Endangered species act may be endangered

The Sunday News-Review picked up one of my spotted owl photos for an interesting story about the Trump administrations attempt to modify the Endangered Species act and how it could effect southwestern Oregon. 

Clutching a mouse provided by a biologist, an endangered wild northern spotted owl perches in a tree in an old growth section of forest on Bureau of Land Management property near Roseburg. The owl, its mate, and young were being monitored by federal biologists from the BLM. The population of endangered northern spotted owls continues to decline due to habitat loss and other factors.

The Trump administration is attempting to make changes the the Endangered Species Act which could have wide ranging effects on Oregon.

Dewy morning in Oregon

A yellow garden spider (Argiope aurantia) hangs in her dew soaked web in a field on a farm near Elkton in rural western Oregon on Thursday, July 26, 2018. Yellow garden spiders are not aggressive. A bite is comparable to a bee sting with redness and swelling. 

A dewy grasshopper clings to a grass stem in the field.

Hungry little fawn

A wild black-tailed deer fawn feeds on the leaves of a plum tree in an orchard on a farm near Elkton in rural western Oregon on Tuesday, July 24, 2018.

High Flyer

A high flying passenger jet cruises past the moon as seen from near Elkton in western Oregon on Sunday, July 22, 2018. Shot with Nikon 600mm f4 with 1.4x extender on Nikon D5. 

Magnificent Mantis

A mantis pauses while being photographed in a field near Elkton in western Oregon on Saturday, July 21, 2018. Fun fact: females mantises sometimes practice sexual cannibalism, eating their mates after copulation.

Eat your vegetable

A pair of twin fawns feed in a field along a country road near Elkton in rural western Oregon on Thursday, July 19, 2018. It may look like the fawns are greeting each other, but actually the fawn on the left attempting to steal the food out of the mouth of the fawn on the right.

Chewing and chewing

Youth climate change lawsuit day in court

Youth plaintiffs in the Juliana v. United States climate change lawsuit walk together to a hearing at the federal courthouse in Eugene, Ore., on Wed., July 18, 2018. The constitutional lawsuit was brought by 21 youth against the federal government. The government on Tuesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to halt proceedings in a climate-change lawsuit. If allowed to proceed, the trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 29 at the federal courthouse in Eugene.
Read more about the case and today's proceeding here.

Plaintiffs stay cool as they wait to enter the courthouse for the hearing.

The plaintiffs...

... and their legal team leave the courthouse after the hearing. The hearing packed the courtroom and 2 overflow rooms with spectators. 

Our Children's Trust co-counsel Phil Gregory speaks during a press briefing after the hearing.

Youth plaintiffs, attorneys and supporters on the steps of the federal courthouse in Eugene after the hearing.

Youth plaintiff Aji P. of Seattle makes a statement during the press briefing.

Our Children's Trust executive director and chief legal counsel Julia Olson makes a toast at a gathering after the hearing.

A question for our troubled times, or just a fun photo?

A chicken gingerly crosses the double yellow line of a country road near Elkton in western Oregon on Monday, July16, 2018.

My photography is represented by ZUMAPRESS.com. Here is my recent chicken photo on the website of The Times of London.

Two great colors

A small bee forages on a thistle flower in a pasture on a farm near Roseburg in western Oregon on Saturday, July 14, 2018.

Berry spider

A large jumping spider clings to a wild blackberry growing in a thicket along a creek near Elkton in rural western Oregon on Saturday, July 14, 2018. Jumping spiders are ambush predators and it was probably waiting for an unsuspecting insect to come along. 

Growing pains

A black tailed fawn looks closely at what his mother is eating as the pair feed in an old plum orchard on a farm near Elkton in western Oregon on Wednesday, July 11, 2018. The doe seemed interested in feeding herself and letting her fawn find its own food.

A doe steps away as her fawn attempts to get a drink of milk. Her twin fawns are probably old enough to survive by browsing, but a little sip of mother's milk sure would be nice.

Black widow closeup

A black widow spider is displayed in a wine glass after being found in an old barn near Elkton in rural western Oregon on Sunday, July 8, 2018. 

Black widow venom is reported to be 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake's.

Their bites can be fatal, usually to small children or the elderly. 

Pretty baby

A black-tailed deer fawn walks through a wooded area on a hillside near Elkton in southwestern Oregon on Saturday, July 7, 2018. The mother of the fawn was nearby just up the hill a few yards.

The hungry caterpillars

Cinnabar moth caterpillars feed on tansy ragwort plants in a field near Elkton in rural western Oregon on Friday, July 6, 2018. The cinnabar moth was introduced to North America to help control  invasive noxious ragwort plants. 

The caterpillars buildup toxins in their bodies while feeding on the weeds and their striking coloration is believed to warn predators of their unpalatability.

Oregon hazelnuts

We now have about 22.5 acres of blight resistant hazelnuts under cultivation near Elkton along the Umpqua River. In 2018 the first 7.5 acres are coming into production and the next 15 acres were planted in 2017-18. The farm in in the process of gaining organic certification for the first planting. The orchard is established on the bottom-land of the fertile Kellogg Crescent on the Fisher Farm along the Umpqua River in northern Douglas County. The Fisher Farm was founded by Loznak's in-laws in 1868 after they traveled the Oregon Trail. 

The first planting of 7.5 acres of hazelnuts.

Check out a littler video I made yesterday with my drone...

American pie

Picked a gallon of heritage cherries from the old tree at the homestead site overlooking the Umpqua River on our ranch in western Oregon yesterday (July 4, 2018). The cherries are small and semi-sweet. Should make for an amazing pie!!! The photo above was taken a few years ago when my son was home.

Casual bobcat

A wild bobcat walks through a meadow on a hillside near Elkton in rural western Oregon on Sunday, July 1, 2018. The wild cat appeared to be casually hunting for rodents in the field as dusk fell. 

Although I was working with an an extreme telephoto lens, the bobcat was aware of me. It seemed pretty unconcerned. 

The bobcat pauses to perform a little grooming...

The amazing creature gave me one more look before sauntering off into the thick brush bordering the meadow.