Howard Brunn of Corvallis photographed this varied thrush on March 21, 2009, in his front yard on Northwest 14th Street. “Varied thrush are winter visitors (mostly) to the Willamette Valley,” he says.

ETTRICK — Dan Wall says he loves country life. Wall lives near Ettrick, a tiny town in Trempealeau County. There’s no better place, according to Wall. The easygoing Wall has devoted more than 20 years ...