The buzz

All Buzz Articles

  • A male cardinal singing while perched on a branch.

    Nature curiosity: Why do birds sing in the morning?

    4/8/2024

    Are the birds waking you up before dawn? There's a good reason for their morning concert. 

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  • Save yourself from heartbreak: Check your yard for rabbit nests before mowing

    4/1/2024

    Before you cut your grass, it's a good idea to give your yard a once-over to look for rabbit nests. These nests often look just like a small patch of dead grass, but the babies are just under the surface, leaving them vulnerable to lawnmowers.

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  • A person posing for a photo with a forest as the backdrop.

    Meet a Naturalist: Michelle Cipiti, fulfilling a dream

    3/26/2024

    Meet Michelle Cipiti, an interpretive naturalist at Hidden Oaks Nature Center.

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  • A northern flicker standing in the grass.

    Northern flickers buck some common woodpecker trends

    3/20/2024

    Northern flickers look a little different than most of our local woodpecker species, and we see them on the ground much more than you might expect for a woodpecker.

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  • A red-winged blackbird on a cattail with its mouth open.

    Two words perfectly describe red-winged blackbirds: Feisty and familiar

    2/29/2024

    Several birds are known for their aggressive behavior, but perhaps none as much as the red-winged blackbird, a bird that isn't afraid to pick on creatures much larger than itself. 

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  • A person standing in front of a forest.

    Meet a Naturalist: Jess McQuown, an inquisitive mind

    2/26/2024

    Meet Jess McQuown, a program coordinator at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center.

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  • A block calendar showing the date changing to Feb. 29

    Why do we have leap days? Get ready for a math lesson — and a history lesson

    2/23/2024

    It's a leap year, and here's your chance to learn why we add an extra day every four years and why that day is on Feb. 29.

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  • A vole on the ground surrounded by dried and green grasses.

    Five fast facts about little-known voles

    2/22/2024

    Among rodents, mice, rats, squirrels and chipmunks are all well known. Voles, however, often fly under the radar, either because they aren't known or because they are confused with another species.

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  • Contrails criss-crossing the sky with thin, scattered clouds above them.

    Nature curiosity: What are contrails and how do they form?

    2/9/2024

    Those long, thin clouds trailing behind airplanes are called contrails, and here's a look at the science behind them.

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  • A male common goldeneye swimming in the water.

    Watch out for goldeneyes on local lakes throughout winter

    2/7/2024

    Common goldeneyes arrive in northern Illinois each winter. Look for them strutting their stuff on our local lakes.

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Current Headlines

McKinley Woods – Kerry Sheridan Grove, Four Rivers scheduled to be closed Aug. 5-6 for sealcoating

7/26/2024

McKinley Woods – Kerry Sheridan Grove and Four Rivers Environmental Education Center are scheduled to be closed Aug. 5 and Aug. 6 for sealcoating. The schedule could change due to weather or other factors. Updates will be posted online. 

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OPRT remains closed as storm cleanup work continues

7/26/2024

Old Plank Road Trail remains closed from Pfeiffer Road to Harlem Avenue as tree removal work continues after a recent, severe storm. Due to the number of downed trees and cracked overhead branches, cleanup work may continue through Tuesday, July 30.

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