Have you ever been out in nature and said “Whoa, that is so cool!,” and then followed it up with a “I wonder why?” READ MORESighting of sandhill cranes can be good for you and science

Kankakee County sits nicely between two publicly-accessible conservation bison herds — The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie and The Nature Conservancy’s Kankakee Sands. I have been lucky to be able to work at both sites over my career so far. READ MOREBison calves and reflection

Early spring here in the Midwest sometimes seems like nature has problems making decisions. Warm days, cool nights, and even snow and freezing temperatures keep eager gardeners on their toes as they prepare their plots and bestow excessive care on their new trays of spring plants while impat… READ MOREWarmer days

Ready for a grand surprise? Summer is not the only time to see butterflies at Kankakee Sands. March can be, too. READ MOREMarch’s grand surprise

A light and steady snow floated out of the chilled gray January sky onto the open waters along the Illinois-Indiana border. Hundreds of greater white-fronted geese and a small number of tundra and trumpeter swans here for at least part of the winter were resting and feeding. READ MOREOpen water

I love books and historical documents about local natural history. I have done my best over the years to pick up many different resources for the Kankakee area but often there are sources I am not even aware of. READ MORE'The Natural Resources of Kankakee County' — a look back

My 90-year-old neighbor used to tell me that he was going out fishing … not catching, but fishing. It’s about the experience, he’d tell me. And that is how it is with me and birding … it’s about the experience. READ MOREGetting warmed up with the rough-legged hawk