Neandertals and Polar Bears

Neandertals and polar bears both appeared in the late Pleistocene. The latter evolved from terrestrial species, developing the white coat, s...

In Praise of Chickadees

Parents seeking a role model for their kids need look no further than their own backyard. The diminuitive chickadee exemplifies many traits...

Mammal in the Shadows

A balmy evening had me out on the deck yesterday, waiting for the charcoal to ignite. I heard a rustling in the leaves along the stairway an...

Round Two

Just as Metro Denver and its international airport are finally recovering from last week's blizzard, another winter storm is bearing dow...

Life on the Edge

The residents of Taiwan experienced several earthquakes over the past few days. This is a common occurance in that island nation which sits ...

Colorful Nomads

A flock of cedar waxwings stopped by our yard yesterday afternoon, alighting in the top of a black maple. Within a few minutes the birds we...

Christmas and Copernicus

Today, Christians across the globe are celebrating the birth of Jesus, a man born 2000 years ago and whom, they believe, was sent by God to ...

December Dandelions

It's the day before Christmas and dandelions are popping up in Columbia. Native to Eurasia, this common wildflower prefers cool, damp so...

The Skeleton Trees

American sycamores, the largest broadleaf trees in North America, are common across the eastern U.S., where they favor the rich, moist soil ...

Unsettled Basement

Residents of east-central Oklahoma were shaken by two small earthquakes yesterday. While we usually associate earthquakes with the Pacific ...

The Darkest Day

The winter solstice is starting out extra dark and gloomy today. Warm air has moved in over the cold, damp ground, producing dense fog thro...

Upslope

Heavy snow and blizzard conditions are forecast for Metro Denver and other Front Range cities today. Contrary to public perception, this is ...

Nature Rules

The apparent death of three climbers on Mt. Hood this week reminds us all that man, with his technology, skills and brain power, is no match...

Ordovicia

Winter is a good time to study the geology and landscape of our home planet. Barren trees and flattened grasslands yield broader vistas and ...

Man and Evil

My wife and I saw Apocalypto this afternoon. It was an interesting movie with an historical plot and mystical themes. And, for me, it reinf...

Counting Crows

The annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count took place today. Sponsored by the National Audubon Society, the project is designed to monitor the...

The Glaciated Plain

Driving north from Columbia, one soon enters the vast Glaciated Plain of the American Midwest. This province, which stretches from central ...

Northwest Hurricane

While we usually associate hurricanes with tropical islands and the Southeast coast, a monster storm is brewing in the Pacific Northwest. T...

Ribbon of Life

On my frequent trips to our Colorado farm, I always plan a walk along the South Platte River. Coursing through a greenbelt of meadows, wetl...

The Source

Almost all of the rain and snow that falls on the American Heartland originates in the Gulf of Mexico. While the precipitation is triggered ...

The Prolific Immigrant

Backlit by a street lamp, an opossum shuffled across our road in the early morning darkness. It was no doubt hungry after riding out the bi...

December Thaw

The ice, snow and frigid temperatures of the past week are giving way to mild conditions as the jet stream returns to the Canadian border. ...

We are History

Mention natural history and most people think of primordial seas, dinosaurs and Neandertals. But evolution of the Earth and its inhabitants...

The Flying Tiger

The cold, dark months are upon us, the season of the flying tiger. More properly called the great horned owl, this nocturnal predator is ea...

Polar Express

The jet stream has dipped once again, this time over the eastern half of the country. As a result, arctic air is plunging into the upper Mi...

Refuge

My wife and I bought a small farm in Littleton, Colorado, in 1990. Overlooking the valley of the South Platte River, the area was a mosaic o...

Backyard Killer

The neighborhood crows were having a fit this afternoon and, by the intensity and persistence of their calls, I knew they had cornered a haw...

Moon Shadows

A brilliant full moon lit the eastern sky last evening and cast deep shadows on our snowy landscape. Such a scene would have been even more ...

Life in the Snow

Unlike humans, wildlife is little affected by the heavy snowfall. Squirrels find plenty to eat in the treetops and tree-feeding birds, such...

A Heat Shield of Snow

This week's storm left a wide swath of deep snow from northern Texas to southern Wisconsin. Until the snow melts, cities and towns with...

Snowstorm

Up to 20 inches of sleet and snow fell across central Missouri during the night, bringing human travel to a hault. I-70 was closed from Mar...

Tropical Man

The first big storm of the winter season is providing plenty of fodder for the cable news and weather stations. Warnings about icy highways...

From Spring to Winter

Walking to work this morning, the weather was downright balmy. Temperature near 60, a gentle south breeze and traces of an early shower on ...

Missouri Valley Reststop

Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge, in northwest Missouri, is a fabulous destination for wildlife watchers. Spreading across the Missouri ...

A Buckle in the Jet

For most of November, the jet stream has been staying up along the Canadian border and a dome of high pressure has brought sunny, warm weath...

The Un-Woodpecker

Northern flickers are large woodpeckers that are commonly found in open woodlands and residental areas. Their brown-barred back, black bib ...

Wind Shift

We awoke this morning to another warm, sunny day with a gentle southerly breeze. By mid day, the south wind had intensified and clouds move...

The Bark Bird

Few birds are as aptly named as the brown creeper. This small, reclusive bird is a winter resident in Missouri and is fairly common in resi...

Giving Thanks

While I am not a religious person, I certainly have plenty to be grateful for on this national Day of Thanksgiving. Family, friends, health...

Living on a Sea Bed

The landscape that we observe is a product of regional geology and subsequent erosion, both past and present. Columbia, Missouri, is built ...

Heat Wave

High pressure is settling in over the central U.S. and will bring unseasonably warm temperatures for the Thanksgiving Weekend. No doubt, th...

Pioneer Trees

Now that the deciduous trees have lost their colorful leaves, red cedars are more conspicuous across the Midwest landscape. These small, su...

Comet Dust

I had hoped to watch the Leonid meteor shower last night but a heavy cloud cover foiled that plan. The Leonids, which grace the night sky b...

Autumn Hunters

A late autumn drive through the American Midwest can be a dull experience. Low, gray clouds, barren trees, brown pastures and depleted crop...

Snowbirds

The snowbirds are back. They've been drifting into Missouri over the past month as a series of Arctic fronts drove them from their Cana...

After the Storm

A strong winter storm that pulled out of the Rockies earlier this week has brought deadly tornadoes to the Gulf Coast States. In its wake, ...