The Buzz
All Buzz Articles
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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
2/29/2024Read moreSeveral 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
2/26/2024Read moreMeet 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
2/23/2024Read moreIt'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
2/22/2024Read moreAmong 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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A skunk walking in the grass.
Love is in the air? It's just skunk mating season
2/11/2024Read moreIt's skunk mating season, and as male skunks are out and about searching for mates, we may have more close encounters with these animals, resulting in that telltale smell in the air.
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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?
2/9/2024Read moreThose 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
2/7/2024Read moreCommon goldeneyes arrive in northern Illinois each winter. Look for them strutting their stuff on our local lakes.
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A turtle with a muddy shell sitting on a log in the water.
Nature curiosity: Why and how do turtles breathe with their butts?
2/2/2024Read moreHow do turtles breathe while they are underwater all winter? Through their butts, so to speak.
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A groundhog in the grass.
Five things to know about groundhogs, an animal for all seasons
2/2/2024Read moreGroundhogs get a lot of attention on Feb. 2, but there's a lot more to these critters than the silly notion that they can predict when winter will end.
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Two birds eating from a bird feeder.
How to keep the birds visiting your yard all winter long
1/31/2024Read moreThe days have become noticeably colder and shorter, and food supplies have become more scarce for many birds. But you can keep birds visiting your yard all year long by providing the right foods.
Current Headlines
New all-terrain wheelchair available for public use at Four Rivers
An adaptive all-terrain wheelchair is now available for public use at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon. The GRIT Freedom Chair – Spartan Model can be used by people of all ages and abilities.
Bald eagle nesting update: We have confirmed six eaglets in three nests
The bald eagle population has been booming in Will County in recent years, and we're monitoring four active nests.