February had an extra day this year, a cold and gusty one. Those gusts were enough to knock me off balance and make it temporarily… Continue reading
Local creatures have often been given the names of early explorers and naturalists that visited our northern shores and forests. So (until the names are… Continue reading
The ground is heavily blanketed with snow. The snow berms in my driveway (and, dangerously, at some street intersections too) are still over six feet… Continue reading
Most birds have bills with tips that come together when the jaws close. But not crossbills — hence their common name. The crossed bill tips… Continue reading
To showcase our readers’ work to the widest possible audience, Wild Shots have been moved in front of the Juneau Empire’s paywall. Don’t have a… Continue reading
January brought us two massive snowfalls, piling up about six feet deep, and pretty much shutting down the whole city for a couple of days.… Continue reading
Mallards are omnivores, eating seeds, little invertebrates, an occasional tiny fish, and whatnot. Recent midwinter observations at North Tee Harbor documented them grazing on rockweed,… Continue reading
To showcase our readers’ work to the widest possible audience, Wild Shots have been moved in front of the Juneau Empire’s paywall. Don’t have a… Continue reading
One of my winter pleasures is traipsing around after a nice snowfall and looking for animal tracks. In mid-January, I walked up my driveway to… Continue reading
Change in vegetation, tidal areas, land “rebound” after glacial retreat shown — along with area’s name.
The eyes of a wary cat or dog on the roadside at night can reflect the light of oncoming cars, often with startling vividness. That’s… Continue reading
To showcase our readers’ work to the widest possible audience, Wild Shots have been moved in front of the Juneau Empire’s paywall. Don’t have a… Continue reading
Nectar is a rich, sugary food source used by plants to attract pollinators, and many animals exploit that resource, including lots of birds. The sugary… Continue reading
To showcase our readers’ work to the widest possible audience, Wild Shots have been moved in front of the Juneau Empire’s paywall. Don’t have a… Continue reading
Shortly before the winter solstice, I walked with a friend on the Boy Scout Camp Trail. There was a stiff, chilly breeze but — wonder… Continue reading
A person is bound to notice changes if he bicycles the same pathways for 20 years. Such is the case in San Francisco, where the… Continue reading
To showcase our readers’ work to the widest possible audience, Wild Shots have been moved in front of the Juneau Empire’s paywall. Don’t have a… Continue reading
In areas subject to fairly frequent wildfires, especially surface fires, we find many plants that have evolved resistance to burning, even taking advantage of the… Continue reading
Several kinds of bees can make honey, although domestic honeybees are the most famous and best-studied. They make honey from flower nectar, storing it in… Continue reading
To showcase our readers’ work to the widest possible audience, Wild Shots have been moved in front of the Juneau Empire’s paywall. Don’t have a… Continue reading
