Outdoors column: Nature has its own Olympians
Some birds, insects and spiders in northern Illinois deserve medals of their own.
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Outdoors column: Songbirds get by with a little help from us
Feeding birds year-round doesn’t necessarily ensure their survival. But that extra source of fat and protein in the form of sunflower seeds and suet might be just what they need.
Outdoors column: Winter is a time to get to know evergreens
One activity I enjoy while standing next to a conifer is to rub my fingers across the needles, inhale the fragrance, and close my eyes.
Outdoors column: Welcome additions to your late summer garden
Grow lots of different native plants in your yard, including summer phlox and black-eyed Susans.
Outdoors column: Queen-of-the-prairie reigns in July
It’s difficult to find this species in its natural habitat.
Outdoors column: Afternoon bird songs fill neighborhoods in March
Hearing those lilting songs on a March day in the middle of the afternoon makes me happy.
Outdoors column: I welcome the quiet and calm of the falling snow
Before the shovels or snow blowers come out when dawn is just awakening, it’s nice to stand outside and experience a certain kind of peace you never feel except at...
Outdoors column: Celebrate the bald eagle’s national bird designation
The bald eagle is a true American comeback story, and that’s why it made sense for President Joe Biden to sign the bill that officially named the bald eagle as...
Avian flu likely culprit in death of dozens of waterfowl across Illinois, officials say
Wild aquatic birds, including ducks, geese, swans and gulls, can spread the virus, often without showing symptoms of being sick.
Outdoors column: Great white egret symbolizes summer, conservation
A summer wetland landscape scene is only complete if a great egret is standing on the edge of the water. Its bright white plumage and elegant S-curved neck belie its loud...