I like bumblebees. They’re big, round, and fuzzy, reminding me of a child’s stuffed animal toy. Where most bees and wasps dart about in a threatening manner, bumblebees are slow, clumsy, and
* All images captured by local wildlife photographer, Stephen Barten. Most owls are nocturnal creatures. They sleep by day and are active at night. But one species is largely diurnal or, more
One late winter day a few years ago I noticed something different about a small bird house I had hanging in a tree. There was new nest material protruding from the entry
It’s snipe season! Yes, for those still thinking that “hunting for snipe” means looking for an imaginary bird, you can be assured that the Wilson’s Snipe (Gallinago delicata) is indeed an actual
It’s that time of year again! Area naturalist, Wendy Paulson is getting ready to host a new season of Spring Bird Walks & Hikes in Barrington cosponsored by Audubon Great Lakes and
Ducks are very much tied to the seasons in Barrington. Mallards can be found locally all year long. Other ducks nest in the Barrington area during breeding season, species like wood duck
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I honestly cannot remember the first time I saw a Cooper’s hawk – or, rather, knew that I saw a Cooper’s hawk. It must have been after college when my husband and
On these waning summer evenings, one sweet birdsong often pierces the quiet that’s settling in. It belongs to the eastern wood pewee (Contopus virens), a bird that soon will depart for the
Get to know The Birds of Barrington with area naturalist, Wendy Paulson. Learn about our local bird population while enjoying the fall migration during Wendy’s upcoming schedule of guided Barrington Area Bird
Summer evening diners at one of the downtown Barrington restaurants with outdoor patios may note twitters in the sky above – not the twitter accounts regularly consulted on mobile devices, but those
Can there be a sweeter or more convincing herald of spring than the song sparrow? Certainly the bugling cries of sandhill cranes streaming overhead in March signal the emergence of fresh plant
With the approach of the Christmas season, thoughts turn to traditional holiday music. Among the most popular carols is “The Twelve Days of Christmas” which cites “two turtle doves” and leads us
Several recent appearances of an uncommon visitor to the Barrington area prompt me to add it to the growing assemblage of Barrington bird profiles. I struck out on a walk in the
For many migrant birds that nest in the Barrington area, it’s easy to predict where and when they’ll appear for their annual sojourn. Year after year, different habitats attract the species associated
Barrington hosts a fair number of large birds, ones that exceed four feet in length or six feet in wingspan. Think great blue heron, Barrington’s official town bird, or bald eagle, a