Don’t be fooled by a coot
The American coot may swim like a duck, dive like a duck, and look like a duck but it isn’t a duck. As much as…
Tag: Outdoor Column
Magnitude of beargrass blooms unpredictable
While on the Parker Ridge trail below Parker Peak last summer, I rounded a corner and was surprised by the hundreds of beargrass blooms filling…
Summer serenaded by insect chorus
Have you taken the time to listen on a warm, summer evening? Trains, trucks and lawn mowers are the first sounds you may hear but…
Swallows provide valuable insect control
Pesky insects can bother us during gardening, barbecues and other outdoor activities but one bird species makes an impressible dent in the insect population for…
White wildflowers blooming everywhere
Early spring wildflowers, such as trilliums, are blooming at higher elevations as the snow recedes and the ground warms. At lower elevations summer wildflowers are…
Hummingbirds feed on more than nectar
As I walked through the yard an unfamiliar buzz came and went that was louder than a bee. I looked around and finally looked up…
Calf survival dependent on hiding or following
On wobbly legs, newborn deer, moose and elk are a precious sight to us but a tasty sight for predators such as wolves, bears and…
Bird nest diversity unparalleled in animal kingdom
Many birds are busy building their nests to capitalize on the insects and other food that will be abundant when the eggs hatch in a…
Bird nests range from simple to elaborate
Just when I think the robin can’t hold any more grass in its beak, it leans over and picks up one more piece before flying…
Caterpillars utilize a variety of tactics to stay alive
As a slow-moving, plump morsel, caterpillars are an ideal target for a predator’s meal. However, caterpillars still exist because they have developed means to escape…
Great blue herons more than excellent fishers
Standing motionless in stagnant water, a great blue heron’s head suddenly reels forward into the water and emerges with a small fish. Great blue herons…
Shrews may resemble mice but they are different
Shrews are one of the smallest mammals in North America and the smallest one resides in North Idaho–the pygmy shrew. The pygmy shrew weighs between…
Magnitude of beargrass blooms unpredictable
While on the Parker Ridge trail below Parker Peak last summer, I rounded a corner and was surprised by the hundreds of beargrass blooms filling…
Summer serenaded by insect chorus
Have you taken the time to listen on a warm, summer evening? Trains, trucks and lawn mowers are the first sounds you may hear but…
Swallows provide valuable insect control
Pesky insects can bother us during gardening, barbecues and other outdoor activities but one bird species makes an impressible dent in the insect population for…
White wildflowers blooming everywhere
Early spring wildflowers, such as trilliums, are blooming at higher elevations as the snow recedes and the ground warms. At lower elevations summer wildflowers are…
Hummingbirds feed on more than nectar
As I walked through the yard an unfamiliar buzz came and went that was louder than a bee. I looked around and finally looked up…
Calf survival dependent on hiding or following
On wobbly legs, newborn deer, moose and elk are a precious sight to us but a tasty sight for predators such as wolves, bears and…
Bird nest diversity unparalleled in animal kingdom
Many birds are busy building their nests to capitalize on the insects and other food that will be abundant when the eggs hatch in a…
Bird nests range from simple to elaborate
Just when I think the robin can’t hold any more grass in its beak, it leans over and picks up one more piece before flying…
Caterpillars utilize a variety of tactics to stay alive
As a slow-moving, plump morsel, caterpillars are an ideal target for a predator’s meal. However, caterpillars still exist because they have developed means to escape…
Great blue herons more than excellent fishers
Standing motionless in stagnant water, a great blue heron’s head suddenly reels forward into the water and emerges with a small fish. Great blue herons…
Shrews may resemble mice but they are different
Shrews are one of the smallest mammals in North America and the smallest one resides in North Idaho–the pygmy shrew. The pygmy shrew weighs between…