River Talk
Protecting pets on outdoor adventures

After penning my last column about porcupines and the problems that present themselves when our canine companions attempt to make a snack of the passive quill pig, I got to thinking about other ways …

Snowbirds are returning north

Soon after the ice broke on the area lakes, I spotted signs of the coming of spring. Tiny black-and-white ducks were present on the lakes in Shohola, PA. At first, it was only a couple of ducks …

A waddling wonder

Myths and misunderstandings abound in the natural world and can lead to undesirable outcomes.  Such is the case when it comes to the quill-pig, more commonly known as the porcupine (they …

The rizz of Swizz

For my final column of 2023, I decided to go light on informative educational content about the natural world and heavy on matters of the heart.  Very few of us have time during the holiday …

Sound hunters

Many of us have heard owls in the woods as they call; many times, the call may be far off and faint, and we might not realize at the time that it is even an owl.  The most common species of …