A Toxic Field

The hunters shot over a corn field. They’d been using that field for years. Some of their best memories were shooting in that field. The hunters were careful not to bother or shoot protected birds that rested and fed in the fields. They were only there to hunt geese and duck that passed over the…

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Let the Rut Begin Postscript

Ironically, early yesterday morning I received a call regarding a buck that had just been hit and was trying to drag itself out of the road. I was already in the car and only about five minutes away, so I decided to check on him right away. I found him on the grassy shoulder. He…

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Horned Grebe, Cold Waters

This Horned Grebe, a small migratory water bird, hit a window in our great city and descended to the walkway below. Like Loons, Grebes are meant for diving not for walking on or taking off from dry land. Grounded, he sat waiting for help. A passerby picked him up and phoned our Northerly Island bird…

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Bye Bye Birdie – Flying South for the Winter

Well, migration is coming to an end for the fall. Birds of prey, which migrate during the day, are still coming through…so are Sandhill Cranes. For the most part, however, the small migratory birds have already passed through our area. Some birds migrated to southern Illinois while others went to places like the southern United…

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Let the Rut Begin

Warning to all drivers – watch out for those White-tailed Deer. You see, White-tailed Deer are now in rut. Rut, which is triggered by shorter photoperiod days, is mating season and that means that bucks only have one thing on their minds! They aren’t watching for your car headlights, but rather they are in pursuit…

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The Beauty of Silent Flight

She flew silently into the night without much deliberation. She landed in a nearby tree and disappeared. We hoped that she would reveal her location by a soft trill or whinney, two Eastern Screech Owl vocalizations, but we heard nothing except the rustle of leaves.

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Dog Attacked Mallard Survives

Today we released a young Mallard Duck that had been attacked by a dog a few weeks prior and brought to Flint Creek Wildlife by Arlington Heights Animal Control. Upon admission, the duck had puncture wounds on her neck and chest. She relished the moment by bathing happily.

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