When you compare the birds of a manicured lawn with those that inhabit a grove of chokecherries, the difference is stark. The lawn might support […]
A porcupine wandering through the frozen-dessert section
November 18, 2018 was a windy day in Helena, Montana. At the Sevenmile Creek restoration site, the Russian-olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) branches danced in the breeze, […]
Finding winter fruits, birds, and more in Greenough Park
November 17, 2022 It’s a cold, sunny morning in the parking lot of Missoula’s Greenough Park. There are eight of us gathered here, carrying binoculars […]
Kochia: what this despised weed does for fall sparrows
Kochia (Kochia scoparia): the mention of this weed conjures consternation in the minds of many. But when I think of kochia, I think of sparrows. […]
Finding nature near Missoula: walking through fall at Kelly Island
Note: I updated this story slightly in May 2024, and completely redid the accompanying podcast. In part, this was inspired by Lynda Saul, one of […]
Nature Park: a special place for birds
October 5, 2022 An orange-crowned warbler and two drab gray yellow-rumped warblers are hunting insects in a chokecherry this morning as its leaves drop softly, […]
To glimpse an ancient murrelet
September 27, 2022 On September 22, a low-pressure system that had been hovering over the Pacific Ocean off of the California coast swept inland. The […]
Montana’s mini wildlife in the Carroll College native plant garden
September 7, 2022 If you’re familiar with the Carroll College campus, you’ve probably walked past it countless times. It’s a small, bushy patch of plants […]
Migration and change in late August at western Montana’s Spokane Bay
August 30, 2022 The sun is hot on this midday at the end of summer, but the breeze carries a cool hint of fall. A […]
Getting to know western aster (Symphyotrichum ascendens)
August 29, 2022 It’s a patch of pale purple among late summer’s dry crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum) and the buzzing songs of the insects. A […]