For 25 years, the Urban Coyote Research Project has been studying the ecology of urban coyotes in the Chicago area. Researchers monitor and examine coyote behavior, health, and genetics through live capture and radio-collaring, led by Dr. Stanley Gehrt from Ohio State University and Chris...
Sports enthusiasts and data lovers go hand in hand — just like hot dogs and mustard at Wrigley Field. Recently, I took a deep dive into the Illinois Department of Natural Resources database, exploring historical trends in hunting and fishing license sales, as...
What is a Master Naturalist?
We get that question a lot at University of Illinois Extension. Master Naturalists are many things: Advocates, volunteers, teachers, and environmental stewards.
Around the state and in your backyard,...
The transition zone between winter and spring is a fascinating time to explore the wildlife of Illinois. Here are a few of the neat opportunities for watching wildlife in early spring.
Want to learn more? Check out the...
The relentless wind on February nights sends skiffs of snow sliding across the rural landscape of Illinois. Average temperatures this time of year dip into the low 20s prior to dawn. For extra balance, a young wild turkey rests its breastbone on the branch of a northern red oak tree where it is...
Every fall, nature lovers from around the state lace up their hiking boots and head out into the field for the annual Master Naturalist State Conference. The gathering is a chance for Illinois Extension staff and volunteers to share ideas and gain new skills, tools, and programs they can bring home...
Most cavities in a tree are caused by some type of living organism, either an animal or a pathogen of some sort. Some cavities will only be found in dead trees or a portion of a live tree with dead wood. Other cavities can be in otherwise completely healthy trees. Let’s take a look at some of the...
Gardens are full of critters – insects, squirrels, alligators? Last month, a Decatur woman was watering her flowers when she discovered an unusual reptile...
In today’s world, it appears that everyone has seen or experienced a tornado up close and personal, at least from all the video that is available on social media. The fact is many people have only seen pictures or video and have not experienced a real tornado. However, their chances may be...
Author’s Note: In January of 2022, I embarked on a year of daily half-hour observations in my backyard. This essay is a partial accounting of what I discovered.
There’s nothing special about my backyard.
It’s one of countless tracts surveyed and mapped into thousands of neat urban...
