My "toad"-ally neat experience in the Crowsnest Pass
Columbia spotted frog at "Calling all Amphibians" CV event, Frayn Property, AB (Photo by NCC)
Did you know there are only 10 amphibian species native to Alberta? I, too, was surprised to learn this. Although I have known basic facts about frogs and toads since I was in elementary school, like how they have a tadpole phase and prefer wet...
A tale of two hawks
Red-tailed hawk (Photo by Bill Hubick)
Each spring the hills of the Happy Valley Forest become the stage for a spectacular aerial ballet. They have a short run over the woods, but if you are lucky you may see the swooping, diving courtship display of red-shouldered hawks. If you miss...
La petite chauve-souris brune : mon animal canadien favori
Little brown myotis (Photo Ann Froschauer/USFWS)
La petite chauve-souris brune est un mammifère insectivore vivant dans l’ensemble de l’Amérique du Nord et présente dans toutes les provinces du Canada. Bien que nocturne, elle peut être très active...
Lessons learned from the otter meme
Otter meme (Photo from Pinterest.com)
I have mixed feelings every time I see a river otter meme pop up on my Facebook feed. They are my favourite animal, and they are often very funny, and cute as anything, but as a wildlife biologist, I often wonder whether it impacts how people...
Le petit polatouche : mon animal canadien favori
Southern flying squirrel (Photo by Judy Frederick)
Le petit polatouche est un mammifère nocturne, vivant au Québec et en Ontario, principalement autour des grands lacs. Petit rongeur semblable à l’écureuil, il est très à l’aise dans les arbres...
Loggerhead shrike: A prairie jewel
Loggerhead shrike (Photo by Don and Karol Dabbs)
A denizen of the native prairie landscape, the loggerhead shrike has captivated me for years with its beauty, behaviour and pizzazz. Even its Latin name, Lanius ludovicianus, rolls off the tongue with passion and grace. Of course, the romanticism...
Pronghorns: A sure-footed alarm whistle for Canada's Prairies
Pronghorn antelope, Old Man on His Back (Photo by Karol Dabbs)
Growing up on a ranch in the short-grass prairie region of southern Alberta, I had early exposure to the natural world and some of Canada’s most unique and charismatic wildlife species. From the resilient coyote, to the secretive badger, the...
An inordinate fondness for weasels
Fisher, Clear Creek, Riding Mountain Aspen Parkland Natural Area, Manitoba (Photo by NCC)
I suppose I’ve always been a cheerleader for the underdog so it’s only logical that I am a fan of the Fisher (Mustela pennanti). Weighing between seven and 13 pounds, fishers are the second-largest of North American weasels. Like their...
La tortue musquée : mon animal canadien favori
Stinkpot turtle (Photo by Ontley, Wikimedia Commons)
Mon animal canadien favori est une des premières espèces en péril avec laquelle j’ai eu la chance de travailler en chair et en os : la tortue musquée! Mon intérêt pour cette petite tortue nocturne a...
There's no place like home
Catherine Dale with bluebird (Photo by Angela Boag)
“The bluebird carries the sky on his back.” ~ Henry David Thoreau It seems to be an immutable law of nature photography (at least in my experience) that anything mobile will move the second you’ve gotten your camera ready,...
