Kevin Cook

4 days ago | reporterherald.com | Kevin Cook

To get good, really good, at identifying wildflowers, you must exert the discipline necessary to develop your observation skills. Two species in the same family may produce flowers that are so similar that they cannot distinguish to which species they belong. Originally Published: June 4, 2025 at 3:20 PM MDT

1 week ago | reporterherald.com | Kevin Cook

One tree does not make a forest, but a lone tree can nevertheless function as a small-scale ecosystem. Considering all the insects, spiders and nematodes that live in the wood, bark crevices and among the leaves plus birds that nest and disperse seeds, bats that roost for the day plus many fungus species — all these and more — reveals a tree to be a community of Life.

2 weeks ago | reporterherald.com | Kevin Cook

Rodents have taken up residence in my head. In the last few months many different occasions have brought rodents to mind; and just when I think the rodent thoughts are done, another occasion brings them back. The thoughts seem to come linked like a chain. For example, Cooper’s hawks use two big trees down the street and around the corner from where I live. They nest in the big willow, and they eat in the big silver maple.

3 weeks ago | reporterherald.com | Kevin Cook

The tweety whistles overhead made me look up even though I knew I wouldn’t actually see what was issuing those sounds. Nevertheless, I stopped walking and listened into the star-filled sky until the whistles stopped — they stopped because the migrating birds doing the whistling passed beyond hearing. Though I didn’t know their species identity, I knew the birds to be sandpipers.

1 month ago | reporterherald.com | Kevin Cook

Less farmland is going for organic crops as costs and other issues take root