Nature
Close Encounter with a Pileated Woodpecker
If you spend enough time in natural areas you will probably have a chance encounter with wildlife, where you share an intimate moment in the life of that species. I recently had an impactful meet up, or near literal impact, with the largest woodpecker in North America.
The Snowshoe Hare
A quintessential winter wildlife species, the snowshoe hare is especially adapted to snowy landscapes. Learn more about them in the Nature column.
Saving Wolverines
In October the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service denied protection for this species under the Endangered Species Act. Many conservation organizations including Earthjustice and Conservation …
The Elusive Wolverine
Gulo gulo, the gluttonous one. Wolverines are one the feistiest and most elusive carnivores in the north. Even among fierce predators of the Mustelidae or weasel family, wolverines are above and …
Tracking Cougars in Washington
Mountain lions are one of the most elusive animals in North America. Chances are if you spend time in the wilds you have rousted a …
Finding Camas Flowers
Each spring the wet meadows of the Pend Oreille River Valley explode with the purple-blue blooms of one the regions’ most culturally important plants, common camas. Common …
Wildlife Travels
The movement of wildlife is crucial to their survival. Salmon travel from the ocean to the river to spawn, field mice scurry along hedgerows to avoid predation, and caribou traverse thousands of miles to search for wintering grounds. …
Wildlife Origins of COVID-19
If animals become too crowded, they can more easily spread viral and bacterial diseases. This can become exasperated when humans artificially crowd animals, particularly bringing a large variety of …
Tips for Documenting Nature
Many people have a Life List of all the birds they have seen. Others keep field journals denoting all the wildlife and plant species they …
Documenting the American White Pelican
The Spokane region is near a major flyway for many waterfowl species flying from their winter grounds to summer breeding areas. One of the best birds to start with is the American White Pelican. Due to their size they are hard to miss and easy to observe if you know where to look.