June 21, 2023 I came to Spokane Bay on the summer solstice with no intention of writing something new. Paddling up central Montana’s Hauser Lake […]
Finding healing in the midst of climate chaos
I woke up this morning with a gnawing sense of depression, the wildfire smoke blurring the mountains into gray shapes and biting at my nose. […]
Spring in Seattle and an Anna’s hummingbird mystery
March 15, 2023 When I left snow-covered Montana a few days ago to visit friends in Seattle, Washington, it was a sudden transition from the […]
How to grow a bird-friendly garden in western Montana
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 […]