Sweet cottonwood fragrance will announce spring
One day in early spring, the sweet fragrance of cottonwood buds will fill the air. The large pointed buds of black cottonwoods are filled with…
Tag: Birds
Chickadees utilize various tactics to survive
One of the most loyal visitors to bird feeders are chickadees. No matter what the weather, chickadees quickly dart to a feeder, grab a seed…
Eurasian collared-doves a relative newcomer to Idaho
When thinking of invasive species, one often thinks of weeds. But some birds also qualify as invasive, most notably European starlings, house finches, English sparrows…
Animals prepare for winter by caching nature’s bounty
As gardeners were harvesting the bounty of their summer’s garden before the first frost, animals were harvesting nature’s bounty. Stockpiling food for winter is important…
Canada geese can be migratory or residents
As the temperatures cool and the leaves fall, the familiar “a honk, a honk, a honk” can be heard overhead as Canada geese fly in…
Nocturnal animals specially adapted to life in the dark
Walking in the dark heightens our senses and imagination. The rustle of leaves at the edge of the clearing sounds like a bear or moose…
Blue jays expanding their range into the northwest
A piercing “jay jay jay” call came from the yard. Could it be? Not hearing the familiar bird call since growing up in Minnesota, I…
American Dippers: swimming songbirds
Standing on an almost-submerged rock in the mountain stream, the chunky gray bird waded into the fast-flowing water and stuck its head underwater. Snorkeling, the…
Turkey vultures picky eaters of rotten meat
The ruckus of magpies and ravens caught my attention as I walked up the road. As I approached, the magpies, ravens and eagles flew off…
Flicker nuisances offset by insect consumption
Living with wildlife takes on a new meaning when they begin to share your house. Ants and insects commonly infiltrate into a house and can…
Killdeer protect eggs by faking injury
The loud piercing “kill-dee” or “dee-dee-dee” call of the aptly named killdeer alerts all to the presence of predators or a disturbance. The noisy vocal…
Bird talk: Music to our ears
The “cheer up, cheerily, cheerio, cheerily” of the American robin fills the air at the crack of dawn. A musical chorus ensues and tapers before…
Chickadees utilize various tactics to survive
One of the most loyal visitors to bird feeders are chickadees. No matter what the weather, chickadees quickly dart to a feeder, grab a seed…
Eurasian collared-doves a relative newcomer to Idaho
When thinking of invasive species, one often thinks of weeds. But some birds also qualify as invasive, most notably European starlings, house finches, English sparrows…
Animals prepare for winter by caching nature’s bounty
As gardeners were harvesting the bounty of their summer’s garden before the first frost, animals were harvesting nature’s bounty. Stockpiling food for winter is important…
Canada geese can be migratory or residents
As the temperatures cool and the leaves fall, the familiar “a honk, a honk, a honk” can be heard overhead as Canada geese fly in…
Nocturnal animals specially adapted to life in the dark
Walking in the dark heightens our senses and imagination. The rustle of leaves at the edge of the clearing sounds like a bear or moose…
Blue jays expanding their range into the northwest
A piercing “jay jay jay” call came from the yard. Could it be? Not hearing the familiar bird call since growing up in Minnesota, I…
American Dippers: swimming songbirds
Standing on an almost-submerged rock in the mountain stream, the chunky gray bird waded into the fast-flowing water and stuck its head underwater. Snorkeling, the…
Turkey vultures picky eaters of rotten meat
The ruckus of magpies and ravens caught my attention as I walked up the road. As I approached, the magpies, ravens and eagles flew off…
Flicker nuisances offset by insect consumption
Living with wildlife takes on a new meaning when they begin to share your house. Ants and insects commonly infiltrate into a house and can…
Killdeer protect eggs by faking injury
The loud piercing “kill-dee” or “dee-dee-dee” call of the aptly named killdeer alerts all to the presence of predators or a disturbance. The noisy vocal…
Bird talk: Music to our ears
The “cheer up, cheerily, cheerio, cheerily” of the American robin fills the air at the crack of dawn. A musical chorus ensues and tapers before…