The calendar says spring is still two weeks away, but nature’s signs are unmistakable. For one, tiger salamanders are on the move, making their annual…
Signs of Spring
Phenology
Skunk cabbage is northern Illinois’ earliest blooming native wildflower, popping up in late winter in groundwater seeps, springs and fens.
Skunk Cabbage
Skunk cabbage in bloom. Later in spring the plant will unfurl its large leaves that, yes, are just as stinky as its flowers. Meanwhile the…
A Bird Eat Bird World
Ah, spring. What could be more glorious? Flowers are blooming, insects are buzzing, frogs are calling. And the birds? Well they’re doing what birds do…
Bird Nests
This time of year, everyone’s chomping at the bit for spring. Whether it’s that little extra bit of daylight, the first glimpse of a woodland…
Signs of Spring
Woodpecker species in our area have begun drumming, an annual sign that their breeding season has begun. The loud, staccato pounding is used to declare territory; it is distinctly different from the softer pecking sounds the birds create when excavating a nest cavity or foraging for food. Photo credit: Robert Burton, US Fish & Wildlife
Yellow Bellied Sapsuckers
April 15, 2016 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers Springtime means—finally—warmer temperatures along with visits from a host of migrating birds, including yellow-bellied sapsuckers. Please enjoy this column, which first ran in April 2010. My dad was a big fan of the 1950s sitcom The Honeymooners. (So big a fan, in fact, that when he began seeing my mom,
Bloodroot
April 10, 2015 Bloodroot The spring break season is upon us! Over the past few weeks, I’ve heard from friends who’ve traveled to Hawaii, Tennessee, Virginia, Florida and Arizona. Thanks to Facebook, I’ve been able to see pictures showing the lush green of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the deep orange and purple of
Signs of Spring
How good are you at reading signs? I think most of us would agree that red octagons mean stop, yellow diamonds mean caution, and orange signs signal that everyone’s favorite season, road construction, has returned. But have you noticed that other signs too are popping up, right and left? They’re subtle, yet oddly familiar, and
Skunk Cabbage
Pam’s Perspective From the… Pam Otto is the Manager of Natural Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District March 29, 2013 Last Saturday, hundreds of wee ones descended on Pottawatomie Park in St. Charles with a singular goal in mind: Find as many brightly colored, ovoid-shaped objects as possible, split them open