We have had a red-breasted nuthatch coming to our bird feeders regularly this winter. I have not seen more than one at a time, so I am guessing it is a loner. At any rate, this bird always provides some good entertainment while is seemingly goes about its mission.By info@prairiepublic.org (Prairie Public).

Today, February 2, is Groundhog Day. Good luck finding a groundhog that is confused enough to come out of hibernation and stick its head out of its hole. And of course, whether it sees its shadow or not has no bearing on when spring arrives. It might surprise you, but the origins of Groundhog Day can be traced back to before Christ when Februar ...…

I recently had the good fortune of getting a good look at four bull elk in the Turtle Mountains while cross country skiing. When one thinks of elk in North Dakota the badlands and Theodore Roosevelt National Park may come to mind. I suspect that few among us are unaware that the Turtle Mountains supports a sizeable elk population.…

I recently traveled west from Bottineau on Highway 5 around mid-morning. By the time I got to the Highway 14 turnoff to Kramer, I had seen four snowy owls. Most of them in the first half of the 11-mile stretch. I have not kept records of my snowy owl observations per mile, but that has to be some kind of record. I did a quick internet search to ...…

It has been rather quiet around Lake Metigoshe recently. But I have been able to enjoy ice music occasionally. As some of you know, once a body of water has frozen over and temperatures drop, the big ice making machine can produce some interesting music. These concerts occur mostly during the evening hours when temperatures drop considerably. T ...…

It looks like winter has settled in for the long haul. No doubt many among us have been enjoying nature and the outdoors through hunting or fishing. With the big white blanket spread across the landscape, it is also a good time to enjoy a bit of nature. Maybe this will be a good winter for enjoying the natural world along with the winter snow.…

We have a couple boxelder trees near our house. With the leaves all off the tree this time of year, its shape is quite distinctive. Plus the trees are either male or female, and the female trees tend to hold on to their fruits well into the winter, making them rather conspicuous.By info@prairiepublic.org (Prairie Public).

I often drive past marshes with muskrat lodges during my winter routine. I cannot help but wonder how they are faring. Those lodges provide good cover and insulation from the winter cold. The lodge has a small living chamber above the waterline with one or two opening to the water below. Muskrats feed on the roots of cattails, bulrushes, and ot ...…

We could be in for a lot of birds at our bird feeders this winter. If you maintain a few, you might want to make a point to keep them well stocked this winter. If you don’t have a few feeders, now might be a good time to buy some. And of course, Christmas is not that far away. Consider giving bird feeders as gifts.…

Each year from November 6-30 the earth passes through the debris field of comet Tempel-Tuttle, or what we call the Leonids Meteor Shower. This year the peak viewing period is the evening of Saturday, November 17, and early morning hours of November 18. The number of meteor showers during the peak viewing period is expected to be around 15 meteo ...…

I have been thinking about elms lately. I recently ran across an article about elm trees in the Washington Post by Phil McCombs from 2001: “Once upon a time in America, great leafy high-arching cathedrals of elms lined the streets of villages and cities from the Atlantic to the Rockies, casting a deep cool shade upon life’s turmoil.”…

In case you haven’t noticed, the coots are on the move! They are congregating on wetlands across the state. And of course, one of these days we will look out on those wetlands, and there they will be… Gone!By info@prairiepublic.org (Prairie Public).

Each spring and fall I am anxious to hear any news of whooping cranes in the state. This year is no exception. It seems like each year a few of them are spotted in the state during their migrations. At around five feet tall the whooping crane is the tallest bird in North America. They also sport a white body, red or crimson cap, and impressive ...…

Ergot has been in the news recently. Ergot (Claviceps purpurea ) is a parasite of our cereal grains rye, wheat, barley, and oats, as well as other grasses including quackgrass and smooth brome. There are some heavy infestations of ergot in some grain fields this year.By info@prairiepublic.org (Prairie Public).

Hunting seasons begin for sharp-tailed grouse, ruffed grouse, and Hungarian or gray partridge this Saturday, September 8. Hunters will have an assortment of reasons to be afield after these gamebirds. But they have long been popular game, and all have a reputation for good table fare. No doubt the ranking and cooking techniques of these upland ...…

“What’s radon?” That question came up in a conversation recently. I suspect that the majority of North Dakotans have heard something about radon in our soils and that it is associated with lung cancer. It is definitely here, but I rarely hear mention of radon in conversations. Radon is an element. It is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless radi ...…

The aster family is putting on its show of the year right now! Oh, there have been members of the aster family blooming throughout the summer, but they are center stage now. They seem to be flowering everywhere, with the goldenrods, sunflowers, gumweed, and of course the fall asters sporting their colors.…

Blue-green algae have been in the news recently. Blooms of the algae have led the North Dakota Department of Health to issue public health warnings for several lakes across the state. There are several types of algae that are common in our marshes, lakes, rivers, and streams. They are important to the food chains in these bodies of water, and s ...…

What you and I know as blanketflower or gaillardia was unknown to science when Meriwether Lewis collected a specimen near what is now known as Lewis and Clark Pass in Montana, July 6, 1806. It was later described by Frederick Pursh and named Gaillardia aristata after French botanist Gaillard de Marentonneau. Blanketflower or gaillardia are the ...…

I have been enjoying watching the goldfinches at our nyjer feeder as well gracing the fields and meadows of the Turtle Mountain area recently. They are always a treat to watch. Noted ornithologist, naturalist, and bird guide author Roger Tory Peterson must have had a soft spot for goldfinches when he described them by saying “The responsibiliti ...…