Sagebrush and wildflowers dot a sagebrush slope beneath a cliff of Tieton Andesite near Naches, Washington. One of the longest such lava flows in the world, the andesite broke into polygonal columns as it cooled and contracted. These particular columns are popular with rock climbers in the spring and fall months
Every year, Cowiche Canyon Conservancy (an amazing non-profit land trust here in Yakima) partners with the Boxx Gallery in Tieton, WA to host “Images of the Shrub-Steppe“, a juried art exhibit featuring work inspired by the threatened sagebrush-steppe ecosystem of the Yakima Valley.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed photographing this unique and wide-open landscape (especially during spring wildflower season!) since we moved to Yakima in 2019, and I was honored to have two of my images selected for the exhibition this year. The show will be open Friday-Sunday throughout September.
In addition, on the closing Saturday of the show (Sept 28), I’ll be giving a talk on the geology of the shrub-steppe from 1-2 pm at the Boxx Gallery. The focus will be on the two main lava flows that underlie the valley: the Columbia River Basalts and the Tieton Andesite, which form the backdrop for some of my favorite images from the Yakima area, such as the one above.
Full hours and details can be found in the flyer below:
Here is installment #2 of recent photos taken with my new (well, new to me…used by someone else first) Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR telephoto lens:
Bighorn sheep, Naches, WA. This photos effectively captures the reach of this lens, as these sheep were about a mile away and a thousand vertical feet above me when I took this photo.
Reflections along the Carbon River, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA
Tiny mushrooms, Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, WA
Bullfrogs on a log, Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, WA
A red-tailed hawk in the rain, Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, WA. I was taking pictures of the frogs in the previous photo when another hiker alerted me to the presence of this hawk about ~10 feet above my head.
Moss-covered nest, Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, WA
California Quail, Yakima, WA
Mt. Hood rises above The Dalles, OR as seen from across the Columbia River in Washington.
Juvenile Great Horned Owl, Yakima, WA. This was actually a somewhat alarming experience, as this young owl was sitting on the ground just a few feet off the trail. It made its presence known by aggressively clacking its beak and puffing up its feathers. I initially thought it was a badger or some other mammal before realizing that it was an owl. We retreated a little ways down the trail before looking back to capture this photo.
We found the adults nearby: one in a tree…
…another blending in with the rocks…
…along with a second juvenile!
A week later, I returned and saw just one of the juveniles, now complete with ear tufts (the “horns”)!
A mountain goat expresses skepticism regarding our appearance on a remote mesa in the Wenatchee National Forest, WA
A rare Pacific Northwest thunderstorm builds over the Ahtanum State Forest, WA
Blue Camas (Camassia quamash), Ahtanum State Forest, WA
Zach Schierl Photography 