through fall, and even on warm winter days.

Pale Tiger Swallowtail, Papilio eurymedon.

This large (3+ inches) striking butterfly has pale white-to-cream wings with black windowpane markings, and bright orange and blue marks near its two long slender tails. Like the California tortoiseshell, pale swallowtails use snowbrush as a host plant, but they will also use oceanspray and serviceberry. Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) is a stunning native shrub that is covered with white blooms each spring. You’ll find it (and the pale swallowtail!) throughout Central Oregon as an understory plant in our pine forests and along our creeks and rivers. Pale swallowtail nectar sources include chokecherry, mints, lilies and penstemons. Look for these beautiful butterflies flying about most often in early summer.

Courtesy Deschutes Land Trust

Pale tiger swallowtail butterfly in flight.

Courtesy Deschutes Land Trust

Western Tailed Blue, Cupido amyntula. There are many different species of small blue butterflies in Central Oregon. In order to tell the difference between them, you typically need to see the underside of their wings, which can be a bit tricky given their small size and constant movement. The western tailed-blue is an average size for a blue (~1.25 inches), and it is one of the easiest blues to identify due to the tiny “tails” projecting off its hindwings (hence its name). These winged jewels rely on a variety of plants from the pea family (like milkvetch and golden pea) for egg laying, and will nectar from the same, as well as other wildflowers, rabbitbrush, and more. Look for the Western Tailed-blue in wet spots along our local trails where they frequently “puddle,” sipping salts and minerals from damp soil.

Courtesy Deschutes Land Trust

Lorquin's admiral butterfly lands on mock orange at Whychus Canyon Preserve.

Lorquin’s Admiral, Limenitis lorquini. One of our most stunning butterflies, the Lorquin’s never fails to capture attention! It’s one of our larger local butterflies (~3 inches) and is vividly colored: jet black slashed with glowing white diagonal stripes, orange wing tips on top, and brick red and white below. Its host plant is typically willow, but also aspen, cottonwood, serviceberry, oceanspray, and others. Willow is one of our most common shrubs, and it can be found in a wide variety of habitats including along our creeks and rivers. Lorquin’s Admirals are often seen perched on Pacific ninebark, sipping from mock orange, or visiting mustards, yarrow, thistle, dogbane, and others to refuel.

Courtesy Deschutes Land Trust

A two-banded checkered skipper rests on a hand at the Metolius Preserve.

Two-Banded Checkered Skipper, Pyrgus ruralis. Skippers are another family of butterflies that have a more stout, compact body, more rapid wing beats to gain flight, and hooked ends on their antennae. The two-banded checkered skipper has dark wings with white “checker” patterns, and ranges in size from 1-1.5 inches. They are a common sight in late spring/early summer, often nectaring on dandelions, strawberries and other early bloomers. Mallows are a favored host plant, as are cinquefoils and strawberries. You can spot these skippers in a wide variety of habitats, from woodlands to meadows, pastures, and backyards.

Wondering where to find some butterflies to watch? Head to Deschutes Land Trust’s Metolius Preserve where you can see all these species. Park at the north trailhead and walk the Larch loop for the best viewing opportunities. And, always remember, butterflies are fragile creatures. They have delicate scales on their wings that can fall off when touched, so they are best viewed from a distance using binoculars. Happy butterflying!