It’s a familiar sight in winter: An inky-black raven soaring over a landscape white with snow. Though similar in appearance to the American crow, the common raven (Corvus corax) is distinguished by its large size, fluffy neck feathers, and long, thick beak.

Dreys are shaggy masses of leaves nestled against a tree trunk or cupped in a fork of branches 20 to 40 feet above the ground. Squirrels not only rear their kits in them, but also use them as shelter during many months of the year.

As the height-of-summer floral abundance fades, goldenrods and asters fill the landscape with hits of yellow, purple, pink and white. Beyond the beauty they provide, these late bloomers are a critical food source for several native species of wild bees.