by Kevin Shank | Jul 1, 2026 | 2026, 07 July, Bees, Creation Close-ups, Reptiles & Amphibians, Turtles, Warblers
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive Snapping turtle. Photo © Hannah Zaha. Prairie Warbler. Photo © Japheth Yoder. Honeybee swarm. Photo © Abigail Werner.
by Kevin Shank | Jul 1, 2026 | 2026, 07 July, Fish, Saltwater, You Can Draw Submissions
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by Kevin Shank | Jul 1, 2026 | 2026, 07 July, Articles & Stories, Astronomy, In Our Skies, Lunar Eclipse, Meteors, Planets, Solar Eclipse
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive July 28, 29 Delta Aquarids meteor shower. The show runs for over a month, from July 12 to August 23. This year it peaks the morning of July 29. However, the full moon will majorly impact the number of meteors that will be...
by Kevin Shank | Jul 1, 2026 | 2026, 07 July, Acrostic, Crossword, Fill-In-The-Blanks, Study Guide, True and False, Turtles
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by Kevin Shank | Jul 1, 2026 | 2026, 07 July, Articles & Stories, Camp & Cabin Cookin'
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by Kevin Shank | Jul 1, 2026 | 2026, 07 July, Astronomy, Blackbirds, Orioles, Meadowlarks, Favorite Focus, Storms
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive Lightning bolts. Photo © Jeremy Beachy. Rocket fuel dump. Photo © Jeremy Beachy. Baltimore Oriole in cedar tree. Photo © Melissa Booz.
by Kevin Shank | Jun 1, 2026 | 2026, 06 June, Creation Close-ups, Gamebirds, Pictures and Poems, Thrushes, Warblers
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by Kevin Shank | Jun 1, 2026 | 2026, 06 June, Articles & Stories, Learning By Doing
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive Nature Arts and Crafts 2026 Submission Handcrafted natural checkerboard. Photo © Benjamin Martin. For the checkerboard, I started by cutting 2” strips of walnut and curly maple. Then I glued them side by side.Next, I ripped...
by Kevin Shank | Jun 1, 2026 | 2026, 06 June, Wrens, You Can Draw Submissions
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by Kevin Shank | Jun 1, 2026 | 2026, 06 June, Camp & Cabin Cookin'
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by Kevin Shank | Jun 1, 2026 | 2026, 06 June, Articles & Stories, Bats, The Photo Focus
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive The ladder rattled under my weight as I made my way up to the eaves of an old farmhouse, camera in tow. I had already positioned a C-clamp on the ladder about 20 feet (6 m) above the ground, 3 feet (1 m) away from “the hole”...
by Kevin Shank | Jun 1, 2026 | 2026, 06 June, Favorite Focus, Herons, Egrets, & Bitterns, Rodents
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive Skyscape. Photo © Daniel Kublitskiy. Great Egret. Photo © Colette Park. Eastern chipmunk. Photo © Serena Nolt.
by Kevin Shank | May 1, 2026 | 2026, 05 May, Gamebirds, Pictures and Poems, Shorebirds, Waterfowl - Geese, Swans, Ducks, Loons, Grebes
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by Kevin Shank | May 1, 2026 | 2026, 05 May, Beetles, Blackbirds, Orioles, Meadowlarks, Butterflies, Moths & Skippers, Cardinals, Tanagers, & Allies, Creation Close-ups
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive A Ugandan beetle. Photo © Estella See. Eastern Meadowlark. Photo © Japheth Yoder. This was the first sighting of a Scarlet Tanager for most in our family. Photo © Brian Stauffer. Great spangled fritillary. Photo © Janette...
by Kevin Shank | May 1, 2026 | 2026, 05 May, Fish, Saltwater, You Can Draw Submissions
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by Kevin Shank | May 1, 2026 | 2026, 05 May, Caption This, Rodents
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive “Last time anyone is pulling my wisdom teeth!” Photo © Michael Gollop/iStockPhoto.com. We invite you to submit your caption for this photograph of a chipmunk. The photograph will be used on the back of the...
by Kevin Shank | May 1, 2026 | 2026, 05 May, Articles & Stories, Astronomy, In Our Skies, Meteors, Moon
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive The night of May 5-6 is the Eta Aquarid meteor shower. The peak will be in the early morning hours of May 6, though the moon will be quite bright and will interfere with viewing. May 31 the moon will be full for the second...
by Kevin Shank | May 1, 2026 | 2026, 05 May, Crustaceans & Mollusks, Exploring Nature, Fish, Gamebirds, Ungulates, Waterfowl - Geese, Swans, Ducks, Loons, Grebes
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive Largemouth bass spawn when the water reaches 55°F-65°F (13°C-18°C). Smallmouth bass spawn when the water temperature reaches the low 60s (~17°C). Grouse eggs are hatching. Spring caribou migration is underway. Crayfish...
by Kevin Shank | May 1, 2026 | 2026, 05 May, Acrostic, Crossword, Fill-In-The-Blanks, Owls, Study Guide, True and False
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by Kevin Shank | May 1, 2026 | 2026, 05 May, Astronomy, Comets, Favorite Focus, Moon
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive The Moon, taken from Earth at Nature Friend. Photo © Adrian Shank. Comet PanSTARRS C/2025 R3. Photo © Kevin Shank.April 8, this comet became faintly visible to the unaided eye. It was low on the eastern horizon shortly...
by Kevin Shank | May 1, 2026 | 2026, 05 May, Camp & Cabin Cookin'
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by Kevin Shank | May 1, 2026 | 2026, 05 May, Articles & Stories, Astronomy, Exploring Our Skies, Moon, Spacecraft, The Photo Focus
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive As I write this, the Artemis II crew is on their way back to Earth from having orbited the Moon. This mission has the attention of astronomers around the world. NASA recently released a number of photographs. Without further...
by Kevin Shank | Apr 1, 2026 | 2026, 04 April, Blackbirds, Orioles, Meadowlarks, Insects & Arachnids, Invisibles
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by Kevin Shank | Apr 1, 2026 | 2026, 04 April, Articles & Stories, Owls
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive Somewhere in the pools of Beaver Creek, large rainbow trout lazily watched the currents for a tasty snack. Perhaps they hid by the pilings under the bridge or under the mossy root ball overhanging the water’s edge. Perhaps...
by Kevin Shank | Apr 1, 2026 | 2026, 04 April, Birds, Mammals
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by Kevin Shank | Apr 1, 2026 | 2026, 04 April, Bees, Creation Close-ups, Herons, Egrets, & Bitterns, Woodpeckers
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive Pileated Woodpecker. Photo © Elton Loewen. Great Blue Heron. Photo © Jane Flournoy Black-crowned Night Heron. Photo. © Janelle Sykora. Honeybee. Photo © Enoch McCart.
by Kevin Shank | Apr 1, 2026 | Longspurs & Snow Buntings, You Can Draw Submissions
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by Kevin Shank | Apr 1, 2026 | 2026, 04 April, Articles & Stories, Birds, Fish, Fungi, Wildflowers
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive Least Trillium. Photo © Dogwood Ridge. It’s time to hunt morel mushrooms. Listen for drumming grouse or gobbling turkeys. Warbler migration is in full swing. Magee Marsh along Lake Erie is a fun place to watch the migration,...
by Kevin Shank | Apr 1, 2026 | 2026, 04 April, Acrostic, Astronomy, Birds, Crossword, Fill-In-The-Blanks, Insects & Arachnids, Premium Edition, Puzzles, True and False
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by Kevin Shank | Apr 1, 2026 | 2026, 04 April, Articles & Stories, Birds, Nature-Friendly Gardening, Premium Edition
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive A wide variety of birds have stopped to splash or drink in the water garden outside my office window.Scarlet Tanager. Photo © Dogwood Ridge. Are you among the many who enjoy the spring bird migration? Are you watching the...
