Mink: the semiaquatic weasel
When I see a small mammal swimming in the water, there are only a few choices– at least I thought. One animal had me stumped.…
Tag: Outdoor Column
Millipedes don’t really have 1,000 legs
While sweeping the garage last fall, I came across small carcasses that were c-shaped, hollow, white and smaller than a dime. I hadn’t seen any…
Pondering Lake Pend Oreille
There is something about large bodies of water that I cannot describe. I found myself gazing in wonder out over Lake Pend Oreille on a…
Duration of mates varies among waterfowl
Since the ponds have become ice free, pairs of mallards, Canada geese and other waterfowl have been swimming and preparing to nest. A pair of…
Skunk cabbage true to its name
Whether the winter is short or long, the first flower is a joyful sight–even if its name is skunk cabbage. The bright yellow flowers emerge…
Whiskers a sixth sense for mammals
How do seals hunt in murky water? How do cats prowl on moonless nights without bumping into everything? They can’t extend their legs like we…
Can you imagine having more than two eyes?
Most familiar to us are animals with two eyes. But some animals have more than two eyes–a spider has eight eyes, a lizard three eyes…
Do animals see what we see?
We often assume the world looks the same to everybody, including animals, but it doesn’t. A red tulip isn’t red for everyone. The details on…
Feathers don’t last forever
American goldfinches dart to and from the bird feeder in their drab yellow plumage this time of year. Their vivid yellow plumage won’t come until…
Many types of feathers make a bird
A single feather lying in the grass. The straight shaft surrounded by colorful vanes, some askew with dampness. Singly a feather doesn’t accomplish much but…
Roots do more than anchor a tree
Remember the incredible wind storms last summer? Tall ponderosa pines were bent over under the forty mile an hour winds. Some trees came crashing down…
Bobcats: Often all you see are tracks
Snowshoeing near McArthur Lake, I crossed the usual coyote, snowshoe hare and small rodent tracks in the fresh snow. Then as I slowed to navigate…
Millipedes don’t really have 1,000 legs
While sweeping the garage last fall, I came across small carcasses that were c-shaped, hollow, white and smaller than a dime. I hadn’t seen any…
Pondering Lake Pend Oreille
There is something about large bodies of water that I cannot describe. I found myself gazing in wonder out over Lake Pend Oreille on a…
Duration of mates varies among waterfowl
Since the ponds have become ice free, pairs of mallards, Canada geese and other waterfowl have been swimming and preparing to nest. A pair of…
Skunk cabbage true to its name
Whether the winter is short or long, the first flower is a joyful sight–even if its name is skunk cabbage. The bright yellow flowers emerge…
Whiskers a sixth sense for mammals
How do seals hunt in murky water? How do cats prowl on moonless nights without bumping into everything? They can’t extend their legs like we…
Can you imagine having more than two eyes?
Most familiar to us are animals with two eyes. But some animals have more than two eyes–a spider has eight eyes, a lizard three eyes…
Do animals see what we see?
We often assume the world looks the same to everybody, including animals, but it doesn’t. A red tulip isn’t red for everyone. The details on…
Feathers don’t last forever
American goldfinches dart to and from the bird feeder in their drab yellow plumage this time of year. Their vivid yellow plumage won’t come until…
Many types of feathers make a bird
A single feather lying in the grass. The straight shaft surrounded by colorful vanes, some askew with dampness. Singly a feather doesn’t accomplish much but…
Roots do more than anchor a tree
Remember the incredible wind storms last summer? Tall ponderosa pines were bent over under the forty mile an hour winds. Some trees came crashing down…
Bobcats: Often all you see are tracks
Snowshoeing near McArthur Lake, I crossed the usual coyote, snowshoe hare and small rodent tracks in the fresh snow. Then as I slowed to navigate…