Good Natured | Hickory Knolls Discovery Center

Tracking – Mink

Several years ago, my friend Jessi and I went exploring at McKee Marsh–a small but wonderfully diverse parcel at the north end of the Blackwell Forest Preserve in DuPage County. The winter day was crisp, bordering on downright cold, but the sun shone brightly and the wind was calm. […]

Tracking – Deer

Walking along Ferson Creek recently, I couldn’t help but notice how the tips of so many plants-young trees, shrubs and crispy brown wildflowers alike-looked really ragged. Frayed. Shredded, even. The damage was consistent, beginning at the base of the plants and continuing up almost as high as my head. […]

Tracking – Rabbits & Squirrels

This week we continue our series on wildlife tracking with a look at two of our most common wildlife neighbors, rabbits and squirrels. But first, a word of warning: This ain’t gonna be easy. That may come as a surprise, given the major differences in appearance and habits between the animals themselves. […]

Tracking – Raccoons, Opossums & Skunks

Well, it’s almost February, the month of love. The greeting card and candy companies know it. The jewelry stores know it. And so, too, do the raccoons, opossums and skunks. They may not be out buying trifles and baubles or making reservations at a romantic restaurant, but many of our local mammals will soon be finding […]

Tracking – Dogs & Coyotes

This week we continue our series on winter wildlife tracks with a look at man’s best friend, Canis familiaris; its cousin, Canis latrans, the coyote; and its more-distant relative Vulpes vulpes, the red fox. All three types of mammals have feet with a heel pad and four toe pads. Generally speaking, when you look at a track from a dog, either domestic or wild, it’s oval in shape. […]

Intro to Tracking

We all have ways of keeping up with current events. Some of us watch TV; some read the newspaper or online sources. Personally, I like to study the sidewalk. Each morning as I walk to work I find so much I need to get caught up on. The squirrel that cavorts between a horsechestnut tree and muddy prints from the fox that hangs out by the Hickory Knolls rain garden. […]

Pseudoscorpions

When it comes to tiny arachnids, there’s one individual that grabs a disproportionate amount of the glory. We all know her, and the song that made her famous: The Itsy Bitsy Spider. But you know what? This world of ours has many more awesome arachnids, some of which are not merely itsy bitsy but pretty darn close to microscopic. […]

Starlings

Depending on how your holiday season is playing out, you may have, in the past few days, found a certain classic Saturday Night Live skit playing on continuous loop in your brain. “The Thing That Wouldn’t Leave” was a 50-second bit that starred John Belushi as a houseguest who snarfed chips, […]

Whitetail Deer & Reindeer

Now that we’ve entered that interstitial period between Christmas and New Years, you may find yourself with a little extra time on your hands. Time to ponder and reflect; time to consider some of the traditions that make the holidays so meaningful. How, for instance, did fruitcake become a staple, both on the table and as a punchline? […]

Nature on a Train!

Nature on a train. I know, it sounds like an oxymoron. Or maybe the title of a toned-down Samuel L. Jackson movie. But it’s also an apt description of last week’s work adventure. Alas, my little expedition didn’t involve Amtrak’s Empire Builder or Southwest Chief, or even the Illini, which I rode a fair number of times during The College Years. […]

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