...upper part of the Dan Moller trail and the bowl behind the cabin are likely to need considerable work as well! It is a shame that some humans just pitch their trash along the trails.? Mary F. Willson is a retired professor of ecology.

...or noticed) how the chips piled up so neatly. We also found a little hemlock tree that had contorted itself into a full circle in its struggle to reach the light. Never give up!? Mary F. Willson is a retired professor of ecology.

...the shore of Shaman Island there was a wheel, with tire, that was too much for us to carry out; we hope some kind soul with a boat might go and remove it to a more suitable location. ? Mary F. Willson is a retired professor of ecology.

...white-tailed ptarmigan before, and now there were two of them, right in front of me. They nest in the high alpine zone, but winter sometimes brings them down, and I got lucky! ? Mary F. Willson is a retired professor of ecology.

...trouble, like the Elephant's Child, but most of the time we can have a lot of fun (without getting our noses pulled out of shape!). Sometimes, we may even know what is good for us ?? Mary F. Willson is a retired professor of ecology.

...made by a pine marten. We perched on a snowbank for lunch, shielded from a little breeze by a stand of trees, and thoroughly enjoyed a view of the sunlit peaks around the glacier. ? Mary F. Willson is a retired professor of ecology.

...send a good digital photograph of it, with precise location information, to jerry.hoff@noaa.gov. He is keeping records in a database and will identify the egg cases you find.? Mary F. Willson is a retired professor of ecology.

...put the wind at our backs when we left the beach to circle the grazing geese. Parka hoods up, shoulders hunched, we put on our ice cleats to trudge the icy trail back to the car.? Mary F. Willson is a retired professor of ecology.

...and if the male is accepted by the female, he lays down a packet of sperm for her to pick up. You can even see this on YouTube!Don't write them off just because they are so small!? Mary F. Willson is a retired professor of ecology.

...what causes those exuberant growths? I was astonished to learn that apparently no one knows!Many thanks to helpful local plant pathologists, who provided information and photos!? Mary F. Willson is a retired professor of ecology.