Good Natured

Red Tailed Hawk

Pam’s Perspective Pam Otto is the Manager of Nature Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District Certain signs of fall are unmistakable. The changing colors of the leaves, the moving masses of migratory geese. And the persistent, almost petulant, calls of young red-tailed hawks being asked—actually, more like told—to leave the family

Katydids

Long ago, the story goes, a newlywed couple was found murdered in their beds. Although the crime was never solved, the primary suspect was the bride’s sister Katy. And to this day, so they say, Kate’s fate is debated by one of summer’s most famous singing insects: “Katy did.” “Katy didn’t.” “Yes she did.” “No

Emerald Ash Borer

Pam’s Perspective Pam Otto is the Manager of Nature Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District When a headliner comes to town, people usually flock from miles around hoping for a chance to see to see him or her. Add the term “limited-time only” and the crowds can get downright fanatical. But

Black Rat Snake

Pam’s Perspective Pam Otto is the Manager of Nature Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District Where do you go for a screamin’ good time in St. Charles? These days, you’ve got lots of options. Pride of the Fox Riverfest is in town for the weekend, so you could hop on something

Vole

Pam’s Perspective Pam Otto is the Manager of Nature Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District When was the last time you played hide and seek? I did for the first time in a long time last Tuesday and, I tell you, I don’t ever remember the game lasting as long as

Neighbors

One of the great things about moving into a new home is getting to meet the neighbors. You never know who might be living right next door. Take, for instance, the cast of characters that surrounds us at our new naturalist department home, the Hickory Knolls Discovery Center. The fox squirrels that live in the

Robins

Pam’s Perspective Pam Otto is the Manager of Nature Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District With the grand opening of our Hickory Knolls Discovery Center just around the corner, the park district’s Naturalist Department has been working some pretty long days lately. But you won’t catch me complaining. For one thing,

Cam Deer

When I got home from work the other night, I found I had six text messages on my cell phone. Maybe some people are used to getting lots of texts but, for me, a mediocre texter at best, six messages means something big must have happened. Halfway expecting to read that someone was sick, or

Spiny Softshell Turtle

Pam’s Perspective Pam Otto is the Manager of Nature Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District Remember the old Celozzi-Ettleson car commercial tag line, “Hard to find, tough to beat”? That slogan well-described the car dealership which, as I remember, was near Roosevelt Road in Elmhurst. But it also makes an apt

Sparrows

Pam’s Perspective Pam Otto is the Manager of Nature Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District Whether you’re a veteran birder or brand-new to the pursuit, or even if you barely give any bird a second glance, I’ll bet at one time or another you’ve uttered the statement, “Oh, it’s a sparrow.”

Domestic Rat

Pam’s Perspective Pam Otto is the Manager of Nature Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District Like most other workplaces, the Naturalist Department here at the St. Charles Park District gets items delivered all the time. Small items arrive in envelopes, large items arrive in crates. And then there are those other

Name That Tune

Okay folks, it’s that time of year again. Time to dust off those listening skills, turn an ear toward the trees (and tall grasses, fence posts and reeds) and play a rousing round of our favorite springtime game, Name That Tune: The Nature Edition. As the days get longer, and warmer, all kinds of critters

Spring Memo

Sometimes I feel like I’m the last one to get the memo. You know, the one that says, “Drop everything and get outside. Spring is here! With our new building, the Hickory Knolls Discovery Center, set to open at the end of April, it seems there is no end to the details that need attention.

Redhead Ducks

I don’t know how you spent your Friday morning, but I spent mine stalking redheads. No, I wasn’t camped out in front of Conan O’Brien’s place, nor was I trying to catch a glimpse of the little bit of red Ron Howard has left. Nope, I was lurking along the banks of the Fox River

HerpSwap

So, what’s on your to-do list this weekend? Me? I’m driving to Galena with two tortoises and an iguana. I suppose I could just leave it at that. But I’d imagine that little statement might raise more questions than it answers. Plus, it probably leaves the impression that I, and therefore all naturalists are, to

Blizzard

A week ago, when the weather forecasters first gave us details of the winter storm to come, they supplemented their predictions with plentiful advice. You know, sensible stuff like having flashlights and blankets ready in case the power goes out, and stocking up on nonperishable food items. I couldn’t help but think of this as

Packing

Anyone who has ever packed a suitcase can relate to the adage, “When in doubt, leave it out.” In fact, an experienced traveler once told me that, when packing for an extended trip, she lays out everything she thinks she’ll need, then goes back and removes one of everything—one less skirt, one less pair of

Cottontails

If you’ve been to a Chinese restaurant lately, or keep a Chinese calendar handy, you might have noticed that 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit. Hungry for more information, you might have delved deeper and consulted a widely recognized reference, the paper placemat, and learned that people born in a rabbit year are affectionate,

Christmas

Pam’s Perspective Pam Otto is the Manager of Nature Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District Years ago a thoughtful naturalist, or perhaps a naturalist with too much time on his or her hands, compiled a list of traits that typify us nature nerds. In the style of Jeff Foxworthy’s “You might

Winter H2O

Well, there’s no doubt, winter is here. And I’ll bet, if you’re a bird lover, your feeders are hung by the chimney, or wherever, with care. But when was the last time you filled your birdbath? Even though snow blankets the ground right now, and snow, after all, is just fluffy, flaky water, finding a

White-Throated

Poor Sam Peabody… Peabody… Peabody. I don’t know Mr. Peabody, and have no idea of what events may have led to his present condition of “poor” (or, according to some, “old”) but one thing’s for sure. This guy is The Man, at least as far as talk among the white-throated sparrows is concerned. Bird vocalizations

Golden Crown Kinglet

Pam’s Perspective Pam Otto is the Manager of Nature Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District When you hear the phrase “little kings,” what image comes to mind? An array of 7-oz. bottles of beer, served, as all fine beverages are, in a bucket? If so, maybe you spent too much time

Honeybees2

Last week we took a look at the secret lives of honeybees, and how they work through spring, summer and fall in order to produce enough honey to get them through the winter. We promised, at the end of that column, that this week we’d supply you with tips on how to find active bee

HoneyBeesNEW

Boy, talk about a honey of a deal. At a time when most insects are whiling away the hours in some sort of inactive state, be it egg, larva, pupa or adult, as well as a time when many bugs have checked out completely, our local honey bees are alive and well, and living in

Honeybees

Pam’s Perspective Pam Otto is the Manager of Nature Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District Boy, talk about a honey of a deal. At a time when most insects are whiling away the hours in some sort of inactive state, be it egg, larva, pupa or adult, as well as a

What Tree

Remember the Sesame Street ditty, “One of These Things Is Not Like the Others?” It seems like at one time or another, every cast member—Big Bird, Kermit, Grover, even Mr. Hooper—took a turn singing this song, which encourages kids to spot the one different object in a group. I remember thinking I was a little

Irresponsible Trapping

Pam’s Perspective Pam Otto is the Manager of Nature Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District Okay, before we get started with this week’s column, there’s something I’ve got to say: If you’ve got an uninvited critter hanging around your house or yard, and you’d like it to leave, take care of

Box Elder

Pam’s Perspective Pam Otto is the Manager of Nature Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District Fall in Kane County can be pretty spectacular. Birds are migrating south and, oooh! We’re getting glimpses of species we don’t normally get to see. The leaves on the trees are changing and, aaah! Just look

Raccoon Tree

Pam’s Perspective Pam Otto is the Manager of Nature Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District Generally speaking, we humans have little use for snags. When our sweaters get snagged, we grimace. When our plans hit a snag, we grumble. And if our boat strikes a snag in the water, we’re sunk.

What Can I Do

“What can I do?” It’s a common query, one you’ve probably asked yourself at one time or another when you’ve encountered someone, or something, in need of help. You know there should be some obvious course of action, but for some reason it’s just not apparent. Mark Glabinski, our custodian and caretaker at the Baker

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Good Natured

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