The long-eared owl’s namesake “ears” on top of its head are used for camouflage and communication, but not for listening. Its actual ears are located…
Owl Ears
Barred Owls
The other day I headed out to meet some friends for a walk at Tekakwitha Woods Forest Preserve, with a plan to proceed over to…
Snowy Owls
It’s snowy owl season once again. Look for this regal visitor from the north in farm country, atop fence posts and utility poles. Good Natured: Snowy Owls January 8, 2021 Not only do I remember where I saw my first white owl, I also remember when. I was four years old, poking around my
Geneva’s Great Horned Owls
Geneva, some of you might recall, has a bit of a history when it comes to owls. And no, I’m not talking about The Little…
Excitement on the Soccer Field
I’ll be the first to admit, soccer has not played a big part in my life. I remember playing in a few awkward games in…
Great Horned Owl
Editor’s note: The following is a column that originally ran in January 2009: The conversation lasted late into the evening. A tiny sliver of a moon rose up, the stars came out … and still the participants persisted. They sounded determined, though more than a little repetitious: “Who’s awake? Me too!” “Wh-who’s awake? Me too!”
GHO
March 4, 2016 Great Horned Owl She’s ba-ack. Our neighbor, that is. The quiet one who keeps to herself. I don’t mean to sound like we’re disrespectful, or unobservant, but frankly it took us a while to notice her. Only within the past few weeks has it become apparent that, indeed, Mama Great Horned Owl
Owls of Kane County
January 22, 2016 Owls of Kane County Thursday night I heard something I haven’t heard in several weeks: The who-huh-who-whoo-whoo of our nocturnal neighbor, the great horned owl. Although they hooted and hollered their way through most of the late fall, their courtship period, lately I hadn’t heard much from the Bubos—my nickname for the
Screech Owls
January 15, 2016 Screech Owls Last week in this space we took a look at the life and times of Strix varia, the barred owl. Although still considered a rare species in Kane County, it seems to be increasing its range throughout our area. Thanks to those who responded to our request for sightings, we
Barred Owls
January 8, 2016 Barred owls likely are here to stay Who doesn’t love a nice surprise? A batch of homemade peppermint bark, fragrant and tasty, pops up on your desk. A five-dollar bill, wet but still perfectly good, wondrously appears inside the washing machine. A barred owl, uncommon in our area, shows up in a