What do you do with nearly 10,000 acres of strip-mined land in southeastern Ohio? Turn it into one of the world’s most magnificent conservation gems, The Wilds. Founded in 1984, The Wilds is home to endangered and rare species from around the world. These animals have large areas to roam and behave much like they
Author: The Birdfreak Team
3 Generations Counting Birds
Each spring I try to participate in the annual Spring Bird Count in northern Illinois. In the last 15 years I may have missed two or three. Counting birds is a great excuse to get out and go birding, even if life is extra busy. This year I headed out into the field with my
Montana Audubon’s Wings Across the Big Sky Bird Festival
I’ve visited Montana only once and have been dreaming of returning ever since. Montana is enormous and blessed with over 400 species of birds spread across a surprisingly diverse landscape. Wings Across the Big Sky is an annual birding festival hosted by Montana Audubon and this year marks the 20th for the festival. American Prairie
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Outdoors in Illinois – Edwin Lynn Callaway
My grandfather and namesake was a prolific writer and outdoors enthusiast. He had numerous published articles in many different periodicals, some of which I recently discovered in my parent’s basement. Outdoors appreciation was passed down from my grandfather, a man I never met, to my father who taught me through countless camping trips and nature
AllTrails – Crowdsourced Hiking Trails for Your Next Adventure
AllTrails is a website/app that features mapped hiking trails created through the power of crowdsourcing. This review is in no way affiliated with AllTrails. But it is a vital resource to birders and hikers. Let’s get started! First impressions of AllTrails is a great big wow! After creating an account you enter a digital map
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Review – Braiding Sweetgrass
It is not all that often that a book teaches so much in such a beautiful way. Every essay in Braiding Sweetgrass is enjoyable, overflowing with insight and information not only about plants, but of life, love, and the interconnection of everything. Written by Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass blends indigenous wisdom with science
Review of American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West
American Wolf, written by Nate Blakeslee, is an action-packed story that reads like a novel. This true story follows the lives of some of Yellowstone National Park’s well-known wolves, including O-Six, a particularly popular alpha female. The lives of wolves are as complex and dynamic as they are misunderstood. Most wolf studies prior to reintroduction
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Wee Naturalists – Whistle Pig Wake Up!
To kick off our second session of the Wee Naturalist program, my elder son and I headed to Russell Woods Forest Preserve on Groundhog’s Day to listen about, you guessed it, woodchucks. We learned that the Delaware Indians called the ground squirrel “wuchak” or “wojak” (didn’t get the spelling) and that they were important to
