Continuing our look at Christmas trees. Last week we looked at what environmental impacts a fresh cut tree has compared to a permanent tree. This time we are going to look at what to do with your fresh cut tree now that the eggnog has been drunk and all the...

I hope everyone on the Nature Smart column list has a Happy Holiday and a wonderful New Year. Stan...

Wishing you and your families a Happy Holiday from Stan Tekiela at…...

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night…...

The other day I was returning from pre-recording one of my radio shows. It was a late summer morning with clear skies and the promise of a warm and wonderful day ahead. Alongside the road I was driving I noticed a number of Cap Plants (Silphium perfoliatum) in full bloom...

I think one of the great advantages of traveling is being able to see and photograph some super cool wildlife. For example I just returned from a trip to SW Florida. One afternoon after a wildly successful morning photographing Sandhill Crane adults with newly hatched chicks, I stopped by a...

Christmas may be over but many people still have a red Christmas ornament decorating their backyards. The Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is always a treat for any backyard bird watcher...

Peering into the steel blue stillness of a mid-winter evening, I am struck by the profound coldness. When the temperatures plummet to near zero my mind turns to the amazing ways that animals and birds cope with such extreme weather...

I spend a lot of time improving the habitat on my 30-acre lake property. The goal is to provide nesting opportunities...

It has been 17 years since I last wrote about the largest bird in North America. A bird that was almost killed off and is being...

Going to Arizona in the middle of summer doesn’t seem like a smart thing to do. The heat can be stifling and pushes any wildlife...

Going to Arizona in the middle of summer doesn’t seem like a smart thing to do. The heat can be stifling and pushes any wildlife...

We people love to assign blame or shame no matter the situation. For some crazy reason this translates over to our view of nature...

We people love to group, label, and pigeon-hole what we see and experience around us in nature...

I find it strangely comforting that there is still many things we don’t understand in nature. I’m not sure if it is a good...

Nature never stops to amaze me! After 40 years of field work, capturing events and species in nature with my camera...

I love the diversity found within nature. I also really love the nature rule breakers. You know, the critters that don’t seem...

The rights of spring come in many different forms, shapes, colors, and patterns. But the end goal is always exactly the same—reproduction...

In the past when I traveled to the arctic to film Polar Bears, I always went during the winter, or perhaps a better way to say...

On my recent trip to the sub-arctic to photograph/film Polar Bears and Beluga Whales, we had an opportunity to witness...

After almost 10 years, I returned to one of my favorite places to film and photograph the largest land predator in the world...

In the natural world, I really admire the rule breakers. You know, the species of plant or animal that just doesn’t fit...

One of the most important parts of any forest ecosystem or ecology is the mighty oak tree. It is often a huge sprawling...

The vast majority of native bird nesting takes place in spring, right after the trees green up and the flowers start to bloom...

Standing on the open high plains of eastern Wyoming, I scan the horizon in all directions. To the west are some small rolling...

Every now and then I come across a bird that really piques my interest. If you know anything about me from reading this column...

I’ve been leading photo tours to capture stunning images of Common Loons (Gavia immer) for over ten years now...

Recently while leading a photo tour to northern Minnesota, I was once again reminded about the rigors of nature...

In my last column, I posed a question that went something like this, “when is a duck not a duck”. The answer is when...

When is a duck not a duck? The answer is. when it is a merganser. So, what is a merganser? The mergansers are fish eating ducks...

I am fascinated by a small fuzzy critter that is found just about anywhere there might be a spot of water in the...

I just finished attending the International Wolf Symposium held in Minnesota. Every four years this amazing event brings...

The overall population of ground nesting birds is steadily going down. Here in North America, we have hundreds...

The rights of spring come in many different forms, shapes, colors, and patterns. But the end goal is always exactly the same...

For me, I enjoy all aspects of nature, not just birds. I find all of nature fascinating and that is what keeps me interested...

It was just before the pandemic that I last went to see one of the most amazing natural spectacles on the face of the earth...

I think we all have heard about the issue with non-native species and how they can interrupt a habitat...

The recent weather roller-coaster has found me stomping around the woods in search of rutting White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus). One week I am wearing a short-sleeved shirt and light-weight hiking shoes and the next week I am dressed in four layers and waterproof boots along with a hat and gloves...

If I have said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: nature is always changing. For some reason we people always think that everything stays the same...

Because of Thanksgiving, in my mind, the month of November and Turkeys are linked together. Of course, this is uniquely an American association due to our Thanksgiving holiday. So, at this time of year I like to turn my attention to the Eastern Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo). Let’s take a...

Well, it’s that time of year again. The count down is on and it is just a matter of a few precious days to a week or so before we we’ll say good-bye to one of our favorite avian backyard residents—the hummingbirds. Yes, the migration is on for these tiny...

Just the day before, a pack of wolves known as the Wapiti, had found a large bull bison that was weak and injured...

It was one of those dark and cloudy winter days in Yellowstone National Park where the clouds are so heavy and low...

I received a text the other day from my neighbor about a killer in our neighborhood. Immediately I was on alert and wanted to know more. After all, it’s not every day that a killer is reported in your neighborhood. The next text I got had a picture of the...

It’s funny, I believe the average person knows more about the Honey Badger (Mellivora capensis), a critter of Africa and Southwest...

Winter bird feeding is one of the most common / popular hobbies in America. It is estimated that nearly 60 million Americans...

The other day, I was out kicking around a natural area just enjoying nature with no particular agenda. I imagine a lot of my readers think that I am constantly on the hunt to capture the next wildlife image. While it’s true that I spend a lot of time “attempting”...

The population of any given animal species in nature goes up and down over time in a geographic area...

Nature has so many different ways to accomplish just one task–reproduction.  At this time of year, it seems that everywhere I look I see are baby birds. It’s a blizzard of baby birds being fed by their parents. From a small backyard pond to the large expansive lakes and wetlands...

I was recently asked by a local TV news station to answer a question about how squirrels find their buried nuts...

I often find the most interesting things in nature are the most mundane aspects of nature. For example, I am sure many of you are seeing turtles crossing roads or perhaps crawling across your yard. Why do these reptilian friends do this at this time of year and not at...

In any profession there is often a lot of jargon and acronyms thrown around to express a point or to not use long cumbersome names. In the bird world, there are a ton of these, such as GHO standing for Great Horned Owl. In fact, there is an official abbreviation...

I like to argue that adaptation is the engine that drives Mother Nature. In biology, adaptation is broken down into three different aspects...

I am no stranger to getting up at zero dark thirty. But when my alarm goes off at 4 am after not sleeping most of the night, it’s getting harder and harder to drag myself out of bed. I was reminded of this recently when my alarm went off, at...

There are a lot of aspects of nature that I find interesting. However, what I find even more interesting are what people think of nature. Or more specifically the “rules” people place on nature. And then everyone is surprised when nature doesn’t follow these human imposed rules. We often get...

At this time of year, stalking through the forest with my camera in hand in search of White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)...

Stepping out of my truck and into the cool fresh air of a late evening. It feels so good to be outside in nature, especially after being trapped inside my house for these many weeks. To the west, the sun is setting, and I figured I had about 10 minutes...

I enjoy cracking my bedroom window at night to let some fresh air in and to cool down the room for sleeping. This means I hear a lot of things going on outside my home. In summer I can hear Barred Owls calling. A couple weeks ago I could hear...

Costa Rica is a wildlife photographers paradise. I just returned from 2 weeks of trekking through the hot and humid...

Winter weather has been in the news a lot lately. In particular, the amount of snow blanketing many parts of the northern states...

I find it interesting how we often think of nature as one specific way and only one way. No variations or exceptions. It is either this way or that way. Nothing in between. I have been traveling, studying and writing books about nature for over 30 years and the one...

While guiding a photo tour in Florida last week, we where fortunate to capture some amazing images of one of North America’s most...

It seems that a lot of people are only interested in the glamorous or top-tier species of mammals and birds. For example, no one seems to be interested in mice, voles or shrews. You don’t see television documentary shows on these tiny critters. But it’s a different story when it...

At this time of year there are so many signs of spring. Even though the calendar says it’s still winter, and many parts of the country are still covered with a thick blanket of snow, there are signs of spring all over the place. Let’s start by looking at the...

The spring migration is an exciting time in the natural world. Compared to the fall or autumn migration, the spring migration...

When it comes to birds, it is all about the bill. Ya, you know, the bill or beak. The bill of a bird is what really makes the birds unique...

The American Bison (Bison bison) is an incredibly interesting critter. Sometimes called, Buffalo, this name is a misnomer and suggests that the American Bison is somehow related to the Buffalo of the Old World. So you might say, contrary to the song “Home on the Range” buffalo don’t roam around...

There are several animals that by their very nature are not easily observed or photographed in the wild...

Late in the day, all of our searching and listening had finally paid off. Up on a low rolling, snow covered ridge, just out of sight, a pack of wolves had made a kill earlier in the day. What the pack killed was unknown but with all of the ravens...

It is not often that I get to interact with two very similar but also very different species on back to back photo trips...

At this time of year, I get a lot of emails and texts from people reporting they are hearing an owl hooting outside their windows at night. While many enjoy the sound, others complain they can’t get to sleep. Either way, the chances are, a Great Horned Owl is the...

Winter poses several challenges for birds. Scarce food supplies and limited water are just a few obvious challenges to winter survival for nearly all birds. Extremely cold temperatures, strong winds, driving snow, freezing rain are another set of problems that birds must overcome. Add to this, long and dark nights...

Winter poses several challenges for birds. Scarce food supplies and limited water are just a few obvious challenges to winter survival for nearly all birds. Extremely cold temperatures, strong winds, driving snow, freezing rain are another set of problems that birds must overcome. Add to this, long and dark nights...

I am fascinated by a small fuzzy critter that is found just about anywhere there might be a spot of water in the United States...

Hopefully you have survived another holiday season and now snow blankets the woods and farms throughout most of the country. Winter is here and the White-tailed breeding season, called the rut, has come to an end for another year. However, the big White-tailed bucks are still wondering the woods lugging...

Early fall brings an amazing insect to our flower gardens across the United States. It is the White-lined Sphinx Moth...

Sitting at the edge of the nest the young Osprey was calling out in a begging call trying to be fed...

What you see is not always what you think it is. This could be my mantra for nature. At this time of year many people...

In nature, if there is a niche, there is no doubt it will be filled. And it is usually filled with the most interesting of critter...

I spend the entire month of June on a boat watching the sunrise and sunset. I do this because I am leading wildlife...

After the rush of the spring nesting season, things tend to slow down a bit in the natural world. Sure, some birds such as Cedar...

Sitting alone in a small dark blind waiting for a bird is a wonderful time to reflect or think deeply about all the wonderful and amazing...

Last week while leading a wildlife photography workshop to capture images of American Black Bears (Ursus americanus)...

Recently I have been spending some time photographing a pair of Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinator)...

The key to “seeing” nature is to stop and look. I know that seems rather obvious but it’s true. The simple act of stopping...

Continuing my look at some of the more common critters that we see everyday but rarely give them a second thought...

Not everything in nature appears the way you see it! I’ve said it over and over again in various ways...

I often enjoy the more common side of nature. The nature in our own backyards or neighborhood park. The nature that we see every day but seems to go unnoticed because it’s so common. For example, the Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). Likely the most common squirrel species the United...

I am fascinated by the diversity of mother nature. And this was abundantly clear to me the other day while...

I would love to write a nice little article about bird migration. Something short and snappy and to the point, but when I reflect about how I would do this, I shutter at the thought. You see, bird migration on the surface seems simple enough. Right? Birds fly south in...

Looking up into the dark Wyoming night sky, all the stars in the Milky Way where shining so brightly it looked like white paint...

It seems like there are as many different strategies employed for a bird’s survival as there are species of bird...

Often it is the common critters that go unnoticed or at least unappreciated. After all, when was the last time you noticed a House Sparrow or Pigeon? How about an Eastern Chipmunk or Gray Squirrel? I’ve always maintained that we see woodpeckers do incredibly amazing things, such as landing on...

Moving into autumn means it’s time for mushrooms. The cooler temperatures and increased precipitation cause the shooms to pop! But, before I go any further about mushrooms, I need to give some basic cautions. First, if you ever plan on collecting wild mushrooms you should understand exactly what a mushroom...

Recently while leading a photo tour throughout Florida to photograph birds, it occurred to me how much things have changed...

When you think about all of the amazing animals in this world your mind tends to think about the large furry critters such as bears or moose. Yes, there are many crazy cool critters in this world. In fact, there are about 5,000 mammals in the world. But at this...

Last week while leading a photo workshop in warm and sunny Florida, I was walking down a long stretch of beach...

Once again, I found myself sitting outside in my small photo blind trying to capture a handful of images of birds in a winter/snowy setting...

While poking around the garden the other day I found an adorable visitor. A small frog called a Gray Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor) resting amongst the brightly colored flowers. This amazing little creature can be found in a wide range of habitats located throughout the eastern half of the United...

Having just returned from 3 weeks in Yellowstone leading photo tours/workshops, I am tempted to write more...

When you think about birds and nesting, you automatically think “spring”. But recently I was photographing a Ruby-throated Hummingbird nest in August and it made me think that, not all birds are nesting right away in spring. In fact, there are many species of birds that purposefully wait until summer...

The complexity of nature is often hard to understand and even harder to witness. Sure, we learn about it in school...

I am no stranger to winter weather. After all, I do live in the frozen northland. So, I really didn’t think much about it when...

It had been nearly 2 hours and I was still waiting, perched high up in my aerial blind, nearly 25 feet above the ground. I’ve been patiently waiting for an adult Osprey to return to the nest with a meal for the two young raptors waiting within the nest. My...

Nothing in nature ever stays the same. It is a mantra that I find myself telling people more and more...

I have a whole new definition for “streaming TV”. A couple years ago, I installed a tiny color camera complete with audio inside one of my Purple Martin houses. This allows me to observe and study the nesting behavior of our largest swallow species. In addition, the camera also has...

Winter can be a challenging time for wildlife especially when deep snow blankets the land, and the wind blows bitterly cold...

I’ve been spending a lot of time out on my boat photographing loons, grebes, pelicans and other birds this spring. So, it was fun when I came across something else that was just as photogenic but perhaps not as endearing. It doesn’t have any feathers and has considerably more legs...

At the risk of sounding like a broken record (for those too young for this reference, it refers to vinal records that would skip...

There are only a handful of birds that elicit pure excitement and joy when it shows up at your backyard feeding station. The Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) is our largest woodpecker species in American and Canada. Some say it is the second largest woodpecker. It all depends upon if you...

I am no stranger to getting up pre-dawn, stumbling around in the dark and finding remote locations, far, far away that I have never been to before. So, it was “just another day at the office” when I recently went to Wyoming and Colorado to visit an old friend, the...

The spring bird migration is like a high-speed race, or sprint when compared to the fall/autumn migration. Birds returning to the northlands are racing against others of its kind. The first to the best territories and habitat will win the reproductive lottery. Waterfowl such as Snow Geese and Greater White-fronted...

Yet another White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) mating season is behind us now. This year I spent a truckload...

Late winter and early spring is usually the time I start to see blue snow. That’s right, blue snow. Or more accurately, blue spots in the snow. If you have walked the woods at this time of year you may have seen small blue spots in the melting piles of...

Late winter and early spring is usually the time I start to see blue snow. That’s right, blue snow. Or more accurately, blue spots in the snow. If you have walked the woods at this time of year you may have seen small blue spots in the melting piles of...

In this day and age, it is rare to discover a new species of animal. It is not surprising to discover new insects since there are nearly a million species of bugs in the world. On the other hand, there are only about 5,000 different kinds of critters on the...

I am always drawn to unique animals. You know, the kind of critters that are different from all others such as the...

I had been searching the snowy mountain landscape the entire morning and had come up empty-handed. It was a cold morning with temperatures in the single digits but the bright sun and lack of wind made it very comfortable. Just the week before, a storm laid a 30-inch-thick blanket of...

It’s hard to beat this time of year. The cool days, the colorful trees and pumpkins. Ya, that’s right, pumpkins...

When it comes to confusing common names for animals, I think the American Elk has got to be near the top of the confusing list...

I had been searching the snowy mountain landscape the entire morning and had come up empty-handed. It was a cold morning with temperatures in the single digits but the bright sun and lack of wind made it very comfortable. Just the week before, a storm laid a 30-inch-thick blanket of...

Standing in a small clearing, deep in the Northwoods of Minnesota, I was telling the participants in my...

I am fascinated by all aspects of nature. It doesn’t matter if its insects, reptiles, amphibians, plants, rocks or mammals I love it all. But for some reason, birds seem to be rise to the top of my interest meter. Perhaps it is because there are so many of them...

Standing in a small clearing, deep in the Northwoods of Minnesota, I was telling the participants in my Black Bear...

Exploring the desert at night ranks up there as one of my most favorite adventures. Recently I was in the Sonoran Desert in southern Arizona searching for the elusive Western Screech-owl.  After driving many miles deep into the dark desert, I had parked my truck near a dry creek bed...

I am no stranger to traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles to see, study and document some of natures most...

Turning off the main paved road onto the dirt mountain road my headlights sweep across the rouged rocky nighttime landscape. With each switchback we gain altitude going higher and higher into the Arizona mountains. Recent rains have left sections of the dirt road washed out and very rocky making it...

Winter is upon us and many parts of the country are covered in a blanket of snow. Even though the official start of winter is yet to come, it hasn’t stopped all the animals from getting ready for winter. For example, the raccoons in my yard have put on so...

Every now and then I meet a true wildlife superhero. You know, the kind of person who has dedicated their life...

Blackbirds always seem to get a bad rap and as the late Rodney Dangerfield was fond of saying...

The wide diversity of birds on earth should be a reminder to us all that the natural world is a place where life takes all shapes...

Stepping out of the house I immediately hear a familiar and wonderful sound. A sound that I only hear at this time of year. It is a high pitched and smooth bugling call, given over and over. The sound is always distant and comes from high up in the sky...

If you have followed any of my columns over the years you no doubt know that I love all animals, from the tiny shew to the mighty moose and everything in-between. I find fascination and amazement in all the critters not just some of the cool ones. Recently I was...

The complexities of nature is sometimes hard to understand and even harder to justify or feel good about...

The wide diversity of birds on earth should be a reminder to us all that the natural world is a place where life takes all shapes...

I’ve been waiting and planning to capture a very specific image for over three weeks. I put a fair amount of time and effort into the making sure that everything would work out. Now I just had to wait for the leaves to change color from summer green to autumn...

Spring is a wonderful time of year. Especially right after the thick ice of winter melts off the ponds and small lakes...

It wasn’t easy carrying the oversized dog kennels. The cargo inside where shifting from side to side throwing off our balance. Now and then, a tiny furry hand would reach through the metal bars grasping at the air. We carried the boxes containing the wild contents through the woods and...

Each spring in nature there is a lot of tragedy and triumph. Heart break and happiness. Success and failure...

Walking on gravel in the dark, I was doing my best to not make any noise. I could kind-of-see where I was going but when you are carrying heavy and expensive camera gear and tripod, you always want to be extra careful. Approaching the edge of the clear-water pond, I...

I am always interested in the unsung hero or the rule breakers of nature. The kind of critter that is common...

Every trip I take to Alaska is special. When it comes to wilderness and wildlife, Alaska is the real deal. This year’s trip was no exception. Moose are often what I spend my time searching for but this year I concentrated on bears: Grizzly bears to be more specifically. We...

The American Bison (Bison bison) is an incredibly interesting critter. Sometimes called, Buffalo, this name is a misnomer and suggests that the American Bison is somehow related to the Buffalo of the Old World. So you might say, contrary to the song “Home on the Range” buffalo don’t roam around...

The rights of spring are particularly interesting, especially in the bird world. I was thinking about this the other morning...

Spring is filled with so many cool and interesting natural things. The earth is awaking after a long and frozen sleep...

This year we seemed to zip right past Groundhog Day without even noticing. Perhaps this is because during Covid time...

As winter loosens its grip on the northern states and it finally feels like spring, my mind turns to all the changes in nature...

“Look, it’s a bird, it’s a plane, no it’s SUPER MOTH”. Late summer brings an amazing insect to our flower gardens across the United States. It is the Sphinx Moth, also called the Hawk Moth or Hummingbird Moth. No matter what you call it, this is a large nectar feeding...

The bison turned quickly, ready to charge. The two feet of snow didn’t slow its powerful hooves but rather kicked up...

There is no question about it! It is a dog-eat-dog world out there, and now I have proof. Recently on a trip to film...

Climbing a 20 foot tall, narrow metal ladder, carrying an arm full of expensive camera gear is always a nerve racking experience. Once I was perched on top, I start to organize all the camera gear and get settled in for a long wait. It took several minutes to adjust...

The other day I was working with my Purple Martin colony. I have 16 gourd nesting boxes which house 16 families, and at this time of year the babies are fledging (leaving the nest for the first time). Earlier in the day I had picked up one baby martin that...

I love rule breakers. You know, the critters in nature that don’t follow the rules we people lay out for them...

Some animals command more attention than others. Large charismatic critters seem to grab all the headlines and attention while small unassuming critters go completely unnoticed. The Eastern Spotted Skunk (Spilogale putorius) is one of those small animals you’ve never seen or perhaps even heard of. No doubt most people are...

It has been a very busy spring. I’ve been traveling extensively and giving numerous presentations to thousands of participants across 5 states. I really enjoy getting out to meet so many people who come to my presentations and enjoy nature as much as I do. My speaking engagements usually last...

A light and gentle snow started falling the other day while I was out in the woods. Quickly the tiny flakes started to...

Winter is a time of plenty for owls. The nights are very long, and the days are painfully short. I was reminded of this...

Walking down the dirt foot path through an amazing forest filled with towering trees. I have to adjust my tripod and camera that I am carrying over my right shoulder. I’ve been carrying this heavy camera gear for 4 days in a row so the top of my shoulder is...

Tis the season of the Reindeer. After all, it’s hard to not notice them at this time of year. They make appearances...

A magnificent natural event happens each spring along a very special river in South Central Nebraska. The Platte River starts out as two smaller branches, the northern branch originating in the mountains of Wyoming and the southern branch in the mountains of Colorado. Separately, these tributaries carry snowmelt from last...

Each winter I make a pilgrimage to my favorite winter wonderland, Yellowstone National Park. I look forward to being immersed in the wild and surrounded by an intact ecosystem. Everything from the tiniest critters to the largest predators inhabit the park making it one of the few places with a...

Continuing with my exploration of the wonders of Florida by taking a closer look at the Florida Manatee. Also known as the West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) or the Sea Cow, the manatee was one of the original 78 species that were included on the Endangered Species list when...

Slowing wading through a clear tidal pool, about knee deep, in coastal Florida, I was trying to move slow enough to not disturb a gorgeous American Oystercatcher that was napping on a small sandbar in the middle of the lagoon. Oystercatchers are amazing looking shorebirds with a black hood punctuated...

Slowing wading through a clear tidal pool, about knee deep, in coastal Florida, I was trying to move slow enough to not disturb a gorgeous American Oystercatcher that was napping on a small sandbar in the middle of the lagoon. Oystercatchers are amazing looking shorebirds with a black hood punctuated...

Every December near the holidays, I take a trip to Wyoming to film and study Bighorn Sheep (Ovis Canadensis). It’s always a fun adventure and this year was no different. Bighorns are a member of the mountain sheep group consisting of three species, the Bighorn Sheep, Dall Sheep and Stone...

Every now and then nature comes up with a rare or unusual condition. I ran across one of these recently and had a chance to spend some time photographing it. A young White-tailed deer with a genic condition called piebald. Piebaldism is a rare genetic abnormality which can express in...

Off in the distances I can hear the familiar scream-like call of a Blue Jay. The sound pierces through the yellow and orange autumn maple leaves on a crisp blue sky day. I sit enjoying the sunshine, calm winds and the smell of autumn in the air. Again, I hear...

It’s funny how we hang on to traditions– especially ancient traditions. Take Halloween for example. Started nearly 3,500 years ago by the Celtic people near Britain, it was a special day set aside to mark the end of the harvest and acknowledge the beginning of the long dark and cold...

During the lazy days of summer, nothing in nature seems to be moving or doing much of anything. However, autumn feels like everything in nature is on the move or rushing to preparing for winter. Many of our regular backyard birds have already migrated. Hummingbirds are well on their way...

There is nothing better than spending a late summer morning walking the woods in search of whatever interesting you can find. Lately I’ve been out wondering the thick cool forests looking for some mushrooms. I’ve been successful at find the mushrooms that I am seeking but I also find other...

Late summer and early fall is the best time for mushrooms. For the past couple of weeks I’ve been out and about searching high and low for all sorts of mushrooms. I find peace in the simple act of walking in the woods without a specific purpose and being happy...

I’m often asked what is my favorite bird. This is much like asking a parent to choose which is their favorite child. I often answer this question by stating that whatever bird or animal I am studying or photographing at the time is my favorite. The truth is, they are...

Recently I had a wonderful opportunity to study and photograph a pair of Red-headed Woodpeckers nesting in an old tree and feeding their young. All of this happened because a reader of this column gave me a shout to share the exciting news of this cool woodpecker.  The Red-headed Woodpecker...

Every now and then I’m surprised at something in nature. I get a little thrill when seeing something for the first time or learning something new. Recently I was out photographing Red-necked Grebes and their cute zebra-striped babies when I came across several very chatty Marsh Wrens (Cistothorus palustris) in...

This spring I had a wonderful opportunity to film a pair of Whooping Cranes (Grus americana) that had set up shop and was nesting in a small cattail wetland on private property. When I arrived I was able to quickly ascertain the best vantage point of the nest from a...

My-oh-my how times have changed. Over the last 35 plus years I have witnessed a few amazing changes in nature. Normally I don’t think it would be possible to make these kinds of claims. After all in nature it usually takes hundreds if not thousands of years to effect changes...

At this time of year, reproduction is the name of the game. Millions of birds of all shapes, colors and sizes migrate back to the northland and join the resident non-migrators in a frenzy of setting up territories, attracting mates, constructing nests and getting ready to breed. All of this...

Driving down a dirt road in the dark, I pull over and put my truck in park. The engine falls silent. It is pitch black outside. The moon had already set, leaving the sky dark and dotted with about a billion twinkling stars. Slowly I gathered up my cameras, tripods...

Driving down a dirt road in the dark, I pull over and put my truck in park. The engine falls silent. It is pitch black outside. The moon had already set, leaving the sky dark and dotted with about a billion twinkling stars. Slowly I gathered up my cameras, tripods...

In the biological world, if you are adapted to a live and depend upon a specific habitat or have evolved to feed on a specific kind of food, you are called a species specialist. Conversely, if you are not adapted to a specific habitat or food, you are called a...

Standing in hip deep snow while watching the sunset over the snow covered mountains, I could hear the howling of 4 wolves in the distance. Yellowstone in winter is a magical place. Filled with all the animals that a healthy ecosystem should possess. From the top tier predators such as...

Over the past 30 years I’ve had many chances to study and photograph all sorts of critters. From tiny shrews to massive moose. But there are a few critters that I still haven’t had a chance to photograph and get to know. While out for a walk recently on a...

Early one morning (4:am) in a small town in western Wyoming I had stopped at a local breakfast diner to grab a bite to eat before a long day. Over my eggs and toast I was contemplating which route I was going to take to get to my final destination...

On my recent Wyoming mountain adventure to study and photograph Bighorn Sheep, one afternoon I was thrilled to find an American Beaver (Castor canadensis) along a frozen mountain stream. The temperature was below freezing, no wind and a light snow was falling. Perfect winter weather but that normally means beavers...

It was a picture perfect winter day. The sky had a thin veil of clouds that would occasionally spit out large fluffy snowflakes drifting straight down to the ground as if in slow motion. At other times the sun would peak out. The temperature was well below zero and the...

I am writing this just after eating Thanksgiving dinner with my family and I am wondering just how many people have given any thought to the turkey they just ate? What I mean is, does anyone think about why there is white meat and dark meat in a turkey?            ...

Autumn is a wonderful time of year. It keeps a wildlife photographer and nature nut like myself very busy. Our extra mild fall weather has extended my wildlife photography season in addition it has made it so much more comfortable to be outside. With the election behind us, I am...

Autumn is a wonderful time of year. It keeps a wildlife photographer and nature nut like myself very busy...

Yes, I admit it, I am a nut about nature. Not just the big amazing birds and animals such as eagles and bears...

Sounding determined and confident, a large bull elk, most likely weighing 1,200 pounds or more...

There are so many amazing and marvelous aspects in nature. Take the Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) for example...

I recently had a lively conversation about skunks with some friends. While explaining a few things about skunks to them...

Honestly, there isn’t much that I am afraid of in nature. Some people are afraid of spiders or snakes and other creepy crawly things. I’m not. Never have been. In fact I love all critters large and small, creepy and crawly or cute and fuzzy...

There is a large and very common bird that perhaps you see on a regular basis but rarely does anyone see it nesting...

Every now and then, I am fortunate that someone will give me a call to say they found something cool...

I’ve been doing this naturalist / photographer thing for several decades now and I am still amazed at the things I see and learn about in nature. For example on a recent trip out west to photograph wolves and grizzly bears in Yellowstone I saw and photographed something fairly unusual–a...

It’s funny how some things in nature are very familiar and well known. For example the robin. Stop just about anyone on the street and show them a robin and they can identify it correctly. The same can be said for the small black and orange Woolly Bear Caterpillar. Why...

After a blistering summer, the weather has finally turned cooler and there is a palatable crispness to the air...

There are a few birds that are very common but not commonly seen. In other words, these birds are found in good...

Recently I lead a small group of nature enthusiasts on a trip to Northern Minnesota to see and learn about black bears and boreal birds...

All of nature seems to be in reproductive over-drive or perhaps more accurately hyper-drive. Just look around...

Nothing reminds me more of summer than the loud buzzing of the cicada. What, you say you don’t know what a cicada is? Well, just go outside on any warm day in late summer and listen. The loud penetrating buzzing sound coming from the tops of the trees is the...

Recently around my neck of the woods we’ve been hammered with heavy thunderstorms packing damaging winds and dangerous lightning and thunder. Sunny summer days suddenly turn dark and ominous. Thick dark clouds blot out the sun and the sky opens up and lets loose with torrential rains, high winds and...

Perched nearly 20 feet in the air looking down at the forest floor below, I was waiting for a pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers...

Quick, what has six legs, four wings and is an international traveler that doesn’t need a passport? Need another hint? What starts out as a tiny spherical egg and goes through more physical changes in its appearance than Michael Jackson. Ok, this is too fun, just one more. What is...

I love the rule breakers in nature. People tend to pigeon-hole (sorry for the pun) birds and animals into categories...

The bond between a parent and child can and should never be underestimated. If you are a parent you don’t need further explanation...

I’ve always found the critters that are not well known or the ones that are mysterious to be the most fascinating...

The doldrums of summer are coming up on us fast. Now that the fevered pitch of spring is over you can almost hear Mother Nature give a huge sigh of relief...

I’ve been spending a lot of time this spring filming some of the most strange and unusual mating rituals of the bird world...

Early to mid-May is warbler migration time. For those of us lucky enough to live in the eastern half of the country or in the upper Mid-west, it’s a time we relish and look forward to all winter. All sorts of small colorful warblers are flitting around the tree tops...

The warming winds of spring bring us many fun and interesting birds and critters. One of my favorites is the Eastern...

There are many different kinds or groups of birds in the world. For example there are the hawks, hummingbirds, black birds...

I’ve just returned from leading my annual spring trip to south central Nebraska to see the Sandhill Crane migration...

In the world of birds, mating rituals are a fascinating aspect of life. I mean, there are so many different courtship rituals. Male hummingbirds for example, fly amazingly high speed patterns directly in front of the perched females. The male Ruby-throated Hummingbird flies in a gigantic U-shaped pattern up to...

I love this time of year. March is a transition month and often heralds the beginning of spring, even here in the frozen north...

I love all the diversity in nature. I mean, there is so much diversity in the bird and animal species that it continually amazes me...

California is known for many things such as sunny beaches, Hollywood, Disneyland, Garlic capital of the world...

I love the desert especially at night. Don’t get me wrong, I love the desert during the day also. There is just something very special about the desert when the dark sky is perforated with millions of twinkling stars. Most people believe the desert is devoid of any wildlife. Nothing...

On my recent trip to California to photograph Bobcats (see my last column) I had a chance to fulfill a lifelong dream...

The weather in south central Nebraska in March is a tricky thing. It can be warm, sunny and most spring like or it can be like it is right now. Cold with a strong north wind. The clouds are thick and low in the sky. To add insult to weather...

I’ve been sitting for hours, driving for days and staring through binoculars at distant hillsides for longer than I can remember...

For those of you who missed part 1 or if you need a reminder–when I left off the battle scared, gray female was desperately trying to gain acceptance into the Druid pack. However the resident females were not allowing her. About half the members of the Druid pack are suffering...

I just returned from the first of my two Christmas Bird Counts for this year. What the heck is a Christmas Bird Count...

Wolves in Yellowstone Thick heavy clouds laden with snow clung to the mountain tops that surround the wide expansive valley before me. Fortunately the wind was dead calm because the air temperatures were 15 to 18 degrees below zero F. Off in the distance I can hear the low mournful...

Winter can be a very challenging time for the birds who don’t migrate. Well, let me qualify this by saying...

I believe there is a group of birds that intrigues people more than any other kind of bird. It’s a very diverse group of birds in a family with a strange name called Strigidae. They have many unique and interesting features which only add to the allure of these birds...

I am sure that when you and your family gathered around the Thanksgiving table this year you don’t spend all...

Deep in the northwoods of Alaska and stretching eastward to the dense conifer forests of Maine...

I believe there is a boarder-line obsession between certain people and the antlers of deer. It doesn’t matter the species of deer–White-tailed or Mule. Just as long as the deer has antlers. And it’s not the deer but rather the antlers on the deer. I don’t think this is a...

At this time of year we tend to contemplate scary animals. Well, I guess I understand. After all, Halloween plays...

I rolled out of bed at 4 AM muttering unpleasantries under my breath about getting out of a nice warm bed on a very cold winter morning. But getting up early and venturing out into the bone crushing cold is part of the job for this wildlife photographer. Three layers...

It’s exciting to see what some people are doing to save an endangered species. Recently my wonderful friends...

Each winter it seems to surprise a lot of people to see American Robins (Turdus migratorius) eking out a living in the snow and cold. Well, actually it’s not uncommon at all. In fact a small percentage of the entire population of American Robins don’t migrate at all...

I have just returned from leading a bird watching trip along the Mississippi River to see Bald Eagles...

I love how nature changes and adapts. If you think about it, adapting is the hallmark of nature. It’s what nature does best. For without change or the ability to adapt nature could not exist. Which brings me to a very interesting critter. A critter that has changed and adapted...

It’s autumn so that means the white-tail deer rut is on. All summer small groups of male White-tailed deer hang out...

I’ve been spending a lot of time with loons this spring and early summer. Logging countless hours on my boat...

Hibernation is one of the most interesting and yet one of the most misunderstood aspects of nature. Oh sure, just about everyone grasps the general...

The sky is extra deep blue at 8,500 foot elevation in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Or at least that is what...

Nearly 40 years ago, in a small patch of woods, I stood beside a giant. Although at the time I didn’t know it...

The leaves have dropped and the winds are blowing cold and damp out of the north transforming the fall landscape into an early winter scene. We are in the in-between season. You know, in between autumn and winter when the landscape is painted in monotone shades of brown and gray...

We are rapidly approaching baby animal season, which means lots of people will be rescuing creatures large...

After 30 years, it doesn’t happen very often any more. But every now and then I get to see and photograph a new...

I’ve been spending a lot of time photographing one of my favorite backyard birds–the Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata). You could say it’s one of the iconic birds of backyards all across the eastern half of the country. Not only is this blue beauty a familiar eastern bird, but for over...

The clouds were so low and full of snow that they completely shrouded the 12,000 foot mountain peaks that lay in front of me. It is only 12 degrees F. and nearly 10 inches of snow has fallen since the storm started last night. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem...

I have just returned from eight days in one of my favorite places in the whole wide world—the Sonoran Desert in southeastern Arizona. Ya, I know what you are thinking. What they heck was I thinking going to the desert in the US in the middle of summer? Well, it’s...

Well, it’s that time of year again. The count down is on and it’s just a matter of a few precious days to a week or so before we we’ll say...

In my favorite forest the leaves have turned a multitude of autumn colors. Bright yellows and reds along with dull...

I have just retuned minutes ago from my yearly trip/visit to Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in central Wisconsin and the home of the Whooping...

Recently I have been photographing high up in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. This portion of the Rockies has...

It’s funny, I believe the average person knows more about the Honey Badger (Mellivora capensis), a critter of Africa and Southwest Asia...

Waking at 4 AM in total darkness is a normal part of my life, whether I like it or not. I roll over and think about the...

Feeding wild birds is a very rewarding and gratifying backyard activity. I mean, it’s hard to beat seeing all of those colorful birds flitting in and out of your yard. Not to mention the songs they sing that filter in through our open windows on a warm summer morning. Over...

We are moving into the doldrums of summer. Gone are the fast pace days of spring when the pre-dawns are filled with hundreds of singing birds and the cool nights are filled with a million calling frogs. At this time of year most of the birds are wrapping up nesting...

For over twenty years I have been wishing, hoping and wanting that Chimney Swifts would adopt my vacant chimney...

In part 1 of my recent trip to coastal Alaska we had very close encounter with a mating pair of Brown Bears...

Nature is a strange and wonderful thing. It is so incredibly complex that science has yet to wrap its understanding mind completely around it. Yet nature is simple enough to be well balanced and takes care of itself without help from people. To see an example of this duality just...

We all started to get nervous, very nervous. A pair of Alaskan Brown Bears was slowly making their way in our direction...

Spring is an amazing time of year filled with all the hope and promise of life in the natural world. As a wildlife photographer I am privilege to witness...

I am continually amazed with each and every encounter I have with nature. Even after more than twenty years of being in this business, I still find myself in awe of much of what I see in nature–especially at this time of year. I can find amazement and wonderment in...

For the past three days I have been searching high and low for a few very special moment in time. I want to capture...

I think the words spring and reproduction should be synonymous. Or at least in the natural world they should be. After all it is spring time when the plants, birds, animals and even the reptiles and amphibians all reproduce. All you need to do is spend five minutes outside at...

It is not often that I get the opportunity to see, photograph and study a new bird species. Recently I had the opportunity...

Saying that I like spring-time would be a cliché. I mean, who doesn’t like spring? After a long cold and snowy winter, spring is like a breath of fresh air. The dull brown and drab gray landscape that dominates late winter turns bright emerald green, dotted with blooming flowers in...

I love spring. The colors, the smell, the sounds of singing birds. After a winter of gray skies, white landscapes...

My photographic adventures along the Pacific Coast of Mexico continue this week with a wide variety of strange and wonderful birds. As I mentioned in the first installment, I am in a small fishing village of San Blas, Mexico. Each day is sunny and warm and filled with another grand...

It was about an hour past sunset and the evening sky was jet black and filled with a million stars. I leaned back in the seat of the small refurbished wooden fishing boat and felt the cool night air wash over my face. As the boat motored along, my mind...

In the last column I wrote about the majesty of Yellowstone and how the park’s animals such as Bison and Bighorn Sheep eked out a living in the depths of winter. In this column I would like to concentrate on the rock stars of Yellowstone National Park–the wolves (Canus lupus)...

I inadvertently saved the life of a coyote today. I know that sounds a bit strange, however if you knew me, it might not sound so strange. As a naturalist and wildlife photographer I tend to get into some very interesting situations. This week I have returned to Yellowstone National...

There are few places on this planet with more beauty and grandeur than Yellowstone National Park. Not only is it a spectacular place but it’s also one of the few places in North America with an intact wildlife ecosystem where all the top predators and all the animals they prey...

This winter is shaping up as a great irruption year all across the Midwest and the Great Lakes states. This is a very exciting event for bird watchers and naturalist...

It seems appropriate that with the inauguration of our 44th president this past week that I took a short two day trip to photograph our national symbol...

If I have said it once I have said it a million times. Nature is dynamic and is always changing. Nature does not stay the same nor does it do the same thing year to year...

It’s nesting season again. For something so basic and so essential to avian life, I believe that the act of nesting...

December is an interesting month. It’s a month that can provide some of the most interesting and dramatic winter landscapes of the season and it’s when you feel winter is upon us. But what is funny, December looks like winter but technically it’s not winter. Let me explain. The first...

I am fortunate to have a job that allows me to travels to wild and scenic places all over the world. I get to see...

There are so many things to look forward to each spring such as flowers, birds, green grass, blue skies, warm scent filled...

I’ve just returned from leading a birding trip along the Mississippi River in Southeastern MN and western Wisconsin...

I inadvertently saved the life of a coyote today. I know that sounds a bit strange, however if you knew me, it might...

Lately I have been thinking a lot about migration. At first blush you might think migration is a simple and basic process, so much so that most people take it for granted and don’t give migration a second thought. Birds leave in the fall and return in the summer. Enough...

I have just finished looking over all the images I have taken so far over the past week in Yellowstone National Park...

My photographic adventure continues in Costa Rica. For a variety of reasons, this part of Central America is crazy...

Experience the mystic beauty of wolves and their cousins, coyotes and foxes. This gorgeous book is a celebration of wildlife...

Over the past couple of months I have been working on writing a new book about bears. I love this time of year...

Experience the mystic beauty of wolves and their cousins, coyotes and foxes. This gorgeous book is a celebration of wildlife...

Sorry to say that due to extensive traveling this winter I have fallen behind on sending out my eColumn...

So far this is turning out to be the winter without snow all across the US. As of Christmas we still don’t have any snow...

It is looking like this winter is shaping up to be the winter of the snowies, and I don’t mean the frozen white stuff that...

There has been some very interesting news lately concerning the world’s mammals. First the good news. There now seems to be a consensus on the number of mammals that inhabits the earth. Over the years it has been generally...

I love this time of year. There is so much going on out in nature. It keeps a wildlife photographer and nature nut like myself...

I have just returned from a wonderful trip to see and photograph one of my favorite endangered species—the whooping crane. I’ve been following the story of the reintroduction of the Whooping Crane for about five years now and for the past couple of years I’ve been making the trek to...

It’s molting time again. No this isn’t a bad county music song, it’s what’s happening with our backyard birds right now. At the end of summer and early fall most birds are molting. It’s not a bad thing. It’s when the birds replace their old worn out feathers with new...

When I left off last time I was sweltering in the 100 degree plus heat in the desert of southeastern Arizona near the Mexican boarder...

For over two weeks I have been waking long before dawn, dressing to be outside in cold weather and heading out into the dark...

Fall is here and I have buck fever bad. The clouds are thick and heavy and the wind is cutting and cold...

I’ve been sitting in the rain for several days and frankly it’s getting a bit frustrating. I guess that is why the coast of British Columbia...

Glancing at the old rusted mercury filled thermometer tacked to the wooden post, I could see that it was 101 degrees. And the worst part is, I am standing in the shade. A temperature over 100 is fairly normal for southeastern Arizona in August, which is where I am at...

We are coming up on a very confusing time of year for many wild critters. It’s a time when the birds are getting ready to migrate and frogs are preparing to burrow into the earth for the long cold winter. But that’s not the confusing part. The confusing part is...

I love how people think of some birds as “good” and other as “bad”. They feel that some birds are actually nice and friendly while others are mean and ill-spirited. They even go as far as thinking that some birds are welcome at their feeders while others are not. Well...

Mid-summer can be a slow time in the wildlife photography business. Most of the nesting birds are done raised their young and have retreated to the forests and fields to feed on insects and live a few weeks of the good life before gearing up for migration. So in mid-summer...

It’s turtle time of year. The time of year when turtles are seen crossing roads, traversing backyards, and just about anywhere else you might look. The other day I was stopped at a traffic light and looked to my left. A large truck towing an even larger trailer was skidding...

I am always impressed with birds, in particular in how successful they are as a species and their amazing diversity. I think as people we often take the birds for granted and that they are just a “normal” part of nature. Oh sure they are beautiful to look at but...

My alarm goes off at 4 AM and I am up and out of bed in seconds. Minutes later I am in my truck driving north in the darkness of another beautiful spring morning. The stars are still shinning and the moon is full and setting in the western sky...

Dust billows up from behind my truck as I drive down the dirt road to my favorite location to see and photograph a strange little bird known as the timber doodle. Stopping on the side of the road, I step from my truck into a picture perfect late evening. The...

This time of year is filled with ancient rituals. Rituals that ensure the survival of the natural world. Each spring, as it has for ten’s of thousands of years, and in some species even millions of years, birds and animals strut, sing, show off, chase, cajole, or whatever it takes...

Chasing down and photographing rare birds has never been my thing but lately I seem to have run into some of the most uncommon or rare birds in the entire country. During the first week of March I was leading a trip to Nebraska for the annual migration of Sandhill...

There are many marvelous places or natural events in the world that can dazzle your eyes and entertain your mind. I am fortunate enough to travel and photograph some of these amazing events and places. Some of these marvels of nature are well known such as the migration of wildebeest...

I consider myself a lucky man. For more than 20 years I have been making a living at photographing wildlife, writing books and leading birding tours. I can recall many of the trips I lead in the early and mid 80’s When I was first starting to see iconic bird...

Continuing with our theme of rule breakers in nature, I would like to take a look at some rule benders not breakers this week. Science tends to look at things as black and white, static or dynamic. We try to draw hard lines between subjects or concepts in science that...

Sometimes I think there is something seriously wrong with me. This goes beyond my normal nature inflicted maladies. For example, whenever I travel somewhere I notice something different about incredibly common things. For example, I am writing this column while I am in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, the gateway to the...

For the first time in several weeks the weatherman predicted that we would actually get a day of sunshine. During a northland winter the sun makes few precious appearances. So with that in mind I gave some serious thought as to what my photographic plans would be for the sunny...

Just getting to Shearwater British Columbia is an adventure, it is one of many small islands along the BC coast...

I hope everyone on the Nature Smart column list has a Happy Holiday and a wonderful New Year. Stan...

Winter brings us many surprises. By the definition, surprise means something unexpected. So what does Mother Nature give us that is unexpected? Bird irruptions. And yes, irruption is correctly spelled. In the bird world, the word irruption is defined as a periodic movement of a number of birds into unusual...

Award winning author / naturalist and wildlife photographer Stan Tekiela is teaming up with noted photographer Nathan...

In many parts of eastern US, winter has arrived with a blanket of snow and bone chilling cold temperatures just in time for the holidays. It’s always good to have snow for Christmas. There is so much to enjoy at this time of year in the natural world. For example...

Everyone knows the old saying about comparing apples to oranges. Sure they are both fruit but they look completely different. How about comparing rabbits and hares? Just like the apple and orange they are different species but the confusion comes because some of the rabbits and hares look exactly the...

The morning broke clear and crisp. Another picture perfect autumn morning in one of my most favorite places...

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this week’s column comes to you from the desert of Arizona. As you may have guessed, I am currently working on several new field guides for the state of Arizona so I am spending a lot of time here in the...

Continuing my Alaskan bear photography adventure in this column. Over a two week period during late August...

Who doesn’t love it when the trees turn from their uniform green to the many shades of autumn? I know I do. The only thing that bothers me is how short the autumn colors can be. One good windy day or a heavy rain storm and all the blaze and...

I step out of my truck into the cold pre-dawn darkness. I can see nothing but I can hear a great diversity of birds. Immediately I hear a pair of Great Horned Owls hooting back and forth no more than a hundred yards away. In the distance is the honking...

Last time I sent out two columns at the same time but apparently only one was successful. So this week I will be sending two columns...

It is nearly raptor photography season again and I can hardly contain myself. For a wildlife photographer there are few species of bird that are as exciting to photograph as the raptors. Raptors as a group are also known as the birds of prey. They include hawks, eagles, falcons, owls...

I woke with a massive headache. The kind of pain in your head that hurts so bad it wakes you from a deep sleep...

After a week of roaming the high mountains and canyons of northern and eastern Arizona in search of unusual trees, wildflowers and condors, this week finds me in the far southeastern corner of the state, about 12 miles from the Mexican board. I am at a privately owned research ranch...

The vast open prairies and grasslands of the American west are marvelous places for nature lovers like myself...

The end of summer is a quite time for a wildlife photographer. The rush of the nesting season is over and the craziness of the fall migration hasn’t started. So for me, I spend a lot of my time chained to my computer writing, as I am doing right now...

Due to my extended trip to Alaska to photograph brown bears, I have fallen behind on sending out my eColumn...

This week’s column comes from the south rim of the Grand Canyon in hot and sunny northern Arizona. I am here working on photographing a long list of wildflowers, trees and some small mammals. (Oh, by the way, yes, there are trees in Arizona.) I am currently working on several...

Knowing and understanding basic bird and animal behavior is critical to being a successful wildlife photographer...

Apparently I struck a nerve with my last column about Purple Martins. I have heard from many readers who now want to try and put up a martin house after reading about my limited success with attracting martins.. So I thought I better follow up with some do’s and don’t...

A follow up note since the eColumn runs about 4-6 weeks behind, I had 45 purple martin babies fledged this summer...

Birds and the fashion world have had a long history together. Throughout the 1800’s all manor of bird was hunted and killed just for their feathers. The Great Egret, a large all white heron like bird with long white plums was nearly hunted into extinction just so their feathers could...

Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you that I love all birds but there is one special group of birds that I stand partial towards–the owls. For as long as I can remember owls and other raptors have held a special place in my naturalist heart. I...

This week’s column comes from the sunny and warm shores of Sanibel Island Florida. I unfortunately had to come to this location because I am working on a new field guide about the trees of Florida. Oh poor me. All things consider, the trees found in Florida are an intriguing...

You might be tempted to think that predawn in a tranquil time. A time of peace and quiet in nature but in Yellowstone National Park nothing could be further from the truth. Joined by a good friend...

Spring brings us many gifts of nature, colorful flowers, pleasant smells, warm winds, and multitudes of baby birds and animals in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Each year, naturalist like myself and wildlife rehabilitators get hundreds of calls about “abandoned” young animals and birds and I am sure this...

Every now and then, but not very often, I get the opportunity to study and photograph a species that is new to me...

As of late I have been writing in this column about travel and “getting the shot”. As a wildlife photographer, getting the shot is about the only thing that matters. Well, this week I am going to break with recent history and interject some major league reality. This week’s topic...

I am constantly amazed at the wide variety of how male birds display for females during the mating season...

We wake pre-dawn and gather our equipment in preparation for a morning with the Sandhill Cranes of Nebraska. I am in the company of 12 crane watchers from the Twin Cities area to witness the annual migratory phenomena of the Sandhill Crane (Grus Canadensis) After parking our group huddles together...

It was a warm and slightly breezy evening. Temperatures were hovering at a comfortable 65 degrees. Perfect for a night hike to search for owls in the desert mountains. The stars were blazing bright above us and I could see the winter-time constellation—Orion reminding me it was indeed winter. The...

The variables in nature is what I find most interesting. If nature was always the same and never changed I think I would quickly...

This week’s column finds me on a cold and snowy forest service road in Northern Minnesota where only a single logging truck loaded with freshly cut timber has come down the road in the past 7 hours. I arrived at day break to a silent spruce and tamarack forest. The...

This winter I seem to be seeing more Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicauda) scurrying across the snow then I usually see. Even my daughter reported seeing one of these hyperactive shrews while out sledding the other day. The Short-tailed Shrew is an aggressive predator constantly on the move looking for its...

The temperature was hovering just below freezing and I was going on my sixth hour of sitting in my four foot by four foot nylon blind waiting. This is when this job gets a little mind numbing. I was waiting to photograph an elusive bird when I realized a question...

Stan Tekiela is proud to announce that Amazing Hummingbirds has been nominated for the winner of the Midwest Book Awards. Anouncement will be made May 11th. See below to order a copy...

Continuing our look at Christmas trees. Last week we looked at what environmental impacts a fresh cut tree has compared to a permanent tree. This time we are going to look at what to do with your fresh cut tree now that the eggnog has been drunk and all the...

On a recent trip to Yellowstone to photograph wolves and foxes, the air temperature one morning hit 43 degrees below zero...

Are you like me? Each holiday season I ponder the whole fake tree, real tree conundrum? Which one is better for the environment? I recently read a story written by Gretel Schueller, in Audubon magazine. It shed some light on this subject for me so I though it would be...

My wildlife encounters continued in Yellowstone National Park. This week finds me on the side of a mountain (Mt Washburn) looking down into a very large and open valley. Below me are seven wolves, four black and three gray, which are busy doing wolf things such as sleeping, playing, chasing...

I am proud to announce the release of my new book titled; A Year in Nature with Stan Tekiela. See below...

This week’s column finds me photographing wildlife in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem. Words hardly do this place justus. Even my camera seems inadequate at capturing the immensity and beauty of this place. For those not fortunate enough to have spent some time visiting Yellowstone here is a little background. It...

On a recent trip to the far reaches of northern Minnesota for Black Bears I had a chance to photograph bears in their end of summer feeding frenzy. They were so intent upon feeding the challenge was not finding them it was getting them to lift up their heads long...

I want to personally invite everyone to follow me on twitter at twitter.com/stantekiela. I will be tweeting from the field on during my photographic adventures...

Every now and then I come across something in nature that really grabs my attention. Recently I have been concentrating on photographing birds feeding their young while they chicks are still in the nest. I have spent countless hours waiting (covered in camouflage and hiding as to not disturb the...

The winding mountain road was covered with a thick compact layer of snow forming a solid ice sheet–and it was slick...

Given a niche, Mother Nature will fill it. I see it time and time again during my travels to photograph nature. By the dog days of summer, most birds are finished nesting and raising their young for the year, however one species of bird is just getting underway—the American Goldfinch...

Once again I find myself writing this column from some far flung place. Today I am overlooking the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. The water is surrounded by a thick growth of sweetgum, sugar maple and several species of oak trees. As I look around I see birds everywhere and life...

The winding mountain road was covered with a thick compact layer of snow forming a solid ice sheet–and it was slick...

This week while the rest of the country is locked in the grip of a arctic deep freeze, I had a chance to wonder the desert and mountain...

It is 11:30 PM and the moon hasn’t come up yet. Above me are millions of stars shinning brightly in the black night sky. Below me is ankle deep water and a continuous waist deep mat of reeds, sedges and grass for hundreds of acres in all directions. At times...

A very loud and terrifying cry shattered the stillness of the jungle evening. The sound was half howl and half growl and very loud and extra scary...

Please be advised that my new books, Birds of Arkansas and Birds of Louisiana and Mississippi are now available...

It’s mid-day in the Colorado Rocky Mountains and the sun light has become too strong to take any good quality wildlife pictures, so I am resting in the shade of a large Quaking Aspen tree. Known around here as just Aspens, these trees are just about the only deciduous tree...

There were thousands of them marching in a well organized line. Nearly all were moving in the same direction with the exception of a few here...

Over the past four Nature Smart columns we have followed the progression of birds building nests, how mother birds lay eggs, the intricacies of incubation and so much more. So it only makes sense that this time we finalize this series by examining baby birds. Nearing the end of incubation...

In the past three columns we have look at and explored many aspects of bird nests and bird eggs. Now in part four I want to look at the next logical topic–incubation. All birds lay external eggs that need to be kept warm throughout their development. This process is called...

I recently read a wonderful article by fellow outdoor writer Val Cunningham. With great interest I read her comments about leaving your...

One of the most remarkable things in nature is the bird egg. So, this week we will continue our series on bird nest and eggs. There are over 9,000 species of birds in the world and all of them lay eggs. By contrast not all mammals, of which there are...

It’s that time of year when the entire country turns it attention to a large and interesting bird—the American Turkey...

Maintaining our spring theme, this week we will continue our look at bird nests, eggs and incubation (see the last Nature Smart column for part one of this series). This time we are going to look at clutches. No, not the thing that helps your car’s transmission change gears. A...

There are many ways to cope with the cold and snow of another northland winter. Flying south to warmer weather is a popular way for some birds...

The end of winter can sometimes bring unusual bird species to the northland. One example of this late season addition to our bird list is the recent reports of Short-eared Owls (Asio fammeus). These medium sized owls are one of my favorite owl species. They stand about 15 inches tall...

I’ve just returned from a wonderful Alaskan adventure complete with bone breaking cold temperatures, snow, erupting volcanoes, avalanches and oceans that never freeze. I have said it before and I will say it again, Alaska is the real deal when it comes to wildlife and wild places. No where else...

I love it when the drama of nature unfolds in front of me. Over the last two decades as a naturalist and wildlife photographer I have been privileged to witness all sorts of “national geographic-like” moments and they all still thrill me. Some may remember the story I wrote after...

December is an interesting month. It’s a month that can provide some of the most interesting and dramatic winter landscapes of the season and it’s when you feel winter is upon us. But what is funny, December looks like winter but technically it’s not winter. Let me explain. The first...

In part II of my Nature Smart column on Deer Antlers, we looked at where all the calcium comes from to produce a antlers and the consequences of such massive calcium shift. We also looked at the different colors of antlers. I also discussed what happens to antler sheds each...

In my last Nature Smart column we looked at deer antlers. More specifically we examined the difference between horns and antlers. (Yes there is a difference.) We also learned that antlers are composed of calcium, just like bones. In fact antlers are the fastest growing bones in the mammalian world...

The annual autumn migration is well under way all across this great big planet. From the mammoth Humpback Whale swimming along the Pacific Coast to the delicate and dainty Monarch Butterfly on its annual flight to Mexico. In Jackson Hole, Wyoming the Elk are moving down and out of the...

Birds are one of the most diverse groups of animals on the face of the earth. From the tiniest of all birds, the 3-inch long hummingbird, to the largest, the 6-foot tall Ostrich, birds are remarkably different. Think about it. There are over 9,000 different types of birds in the...

I just love squirrels! You won’t hear many bird nuts like me professing a love for these four legged, bird food robbing bandits. But I am not afraid to admit it. I enjoy all squirrels but in particular I really enjoy the tree squirrels. All squirrels are broken into two...

The sense of smell is a powerful one. A whiff of this or a whiff of that can send your mind tripping back to times gone-by. For me, the heavy musky smell of a summer evening catapults me back to the grassy fields of my youth. Fields filled with the...

It shouldn’t come as any surprise that I am crazy about birds. I am fascinated by the shear variety and stunning beauty of our avian friends. And one of my most favorite birds is the hummingbirds. Of the nearly 9,000 species of birds in the world, about 320 are a...

This past winter many parts of the northland saw a record breaking invasion of owls. Great Gray Owls, Northern Hawk Owls and Boreal Owls delighted local birders and drew birders from all over the country to witness the spectacle. How many owls were there? While the exact numbers are impossible...

We are in the middle of an invasion. Thousands of Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle can be seen in just about any sunny location as it tries find a place to spend the winter...

On a recent photographic adventure to the Buffalo Gap Nation Grasslands, I came to realize the value of a critter often said to have no value...

There are many unique animals in the northland but the Eastern Spotted Skunk ranks up there near the top of the unique animal list...

We people love to group, label, and pigeon-hole what we see and experience around us in nature...

There is a group of birds that a lot of people find very interesting and yet at the same time very frustrating. These are the warblers. The New World Warblers or sometimes called Wood-Warblers are an interesting group of birds that are often brightly colored, small and spend much of...

Nothing reminds me more of summer than the thundering buzzing of the periodic cicada. What, you don’t know what a cicada is? Well, just go outside on any warm day in late summer and listen. The loud penetrating buzzing sound coming from the tops of the trees is the cicada...

I am often asked what is my favorite animal to photograph. They want me to answer with one distinct and definite favorite critter. Time after time I disappoint them by saying my favorite wildlife to photograph tends to be whatever I happen to be photographing at the time. I haven’t...

Bats are fascinating animals. For one thing, they are the only flying mammal. There are over 1,000 different kinds of bats in the world. That’s an astonishing amount. In fact, bats make up one quarter of all the worlds mammals. Closer to home we have 42 different kinds of bats...

Nothing in nature ever stays the same. It’s always in a constant state of flux. Just as the prairie will gradually transition into a forest and the lake will someday fill with sediment and become a marsh, everything in nature is changing. Animal populations fluctuate also. Ducks, pheasants and white-tailed...

Recently I was waiting on the shores of a lake in Northern Minnesota with my parabolic microphone in my hand and my digital audio recorder ready to record. It was one o’clock in the morning and I was waiting for the resident loons on the lake to begin their nightly...

Just about everyone who has put up a bird feeder in their backyard is familiar with the seed stealing Gray Squirrel. These furry creatures are just about everywhere. However, did you know that one of the most common squirrels is the Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus tridecemlineatus)? It can be found...

The Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) is one of those animals that is common, yet not commonly seen. As you know I spend more than the average time in the outdoors all year long capturing images of wildlife and the Red Fox is one of those animals that I hope to...

Early summer is the best time of year for wildflowers all across the northland. There are many spectacular varieties of wildflowers dotting the landscape such as the amazing orchids, lovely lilies, and bright and cheerful daisies. But there is one wildflower that really catches my attention. Not for its stunning...

Thanks to some well publicized Hollywood movies, just about everyone knows that spiders are not insects. They are (now say it with me) an arachnid. This may seem like a technicality to some but upon a closer look there a many difference between spiders and insects. Insects have three body...

Most people are familiar with the stately Sandhill Crane. However, are you aware that we have a second crane species in North America-the Whooping Crane. Of the 15 species of cranes in the world, the Whooping Crane (Grus americana) is the rarest of all cranes. Cranes exist on five of...

Recently I had a wonderful opportunity to make an audio recording of the Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus). I had slowly and silently snuck up to within 30 feet of an actively drumming male grouse with my audio equipment. While I couldn’t see it very well, I could hear it and...

There are rabbits and then there are jackrabbits! And if you think there isn’t much of a difference, you need to take a second look. I am not talking about the fluffy Cotton-tailed Rabbit munching the tulips in your backyard. No, I’m talking about the monster of all rabbits, the...

If the term “endangered” means good, then I just returned from photographing a very good bird–the California Condor (Gymnogyps califerianus). The word endangered when used in conjunction with wildlife has been a hot button issue for many years going back to the snail darter and spotted owl issues. But today...

For the past year and a half I have been working on a new field guide about mammals. It’s a long hard process of writing and photographing. But in the end it’s always worth it. Over the years, each book I have written has taken me on a whole new...

I am often asked about how the harsh winter weather is affecting the local birds and mammals, and this winter is no exception. So here is the answer. Harsh winter weather is good for some animals and bad for others. For small animals like mice, voles and moles, a harsh...

Each spring I lead a bunch of wildlife photo tours. Dozens of photographers from around the world spend anywhere from a few hours up to a week with me pursuing a number of natural subjects. One of the favorite subjects are American Black Bears (Ursus americanus). The Black Bear is...

This winter I seem to be seeing more Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicauda) scurrying across the snow then I usually see. Even my daughter reported seeing one of these hyperactive shrews while out sledding the other day. The Short-tailed Shrew is an aggressive predator constantly on the move looking for its...

By the time you read this, the annual spring bird migration will be well underway. Like water gathering behind a dam, each spring the dam (winter) breaks, and a flood of migratory birds wash over the frozen northland. Each bird in a race to return to the best breeding grounds...

I love this time of year. Midsummer is a great time for a wide variety of reason. The pressures of spring-time mating is over for the birds and mammals. It is a time of abundance and relaxation for nature. But for me, this time of year is particularly interesting because...

For those of you who follow this column closely and have contacted me to expressed their condolences about the story of the early demise of all 25 of my Purple Martin babies last summer, I have good news. I am happy to announce that one year after the disaster, the...

With Christmas just around the corner, many of us are still confused as to what kind of Christmas tree you have standing in your living room. If you have a live tree that is. A new study reported last week on the national TV news shows that the tide has...

This year was almost a year with out an autumn. In fact it may go down in the record books as a year that went from summer to late summer then late, late summer then right into winter, skipping right over fall. It all started with warmer than usual temperatures...

If you didn’t see it yourself, by now you have heard about the amazing display of northern lights that occurred on evening of Nov 7th. Nearly everyone in the United States and Canada that had clear skies on that evening was treated to a display that was more than just...

November is a month of dramatic change. Beautifully colored autumn leaves are striped from the trees by raw winds and steady rains, leaving only the stark silhouettes of naked trees to define the landscape. It’s a time of change for the plants and for the animals as well. By November...

It was as dark as a night can be when I first heard the faint bird-like calls. They were coming from the top of a near-by tree. At first I wasn’t sure what I was hearing. Songbirds are usually silent at night and this was not an owl making this...

I can’t tell you how many times I am asked about problem woodpeckers. At least a couple times a month, someone will call or e-mail me a question about a woodpecker that is damaging the siding on their home. So I am going to try to address the issue in...

Autumn is a time when many of us turn our attention to White-tailed Deer. Man-kind has a long history of association with deer. We have depended upon its meat for food, its skin for clothing and its antlers for tools and decoration for thousands of years. A deer’s antlers seem...

I have many favorite visitors to my naturalist garden. First and foremost are the ruby-throated hummingbirds. These flying jewels thrill me to no end. Next would be all the different kinds of butterflies—mourning cloaks, tiger swallowtails, monarchs, red admirals and viceroys. They flitter into my garden and my heart. But...

Are you like me? Is it dangerous to leave your house? Is mowing your lawn becoming an exercise in dodging missiles? Are you woken at in the middle of the night by what sounds like machine gun fire peppering your house? Yes, it’s acorn season again. If you are fortunate...

Summer and bugs are synonymous. You can’t have one without the other. While many insects such as the mosquito and tick can be a nascence, some insects are totally amazing. The firefly is one of those amazing insects. I mean, who hasn’t enjoyed seeing, chasing or catching these luminous insects...

If you like camping, hiking, biking or just about any other out-door activity, it’s time for you to learn a new word. Can you say Urushiol? Pronounced (u-roo-sha-ol) it is the name of the oil found in the poison ivy plant (Toxicodendron rydbergii). Poison ivy is a very common plant...

My flower gardens are in full bloom with hundreds of brightly colored blossoms just waiting for a visit from the marvelous Monarch butterfly. However this summer has not been very good for this winged wonder. And it doesn’t surprise me considering all the obstacles that lay in the way of...

As a wildlife photographer I am in the field observing and photographing all aspects of nature anywhere from 3 to 5 days a week. It doesn’t matter what the subject. From crawling insects to drop dead gorgeous orchids, from tiny hummingbirds to gigantic moose, nothing escapes my watchful camera and...

Just bring up the words “Wood Tick” and even the most ardent nature lover cringes and starts to get the heebie geebies. Even as I write this my skin is crawling. As a naturalist I try to look for the “good” in all aspects of nature. I have spent my...

Not ten feet out my office window stands a dying American Elm tree. Ten feet to the left of this dying tree is another elm that is already dead. Not 6 weeks ago these trees were alive and doing well. That’s how fast Dutch Elm disease claims the lives of...

This has been a bad spring for the birds. The extreme cold and several weeks of soaking rain is taking a major toll on many of our early nesting song birds such as the Eastern Bluebird and Black-capped Chickadee. Both of these birds lay eggs very early in spring and...

If you are at all like me, you can’t wait for the month of May. By far, it’s a month that has so much to offer a nature nut like myself. It’s a time of birth and bloom. Woodlands are filled with spring flowers such as hepatica, bloodroot, trout lily...

There are many signs of spring that I look forward to each year. I enjoy hearing the two note “spring-time” call of the Black-capped Chickadee. It’s hard to beat seeing a big old Tom turkey displaying for a hen. The emergence of the Eastern Chipmunk and Woodchuck is something I...

There are many aspects of nature that might remind a person of the changing season from winter to spring. The thick sheets of ice melting from winter chilled lakes, the return of migratory birds, the fanciful flight of the Mourning Cloak butterfly, or even the whine and sting of the...

Feeling a bit squirrelly lately? Maybe a touch of spring fever? Well, so are the squirrels in your backyard. Many people are reporting that their squirrels are exhibiting strange and unusual behaviors. The squirrels have been seen chasing each other across the ground, up trees and tumbling back down to...

Nearly 30 years ago, the legendary naturalist Kathy Heidel introduced me to a small plump bird named the timber doodle. Since that time I make a pilgrimage each spring to see one of my favorite rights of spring—the dance of the timber doodle. Better known at the American Woodcock (Scolopax...

My photographic adventures continue in southeastern Arizona. As you might remember, last time I wrote about an encounter with a bobcat in our backyard. Believe it or not, since then I have encountered several more bobcats which is more than I usually encounter. I have also seen several coyote, a...

Although it’s still cold and wintry outside, there are signs of spring everywhere. Red-winged Blackbirds and American Robins have returned to the northland. Boxelder bugs are seen sunning themselves on the south sides of trees and buildings. Black-capped Chickadees are singing their spring time song. And another sure sign of...

...

As a wildlife photographer I travel extensively throughout the United States. I consider it a major perk of the job. I am fortunate enough to see some of the most beautiful places at the best times of the year. For example, I am writing from Tucson Arizona right now. It’s...

It’s that time of year again. Time to clean out your Wood Duck and Bluebird boxes. In just a few short weeks the first Wood Ducks and Bluebirds will be returning to the northland and right now is the time to get ready for their arrival. Cleaning out your nest...

In commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Endangered Species Act, (Dec, 1973) lets take a look at another animal that has directly benefited from this important legislation-the Key Deer. The Key Deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium) is a subspecies of the familiar Virginia White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)...

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) turned 30 years old. President Richard Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act (ESA) into law on December 28th, 1973. Now some three decades later the ESA is at the center of controversy. Depending upon whom you talk to, the ESA is either the best legislation...

Nothing in nature ever stays the same. This is a fact that seems to be easily overlooked by the average wildlife watcher or hunter. We tend to look back at the “good old days” and remember how great things were and lament of how things are now. This innate human...

As a naturalist I am sometimes confused when I hear someone uses the term “rodent” to describe an undesirable person or animal. Since when was being a rodent such a bad thing? So, let’s take a look at the rodents and find out what exactly they are and why they...

I was recently asked how birds find a new backyard birdfeeder. This simple question has a complex answer. So, this week we are continuing our look (pun intended) at bird vision. Because the answer to the question is vision. Indeed birds and other mammals see the world very differently than...

I am often asked how birds find food. Or another great question is, if I put up a new birdfeeder, how will the birds know it’s there or find it. The answer is simple—eyesight. Eyesight is very important to birds. In fact, that might be understating the roll of vision in...

It’s that time of year again. Time to clean out your Wood Duck and Bluebird boxes. In just a few short weeks the first Wood Ducks and Bluebirds will be returning to the northland and right now is the time to get ready for their arrival. Cleaning out your nest...

  The passing of one year into another is often filled with many meanings and feelings. But really the new year is just the first day of the civil year in the Gregorian calendar, which is used by most countries. But somehow, we still attach so many meanings and traditions...

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat...

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but...