This time of summer, it is common to see a family of 'ełdyaani (spruce grouse). Chicks hatch in mid-June, able to walk almost right away. They follow their mother through the undergrowth in search of insects that make up most of their diet when they are young. By the time they are one week old, they can make short flights into lower branches of trees. The hen raises her chicks on her own, brooding the chicks at night and in cool weather until they are three to five weeks old. more

The fairy slipper orchid (Calypso bulbosa) is a beautiful, pink wildflower of the boreal forest, blooming briefly each spring. Each plant produces a single leaf in autumn that overwinters under the snow, then sends up a single flower in spring if conditions are good. The elaborate lip petal is spotted and fringed with small yellow hair-like projections that mimic pollen-laden anthers, and the flower produces a sweet scent. The calypso orchid offers no actual reward to visiting bumblebees and relies on newly emerged, naive queen bumblebees that have not yet learned to avoid it. Bumblebees can learn to recognize and avoid the deception, so the orchid depends on a fresh crop of inexperienced queens each spring. In Ahtna: tuut'aan' means flower. more

T'aghes lats'iigi, balsam poplar buds, are swelling on sunny hillsides and river bars. Their resinous, amber-colored scales release a sharp, balsamic fragrance that carries on the air. Like, k'ay' (willow), male and female flowers appear on separate trees. The dangling catkins emerge just before or alongside the first leaves. The female catkins have reddish fringe-like pistils that eventually form fruits and release fluffy seeds in late June. Many people and insects collect the resin from t'aghes lats'iigi for its antimicrobial properties. In Ahtna: T'ahes lats'iigi, pronounced taw-wess lots-see-gee, balsam poplar buds, Populus balsamifera more

K'ay', willows, are among the most important flowering plants in early spring. Male and female catkins appear on separate trees before the leaves begin to unfurl. The male catkins are the showier of the two, dense with stamens tipped in bright yellow anthers that release pollen, while the female catkins bear small, forked stigmas ready to receive it. For the first bumblebee queens emerging from hibernation, a willow in flower is a welcome food source, offering both protein-rich pollen and nectar at a time when almost nothing else is blooming. In Ahtna: k'ay', pronounced kie, willow, Salix spp. more

In spring and winter, sometimes I'll see tsa' (beaver) teeth marks on trees. The tsa' makes good use of the snow while it lasts, hauling logs and branches that would be impossible to move over bare ground. T'aghes (balsam poplar or cottonwood) is a favorite target in the Copper River valley. The wide, pale scars of their chiseled incisor marks on trunks are easy to spot in spring, some stumps whittled to a neat point, others simply stripped of bark at browsing height, a record of industrious work that continued all through the cold months. In Ahtna: tsa', pronounced chaw, beaver, Castor canadensis t'aghes, pronounced taw-wess, Balsam poplar, Populus balsamifera more

Have you been wondering what the dipper birds were eating all winter at -40 degrees? I was delighted to see hundreds of these ggux, pronounced "goo", crawling in the snow along our river trail the other day. Less than 1 cm long, these black, winged insects are probably newly emerged adult small winter stoneflies, part of the family Capniidae, and the stonefly order. Snowflies are adapted to cold weather and even hibernate during the summer heat. The adults emerge from the water in late winter and walk around on the snow to mate. Because of their cold tolerance, they are an important food source for many fish and other animals in winter. In Ahtna: ggux, pronounced goo, generic word for bug, insect, or worm. more

This week, we were visited by a flock of about thirty hwggaek, snowbirds or snowbuntings. Males migrate north to their breeding grounds on the tundra 3-4 weeks ahead of females so they can claim a good nesting spot in a rocky crevice. Adult breeding males are entirely white on their chests and cheeks, but these birds were in between with some brown marks. The change from brownish to pure white happens when males rub their bellies and heads on the snow, wearing down the brown feather tips to reveal white feathers below. In Ahtna: hwggaek, pronounced "gak", snow bunting, Plectrophenax nivalis more

This week, a small besiini, owl, burst from a sheltered hollow beneath a tree stump as we passed on our morning walk, dropping the small mammal it carried. When we looked closer, more prey remained tucked inside, and the Boreal owl watched from nearby, intensely focused on its cache. These small owls often roost in sheltered cavities or dense cover, relying on camouflage and stillness to stay hidden through the day. Despite their size, they are efficient hunters of voles and other small mammals moving beneath the snow. In March, males begin their soft, rhythmic hooting to advertise territories, and their calls carry through the boreal forest, one of the signs that the season is beginning to shift. In Ahtna: besiini, pronounced bess-see-nee, owl, general term more

The bold chatter of stakatniigi, the black-billed Magpie, often announces its arrival before the bird appears. In early spring, these intelligent members of the crow family begin their nesting season, gathering sticks to build the large domed nests that will soon hold their eggs. Magpies are opportunistic omnivores, feeding on insects, carrion, seeds, and small animals, and they are even known to pick ticks from large mammals like moose. In Ahtna: stakatniigi, pronounced stok-at-nee-gee, black-billed magpie, Pica pica more

The story of winter is written in the snowpack on the roof of my woodshed. Each storm leaves a new chapter: soft layers of snowfall separated by thin ice crusts from rain or debris from wind. During cold spells, the snow slowly dries, and the crystals grow large and faceted. Warmer days compress the layers. Now, as the March sun grows stronger, the south side begins to melt during the day and refreeze, forming the first icicles of the season. A simple stack of snow becomes a record of weather, temperature, and time passing through the winter. In Ahtna: yes, pronounced yoss, snow hwdlii, pronounced dlee, crusted snow sesi, pronounced sess-ee, packed snow more

Deniigi, moose, are remarkably well adapted to surviving Alaska’s long winters. Their thick coats are made of hollow hairs that trap heat, allowing them to withstand extremely cold temperatures with little extra energy. Long legs and splayed hooves help them move through deep snow. As snow buries summer plants, they shift to a diet of woody browse: twigs, buds, and bark from shrubs like willow and birch. Because this winter diet provides less energy, moose reduce their activity and rely in part on fat reserves built up during the warmer months. In Ahtna: deniigi, pronounced den-nee-gee, moose, Alces alces more

cen'łghats'i, carpenter ants, tunnel through dead and decaying wood, not to eat it, but to create galleries for their nests. These excavations are most active in warmer months, but the structures remain visible through winter, revealing the internal architecture of the tree. While carpenter ants can damage human structures, in natural settings, their work contributes to the breakdown of wood and creates habitat for other organisms. Cavities in dead trees can become habitats for insects, fungi, and even birds or small mammals seeking shelter. In Ahtna: cen'łghats'i, pronounced ken-glaw-see, Carpenter ant, Camponotus sp. more

This stretch of river stays open all winter because groundwater feeds a spring here, keeping the water just above freezing and in motion. We collect our drinking water at this spot. Ice forms along the slower edges, while the current remains dark and clear over rounded cobbles. The open water provides feeding habitat for an American Dipper, which dives and walks underwater in search of aquatic insects. In Ahtna: tak'ats', pronounced tok-ots, spring water kataleni, pronounced kat-a-len-ee, open water in winter more

Stakalbaey, Canada jays (also called camprobbers or gray jays) are constant companions through the winter. They are active and curious and visit my yard most days. I often see them in small groups, usually a family unit, working together to defend territory, keep a lookout while eating, and to cache food from earlier months. In Ahtna, stakalbaey, pronounced stok-all-bay, Perisoreus canadensis more

Sbaay, the mountain goat, is seldom seen in winter, but their tracks sometimes tell the story first. Built for cold and steep terrain, they grow exceptionally thick wool to survive the season. I often find some of the wool shed on low alpine brush during summer hikes when the snow has melted. Even though I don't see them very often, I love knowing they are out there guarding the mountains. In Ahtna: sbaay, pronounced "sbay", Oreamnos americanus more

K'etneldzaes, the next full moon, is on Sunday 2/1. If the weather is clear, winter is an excellent time for full moon viewing. February’s full moon reveals a landscape of light and shadow, with dark lunar seas, bright highlands, and sharply defined craters. The moon's surface is gray up close, but from Earth, the full moon reflects the sun's light and appears white, or hues of orange, pink, and yellow close to the horizon. In Ahtna: k'etneldzaes, pronounced "ket-nell-jess", full moon more

Tsuugi, the marten, is an elusive winter resident of Interior Alaska forests. These small weasels are well adapted to winter with large, fur-covered feet, often pointing slightly inward to help them move over the snow and climb trees. Their semi-arboreal lifestyle is a key winter survival strategy as it allows them to hunt small animals and cache food through the winter. In Ahtna: tsuugi, pronounced "chew-gee", Martes americana more

Winter invites closer looking. This week’s sketch focuses on a k'ey (paper birch) trunk rising out of the snow. I zoomed in on one lenticel (the dark, horizontal mark in the bark) and sketched a cross-section to better understand how the tree breathes. Lenticels are made of loosely packed cells that allow oxygen to move into the living tissues beneath the bark and carbon dioxide to move out, letting the tree continue to respire even through the winter. In Ahtna: k'ey, pronounced "kay", Betula papyrifera more

In the super cold weather we've been having the last few weeks, I've been going for walks on the Nizina River, and I am often impressed to see these little black birds jumping in and out of the open water. Tesletledi, also called a water ouzel or an American dipper, has a very low metabolic rate, extra-thick feathers (including on their eyelids), and extra oxygen-carrying capacity in their blood to help them stay warm in the winter. In Ahtna: tesletledi, pronounced "tess-el-kled-ee", Cinclus mexicanus more

We’ve been hearing besiini, great horned owls earlier in the fall. A low, rolling hoo-h’HOO-hoo-hoo drifts through the darkness. In our region, pairs often begin reinforcing territory and calling through autumn and winter, then lay eggs later in the spring (usually March–April here). I've been noticing more owls with the increase in snowshoe hares, one of their favorite foods. In Ahtna: besiini, pronounced "bess-see-nee", owl in general c'udzaghi, pronounced "kue-za-way", great horned owl, Bubo virginianus more