Winterkill: A rough winter for some fish
Driving along the West Side Road in late March, the ponds at Ball Creek Preserve were all frozen except for a small opening. I did…
Tag: Winter
Larger birds visiting your feeder
Little songbirds may be the most frequent visitors to bird feeders but occasionally larger birds stop by. Over the past few weeks, I’ve written about…
Less colorful birds visiting feeders
Little brown birds. Often sparrows and finches are called little brown birds because they look similar at first glance. Their markings may not be as…
Quick guide to common birds that visit your feeder
A freshly-filled bird feeder can bring life to a backyard, deck or window. First one bird finds the feeder then entire flocks. Soon the feeder…
Animals move atop and beneath snow
Winter can bring a range of snow conditions from minimal snow to deep snow with an icy crust. Whether the snow condition is favorable or…
Animals take advantage of trails in winter
When the snow becomes deep enough, we bring out our skis, snowshoes and snowmobiles to travel around. Even with snowshoes, slogging through knee-deep powdery snow…
Tiny salamander delivers big surprise to predators
What has large bulbous eyes, a blunt snout, a long fourth toe on its hind foot and is three to four inches long? A long-toed…
Ant hills only a portion of the nest
When wandering through the woods I’ll occasionally stumble across an ant hill. Sometimes the ant hills are only a few inches high, sometimes a few…
Pheasant populations dependent on weather and habitat
Every time I drive through the valley on Copeland Road I look for pheasants near Farm to Market Road, especially in autumn and winter. Most…
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…
When camouflage doesn’t work
While out hiking last week, we spotted this snowshoe hare. With a lack of snow at lower elevations, the snowshoe hare’s white pelage didn’t provide…
Frogs breathe through skin and swallow with their eyes!
In the spring, I’m always listening for the first robin to sing and the first frog to ribbit. But in the fall, I never know…
Larger birds visiting your feeder
Little songbirds may be the most frequent visitors to bird feeders but occasionally larger birds stop by. Over the past few weeks, I’ve written about…
Less colorful birds visiting feeders
Little brown birds. Often sparrows and finches are called little brown birds because they look similar at first glance. Their markings may not be as…
Quick guide to common birds that visit your feeder
A freshly-filled bird feeder can bring life to a backyard, deck or window. First one bird finds the feeder then entire flocks. Soon the feeder…
Animals move atop and beneath snow
Winter can bring a range of snow conditions from minimal snow to deep snow with an icy crust. Whether the snow condition is favorable or…
Animals take advantage of trails in winter
When the snow becomes deep enough, we bring out our skis, snowshoes and snowmobiles to travel around. Even with snowshoes, slogging through knee-deep powdery snow…
Tiny salamander delivers big surprise to predators
What has large bulbous eyes, a blunt snout, a long fourth toe on its hind foot and is three to four inches long? A long-toed…
Ant hills only a portion of the nest
When wandering through the woods I’ll occasionally stumble across an ant hill. Sometimes the ant hills are only a few inches high, sometimes a few…
Pheasant populations dependent on weather and habitat
Every time I drive through the valley on Copeland Road I look for pheasants near Farm to Market Road, especially in autumn and winter. Most…
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…
When camouflage doesn’t work
While out hiking last week, we spotted this snowshoe hare. With a lack of snow at lower elevations, the snowshoe hare’s white pelage didn’t provide…
Frogs breathe through skin and swallow with their eyes!
In the spring, I’m always listening for the first robin to sing and the first frog to ribbit. But in the fall, I never know…