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Pileated Wood Pecker ( Dryocopus pileatus) adult and two juvenilles in a nesting cavity . By Jan Bowman. A dead tree is often considered a danger of sorts depending on where it stands from a human perspective, but dead trees provide a lot more than just potential nutrients once fallen to the ground. As they stand, they may hold more life than meets the eye. Some animals hollow out dead and dying trees to provide homes for themselves (primary cavity nesters), and many other animals will use...

Black Bear at a birdfeeder. Photo by Idaho Fish and Game. November is that time of year when bears are in full “snack panic mode.” They’re packing on last-minute calories before winter, and your bird feeder? Basically, a bear-sized granola bar hanging from a hook! If you’re in bear country, please be aware: these overstuffed creatures have an excellent sense of smell and zero sense of boundaries. Natural foods are getting scarce, so they’re wandering around on a last-minute “winter grocery...

Milkweed seeds bursting from their pods. Photo by Carol Markham. Native plants don’t just grow - they belong. They feed the birds, the bees, the butterflies, and the soil itself. And right now, many of them are dropping seeds and blowing them quietly into the wind, gently preparing for next year’s bloom. Which means it’s the perfect time to be a native plant fairy duster. Break off a stem or gather seeds from your favorite natives - milkweed fluff, coneflower cones, NY Ironweed and...