#ncascades

[vironicadart]

@ncascades This is a woodpecker. You can tell that it's a woodpecker, because the way it is. How neat is that.

Can anyone identify this specific woodpecker? Hints:

•This medium sized woodpecker inhabits mature deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests of North America and are mostly permanent residents. Birds in the extreme north may migrate further south; birds in mountainous areas may move to lower elevations.

• They are contrastingly black and white. The black wings are checkered with white; the head has two white stripes (and, in males, a flash of red toward the back of the head). A large white patch runs down the center of the black back.

They are very similar to another woodpecker, but can be differentiated by their larger size and longer bill.

These birds forage on trees, often turning over bark or excavating to uncover insects. They mainly eat insects, but also fruits, berries and nuts, as well as sometimes tree sap.

Credit: squarenatureshots

[ncascades]

Our Graduate M.Ed Program engages students in learning about the ecosystem in a unique way. Through Natural History coursework, projects, and field excursions, students immerse themselves in the natural world and explore their own personal ecological identity and connection to place. “I feel that my new appreciation for science and my knowledge of systems and cycles enables me to more deeply engage with any topic. There is an intimacy I have formed over the past year with this land. It is an intimacy that manifests as knowing when the yellow-rumped warblers will start nesting, or when the first white yarrow blooms appear, or when Sourdough Creek begins to flow once again with snowmelt and rain. These systems and cycles create a feeling of deep knowing and secret knowledge: a merging of self and the wild.” -Petra LeBaron Botts, Cohort 14 Graduate Now accepting applications for 2018! To learn more or schedule a visit to the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center, visit ncascades.org/study or email ncigrad@ncascades.org.

[galaxykissed]

Some pics from my trip to the beautiful @ncascades national park! See more on my Flickr.

[ryanintheus]

"Nature is ever at work building and pulling down, creating and destroying, keeping everything whirling and flowing, allowing no rest but in rhythmical motion, chasing everything in endless song out of one beautiful form into another." John Muir🌲 . A beautiful and real song about change and the reality of life that we humans all too often forget or try to ignore. Make this your favorite song to listen to and reduce your suffering and move a big step towards happiness! 🙏 . #SkagitTours #ncascades (at Diablo Dam)

[alderslifepics]

The North Cascades. The American Alps. An underrated giant of the #NationalPark Service. ° ° ° ° #NPS #NorthCascades #PNW #PNWonderland #PacificNorthwest #PNWdiscovered #WashingtonState #LiveWashington #photography #photooftheday #naturephotography #Scenic #landscape #POTD #Cascades #nikonusa #Nikon #camera #NikonD3400 #hiking #winter #mountains @pnwdiscovered @pnwonderland @thegreat_pnw @pnwunplugged @washingtonexplored @washingtontrails @wander_washington @livewashington #CascadiaExplored @cascadiaexplored @nationalparkservice @natgeo @northcascadesnps @ncascades (at North Cascades National Park)

[dansgawnehiking]

Cascades y’all! #manmadelakes @ncascades @northcascadesnps #washington #diablolake (at Diablo Lake At North Cascades National Park)

[jbtbp]

Not a bad place to eat lunch and read a few pages. North Cascades National Park thank you for the sunlight today.

[ncascades]

In WA state, the native or trailing blackberry (Rubus ursinus) is celebrated for its exceptional flavor, smaller seeds, and less aggressive growth (compared to the Himalayan and Evergreen variety). The native blackberry grows low to the ground, has a smaller berry, and most importantly is ripe in the Upper Skagit Valley right now! . . #ncascades #northcascades #upriver #skagit #yum #berries #forage #gather #trailsnacks #pnw #native

[ncascades]

We really appreciate all the life the rain brings to the North Cascades, but clear sunny days like this are hard to beat. Repost from @embar314 of the commute to the Environmental Learning Center along Diablo Dam #ncascades #mountains #Cascades #waterfall #snow #pnw #commute #pnwonderland

[ncascades]

The drive across Diablo Dam to reach the Environmental Learning Center can feel a lot like passing into another world. We often hear people say, "It didn't seem like we were supposed to keep driving, but thankfully our curiosity won over." #getcurious #getoutside #ncascades #welcome #nature #mountains #clouds #pnw #pnwonderland #adventure

[ncascades]

This red breasted sap sucker was found dazed outside one of the classrooms after flying into a window. After being held for a moment next to the chest of one of our resident birders, he/she came to their senses and flew away. Unlike wood peckers that peck at trees in order to catch insects, the sap sucker pecks on trees for their sap. #ncascades #nature #birding #dazedandconfused #birdwisperer #wild #wildlife #pnw #pnwonderland

[ncascades]

This bud of a Red Flowering Currant is an exciting sign of spring in the North Cascades National Park. By tracking phenology at the Environmental Learning Center we know that this is about 2 weeks later than spring last year. The flowers are a favorite of hummingbirds and NCI staff. #springtime #spring #ncascades #flowers #nature #spring #pnw #aprilshowersbringmayflowers

[ncascades]

Looking forward to lots of time in the big canoes this summer. We are still accepting applications for Youth Leadership Adventures participants and interns. We are also looking for summer kitchen and office staff. If you are looking for a way to spend more time in the Cascades and to work with a great team, follow the link on our bio. #ncascades #nature #Diablo #canoe #mountains #northcascades #nature #cascadia #pnw #lovewhereyoulive #pnwonderland

[ncascades]

Thank you @wsdot for all the work clearing Hwy 20! The Hwy east of Newhalem is currently open to local traffic only, and subject to temporary closures today. Hopefully, this truck sized boulder will be removed in time for the weekend. #naturewins #ncascades #mountains #sunshine #geologictime #pnw #cascadia

[ncascades]

It is a beautiful day to be on Diablo Lake with Seattle Homeschool and Camp Fire Samish. Our Mountain School program is in full swing, and is expected to serve about 2,500 students this year aged 6 to 17 years old. 78% of our mountain school students are from public schools and 43% are title 1 (low income). We are so thankful for the opportunity to teach and learn from such engaged and adventurous youth. Photo @yogachanbra #ncascades #neverstoplearning #nature #mountains #canoeing #canoe #pnw #cascadia

[ncascades]

A little bit of hands on learning for our graduate students thanks to Hawk Watch International. Prairie falcons, like this one, nest in cliffs, and primarily hunt rodents on the prairie. Our calendar of adult classes is live and programs are filling up quickly. Check out our website for more information. Photo: Daniel Dubie #ncascades #nature #iloveeducation #hawkwatch #bird #birding #science #wild #prairiefalcon