Chuck Lura

I happened to notice that Dances with Wolves was running on one of the cable stations recently. That 1990 film starring Kevin Costner had some great scenes of bison herds and a bison hunt. I could not help but imagine what those immense herds of bison looked like before European settlement.

If you have not seen any Canada geese yet this year, you should soon. The migration is on, and some stay in the state year-round — for example, along the Missouri River.

Kelly’s Slough National Wildlife Refuge, near Grand Forks, is well-known to area bird enthusiasts as being a great place to do some bird watching, particularly during the spring and fall migrations. Depending upon weather, bird watching should be quite good from around the late March through May.

Are you ready for spring? March 1 is the first day of meteorological spring, while the spring equinox which marks the first day of astronomical spring is coming up on March 20. As that old saying goes “if March comes in like lamb it goes out like a lion” and vice versa.

Are you up for checking out the night sky? Whether you are familiar with the winter constellations, interested in learning a few, or just want to gaze up at the cosmos, the next few nights might be a great time to do so if the sky is clear. That is because there is a new moon coming up on February 28. And of course, it could also be good for several nights after the new moon as well.

Occasionally we need to be reminded that before pharmacies, cultures had to rely on native plants and animals as sources of medicine. I was reminded recently when I was going through some papers and came across a copy of a manuscript titled “Lakota Medicinal and Culturally Important Plants,” authored by Wilbur Flying By, Sr. and Linda Different Cloud Jones, copyrighted by Sitting Bull College in 2003. The manuscript contains the scientific name, common name, Lakota name, and use of the plants.

Most North Dakotans are familiar with some adaptations birds and mammals have to get through the winter. But what about the invertebrates — insects, for example — and the plants? They have adaptations as well.

February is here! With January in the rearview mirror, the cycle of the seasons continues its inexorable change. Although the excitement of spring seems a long way away, there is probably more going on than most people realize.

Have you been feeding the birds this winter? Setting out a few bird feeders with a variety of food items can provide for some good bird watching during those cold winter days. And it helps the birds, of course.

What is the most abundant mammal in North America? I saw that question used in trivia recently. The answer was deer mouse. I am not so sure about that, in part because deer mouse is used to refer to a genus of mice as well one of the species of the genus. Either way, deer mice are certainly one of the contenders.