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Naturally North Idaho

Naturally North Idaho

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Remarkable Reptiles!

Elusive “blue-tailed” western skink
 
Elusive “blue-tailed” western skink
A flash of blue darted across the ground in front of me as I entered Grandma’s barn—a blue-tailed skink! Luckily, the skink paused long enough for me to take a picture with my phone before it darted under a tarp. Blue-tailed skink (Plestiodon skiltonianus), more commonly called western skink, are elusive lizards that prefer to…
A boa constrictor in Idaho!
 
A boa constrictor in Idaho!
Have you been lucky enough to see Idaho’s only boa constrictor? The rubber boa is smaller than the giant boa constrictor of South America and its secretive nature makes finding one noteworthy. I saw my first rubber boa basking on the Long Canyon trail. Stretched across the trail in a sunny spot, the rubber boa…
Garter snakes most common snake in Idaho
 
Garter snakes most common snake in Idaho
Unlike southern Idaho, far north Idaho is thankfully devoid of venomous snakes. Snakes living in the forested region of far north Idaho are harmless to humans and the ones you’ll most likely encounter are garter snakes. Common vs. Western Terrestrial Garter Snake Two types of garter snakes live in Idaho–the common garter snake and the…

Discover nature on a deeper level

From ants to yews, find out about our amazing natural world starting in North Idaho and expanding across North America. The most recent posts are below. If you are searching for a specific topic, check out the menu bar at the top. As Albert Einstein said, "The important thing is to not stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing."

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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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A train ride on the other side of the Selkirk Mountains

This gallery contains 15 photos.

Chug-a-chug-a-choo-choo. The train began to roll out of the Ione, Washington station on a beautiful October day on a short trip to Metaline Falls. Through…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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