Pikas make hay a different way
On top of a ridge in the Selkirks, I noticed a quick movement among the rocks. At first I thought it was a golden-mantled ground…
Tag: Fauna
Spotted sandpiper teeters along our shorelines
Boundary County has a few shorebirds and one can be found from the shorelines of the Kootenai River to high mountain lakes like West Fork…
Columbian ground squirrels hibernate early
Standing bolt upright on a prominent rock, a Columbian ground squirrel chirps every now and then as I watch from Shorty Peak lookout. The chirps…
What are those big beetles?
Big insects are hard to miss, especially big beetles. This summer I’ve encountered two big beetles I’ve never seen before–the ten lined June beetle and…
Bushy-tailed woodrats more commonly known as packrats
After crossing one of the bridges on the Copper Creek Falls trail this spring, I came across a small dead animal that I didn’t recognize.…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
Spotted sandpiper teeters along our shorelines
Boundary County has a few shorebirds and one can be found from the shorelines of the Kootenai River to high mountain lakes like West Fork…
Columbian ground squirrels hibernate early
Standing bolt upright on a prominent rock, a Columbian ground squirrel chirps every now and then as I watch from Shorty Peak lookout. The chirps…
What are those big beetles?
Big insects are hard to miss, especially big beetles. This summer I’ve encountered two big beetles I’ve never seen before–the ten lined June beetle and…
Bushy-tailed woodrats more commonly known as packrats
After crossing one of the bridges on the Copper Creek Falls trail this spring, I came across a small dead animal that I didn’t recognize.…
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.…
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…
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…
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…