Steller's Jay: Pretty, noisy with a great haircut!
“Anyone who has watched Steller’s Jay knows that they are anything but birdbrained”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 4 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
About the Douglas fir
“The big tree is nature’s forest masterpiece, and so far as I know, the greatest of living things.” — John Muir 1838-1914 “Father of the National Parks” and author.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 4 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
If you live in Boundary County, wave!
“The road may be beautiful or ugly, it may be easy or hard, smooth or rough — it doesn’t matter; what matters most is where the road will take you, enjoy the journey and wave!”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 4 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Mid-winter beauty in Boundary County
“To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold.”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 4 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Why are we hearing more coyotes howl?
“Whenever the pressure of our complex life thins my blood and numbs my brain, I seek relief in the trail; and when I hear the coyote wailing to the yellow dawn, my cares fall from me — I am happy.”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 4 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Canada geese: Boundary County's winter honkers
“... whoever you are, no matter how lonely the world offers itself to your imagination, calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting — over and over announcing your place in the family of things.”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 4 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Winter on the hoof: How deer, elk and moose cope with the snow!
“When snow falls, nature listens.”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 4 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Country road names inspire us to travel them
“Country roads, take me home, to the place I belong …”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 4 YEARS, 12 MONTHS AGO
Meadow voles are active year-round
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS AGO
The hairy woodpecker: A familiar visitor to bird feeders!
“Advice from a woodpecker: find your own rhythm, carve out a place for yourself, make your voice heard, it’s OK to be a little flashy, use your head!”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS AGO
Muskrats adapt well to winter in Boundary County
On a cloudy, rainy morning beside a calm flowing creek I spotted a fur-bearing animal, smaller than a beaver, busily eating on the side of the creek bank while sitting on ice.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS AGO
Flickers sport flashy colors, black necklace
Last weekend, while I was walking Chickadee Trail on the Kootenai National Wildlife Reserve with my dog Tessie Rae, I noticed an average-size bird with distinct markings on a Ponderosa pine branch.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Beavers busy getting ready for winter
“A beaver does not, as legend would have it, know which direction the tree will fall when he cuts it, but counts on alacrity to make up for lack of engineering expertise.”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Banded Woolly Bears: Their black bands may predict winter weather
“I want to be a caterpillar. Eat a lot. Sleep for a while. Then wake up beautiful…”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
It's Thanksgiving ... let's talk turkey!
“Forever on Thanksgiving Day, the heart will find the pathway home”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Raven or crow? Here's how you know
When Edgar Allen Poe had to find a bird annoying enough to drive a man insane, the choice was easy: a raven. Corvids — the avian family that includes ravens and crows — are notorious for causing mischief to humans and animals alike.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Deep Creek Trail: A great fall hike
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
The magpie: Handsome and dressed in a tuxedo
“He is a handsome creature, with snowy white decorations, and is a singer; he has a murmurous rich note that is lovely. He has talent, and cuteness, and impudence; and in his tame state he is a most satisfactory pet — never coming when he is called, always coming when …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
Boundary County's beautiful fall landscape
“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower” — Albert Camus
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
Snowshoe hare: It's time to change coats!
This past weekend I had the opportunity to travel on the south face of Harvey Mountain to explore one of my favorite mountain areas. The location is north of Bonners Ferry on Highway 95 going toward Eastport; turn left at Forest Service Road 272 and travel several miles until you …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
The blue jay: beauty, brains and spirit with a perky little crest!
I was alerted one morning by a blue flash in my backyard and heard a piercing jay, jay, jay, sound. I wondered to myself if it could be a blue jay! I couldn’t believe it until I looked out the window to see a blue jay perched on a Ponderosa …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
Meet the small, but lethal, sharp-shinned hawk
I was watching my bird feeders last week when suddenly a small hawk landed on a branch above the feeders and set quietly blending into the branches of the ponderosa pine. It was a sharp-shinned hawk (accipiter striatus) — they are about the size of a blue jay, but considerably …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
American red squirrel: 'Chatter box' of the forest!
I remember it was the first encounter with our terrier/Shih Tzu and the neighborhood American red squirrel. Our dog was wanting out on the deck so we opened the door and the squirrel was on the deck. She tried to corner the squirrel underneath the barbecue grill, but failed. The …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
Black walnut tree, a tough nut to crack!
“There rises the moon, broad and tranquil, through the branches of a walnut tree on a hill opposite.”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
Bald-faced hornets preparing for fall
“I may think that hornets do not have an ideal social organization. But I know better than to poke their nest.” — Fred Reed
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Evening grosbeaks: Magnificent but elusive
Last weekend I was scanning the ponderosa pines surrounding my bird feeders when some unfamiliar birds caught my eye. I reached for my Nikon with my 600 mm lens to take a picture of the birds. Suddenly they weren’t just birds; they were spectacular and handsomely attired in yellow, black …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Quaking aspen: Trees in the breeze
“Willows whiten, aspens quiver, little breezes dusk and shiver.”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
The majestic white pelican
“And to lose the chance to see a file of pelicans winging their way homeward across the crimson afterglow of the sunset, or a myriad terns flashing in the bright light of midday as they hover in a shifting maze above the beach — why, the loss is like the …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
The beetle with long horns!
Last week while barbecuing on my deck I was suddenly alarmed by an uninvited guest that flew in and landed on my deck floor beside the table next to the grill. The big bug started screeching an alarming sound. The disturbing guest was a robust, reddish brown, almost black colored …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Take a break at Spruce Lake
“So lovely was the loneliness of a wild lake …” — Edgar Allan Poe
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Huckleberry picking is underway!
As summer days become hotter and drier in Boundary County a special treat is brewing in our surrounding forests. Huckleberries! These sweet, finger-staining treats are right under your nose on most hikes in August.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Cedar waxwings: A sleek and dapper looking bird!
Cedar waxwings are one of my favorite birds. From a distance, they look like garden-variety little brown birds. But a closer look reveals the striking crown and beautiful red and yellow hues of their feathers. The yellow tip of their tail is especially brilliant.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
The hop, skip and bob of the spotted sandpiper!
Last weekend, while traveling along the shoreline of Deep Creek and the Kootenai River, I noticed an unusual bird.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
River otters: Well adapted for semi-aquatic living in North Idaho
Recently I was traveling along Myrtle Creek on the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge loop road, when I was surprised by an adult otter swimming in the water below me.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Thatching ant hills only a portion of the nest
Anyone who’s walked through the pine forests of Boundary County has seen them, the large, often knee high mounds of pine needles and other forest debris, which, on a sunny day, are swarming with ants. These are the homes of thatching ants. In bad weather these appear to be lifeless …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Wasp, bee and hornet identification
If you’ve just been stung by a buzzing winged insect, like I was last summer, the last thing on your mind are the variations in anatomy, behavior and diet of bees, wasps, or hornets.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Bear grass is blooming
While on the south and west face of Harvey mountain last week with my daughter Cara and grandson Ashur, we rounded a corner and were surprised by the hundreds of bear grass blooms filling the side of the mountain in front of us. The magnitude of blooms was the largest …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Western paper birch: A tree whose bark peels into sheets
One of the first deciduous trees I learned to identify in Boundary County was the western paper birch. I was fascinated with the white cream bark that peels into sheets, and the oval leaves with double toothed edges.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
'Tis the season for turkey chicks
Recently I was driving up the Ball Creek road west of the Westside Road and 10 miles north of the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge headquarters when around a hairpin curve I saw a mother wild turkey nervously sitting on the ground with her wings spread out.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Cliff swallows build nests from mud
BONNERS FERRY — During the past several weeks I have been observing a remarkable darting bird. In fact he is so quick at times he is hard to follow in flight.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Zebra swallowtails make their appearance
Recently while driving to the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge I stopped by one of my favorite parks just northwest of the refuge office to see if the butterflies were getting nectar from the lilac bushes in the area. As I walked through the bright green grass in the beautiful park …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Osprey return to nest in Boundary County!
“I think he’ll be to Rome as is the ‘Osprey’ to the fish, who takes it by sovereignty of nature.” (Coriolanus, 4.7.37-39) — Shakespeare 1564-1616
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Bald eaglets grow rapidly!
“The eagles nest has fortified branch walls intertwined from the mothers’ beak and tomorrow lies inside.” — Buck Stark
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Bumble bees - what is all the buzz about?
“To make a prairie it takes clover and one bee, one clover, and a bee, and revery. The revery alone will do, if bees are few.” — Emily Dickinson
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Spring ... when tree buds become leaves
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Likin' lichens!
“There is a low mist in the woods ... it is a good day to study lichens”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Nests are something to get 'egg-cited' over this spring!
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Majestic tundra swans visit Boundary County
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Spring sounds are music to our ears!
Spring has finally arrived, bringing the sweet sound of music to our ears. One of the most apparent sounds of spring are birds singing. You know warm weather has arrived when the sun forces you to take off that winter coat, but also because you hear birds chirping and singing …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Pondering the ponderosa pine
“The ponderosa is one of the most widely distributed trees in the interior West, extending from southern British Columbia southward in two main branches: down the Cascades and Sierras into Southern California, and through the Rockies into Arizona and New Mexico. It is at home at high elevations.”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Signs of spring emerge in Boundary County
“The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes a month.”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Enjoying nature ... even on spring break
Spring break found me in Puerto Vallarta enjoying fishing, sightseeing, photography and discovering iguana. Walking around Los Penas marina in Puerto Vallarta one morning last week I couldn’t help but notice a group of people eying something on the pavement and grass between the boardwalk and the water. They were …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Fox squirrel: A red-coated, bird feeder bandit!
“Advice from a squirrel: Plan ahead, stay active, spend time in the woods, go out on a limb and its OK to be a little nuts!!”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
A 'hoaribly' frosty morning along the Kootenai River
“Hoarfrost, a grayish-white crystalline deposit of frozen water vapor formed in clear, still weather on vegetation and fences.”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Downy woodpecker: The daintiest of the woodpeckers!
The smallest of the woodpeckers, downies are a familiar friend in backyards throughout North Idaho. They seem delicate even as they chisel out cavities in tree trunks, one chunk at a time. Downy woodpeckers eat a variety of foods including seeds, fruits and insects, and they visit suet feeders throughout …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
The majestic golden eagle visits North Idaho
This is one of the largest birds of prey in Idaho and the national bird of Mexico. These birds are dark brown, with lighter golden-brown plumage on their heads and necks. They are extremely swift, and can dive upon their quarry at speeds of more than 150 miles per hour.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Varied thrush visits the lowlands in winter
One of the most beautiful birds in Boundary County is the varied thrush.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
The northern pygmy-owl: What a little hoot!
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Winter in North Idaho
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Mountain ash: Brightening winter in Boundary County!
Driving around many neighborhoods in Boundary County through the fall and winter, you’ll find yourself brushing past clusters of showy orange berries, hanging down from the limbs of mountain ash trees. By late winter many of the berries have fallen to the ground, but through much of the drab months …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO
The 'chicken hawk' with a red tail!
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO
Brrr... irds! How our feathered friends adapt in the winter
Some North Idahoans dread winter and, if they have the time and the means, will travel to warmer parts of the country to wait it out. Others enjoy the cold temperatures and can’t wait for the first snow. Most just adapt to the season, adding layers to keep them warm …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO
Snow brings elk to the lowlands
Last week, during my travels in Boundary County, I observed approximately 76 cow and calf elk and three bulls in one large herd in the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge, where they had been grazing most of the week.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO
Red-breasted nuthatch: The upside-down bird
When I was out at the bird feeder on the east side of our house last week I realized the red-breasted nuthatch (Sitta Canadensis) was one of my favorite backyard visitors. He seemed impossibly small, and virtually weightless. He was feathered perfection.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO
'Birds of Prey' educate Boundary County
“Who Who Wants to See Live Raptors” was the title of the program by Raptor Biologist Janie Veltkamp and Don Veltkamp from Birds of Prey Northwest and hosted by Friends of Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Rough-legged hawk: A visitor from the north
“Anyone who has ever stopped to watch a hawk in flight will know that this is one of the natural world’s most elegant phenomena.” — John Burnside
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Trees that stay forever green!
“The smell of pine needles, spruce and the smell of a Christmas Tree-these to me, are the scents of the holidays.”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
The wild turkey: So much more than Thanksgiving dinner
Ben Franklin called the wild turkey a “bird of courage” and thought it would make a better national symbol than the bald eagle.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Kootenai Valley Fog; a river 'mist'ery!
“In nature, everything has a job. The job of the fog is to beautify further the existing beauties!” — Mehmet Murat Ildan
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
The Western White Pine: Idaho's state tree
“The pine stays green in winter ... wisdom in hardship.” — Norman Douglas 1868-1952
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
Black Cottonwood: The tree that snows!
“Trees, for example, carry the memory of rainfalls. In their rings we read ancient weather — storms, sunlight, and temperatures, the growing seasons of centuries. A forest shares a history, which each tree remembers even after it has been falled.” — Anne Michaels
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
Snags: Dead trees that are full of life
As you travel around Boundary County you will notice dead standing trees in wooded areas and by the river, creeks and ponds. It is hard to believe, but trees can actually provide more habitats for wildlife dead than when they are alive.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
The changing colors of the Western larch
Along with the leafy trees that change colors each fall, one pine tree also puts on a colorful show each autumn. In late fall, the Western larch’s (Larix Occidentalis) needles turn yellow and then drop to the ground in November. The turning pine tree make for colorful hillsides in Boundary …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
Falling for autumn in Boundary County
“I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion.” — Henry David Thoreau
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
Respect your elderberries!
Many wild berry species make their home on the banks of rivers and streams in Boundary County, where the fertile soil that accumulates produces abundant crops. One that is in full color now along the rivers and streams is the blue elderberry.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
There is a mouse in the house!
Actually he wasn’t in the house, he was in the garage and in a six-gallon plastic bucket, which somehow he placed himself into and couldn’t get out. My wife alerted me to his presence with a loud exclamation, “You better come out here and see what is in the bucket.”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
Black-headed Grosbeaks among our summer visitors
Many Boundary County residents have been seeing black-headed Grosbeaks (Pheucticus melanocephalus) during this summer. Perhaps not as numerous or quite as spectacular as Western Tanagers, these are nevertheless very attractive members of the finch family. They winter in Mexico, and spend their summers in the western half of the United …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Western conifer seed bugs bug off!
The western conifer seed bug with its long legs and an antenna has tried to invade many of our homes this fall. I found a dozen or so of these slow-crawling bugs last week trying to access our house. I even had one land on my cap and try for …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Spruce Grouse: The gentle chicken of the forest
Last week I was on a photo trip journeying via country road 2509 to Spruce Lake when I came onto a fairly common site for late summer. It was a mother spruce grouse and three of her chicks who were almost fully grown.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Whitetail deer antlers in the velvet
Each year it happens sometime around Labor Day. It’s when whitetail bucks shed the velvet from their antlers.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Queen Lake: A nice hike with a serene reward
“A lake is the landscape’s most beautiful and expressive feature. It is earth’s eye looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Snow Creek Falls: A delightful hike!
The beauty of Boundary County can best be seen when traveling on foot. Boundary County has more than 350 miles of developed hiking and horseback trails. Hikers can choose easy, part-day walks or extended backpacking trips. Recently I went on a short but vigorous hike to Snow Creek Falls, two …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Huckleberries: Boundary County's wild purple gem
I have only lived in Boundary County about two decades, but that time has taught me by late July and early August North Idaho mountain ranges will be crawling with treasure hunters searching for purple gems. Armed with plastic ice cream buckets, grocery store sacks, coffee cans, or other containers, …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Yellow-pine Chipmunks an expert at rock hopping!
On one sunny morning last week when I was at Brush Lake, I noticed a chipmunk scampering among the rock piles in an area west of the boat ramp road and west of the lake. He was running jerkily and stopping non-discriminately on the rocks pausing only for a minute …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Enjoying the sight, sounds of the American goldfinch
We are fortunate this summer that a pair of American goldfinch have found comfort with our finch feeder and our garden.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Bear grass blooms underway!
Last week when I was on the south side of Queen and Wall Mountain I saw some interesting, grass-like plants. I had noticed it throughout the years growing on slopes in soil that’s not particularly rich that are moist during winter and spring, but fast draining.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
The Polyphemus moth ... large and furry with eyespots!
Anyone seeing a huge flying insect at the bottom of a bush or plant would attract their attention immediately. Particularly, if the large-appearing butterfly is actually a large moth with a hairy body that resembles a tarantula. This moth can achieve the wingspan of 5.5 inches.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Eaglets, getting ready to fly!
I have been fortunate to observe some baby eaglets since they stood up in their huge eagle nest. I first saw the eaglets March 8 when they poked their wobbly heads up this spring. The mother and father had worked very hard in making the nest by the Kootenai River …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Eurasian or mourning dove? Similar but different
I always like to step on my deck or into the backyard in the morning with a hot steaming cup of coffee, or toward evening to hear the call of doves. Their call is distinct — it is a unique sound in the bird world.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Robin eggs: Sky blue with tomorrow inside!
Last week I was delighted to see a robin come back to our yard and claim a hanging begonia on our front porch as she did last year. A few days later I climbed on a step ladder and saw three beautiful blue eggs in the nest. A couple days …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Dragonflies, the flying aces of the insect world!
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
The chokecherry tree: White flowers, bitter fruit
“Someone is setting in the shade today because someone planted a tree along the way”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
A gaggle of goslings
One day last week I was traveling along Myrtle Creek in the Kootenai Wildlife Refuge, going north on the tour route. The creek and ponds were teaming with baby geese, called goslings.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Cinnamon teal spotted in wildlife refuge
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Yellow skunk cabbage: Pretty, but smelly!
Last week, on a calm morning, I was hiking in the area of Robinson Lake. As I was walking down a path along a creek, I noticed an early spring plant which inhabited the woods by the stream banks. Surprisingly I smelled a lightly pungent smell, a somewhat skunk-like odor. …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Copper Falls well worth the hike
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Robins happily hop along it's spring!
“The first day of Spring is one thing, and the first Spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month.” — Henry Van Dyke, Fisherman’s Luck.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
The western bluebird: one of nature's finest!
Last Friday was a cloudy, rainy, chilly day and my mood matched the weather. Then I saw a western bluebird, and for the rest of the day I felt it was a “bluebird day” in spite of the weather. I was in the area of McArthur Lake when a male …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Wood ducks add splash of color to Boundary County
Recently I was in the Boundary Creek Wildlife Management Area at the north end of the county observing wildlife when I came across four drake wood ducks and one hen paddling along in the creek.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Hey bears it's time to wake up!
The manner in which humans wake up is well-documented. It usually involves half-opened eyes, messy hair, yawning, stretching, and maybe a grumble or two before hitting that snooze button. Still, it’s far more fast-paced than a bear emerging from its den after hibernation. But if bears struggled to get a …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Tundra Swans stop-over in North Idaho
Springtime is here and swans have returned to the ponds of North Idaho. The ponds at the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge currently host 40-60 and the Boundary Creek Wildlife Management Area host 200-300 hundred Tundra Swans and several hundred ducks and geese. The ponds of North Idaho are alive with …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Red-winged blackbirds indicate return of spring
As we enjoy spring, one of the most abundant birds across Boundary County — and one of the most boldly colored — the red-winged blackbird is a familiar sign atop cattails, along soggy roadsides, and on telephone wires. Glossy-black males have scarlet-and-yellow shoulder patches they can puff-up or hide depending …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Thinking of - and wishing for - spring
“It’s spring fever. This is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want — oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Hooded Merganser ducks make a handsome couple!
Last week while exploring in Boundary County I came across a handsome pair of ducks that I didn’t recognize. After taking a few pictures of them I consulted my Birds of Idaho field guide and learned they were Hooded Mergansers. I discovered that Hooded Mergansers are found from southeastern Alaska, …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
The beat goes on for pileated woodpecker
Moments after the red-crested forest ghost landed on the pine tree with the suet bird feeder perhaps 50 feet away, another more distant rattling call resonated through the woods, silencing the constant chatter of a squirrel protesting the intruder. Another three second burst of loud tree whacking confirmed that a …
BONNER COUNTY DAILY BEE | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
The beat goes on for pileated woodpecker
Moments after the red-crested forest ghost landed on the pine tree with the suet bird feeder perhaps 50 feet away, another more distant rattling call resonated through the woods, silencing the constant chatter of a squirrel protesting the intruder. Another three second burst of loud tree whacking confirmed that a …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Bald eagles take up residence here
About three weeks ago I saw a pair of bald eagles begin to build their nest. Situated in a fork of a tree about 70 feet above the water, the building of the nest was an incredible sight.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Spotting a great horned owl is such a hoot!
Contrary to its name, the great horned owl has no horns! It is named for the tufts of feathers that sit on top of its head, called plumicorns. Scientists don’t know why these owls sport the tufts, but they do have a few theories. The tufts might help members of …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Focusing on the wily pheasant
In the winter mornings and evening in Boundary County, moose, elk, coyotes, mule deer and white-tailed deer might be seen. Ponds are frozen over and remaining waterfowl move to the ice-free Kootenai River. They continue to feed in grain fields. Bald eagles concentrate around the flocks of ducks and geese. …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
The coyote: Clever, evasive and always hungry
“The coyote is a long, slim, sick and sorry-looking skeleton, with a gray wolf-skin stretched over it, a tolerable bushy tail that forever sags down with a despairing expression of forsakenness and misery, a furtive and evil eye, and a long, sharp face, with slightly lifted lip and exposed teeth. …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Fine dining with a great blue heron
It is Herman Melville who said, “We become sad in the first place because we have nothing stirring to do!”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Wildlife's adaptation to winter
It’s cold outside! When it gets cold what do you do? I put on a warm sweater, stay inside and have a hot cup of coffee! Animals can’t put on a sweater, so what do they do in winter? Winter is cold and there is less food around.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS AGO
Mountain Chickadee: The Masked Bandit of the bird feeder!
As I was watching our bird feeder on the west side of the house I noticed an unusual increase in activity at the feeder. I thought it was a chickadee, but on closer inspection I observed it had a mask.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS AGO
Feeding birds makes a difference in winter
Mammals have begun to hunker down in warm dens. Many birds have left the area to spend the season basking in the southern climates of Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS AGO
Weathering the Winter Wonderland!
Now that Christmas is over and winter has set in, many may want to spend the rest of the season inside their house in front of a warm fire. Curling up in a warm den, as much of our local wildlife do, I think that might even sound like a …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS AGO
Steller's Jay: Bold, inquisitive, intelligent and noisy!
Last week I was attracted to the feeder on the west side of our house and observed a striking bird with a long, prominent, shaggy crest on its head and a long tail. The front of its body was black, and the black extended midway down his back with the …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS AGO
Skunks: Striped cats with an attitude!
This past summer east of three mile on Highway 2, I saw a mother skunk trailed by five little striped kits crossing the road ... they were cute little stinkers. At the time I thought that was a sight at least as charming as ducklings following their mother. Skunks themselves …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Canada flock adopts a snow goose!
I came across an interesting sight last week when approaching Myrtle Pond on the Kootenai Wildlife refuge. A white goose was setting comfortably among a flock of Canada geese.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Waterfowl, songbirds leave empty nests behind
“The lark that shuns on lofty boughs to build, her humble nest, lies silent in the field.”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Making, following tracks in Boundary County
“It is hard to over-value the powers of the clever tracker. To him the trail of each animal is not a mere series of similar footprints; it is an accurate account of the creature’s life, habit, changing whims, and emotions during the portion of life whose record is in view.” …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
The Bobcat: A graceful, stealthy and extraordinary hunter!
Graceful and stealthy is what I thought when I saw this extraordinary hunter. I noticed the bobcat 40 yards ahead walking north on the one lane tour road that overlooks Myrtle Creek and the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge ponds. He was on the west side of the narrow gravel road …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
River fog: The mist of early morning
Many times as an amateur photographer on a cold fall or winter evening I have seen skies that are clear and the Kootenai River shimmering in the surrounding night light and anticipate what is to come. The next morning I come out of the house to see a clear sky. …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
OUTDOORS: Who doesn't like Rainbows?
As I walked out of Safeway last week on a rainy morning that was just clearing, I noticed a beautiful phenomenon looking west toward the Selkirk Mountain, a rainbow. Who doesn’t like rainbows? Watch what happens when a rainbow suddenly, almost magically, appears on the horizon, a delicate burst of …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
Autumn's arrival in Boundary County!
Driving this weekend along the Kootenai River, past Deep Creek to the Selkirk Mountains, up Myrtle Creek road and through the Burton Creek drainage, I felt a slight chill in the air, shadows are lengthening earlier each day and the rustle of leaves underfoot all signal autumn’s arrival.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
Bald-faced hornets and their complex paper nests
Recently I was traveling mid-morning along the Kootenai River when suddenly my attention was captured by the sun’s reflection on a gray shiny dome the size of a volleyball hanging in a riverside tree.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
Banded woolly bear: Predictor of winter weather?
The banded woolly bear caterpillar is the larval form of Pyrrharctia isabella, the Isabella tiger moth. Typically, the bands at the ends of the caterpillar are black, and the one in the middle is brown or orange, giving the woolly bear its distinctive striped appearance.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
Praying mantis: An appetite for other insects
If you wonder how the Praying Mantis got their name, just look at them. They have very long front legs that they hold in a position that reminds people of praying.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
Western clematis: A perennial vine decorating the Kootenai River
The banks of the Kootenai River and streams bulge with lush vegetation. These riparian plants prevent erosion and filter stormwater runoff, helping to keep waterways clear and healthy.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
MUSKRATS: Rodents that are excellent swimmers
On a cloudy morning beside a grassy canal on the Kootenai Wildlife Refuge parallel to the Kootenai River I observed a muskrat busily swimming and inspecting the vegetation. In spite of the fact he noticed me I managed to get a few photos before he silently disappeared under the water. …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
White-Breasted Nuthatch: A dapper bird!
It was a bright sunny day a few weeks ago and I was walking the Chickadee Trail at the Kootenai Wildlife Refuge north of the district office. I had heard reports that there were white- breasted nuthatches in the tall pine trees north of the district office parking lot. Upon …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Garter snakes: Good for the garden!
Recently I saw a garter snake about three feet long wriggling across my driveway, probably going from one flower garden to another. I quickly retrieved my camera and snapped a picture as he paused in his journey.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
The 'Longhorn' of the beetle family
Last week while barbecuing on my patio I was suddenly alarmed by an uninvited guest that flew in and landed on my pavers beside the table next to the grill. The big bug started screeching an alarming sound. The disturbing guest was a robust, reddish brown, almost black colored bug. …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Painted turtles: A colorful sight basking in the sun
In the spring and summer I enjoy the sighting of Painted Turtles basking on limbs and logs while floating on a pond or lake. I often stop to study them; they momentarily hesitate then jump into the water and disappear only to come back later and resume their place in …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
River otters well adapted for semi-aquatic living
At first I couldn’t believe my eyes. I thought, “Wow, that is a really big muskrat; the way they moved in the water, they looked like small seals and then I saw two more heads bobbing up and down.”
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
MOOSE: A Boundary Co. wildlife treasure!
Only weeks old and protected at the flank of its mother, a moose calf begins to explore its world at the base of the Selkirk Mountains on a pond beside Myrtle creek. The cow and her calf remain in the forest and the willow thickets most of the day it …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Bats: The only mammal that can fly!
BONNERS FERRY — My wife Debbie and I stood wide-eyed and amazed as a whirlwind of gray bats whirled and gyrated in the dim light of dusk south of the machinery shed at the Kootenai Wildlife Refuge. Attached to the machinery shed were four bat houses full of nearly 250 …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Killdeer: A bird that calls its name!
On a visit along the Kootenai River by the ramp of the Sheriff dock west of Bonners Ferry I saw a Killdeer exemplifying the broken-wing display.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Slugs: Searching for the perfect salad!
During a hot July morning I noticed a grayish slimy track across the concrete driveway. I was surprised at the tracks as it was the driest day of the summer to date. Following the tracks I found what made them, a slug. Slugs are most active at night; their tracks …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
'Hey Mom ... wait for me!'
During one of my recent travels in Boundary County I sighted a cow elk, her young calf and twin yearling elk from last year.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
The lark of the meadows
Meadowlarks have a way to bring a song into your day. I remember as a boy listening to the buoyant, flute-like melody of the Western Meadowlark ringing out across a field in May outside my fifth grade classroom in a rural school. A song like that can brighten anyone’s day.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
The fawns are here!
Everyone thinks whitetail deer fawns are cute and playful; and they are! Early summer is a time of plenty in the deer woods, but there are many dangers as well, especially for vulnerable newborn fawns. During the first few weeks of life, the fawn’s main defense against predators is to …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Home on the range: American Bison
This year a photo vacation took me to the National Bison Range south of Flathead Lake, Mont. It is a 173-mile drive from Bonners Ferry, about a 3-and-a-half hour trek. Theodore Roosevelt established the National Bison Range in 1908 to provide “for a permanent national bison range.” The refuge is …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Zebras that fly!
Last weekend while driving to the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge I stopped by one of my favorite parks just northwest of the refuge office to see if the butterflies were getting nectar from the lilac bushes in the area. As I walked through the bright green grass in the beautiful …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
LADYBUGS: The ladies of the garden!
This past week my wife and I added several hundred six-legged bug friends to our garden to protect the many plants and fruit trees from aphids and other unwanted insects. It is one of the few beetles liked by humans and in many cultures considered good luck. The new friend …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
What is all the gobbling about?
BONNERS FERRY — Last week I woke up to a familiar wildlife sound just 50 feet from our house at the edge of the pine trees. I hurried to look out the window to see what the ruckus was about and saw an amazing sight. Two tom turkeys were gobbling …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Tree Swallow: A handsome aerialist
BONNERS FERRY — During the past several weeks I have been observing a remarkable darting bird. In fact he is so quick at times he is hard to follow in flight. The first time I saw him was about two weeks ago sitting on top of an old snag beside …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Who gives a Hoot about a Coot?
BONNERS FERRY — A crisp morning breeze turned the waters of the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge into a corrugated surface of sparkling silver. I had arrived early and found many geese, and ducks loafing in the morning sun. I was in search of Tundra swans who look regal with their …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
March Migration Madness
College basketball fans look forward to March Madness every year; when NCAA teams are matched against each other, and each winning team advances to the next round until a winner is crowned.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Waiting for spring in Boundary County
Has spring sprung here in Boundary County?
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
The bird with the barbed tongue and a drum roll
During the winter I had noticed on several occasions a small to medium size bird foraging mainly on the trunks and limbs of trees and sometimes on shrubs. It was an energetic bird in his search, often probing, scaling off bark, and excavating into dead wood in pursuit of insects. …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Rock pigeons: Common birds with a wide variety of color
Last week while traveling west on Pine Island road, south-west of Bonners Ferry, I noticed a group of medium sized birds gathered in a flock, they were walking or running on the ground and pecking for food by the railroad tracks. I noticed when alarmed, the flock would suddenly fly …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
The quail with a topknot
Recently I was traveling north on the “farm to market” road on my way to Porthill, when I was surprised to see a covey of quail with a topknot beside the road in a circular group in the snow. As I stopped to take a picture of them, they quickly …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 8 YEARS AGO
Winter weather brings elk down to the lowlands
During my travels in Boundary County this past weekend I observed 78 cow and calf elk in one large herd by the Kootenai River. Winter brings crisp, cold temperatures, snow, freshness in the air and elk from the high mountains.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
White-tailed deer: look for the white flag
White-tailed deer abound in Boundary County. A person can hardly go on a drive in Boundary County without seeing one or more members of the white-tailed deer family.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Snags: dead trees provide great habitat for wildlife
As you travel around Boundary County you will notice dead standing trees in wooded areas and by the river, creeks and ponds. It is hard to believe, but trees can actually provide more habitats for wildlife dead than when they are alive. Standing dead and dying trees, called “snags” or …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
In honor of this bird's least favorite holiday, let's talk about turkeys
Here’s something to ponder as Thanksgiving approaches: wild turkeys are found across Idaho, and there’s even an open hunting season on them right now up in the North Idaho Panhandle. But they’re not native to the state. Turkeys were actually introduced by Idaho Fish & Game in 1961.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
A blackbird that sounds like a rusty farm gate opening
Recently while on a photo field trip I came across a flock of birds by the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge. The birds in a flock of about 50 had golden heads, a white patch on black wings, and a call that sounded like a rusty farm gate opening, the yellow-headed …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
Magpie: The chatterbox of the bird world
Black-billed Magpies are familiar, noisy and entertaining birds that are native to Idaho and the western half of North America.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
The ring-necked pheasant: a stroll down memory lane
In the fall mornings and evenings in Boundary County, moose, elk, coyotes, mule, and white-tailed deer might be seen. Osprey and shorebirds depart early in the season, while duck migration peaks in early November. Bald eagles arrive at the same time in search of sick or injured ducks that make …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
Boundary County's autumn landscape
As I drove this weekend in the Selkirk Mountains, up the Myrtle Creek road and through the Burton Creek drainage, I felt a slight chill in the air. Shadows are lengthening more each day, which, along with the rustle of leaves underfoot, signifies fall. One week its summer and the …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
A GREAT BIRD THAT CAN BARK LIKE A DOG
One early morning last week when I looked out at our coy pond beside the house, I was amazed to see a tall gray bird standing over the edge of the pond in total silence. He had a cautious and surreptitious action and movement, the caution and stealth of a …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
Aphids: 'They're baaaaack'
The smokey-winged ash aphids are back by the thousands and they are driving us to distraction. A friend of mine asked me to report on the bothersome aphids that had shown up in clouds recently and were becoming more than a nuisance. I became more curious about these tiny bugs …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
The four bad boy fawns of Boundary County
A few weeks ago my wife, Debbie and I came home from an eight-day vacation to Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming. We found our property to be in good standing as we entered the house and did a quick once-over upstairs and downstairs.
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
Did you realize that geese don't divorce?
When I visit the Kootenai National Wildlife, Smith Creek/Boundary Creek Refuge or walk along the Kootenai River I am aware of the presence of Canada geese. Even if you don’t see them right away you know they are in the area by their continuous honking. This past spring, I saw …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
What's the buzz? Yellow jackets, wasps
BONNERS FERRY — Yes, I have found through a “stinging” introduction that the yellow jacket is a North Idaho predatory insect that builds a large nest to house the colony. My first encounter with a yellow jacket in Boundary County was when I was trying to plug in my waterfall …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
The majestic bald eagle soars in Idaho communities
Last week while fishing with friends on Perkins Lake, I had the remarkable opportunity to see a bald eagle in action, snatching a fish from the surface of the water. Majestic, breathtaking, inspiring, and just plain awesome. Those may be just a few of the phrases used to describe what …
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Take a moment to see the butterflies at Kootenai Refuge
TIGERS ON THE WING
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
This is a great time of year to discover deer sheds
FINDING DEER ANTLER SHEDS
BONNERS FERRY HERALD | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
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