Molt, snowfall don’t always coincide for snowshoe hares
A flash of white darts across the road into a brown thicket of leafless vegetation. The snowshoe hare typically blends into its surroundings but with…
Tag: Nature
Carpets of moss similar to miniature forests
From five feet above cushions of moss look alike but down on my hands and knees I can see the intricacies of the inch tall…
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…
Can woolly bear caterpillars predict winter weather?
What will winter be like? Many look to the woolly (wooly) bear caterpillar for a prediction. The black and orangish-brown banded caterpillars may be the…
Juniper species grow in tree and shrub form
Nestled on a rocky site north of the Arctic Circle in Alaska, a juniper bush seems out of place. Could it be the same species…
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…
An insect’s view of the world
Motionless, a dragonfly perches on a twig seemingly watching every movement I make without a twist of its head. No pupils follow my movement, no…
Alpine larch usher in autumn in the high country
As autumn begins, a golden color will highlight timberline as alpine larch turn from a light green to a golden yellow. Turning color and losing…
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…
Carpets of moss similar to miniature forests
From five feet above cushions of moss look alike but down on my hands and knees I can see the intricacies of the inch tall…
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…
Can woolly bear caterpillars predict winter weather?
What will winter be like? Many look to the woolly (wooly) bear caterpillar for a prediction. The black and orangish-brown banded caterpillars may be the…
Juniper species grow in tree and shrub form
Nestled on a rocky site north of the Arctic Circle in Alaska, a juniper bush seems out of place. Could it be the same species…
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…
An insect’s view of the world
Motionless, a dragonfly perches on a twig seemingly watching every movement I make without a twist of its head. No pupils follow my movement, no…
Alpine larch usher in autumn in the high country
As autumn begins, a golden color will highlight timberline as alpine larch turn from a light green to a golden yellow. Turning color and losing…
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…