Outdoors column: Lunar eclipses are wonders of nature
Watching the partial lunar eclipse recently, as others have done, connected me to the universe in a way nothing else can.
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Outdoors column: Rose of Sharon invasive, but inviting
We must keep learning and striving to save our native ecosystems, including removing certain plants that threaten those ecosystems.
Outdoors column: Northern cardinal presence lifts spirits
The northern cardinal’s varied melodic notes shine like a beacon through the humidity as well as difficult days.
Outdoors column: Summer features orange blossom specials
Out of the more than 3,000 native plants in Illinois, only 57 have orange flowers, according to state botanist Paul Marcum.
Outdoors column: Gray catbirds on the prowl for nesting sites
For some reason, this species was particularly common throughout May this year, at least where I was hiking.
Outdoors column: Sadly, another ‘silent spring’ may be upon us
The scientific community is showing that birds are indeed singing less frequently and at softer volumes.
Outdoors column: Bring on the woodland trilliums and geraniums
Bloodroot and bluebells will continue to bloom this month, but it’s now time to look for two trillium species that carpet the forest floor in late April and May.
Outdoors column: Spring ephemerals rising from forest floor
The true spring ephemerals are native plants that arise in woodlands before leaves open, allowing sunlight to coax them into bloom.
Outdoors column: The wind can be harsh, but we need it
The uneven heating of the Earth is especially prominent as winter turns to spring, which is why March comes in like a lion with roaring winds.
Outdoors column: March into this month listening and looking
March really does have a chance to become my favorite month, perhaps because it is full of promise.