A nearly stationary, high-pressure system parked atop western North America for several days, blocking
the easterly flow of weather systems typical for our region, forcing warm air downward and preventing sur- face heat from escaping into the upper atmosphere. This exceptional heat dome of parched, stagnant air remained trapped over northwestern North America for less than a week but pushed temperatures in Lyt- ton, British Columbia, to 121°F, the highest tempera- ture ever recorded in Canada, and to highs of 108°F in Seattle and 116°F in Portland, Oregon. These oven-like temperatures, in combination with profoundly low relative humidity, meant little evaporative cooling as well, further contributing to punishing high surface temperatures and desiccated soils. More than a year later, many of the scars and casualties of the daunting heat dome of 2021 remain.

Download John J. Albers’ and David Perry ‘s article published in the Conifer quarterly 

This past week I heard a strange high-pitched whistling noise coming from the top of a tall Douglas-fir on Hilltop Vista, behind the gazebo and looked up to see a majestic, adult bald eagle with its brown body and distinctive whitehead, neck, tail, and bright yellow, large, hooked bill sitting on the very top of the Douglas-fir. It takes between four and five years for the eagles to develop these key identifying features. Juvenile bald eagles are primarily brown from head to tail with some mottled white and brown feathers on the wings and tail, while the hooked bill is gray. For more than one hour my wife and I looked at the bald eagle perched on top of the Douglas-fir until a crow started to harass it, probably defending its territory. The adult bald eagle with an estimated wingspan of six to seven feet flew out of the Douglas-fir, along with two juvenile bald eagles, soaring and gliding the waves of wind and then left the area. Thankfully, my wife was able to promptly take a picture of the flying eagle with her cell phone.

Although bald eagles have made a major comeback since being listed as endangered in 1976, they are still a threatened species that requires protection of their habitat for feeding, nesting, and roosting. Bald eagles primarily feed on fish, waterfowl, small mammals, and dead animals. Thus, we need to continue to protect and restore our declining fisheries, particularly salmon species, a favorite of the bald eagle. As population growth and development continue in our Northwest region, we must be vigilante in protecting our wetlands and shorelines. For the bald eagle’s nesting and roosting needs, protection of old growth forest, and our urban forest containing tall, mature trees such as our venerable Douglas-firs, is essential.

I would like to share some more information about the garden region we call Hilltop Vista where the eagle was spotted. It sets at the top of a southwest hillside, making it the highest section of Vista Gardens about 250 feet above the lowest section, the Lentz Garden, yielding great views of the saltwater, the Port Washington Narrows, and greater Bremerton area to the southwest. Hilltop Vista is only suitable for drought-tolerant plants as it receives no supplemental water except what nature provides. It contains a shelter belt and privacy barrier of primarily native plants on the three sides of Hilltop Vista that border adjacent properties. The native trees include Douglas-fir, western red-cedar, western hemlock, and shore pine. I also planted the native shrubs Pacific wax myrtle and tall mahonia. The slow growing, long-lived oaks, our native Garry oak, Oregon’s Sadler oak, and California’s canyon live oak, were planted for the benefit of future generations to observe and enjoy. A variety of drought-tolerant conifer cultivars were also added, along with selected plants native to southeast Australia, such as the especially ornamental and adaptable Ovens wattle (Acacia pravissima) with its masses of soft, yellow, honey-scented, late winter flowers, and bottlebrush (Callistemon species), with its unique red cylindrical summer flowers resembling a bottle brush.

We are happy that our garden is contributing to provide a natural habitat for the wildlife of the Puget Sound region and hope you can visit this spring to explore the ever changing flora and fauna of this magical urban oasis.