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Parks and nature

Read Our Big Backyard Spring 2025

A view of a murky creek from the sidebar. Sparse trees and cloudy weather indicate it is late fall or winter. One the other side of the creek is a parking lot full of cars and a small, weathered dock. More

Enter Our Big Backyard summer 2025 photo contest

 closeup of dewdrops on moss as the sun shines through forest behind them More

More mud, less flood

 A still lake dotted with flotsam under a cloudy sky. To the left, a parking lot and apartment building can be seen just a few feet up the lake's bank. More
March 30, 2025

Enter Our Big Backyard summer 2025 photo contest
closeup of dewdrops on moss as the sun shines through forest behind them
March 28, 2025

Read Our Big Backyard Spring 2025

A view of a murky creek from the sidebar. Sparse trees and cloudy weather indicate it is late fall or winter. One the other side of the creek is a parking lot full of cars and a small, weathered dock.
March 21, 2025

More mud, less flood
A still lake dotted with flotsam under a cloudy sky. To the left, a parking lot and apartment building can be seen just a few feet up the lake's bank.
March 21, 2025

Meet your neighbors: pond-breeding amphibians
a small, bright-green frog with black stripes sits on a rock coated in brilliantly green moss
March 21, 2025

Helping frogs cross Route 30, one hop at a time
a small olive-green frog with a red underside rests on top of damp bracken and twigs
March 17, 2025

Community insights: Willamette Cove nature park master planning second round
A community center room is filled with about 50 people sitting around folding tables.
March 14, 2025

Oh snap! Learning how to bioblitz
Two women observe lichen on branches on the ground at Lone Fir Cemetery during a bio blitz.
Feb. 25, 2025

Metro makes historic 553-acre purchase in Clackamas County
a creek runs through woods made up of smaller, mostly deciduous, trees like young maples and oak; the day is sunny and one side of the creek is shaded by the trees
Jan. 8, 2025

Enter Our Big Backyard spring 2025 photo contest

A close-up of a garter snake with a dewdrop on its mouth sites amongst blades of grass.
Jan. 7, 2025

Read Our Big Backyard Winter 2025

A cemetery marker with the text 'Block 14' visible, placed on the grass in a cemetery. The marker is surrounded by green grass and is adorned with flowers and a citrus fruit.
Jan. 2, 2025

Memorial at Chinese section of Lone Fir Cemetery enters new phase
Two figures seen from behind stand before a low, round stone altar surrounded by a circular screen of metal tiles.
Dec. 18, 2024

Free parking days at Metro sites in 2025
A man holds hands with a little girl as they walk along a rocky riverside with evergreen trees in the background
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Our Big Backyard magazine

Turn to Our Big Backyard for all your nature news and other regional highlights, including feature stories, field guides, Q&As, upcoming events, a photography contest and much more.

Subscribers receive the magazine for free four times a year: early January, late March, late June and late September. Decide which version is right for you: the tabloid-size print edition or the interactive digital version.

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  • Our Big Backyard Winter 2025
    Our Big Backyard Winter 2025
    Jan 2025 PDF
    Open
  • Our Big Backyard Fall 2024
    Our Big Backyard Fall 2024
    Sep 2024 PDF
    Open
  • Our Big Backyard Summer 2024
    Our Big Backyard Summer 2024
    Jun 2024 PDF
    Open
  • Our Big Backyard Spring 2024
    Our Big Backyard Spring 2024
    Mar 2024 PDF
    Open
  • Our Big Backyard Winter 2024
    Our Big Backyard Winter 2024
    Jan 2024 PDF
    Open
  • Our Big Backyard Fall 2023
    Our Big Backyard Fall 2023
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Green garter snack faces the camera.
Our Big Backyard photo contest Winter 2025 winner: Michael Beymer Portland

Morning was warming up the meadow at Wilke’s Creek. I’d completed a cold hike to see the headwaters and trillium blooming. While catching some rays, a Garter snake appeared next to me with a dew drop on their cheek. Probably they were cold too. So we enjoyed the sunrise together.

A barred owl sits on a lichen-covered stump of an old tree.
A barred owl at Powell Butte Nature Park. Photo by Patti Bright.
Our Big Backyard photo contest fall 2024 winner: Patty Bright, Portland

While walking in Powell Butte Nature Park in Gresham, looking for the reported owl, I heard the familiar 'whoo cooks for you' call from the Barred Owl. It flew from its nest to a stump of an old tree where we stood and stared at each other. 

Small sparrow bird sits on lichen covered holly branch
Savannah Sparrow at Powell Butte Nature Park
Our Big Backyard photo contest winner for summer 2024: Mike Houck, Portland

Savannah Sparrow at Powell Butte Nature Park

Great Blue Heron stands on one leg at Dawson Creek Park
Our Big Backyard photo contest winner for spring 2024: Sandy Berger, Hillsboro

I came upon this Great Blue Heron at the Dawson Creek Park by Hillsboro Brookwood Library. This trail is a favorite of ours and our Great Dane.

Male Wood Duck slowly glides along at Crystal Springs Garden
Our Big Backyard photo contest winner for winter 2024: Ron Brown

While visiting Crystal Springs Garden I noticed this male Wood Duck play hide and seek between these overhanging bushes. After waiting patiently for some 15-20 minutes he finally felt comfortable enough to show himself along side of the fall foliage. Such beautiful fall colors.

Mother barn swallow bird brings food to her young.
Our Big Backyard photo contest winner Jane Hopwood
Our Big Backyard photo contest winner for fall 2023: Jane Hopwood

I spotted this juvenile Barn Swallow at Beaverton Creek Wetlands as it tried to persuade any adult that came close to feed it. Eventually, its parent arrived and the feeding began.

Sunlight filtered through misty forest at Marquam Nature Park
With the sun streaming through a misty forest while taking our foster dog Ivy out on our morning hike in Marquam Nature Park, I had to stop to take a photo.
Our Big Backyard photo contest winner for summer 2023: Jenny Navis, Portland

With the sun streaming through a misty forest while taking our foster dog Ivy out on our morning hike in Marquam Nature Park, I had to stop to take a photo.

Bronze and black segmented salamander coiled in moss.
In winter and early spring, I enjoy seeing the diversity of amphibians that we have around the Portland area. One wet day recently I was lucky to see this Oregon Slender Salamander in a cedar grove in the East Buttes part of the metro area.
Our Big Backyard photo contest spring 2023 winner: Darian Santner, Portland

In winter and early spring, I enjoy seeing the diversity of amphibians that we have around the Portland area. One wet day recently I was lucky to see this Oregon Slender Salamander in a cedar grove in the East Buttes part of the metro area. 

Short eared owl flies straight towards camera.
Just outside Frenchman's Bar near Vancouver WA, this short-eared owl was on a fence post. It watched as I got my camera, then flew off with its eyes still right on me. What an experience!
Our Big Backyard photo contest winter 2023 winner: Chelsea Schuyler, Vancouver

Just outside Frenchman's Bar near Vancouver WA, this short-eared owl was on a fence post. It watched as I got my camera, then flew off with its eyes still right on me. What an experience!

Hawk sitting on roof top is attacked by scrub jay.
This was taken on a nature trail in the Bethany area near our home in Beaverton. I was walking on the path when this red-tail flew past me and landed on a nearby roof. As I was taking this picture of the hawk, I had no idea it was about to be dive-bombed
Our Big Backyard photo contest fall 2022 winner: Laurie Frajola, Beaverton

This was taken on a nature trail in the Bethany area near our home in Beaverton. I was walking on the path when this red-tail flew past me and landed on a nearby roof. As I was taking this picture of the hawk, I had no idea it was about to be dive-bombed by a scrub jay!

A white great egret stands on a floating log holding its wings high above its head, which is pointed toward the pool below.
A great egret was doing the dance on a spring morning at Commonwealth Lake Park.
Our Big Backyard photo contest summer 2022 winner: John Lemmer, Portland

"A great egret was doing the dance on a spring morning at Commonwealth Lake Park."

Ruby red crested Anna hummingbird looks directly at camera
Our Big Backyard photo contest spring 2022 winner: Susan Richmond, Hillsboro

"My husband and I were sitting on our front patio when a persistent anna humming bird flew around us to get to one of our feeders. Then he would fly over to a nearby Japanese pine and wait for us to leave. He perched there for the longest time...long enough for me to capture this photo. His beautiful georgette shone in the sunlight. As soon as we left he went back to "his" feeder."

A garter snake with a white stripe on its back and orange lines on its side slithers back down a rose stem, its head following the back end of its body as it goes.
Our Big Backyard photo contest winter 2022 winner: Hallie Madenski, Portland
Our Big Backyard photo contest winter 2022 winner: Hallie Madenski, Portland

"Along the Wapato Greenway Loop on Sauvie Island:I looked to my right, not far from the entrance of the trail and saw this beauty sunbathing on top of a rose cane several feet off the ground, completely unfazed by my presence. I've seen many snakes around Portland but this felt like a rare and special moment."

Common garter snake with red and black markings.
Our Big Backyard photo contest fall 2021 winner: Roger Williams, Tigard

"While walking at Jackson Bottoms Wetland I came across this beautiful Common Garter Snake. Several snakes were out in the sun warming up. Most of them moved away pretty fast, but this one started to move slowly away but held still long enough to get its photo."

Male hooded duck with black, white and orange markings, glides across a pond.
Our Big Backyard photo contest summer 2021 winner: Chris Elkinton, Portland

"The lake at Reed College is a wonderful place to watch birds. I got lucky on this particular morning when I spotted this male hooded merganser. It was a joy to lie still, flat on the ground, watching this magnificent bird swim and dive."

A field of purple and lilac colored lupins stretched towards sunrise.
Our Big Backyard photo contest spring 2021 winner: Rick Hafele, Wilsonville

"At Graham Oaks Nature Park, as I walked by this patch of lupine, I tried to imagine what they’d look like with a dramatic sunrise. I finally saw my chance and arrived in time to set up just as the clouds lifted enough for the first rays of morning sunlight to do their thing."

A large fall leaf holding large droplets of rain water lying on a pebble walk-way.
Our Big Backyard photo contest winter 2021 winner: Monet Hampson, Portland

"This is a photo of one of the first fall leaves I noticed, covered with droplets from a much needed rain shower. After the stifling smoke of the summer fires, this leaf encapsulated where we had been and the dewy hope of the future."

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