Exploring Nature by Sheila Newenham
I have several bird feeders in my back yard. Over the years I’ve seen new bird species come every year. It’s a source of pleasure for me, environmental enrichment for my indoor cats and a source of supplemental food for my Labrador, Tybee, who never … Continue readingUnder the Feeder at Night
Several years ago I got a camera trap (motion-activated outdoor camera) to learn more about who is around when I’m not. Over the years I’ve watched raccoons, opossums, skunks, coyotes, birds, a woodchuck, mice, deer, a nesting duck, the neighbor’s cat and my dogs in … Continue readingSquirrel Rock
I am fortunate to have a 4000-acre forest preserve out my back door. It is a respite from the chaos of the city of Chicago, 20 miles to the east, and the suburbs that surround it. From September through May I walk these woods several … Continue readingNew Treasures in Familiar Woods
This mild October afternoon with blue skies and bright sun, not the stark, blazing, eye-squinting, summer sun, but the warm, golden, cozy light of autumn, makes a perfect afternoon to explore a local, restored tallgrass prairie. It’s so close to home that I’m reluctant to … Continue readingAn Illinois Prairie Walk
I haven’t seen a junco since mid-April. It’s hard to mark the day they leave except to note when some has time gone by since I’d last noticed one. Here, they mark the beginning of winter and the promise of spring. As the juncos leave, … Continue readingChanging Seasons: Spring
Over the nine years that I’ve lived here, I’ve been gradually creating habitat and homes for native wildlife. It’s a slow, but rewarding, process. We’ve left the lawn immediately adjacent to the pond unmowed since we arrived. I’ve been planting native species and pulling weeds … Continue readingPond Life
People say that we are like our pets. My dog, Bridger, has been exploring these woods with me since puppyhood. As a Vizsla, he is hard-wired for searching and finding. It’s amazing to watch him grid-search a field, nose to the ground, at a full … Continue readingFinder of Things: My Dog and the Coyotes
There’s eight inches of snow on the ground with another four expected as the snow is continuing to fall. The roads are slushy, snowy, slippery and dangerous. Work called a snow day – stay home, stay safe. The wind periodically gusts blowing the snow sideways, … Continue readingSnow Day
One of my favorite things about winter is seeing the tracks in the snow of all of the animals that share these woods with me. The snow faithfully documents all of their comings and goings. Since my dogs “see” with their noses, they always know … Continue readingRevealed in the Snow
Cooper’s hawks appear in our yard, from time to time, scoping out the bird feeder action. They are medium-sized hawks that prey primarily on smaller birds. Years ago, I watched one pluck and eat a mourning dove at our old house. Since then, I haven’t … Continue readingOur Hunting Hawk