Local News from Across the Rainy River District
(Editor’s note: A member of the Times family, our frequent contributor Henry Miller, passed away last week at the age of 90. According to family, Henry wrote this column just a few days before passing, with the intent of walking it down to our office so we could publish it, […]
Climate change has adversely affected migration of birds. For instance, bluebirds and tree swallows that use the bird houses that we put out have raised very few young. Three years ago, most bluebirds – as well as many other species – froze in an ice storm in Texas and other […]
The number of bluebirds nesting this year has increased from the setbacks of the last three years. The migration of these birds was previously interrupted by freezing rain and late snowstorms. Tree swallows were not affected. Last year there were only five nesting bluebirds. This year, every trail (a line […]
As I sit on a log by the Beaver pond loop of the Rocky Inlet snowshoe trail, my mind goes back to the strange winter of warm temperatures and little snow. With those conditions, we were unable to participate in most outdoor activities. In the past, these trails were alive […]
“OK, so ravens are as clever as crows in avoiding being hit by a car.” This was my response to a reader who read my last article. He then described the appearance of the two birds. As he talked, I thought, “why would anyone care what kind of bird flew […]
Someone reported seeing a crow lying on its back on an anthill and wondered what it was doing. The answer is simple. Birds find a dusty area and bathe in the dust to rid themselves of fleas. Crows, being intelligent birds, find an anthill and roll around, squishing many ants. […]
As I sit here on this hot day, the first day of summer, my mind wanders back to the unusual pattern of bird migration this spring. As they moved north, they met three snow storms in mid-April. Many landed with large flocks being stranded in Fort Frances and the surrounding […]
Two ways to join, and newcomers welcome This year’s Christmas Bird Count will be held on Saturday, Dec. 18. The area covered is quite large, so more volunteers are needed to help spot birds. Anyone can help, even if you can’t identify birds, as you can be paired with an […]
Birding is a very popular activity. The objective is to find and record as many species of birds as possible. Some birders go to other countries to add to their list. Many visit the west end of the District, where there is a great variety of birds. I decided to […]
By the end of October, most leaves have fallen. The red, orange yellow and emerald have disappeared, leaving a dull landscape. But wait! What is that golden yellow display which has appeared among the spruce trees just north of town? It’s the tamarack (or larch) trees, whose needles have changed […]
Moose look shabby in spring because of hair loss in the winter. That’s because moose are the major host of the winter – or moose – tick. Ticks are arachnids, which wait on grasses or shrubs to latch themselves to the moose, just like wood ticks, which wait for you […]
Red foxes are common in our district, but are rarely seen, as they are shy, nervous and generally nocturnal. Recognized as being a cunning mammal, they can survive in any type of habitat. They eat whatever is available, feeding on vegetation, such as berries, grasses and corn, as well as […]
