Outdoors column: Nuthatch may be here for the winter
It’s called an irruptive species because it leaves its north woods home in late summer to fly south if the foods it eats, seeds from coniferous trees, are scarce.
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Outdoors column: End–of-summer pond walk is feast for senses
My most recent visit there, however, was not to document these fascinating insects, but to experience the pond in whole and all the delicious sensory treats it has to offer.
Column: European goldfinch a nice addition to local landscape
My first encounter with this colorful finch was in Waukegan along the lakefront perhaps a decade ago.
Outdoors column: Lessons learned from a pumpkinseed
I love fish and their place in the ecosystem, and recently learned about a small, beautiful one called pumpkinseed and its fascinating life cycle.
Outdoors column: Summer spiderwort a common and intriguing plant
At Veterans Acres in Crystal Lake, I discovered what I think are two different species -- the Ohio spiderwort and the Virginia spiderwort.
Outdoors column: Time to celebrate nature before the extreme heat
There’s no other time of the year when you can experience this kind of peaceful aliveness.
Outdoors column: American robins share family life with patient observers
Regardless of how robins find worms, it’s always fun to watch the birds play tug of war with a creature just beneath the Earth’s surface.
Piping plovers return to Waukegan beach to start family: ‘It’s drama already’
Pepper and Blaze are back in Waukegan for the second year as breeding adults and the pair is already incubating a full clutch of four eggs.
Column: Secret place proves that life is good
Save our wild areas. We all need a geography of hope.
Outdoors column: Violets of different colors bloom in spring
These native violets readily reseed and can take over your lawn.