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The song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) is one of the most variable birds in America with 24 different subspecies recognized by scientists. This individual, photographed in Oregon, contrasts sharply with the subspecies adapted to our area.

Flight Lines: With time, everything changes and adapts

Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan first described the native people near the southern tip of South America - an area he named Tierra del Fuego - in 1520 during his historic...

flight lines / outdoors Wed, Mar 16, 2011 - 12:00am

Tyler and Callie, Dave and Annie Samson's nephew and niece, play with Flutter, a male monarch butterfly rescued last October, in the Samson home in West Fargo. David Samson/The Pioneer

Flight Lines: Lonely insect touches lives of many

That we tolerate winters here in the Red River Valley is not in doubt. We may not like it, we may even despise it, but we somehow soldier through until...

flight lines / outdoors Wed, Mar 02, 2011 - 12:00am

The gray (or Hungarian) partridge, a bird native to Eurasia, has survived introduction into areas of the Great Plains to the benefit of bird hunters.

Flight Lines: World an ever-changing place, transmigration constant

Since the dawn of time the transmigration of species has been constant. Whether drifting on ocean currents, floating on winds across vast distances, or being assisted by various other means,...

flight lines / outdoors Wed, Feb 16, 2011 - 12:00am

This extremely dark house sparrow appears to be covered in soot, even on its beak and legs.

Flight Lines: Resisting the rigors of winter; behaviors meant to survive cold

Last weekend, I stumbled upon a curious scene. Sitting on the snow under a spruce tree was a blue jay. It looked cold but comfortable. Its feathers were fluffed a...

flight lines / outdoors Wed, Feb 02, 2011 - 12:00am

Hillsboro's Rosalie Anderson leafs through her treasured National Geograpic bird field guide recently in her apartment.

Flight Lines: Hillsboro woman has a passion for birds

Rosalie Anderson isn't one to let setbacks quash her desire for more in life. Not even the tragic loss of her first husband when the couple's son was nine months...

flight lines / outdoors Wed, Jan 19, 2011 - 12:00am

A light-morph juvenile or sub-adult rough-legged hawk as seen earlier this fall. This individual still displays characters common to others: A bold dark belly band and dark patches at the wing "wrists."

Flight Lines: Rodents beware, rough-legged hawks in area

Mid-winter on the northern Great Plains is a time of trial and forbearance for its scattered inhabitants, both human and animal. Frequent storms, such as last weekend's whoppers, continually test...

flight lines / outdoors Wed, Jan 05, 2011 - 12:00am

Robert O'Connor returns from a chilly walk into a field last Saturday after verifying the identification of red-winged blackbirds found north of West Fargo.

Flight Lines: Local bird watchers raise bar with highest-ever count

Now what, Disneyland? It took until the 74th year of the Fargo-Moorhead Christmas Bird Count (CBC), but area observers finally topped the 50-species mark last Saturday. Indeed, so many birds...

flight lines / outdoors Wed, Dec 22, 2010 - 12:00am

With verified sightings from Montana, Manitoba, Minnesota, and South Dakota, a glimpse of a curve-billed thrasher in North Dakota is overdue. Keith Corliss/The Pioneer

Flight Lines: Ten species to watch for in this decade

As a young child, one of the stranger memories I can recall is seeing a publication in December of every year featuring the predictions of Jeane Dixon, a prominent psychic...

flight lines / outdoors Wed, Dec 08, 2010 - 12:00am

A typical view of an eastern towhee buried in cover. Its orange flanks are evident; the black head and back verifies its sex as a male. Keith Corliss/The Pioneer

Flight Lines: Towhee tests Cass County winter with brief visit

Imagine you are a bird. You've spent the spring and summer somewhere up north, raising young while safely avoiding predators and other dangers, but generally enjoying the warmth and nutritional...

flight lines / outdoors Wed, Nov 24, 2010 - 12:00am

Due to shortening days, whitetail jackrabbits are undergoing a dramatic change in appearance which will turn the animals' coats a snowy white. Keith Corliss/The Pioneer

Flight Lines: Speed and camouflage, hallmarks of the jack

"These 'silverbacks' are the largest jackrabbits in the country," Carson said as we headed west out of Tucson and into mesquite desert habitat. He had carefully loaded his two Harris's...

flight lines / outdoors Wed, Nov 10, 2010 - 12:00am

Nature often reveals its hidden secrets -- such as this green darner (Anax junius) dragonfly hiding in a bur oak tree -- to those with a measured approach. Keith Corliss/The Pioneer

Flight Lines: Learning the value of patience and going slow

Tempo and pacing, two words we run across in just about everything we do. Golfers understand it, as do baseball pitchers and runners. Musicians are keenly aware of these terms...

flight lines / outdoors Wed, Oct 27, 2010 - 12:00am

A dark-phased red-tailed hawk is seen soaring over Clay County last weekend. This type is more typically encountered in the far west and only seen locally during migration. Keith Corliss/The Pioneer

Variations abound for this red-tailed hawk

The red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) is about as common an airborne predator as there is. During the breeding season, this large soaring hawk can be found in just about any...

flight lines / outdoors Wed, Oct 13, 2010 - 12:00am

A female purple finch (left) and a likely immature male showed up in a West Fargo yard on September 4. The deeply notched tail of the adult bird is another indicator to separate purple finch from the more common house finch.

Flight Lines: Purple finch, the one 'supposed' to be here

February, 1980, marked a moment of some significance among the state's birders. This was a milestone. In Bismarck, North Dakota, the first official sighting of a house finch was recorded...

flight lines / outdoors Wed, Sep 29, 2010 - 12:00am

Goldenrod galls can be easily seen almost anywhere the plants are numerous. Keith Corliss/The Pioneer

Flight Lines: Fishermen and woodpeckers share secret

A recent stroll at an out-of-state park helped me realize just how fast the summer is coming to an end. While most tree leaves still hold their green color, somehow...

flight lines / outdoors Wed, Sep 15, 2010 - 7:57am

A rare barn owl--likely a female--roosts alone in an ash tree along the edge of Petersburg, N.D., last weekend, waiting for nightfall to feed. Keith Corliss/The Pioneer

Flight Lines: Night stalker among the natural beauties

It began with a fellow named Joe who wondered, along with some of his neighbors in Petersburg, N. D., whether the owls they were seeing every night in town were...

flight lines / outdoors Wed, Sep 01, 2010 - 12:00am

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