PEI has more than 30 native, wild plants with edible berries, but here’s one of the lesser-known: Bearberry ( Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ).     Bearberry doesn’t compete taste-wise with some of our other wild fruit. Raw, the berries are dry and bland (but that’s probably just as well, because too many raw berries can have a laxative effect). Cooking improves their flavour and texture, and Bearberries make pleasant preserves, interesting additions to soups or stews, and excellent

Fall may be peak mushroom season on PEI, but fungi can be found at all times of year.  One that I’m seeing a lot right now is the...

If it looks like a Mouse and squeaks like a Mouse it. . . might be a Vole! This week, we explore Vole tracks and sign, and look at Voles’...

No matter where I go on PEI this winter – town or country – the most common tracks I see are from Snowshoe Hare. It’s been like this for...

This winter’s frequent bouts of fresh snowfall have made for some ideal tracking conditions. While Red Squirrels are very common, it’s...

My new book, Wild Foods of Prince Edward Island is coming out this spring and now available for pre-order. Published by The Acorn Press,...

One of my favourite things about winter tracking is coming across a wildlife intersection: a spot used by a variety of animals. Often...

It’s hard to find near-perfect examples of tracks from terrestrial mammals, let alone from semi-aquatic ones. That’s why I was thrilled...

Welcome back to Ask a Naturalist, your own personal Google for information on all things natural on PEI. Winter is great time to spot...

Reading wildlife tracks and sign has very practical uses. For example, even with the recent cold snaps this winter, the Striped Skunks on...

When you think about wildlife tracks and sign, I bet mammals immediately come to mind. But all sorts of wildlife leave tracks, including...

Welcome back to Ask a Naturalist, your own personal Google for information on all things natural on PEI! Today’s topic is courtesy of...

This winter, we’re looking at how to identify PEI wildlife tracks and sign. Raccoons often stay in their dens and rely on fat reserves...

Whether it’s the potential for Bobcats here on PEI or reports of Eastern Cougar on the mainland, wild cats have a mystique that makes...

Happy New Year and welcome back to my Wildlife Tracks & Sign series. Each week for the next few months, we’ll look at how to identify...

Just like us, PEI’s wildlife has been busy getting ready for winter. And just like us, our neighbours of other species use various...

Welcome back to Mushroom Monday, your weekly look at some of PEI’s easy-to-identify fungi. ‘Mushroom’ usually evokes the stereotypical...

Needles of White Pine (Pinus strobus) can be used to make a refreshing drink at any time of year (Photo 1). Kate’s White Pine Soda 1 part...

We spend our winters in the bright, cold, noisy world above the snow, but all sorts of creatures stay cozy in the darker, warmer, quieter...

This year’s Winter Wildlife Tracks and Sign series has covered a lot of ground so far, but one entire group of PEI wildlife has been...