Spring has sprung and it’s time to explore nature and discover wildlife with naturalist Wendy Paulson during her series of spring bird walks and hikes. Wendy authors Birds of Barrington, a monthly
Even with this relatively mild winter, local ponds and lakes have retained ice cover during January and February. But as March brings more days above freezing, the ice begins to vanish and,
For the month of Valentine’s Day, it seems fitting to focus on a bird that incorporates the color red. The red-bellied woodpecker appears to be an apt choice. The bird, especially the
For many people in northern temperate zones, the primary place they watch birds in winter is at feeders outside their homes. The sight of an active band of feathered visitors – chickadees,
Should you be out at dusk these brisk December days, especially near a woodland, you might well hear the hu-hu-hu-WHO! WHO! of the great horned owl (Bubo virginianus). The owl is one
October brings to local ponds, lakes, and rivers large numbers of waterfowl, most of which have bred in northern wetlands and are stopping to fuel up for journeys farther south. Among the
Get out and enjoy the fall migration with Barrington area naturalist and author of our Birds of Barrington series, Wendy Paulson. There are several walks scheduled in the weeks ahead and Wendy
A bird you might miss in the Barrington area unless you know something of its habits and movements is the common nighthawk (Chordeilus minor). Late August and early September is the perfect
If there were a prize offered for the most elegant among songbirds, the cedar waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) would be a serious contender. Sleek, crested, black-masked, suavely-toned in fawn and yellowish plumage with
A month into summer, birdsong has diminished considerably. But a few species still vocalize regularly. One of the most conspicuous songsters is the indigo bunting (Passerina cyanea), a diminutive summer resident of
One of the more stunning species that nests in the Barrington area is the scarlet tanager (Piranga olivacea). Even a momentary glimpse of the bird elicits a visual – and often audible
Update: On the morning of June 9, 2015, Jim Bodkin and George Pierce of Citizens for Conservation with Robert Sliwinski, the original engineer of the rookery structure, paddled to the Baker’s Lake
A frequently overlooked bird that returns to the Barrington area each spring, sometimes as early as late March, is the eastern towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus). I learned its name as the rufous-sided towhee
If you have been the least bit attentive to bird activity or song these days, no doubt you have noted the return of red-winged blackbirds to the Barrington area. My mother-in-law does
As I write this profile near the end of a frigid February, there is little indication that migrants will begin to return to the Barrington area anytime soon. So I’ll focus not