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On the Trails: Birds, leaves and mushrooms at the onset of autumn
On a dark and dismal day in late September, I cheered myself up by remembering some pleasing observations…
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I Went to the Woods: Discovering how being tired as a new parent is life-giving
“I’m so tired.”
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On the Trails: Marvellous fungi
People often think of fungi as dietary items or as agents of rot and decay. Fair enough, but…
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Alaska Science Forum: Wood frogs — farthest north amphibian cannibals
Their staccato voices can make a muskeg bog as loud as a city street, though most are so…
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On the Trails: Excursions at the end of summer
In late August I went on a day cruise to Tracy Arm. The weather was good for observing:…
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On the Trails: Trailside flowers
On a gray morning in early September, with no cruise ships in town(!), I wandered up Basin Road…
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Alaska Science Forum: The lost world of northern dinosaurs
On a recent river trip in northern Alaska, scientists from the University of Alaska Museum of the North…
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On the Trails: Bird activity, willow roses
I haven’t seen much bird activity along my mid-August trails recently, but here at home there is always…
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On the Trails: A diversity of eyes
This essay was launched by reading an almost unintelligible (to me) scientific paper about chiton eyes. Nevertheless, that…
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Alaska Science Forum: The galloping glacier’s recent dramas
LACK RAPIDS OF THE DELTA RIVER — If we climb high enough above this tumble of gray water,…
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On the Trails: Late summer fruits — lots of questions
Mid-August and the berry crops of wild currants are ripe. The stink currant (reportedly so-called for the smell…
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Alaska Science Forum: The recent history of a black rock
In June of 1867 — a few months before Alaska would become part of the United States with…
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On the Trails: Visiting Gustavus and Glacier Bay
I hadn’t been over there for several years, and it was time to refresh some old memories of…
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Alaska Science Forum: Pondering the mystery of the Mesa people
Now as quiet as wind whispering through grass, a plateau rising from the flats of northern Alaska was…
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On the Trails: Flowers, caterpillars and tree foam
Light rain fell as I left the Valley but, as usual, it fell more heavily as I neared…
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On the Trails: Ants are busy critters
There are more than 20,000 species of ants, including such noticables as picnic ants, sidewalk ants, carpenter ants,…
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On the Trails: Life history patterns
Most organisms have one of two basic, genetically programmed life histories. Some can (potentially) reproduce several times during…
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On the Trails: Cow parsnip flowers
Cow parsnip is known in our field guides as Heracleum lanatum, although it sometimes has other names. The…
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On the Trails: An odd plant malady, a clever duck, and more
I recently learned about a mysterious, relatively rare affliction of plants called “fasciation.” A fireweed plant at the…
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On the Trails: Flowers, showy and otherwise
The spring and summer flower show at Cowee Meadows (way out on the Point Bridget Trail) is always…