As the world stopped turning and the fires started burning this summer, there was a hole in my heart that only a chipmunk could fill. Shy at first, the distant object of my affection warmed to my presence, until one day we even had breakfast on the patio together: a coffee for me and a snail for Mr...
Fading yellow leaves fall from tulip trees, settling as quietly as a whisper into piles of gold among the ferns. A catbird calls from a walnut branch, warning competitors away from the pokeberries. A flock of pine siskins descends to the pond, chattering softly as they sip. Young green frogs dive...
Want to see more butterflies, birds and other creatures in your yard? Bring in a few native trees and see what happens! Amazing and beautiful beings themselves, trees multi-task like crazy, providing many essentials of life—food, cover, shelter and nest sites—for creatures large and small. A tree to...
Backyard swimming pools are synonymous with summer fun. But they can be deadly for wildlife. Pool drownings are tragic, because they are preventable. Animals—from skunks, chipmunks and mice to lizards, frogs and snakes, or ducks, fledgling birds and even pets—can find themselves in a pool with no...
Extreme weather events like wildfires can kill wild animals, either from the fire itself, through smoke inhalation or through loss of habitat. Animals who are very young, old or otherwise unable to move away quickly are particularly vulnerable. Wild animals cope with wildfires in a variety of ways...
By some human standards, my pond is a hot mess. Underneath and around the water lilies are fallen leaves, branches and other debris of decomposing plants. Along the edges, sea oats, sedges and swamp sunflowers hug the rocks. But if humans are picky in their desire for orderliness, frogs are just as...
There are several species of wild rabbits—most are Eastern cottontail rabbits—who live across most of North America. Cottontails like to live at the edges of open areas. In fact, they are rarely found in dense forests or open grassland. Learn More About Rabbits Contents Why are there so many rabbits...
The woodland phloxes bring the heavenly scents of spring, and the fireflies bring the sparkling lights of summer. Even in the depths of winter, cardinals, white-throated sparrows, northern flickers, mourning doves and squirrels bring all the music and entertainment we could ever need—right in front...
It seemed like a good idea at the time: Buy a house with a two-acre property, let our energetic herding dog have the run of the place and spend blissful summer days digging side by side in the dirt with her. And it was blissful, watching Mattie carve out her napping spots behind the ferns and tall...
Foxes are omnivores, hunting very small animals and scavenging in cities and towns where freely available pet food and garbage can make life easier. It’s not unusual for a fox to be seen out and about during the day. Learn More About Foxes Foxes are afraid of people and will usually run away when...