Remarkable Reptiles!
Elusive “blue-tailed” western skink
A boa constrictor in Idaho!
Garter snakes most common snake in Idaho
Discover nature on a deeper level
Wild ginger: An inconspicuous plant
Low-lying plants are easy to miss especially when they don’t have vibrant flowers or berries to attract your attention. A few years ago I discovered…
Pollinators: Helping make food
Of all the flowering plants in the world, three-fourths depend on animal pollinators. Bees may be the first to come to mind for pollinators but…
Ross Creek Cedars over 1,000 years old
Towering giants. Ancient trees. Trees growing since Columbus sailed to the New World. We have gigantic western redcedar close by–south of Troy, Montana in the…
Dabbling versus diving ducks: Difference goes beyond what they eat
Bottoms up! The tell-“tail” sign of a dabbling duck is tail feathers above water and head beneath the water. Ducks can generally be divided into…
Keep wildlife wild: What to do if you find a fawn
My three-year-old daughter said she was going to “hike” around the outside of the garden fence while I worked on the inside. A few seconds…
Not all shells created the same
There in the grass were big snail shells, medium snail shells and itty bitty snails in tiny shells. I’d only ever seen big snail shells…
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…
Red twinberry one of first shrubs to leaf out
Once the weather warms, shrubs begin to leaf out and the red twinberry is one of the first to bring signs of green. Also known…
What is the difference between reptiles and amphibians?
Is a turtle a reptile or an amphibian since it can swim but also lives in deserts? Amphibians include salamanders, toads and frogs. Reptiles include…
Trillium: An early and late bloomer
Oh, the first wildflower of spring is exciting! I always watch a certain spot in the woods where the trilliums seem to emerge first. Trilliums…