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My boys enjoyed our mini-adventure and will soon taste the spoils of their success.

I wonder where I’d be sometimes if it wasn’t for God dropping blessings right in front of my face. Of course, I think about it—the very air I breathe and the ground I walk on count … more

By HUNTER HILL | 8/16/23

There is good northern watersnake habitat on this lake in western Pike County, but two weeks ago, I had a surprise: an eastern garter snake was also basking with a watersnake next to the shore on some rocks. ..The watersnake is the very dark snake with faint back markings. The garter snake’s head is just above the head of the watersnake, just left of center frame.

Summer snakes

Of all the animals that inhabit the wild, it seems the most misunderstood and feared creatures are snakes. We were not born with the fear of snakes; it has been instilled by passed-down … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 8/9/23

Bats in flight, looking for insects to feed on. We had difficulty finding a photo of an indigenous bat, so we used this one. ..File link: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0...

Bats, swallows and kingbirds

Fly fishing for trout requires intense concentration, especially when there are flies on the water and fish rising freely. Under those circumstances, anglers have a tendency to be oblivious of their … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 8/9/23

Peek-a-boo! An American toad waits patiently for a tasty slug or bug to pass by.

What's that in there>

In my last column, I wrote about the delight of discovering a robin’s nest next to our home and observing the cycle of life that transpired there. In a hopeful update, mama robin is on her … more

By SANDY LONG | 8/1/23

Small world

I’ve always prided myself on not burning bridges, no matter how I felt about a relationship or association. You never know who might be related to whom and how the story of your parting … more

By HUNTER HILL | 8/1/23

This hummingbird clearwing moth and a bumblebee were found sharing nectar from the same milkweed plant. This moth is fascinating to watch as it mimics a ruby-throated hummingbird, hovering near flowers and taking nectar with its long proboscis while in flight. Even its wing-beat frequency is similar, with 85 Hz for the moth vs. 60-80 for the hummingbird, so they might sound similar, though the moth might not seem as loud.

Hummingbird lookalike

It’s near the height of summer, when the temperature is close to peak. Various flowers are budding. There are plenty of hummingbirds around gardens or areas in the wild where flowering … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 7/25/23

A favorite pool

If you fish a river long enough you’ll learn some of her secrets—but not all. And if you’re like me, sooner or later you’ll find a favorite pool. Many years ago, my good … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 7/25/23

One of two American robin nestlings peers from the bowl of the cozy nest built by its mother...

Don’t be a bird-napper

A large forsythia bush has brightened my life for decades, waving its willowy branches and blooms from the place where it was planted many years ago. I pass by this old friend every time I leave the … more

By SANDY LONG | 7/19/23

The magic touch

Five months, two days and 13 hours. That’s how long it had been since we planted our tomato plants—seeds in the basement under the nurturing climate control of heat mats, fans and … more

By HUNTER HILL | 7/19/23

There are three hens and four poults visible in this image. Several hens may band together during the summer with their poults to form a flock. ..A hen’s head does not have the red of the adult. The plumage appears browner than the almost-black coloration of males, and females do not have spurs on their legs. ....The poults are active almost as soon as they hatch, and will leave the nest in about a day. Turkeys are ground-nesters, and they are vulnerable to predators until they gain flight ability after about a month.

PA seeks public assistance with annual turkey survey

The PA Game Commission is again looking for public help through the month of August for the annual Pennsylvania Wild Turkey Sighting Survey. This is a citizen-science project that counts the … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 7/12/23

The proper angle to hold a fly rod while playing a large trout.

Playing large trout on the fly rod

Readers of this column who are avid anglers and who use a fly rod as their primary means for fishing, might wonder: Why a column about playing fish? My guess is that most fly fishers are more … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 7/12/23 | 1 comment

Dave Eckles is humbled by being on the same stage as legendary beaver trappers Paul Dobbins and Canadian trapper Robert Connor. But this picture of Dave tells a different story.

It’s almost time for the National Trappers Association and Outdoor Expo

ESCANABA, MI — The National Trappers Association Convention and Outdoor Show is being held at the U.P. State Fairgrounds, located in Escanaba, MI. Dates are July 27 through 29, and the … more

7/11/23

Female dark fishing spiders like this one have bodies that are typically about one inch in length, with legs that can measure over three inches long when outstretched. Males are roughly half this size.

A spectacular spider

The other day, as I made my way to the entrance of my favorite grocery store, a movement on the pavement caught my attention. Scurrying toward the building’s brick facade was a super spider of … more

By SANDY LONG | 7/5/23

My amazing wife is my gardener on the night shift with me.

If not for the light of the moon

At the risk of waxing poetic, I caught myself thinking this week where I would be if not for the light of the moon. I was thinking not merely about the things I could take for granted, but … more

By HUNTER HILL | 7/5/23

The common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) is common in waterways throughout our region. When they cross the road, they can get a bit feisty if you try to assist them. (They will stop trying to pick a fight once they get to the correct side of the road. Just walk away.) ..This female was very well behaved, however. She was concentrating on the task at hand: the reproduction of the species.

An awkward place for a snapping turtle nest

On a sunny morning in early June, I had gotten the motorcycle out to visit some folks in Dingman Township. Going down a gentle hill, I saw a car trying to park on the side of the road. At the … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 6/28/23

Heidi hated to leave the water, especially if there were still trout rising.

Hideko

When I began to fish—and I don’t mean fly fish, just good old-fashioned pond, bobber, shiner-for-bait fishing—there were few if any girls or women fishing. At least I didn’t … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 6/28/23

Wildlife rehabilitator Kathy Michell holds one of her study turtles during a walk we took in 2010. Wood turtles have a strong affinity for a home region of roughly 1/4 mile on either side of a favored stream, which makes them easy targets for poachers and highlights the importance of protecting such critical habitat for this threatened species...

Remembering Kathy Michell

There are those who talk, and those who walk their talk. Without question, Kathy Michell was the latter, a fiercely dedicated licensed wildlife rehabilitator whose graceful physical appearance … more

By SANDY LONG | 6/21/23

All for a smile

I get pretty tired. I’m not allowed to say I get more tired than my wife for obvious reasons, but nonetheless, I do run out of energy at least once a day. Sometimes I flat-out run out of … more

By HUNTER HILL | 6/21/23

This is a female gray fox and one of three young, which are called kits, near a den in Shohola, PA. The young are born in March and April, and usually emerge out of the den 10 weeks later. The kits can frequently be seen playing together near the den. The family will stay together during the summer; it disperses when fall arrives.

Youngsters in the wild

Spring into early summer is the time when you might hear the most bird calls and see the most activity in fields and forests across the region. Animals are engaged in courtship and breeding; … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 6/14/23

A parachute nymph, top, and a spinner-type nymph. Can the trout tell the difference?

A viable alternative?

According to the historical record, the parachute dry fly was likely invented sometime in the 1920s. That same record also indicated that the pattern was first patented in the U.S. and England by … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 6/14/23

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