The Buzz
All Buzz Articles
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A person standing against a wooden fence with trees in the background.
Meet the recreation coordinator: Em Wilcher wants to help you connect with nature
4/27/2024Read moreMeet Em Wilcher, the Forest Preserve District's recreation coordinator.
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A green lawn dotted with dandelions.
Give the lawn mower a rest in May. Do it for the bees.
4/26/2024Read moreParticipating in No Mow May isn't just a way to cut down on your yardwork for a month. You'll be helping bees and other essential insects too.
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Can you identify these 15 birds? Take the test to find out
4/26/2024Read moreBirding can be a rewarding experience, but it can also be tricky to get those identifications right.
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A Baltimore oriole of a tree branch.
Migration watch: Orioles have landed in Will County
4/24/2024Read moreTime to stock up on oranges and grape jelly. Baltimore orioles are back in Will County for the season.
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A yellow-bellied sapsucker on a tree full of sap wells.
Holey moley: Yellow-bellied sapsuckers leave distinct clues of their presence
4/23/2024Read moreThe yellow-bellied sapsucker is the only woodpecker in the eastern United States, so their time in northern Illinois can be fleeting. Look for them in the spring and fall as they migrate through our area.
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A periodical cicada on a tree branch.
Brooding about cicadas? Here's the reason for all the hype this year
4/22/2024Read moreTo not have heard the buzz about this year's cicada emergence you would have to have been where the cicadas themselves are right now — underground. Why all the hype? This year is the first time since 1803 that two broods of cicadas will have emerged in Illinois at the same time.
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Earth as seen from space.
Five must-know facts about our home planet Earth
4/17/2024Read moreYou can define Earth in many ways, but above all else it is home. Here is your chance to learn all about our home planet.
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(Photo via Shutterstock)
Want your kids to respect nature? Get your garden growing with them
4/16/2024Read moreGardening with your kids can be a great way to make them good stewards of the environment.
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A ruby-throated hummingbird perched on the tip of a branch.
Migration watch: Hummingbirds have landed in Will County
4/15/2024Read moreFor those of you eagerly anticipating the arrival of ruby-throated hummingbirds, it won't be long now. The tiny birds have been spotted in Will County and elsewhere in Illinois.
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A monarch butterfly rest on the purple flowers of wild bergamot.
Migration watch: Monarchs have landed in Illinois
4/15/2024Read moreWe're charting migrations this season, announcing when a variety of species hit major milestones on their travels north.
Current Headlines
Commemorate summer of the cicada with a Forest Preserve T-shirt
Prepare for the 2024 cicada emergence with Forest Preserve T-shirts designed to mark this unusual occurrence. Two shirt designs have been created and can be purchased at OutsiderThreads.com. All proceeds benefit The Nature Foundation of Will County.
Bald eagle nesting update: We have confirmed seven eaglets in four nests
The bald eagle population has been booming in Will County in recent years, and we're monitoring four active nests.