Tacoma Nature Center

10/21/2026

10/19/2026

Squirrels that fly? That's a thing? Yep, but flying squirrels don’t really fly, they glide, sometimes hundreds of feet. But don’t assume they are just furry paper airplanes with little control over steering. These little guys will swoop, bank, and even execute 90 and 180 degree turns in a glide. They do this by using their tails as rudders and by changing the tension in skin membranes (patagia) that connect their wrists to their ankles. They adjust the patagial tension by extending a specialized piece of wrist cartilage.

Although these flying squirrels do live in western Washington, we rarely see one because they are nocturnal - active about 2 hours after sunset and about an hour before sunrise. They also are rarely found out of a tree because having their wrists and ankles bound together by a membrane makes them rather clumsy on the ground and easy prey for an owl.

These squirrels are omnivores and eat nuts, insects, tree sap, eggs/nestlings, lichens and even fungi. Because they feed heavily on underground truffles and mycorrhizal fungi, these flying squirrels are considered keystone species. By pooping out the fungal spores they disperse vital fungi across the forest floor. These fungi form a symbiotic network with tree roots that allows conifers to absorb water and nutrients.

Keep gliding and pooping little furry flyers!

10/18/2026

Amphibian of the Month - Pacific tree frogs. This small but very vocal frog is the star of just about any Hollywood movie or TV show that has frog sounds, including ones set thousands of miles outside their range. They are also called Pacific chorus frogs.

Native to the Pacific Coast from Northern California, Oregon, and Washington to British Columbia in Canada, they even make it into the very southern bit of Alaska. They live from sea level to more than 10,000 feet in many types of habitats, reproducing in aquatic settings. They eat small insects, spiders, isopods, and slugs. You are lucky if you have them in your yard helping with pest control!

Chorus frogs occur in shades of greens or browns and can change colors over periods of hours and weeks depending on humidity, temperature and even their background habitat. No matter the color, they always have the distinctive dark eye stripe from the nostril to past the ear.

Here's hoping you get to enjoy hearing or seeing some tree frogs soon! Remember, you can always visit the ones in our Nature Center exhibit area if you need a froggy fix.

10/17/2026

Celebrate Snails on Saturdays with Ussss!

10/16/2026

Did you follow the Fat Bear Week competition this year? The winner has been named and the bears will be continuing down the path to their hibernation, but did you ever wonder how these ginormous bears got good enough at catching fish that they could compete for the title? This article breaks "The Art of the Catch" down for you.

To bulk up for winter hibernation, Alaska’s brown bears employ a range of techniques for snaring salmon.

10/15/2026

Have you seen these ducks at the Nature Center or another local wetland? Hooded mergansers can be found in wooded ponds and swamps throughout North America. They are cavity nesters and will sometimes take over nest boxes meant for wood ducks. Hooded mergansers can see underwater through their transparent extra eyelids, which helps them look for food. They mainly eat fish, crayfish, and aquatic insects. Males are black, with a white chest and chestnut flanks. Their black head has a large white patch on the crest, which they erect when displaying. Females are gray and brown, with cinnamon-brown coloring on the head.

10/14/2026

What a fantastic video capture!

10/13/2026

Did you know that the Tacoma Nature Center offers girl scout programs? A troop can book a private program on a date of their choosing for their troop, or join one of our scheduled workshops! Individual scouts are also welcome to join one of those scheduled workshops. Learn more here:

The Tacoma Nature Center has private girl scout troop badge programs for Brownie, Junior and Cadette Troop Badges. Learn more here.

10/12/2026

A woodpecker visited the Petrified Forest.
He said it was impeccable.

Do you have any nature "Punnies" to share?