On this page you will find an archive of all of our previous wildlife articles and videos from the weekly blog produced by Program Coordinator Kate Van Sloten.
2/5/21
The Value of a Dead Tree
This week on the Nature Brief we highlight the importance of dead trees. Yes, you read that correctly. Dead trees. We all know the benefits that living trees provide, but would it surprise you to know that over 1,000 species of animals rely on decaying trees for food and shelter? From foxes to fish to even the tiniest of insects, decaying trees are a valuable part of their habitat. I hope you will watch the video to learn more!
1/21/21
Wigwam Hollow Bird Sanctuary Plans for 2021!
Thank you to all of you who generously supported Wigwam Hollow Bird Sanctuary in 2020! You gave of your finances and time to help us restore this property for the benefit of migratory birds and endangered bats. Watch this week's brief to learn about our restoration plans for 2021 that you helped come to fruition with your giving.
1/14/21
DIY Suet Log Feeder
This week on the Nature Brief, take a look into the world of PLC board member and Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator Chris Enroth as he shows us how to make our own suet log feeder. This is not your traditional DIY video! Chris has infused great humor and entertainment into this piece. We hope it brings a smile to your day.
Winter is hard on the birds. Vegetation has withered and insects are not readily available. Large snowfalls can also make finding food difficult. You can help out our declining bird populations this winter by setting out some bird feeders or making your own! Feeding the birds helps you as well. You will have many hours of entertainment watching them. It could even lead to a new hobby of being a citizen scientist by submitting bird counts to the Cornell Bird Lab. If you love nature photography, a feeder will provide you with more opportunities to get a perfect shot. No matter what your motivation, we hope you will consider helping out our birds with a feeder.
Take your learning to the next level with these additional resources!
Learn how to keep squirrels from eating all your bird's seed!
youtu.be/6B4uehIOtlY
Winter is hard on the birds. Vegetation has withered and insects are not readily available. Large snowfalls can also make finding food difficult. You can help out our declining bird populations this winter by setting out some bird feeders or making your own! Feeding the birds helps you as well. You will have many hours of entertainment watching them. It could even lead to a new hobby of being a citizen scientist by submitting bird counts to the Cornell Bird Lab. If you love nature photography, a feeder will provide you with more opportunities to get a perfect shot. No matter what your motivation, we hope you will consider helping out our birds with a feeder.
Take your learning to the next level with these additional resources!
Learn how to keep squirrels from eating all your bird's seed!
youtu.be/6B4uehIOtlY
12/17/20
Which Woodpecker Was That?
Many woodpeckers look very similar and it is often hard to tell one from the other. In Illinois, there are 6 different woodpeckers that are black, white and red. This week on the nature brief, we give you some easy tips on how to use the color red to identify them. Birds featured are:
1. The Pileated Woodpecker
2. The Downy Woodpecker
3. The Hairy Woodpecker
4. The Red-bellied Woodpecker
5. The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
6. The Red-headed woodpecker
Want to help birds like the red-headed woodpecker who is a species in decline? You can get involved with our Bring Birds Back Campaign with a donation of your time or dollars!
Take your learning to the next level with these additional resources!
More ways to tell the difference between a Downy and a Hairy Woodpecker:
https://www.birdsandblooms.com/birding/bird-species/tell-difference-downy-hairy-woodpeckers/
How to draw woodpeckers to your backyard:
https://www.worldbirds.org/attracting-woodpeckers/
1. The Pileated Woodpecker
2. The Downy Woodpecker
3. The Hairy Woodpecker
4. The Red-bellied Woodpecker
5. The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
6. The Red-headed woodpecker
Want to help birds like the red-headed woodpecker who is a species in decline? You can get involved with our Bring Birds Back Campaign with a donation of your time or dollars!
Take your learning to the next level with these additional resources!
More ways to tell the difference between a Downy and a Hairy Woodpecker:
https://www.birdsandblooms.com/birding/bird-species/tell-difference-downy-hairy-woodpeckers/
How to draw woodpeckers to your backyard:
https://www.worldbirds.org/attracting-woodpeckers/
12/4/2020
The Beauty of a Brush Pile
Imagine yourself taking a walk outside when suddenly you hear thunder. A few minutes later rain starts to pour from the sky. You have no umbrella, no jacket, and no where to take cover. Soon you are wet, cold, and not in a very good mood. It would have been nice if you could have found a way to take cover from the storm, but alas, there was no shelter along your walking route.
Sadly, wildlife finds themselves in this type of situation often, but weather isn't the only thing they are seeking shelter from. They also need shelter from predators! Building a brush pile is a simple way to help wildlife in your area. Birds, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects all use brush piles as places to hide from predators, raise their young, take a rest, eat a meal, and take shelter during times of bad weather. Keep reading to learn the best place for a brush pile and how to construct an effective one.
Sadly, wildlife finds themselves in this type of situation often, but weather isn't the only thing they are seeking shelter from. They also need shelter from predators! Building a brush pile is a simple way to help wildlife in your area. Birds, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects all use brush piles as places to hide from predators, raise their young, take a rest, eat a meal, and take shelter during times of bad weather. Keep reading to learn the best place for a brush pile and how to construct an effective one.
Where to place a brush pile:
How to Build:
- Woodland edges
- Field borders
- Fence corners
- Forest openings
- Areas near water
- Your backyard if large enough and you don’t mind some new resident wildlife
How to Build:
- Create a sturdy base by placing larger logs side by side about a foot apart.
- Next place larger logs perpendicularly on top of the first row. This creates a tunnel system for wildlife.
- After the base is constructed, pile limbs and brush on top until the brush pile is five feet high. Start with larger limbs first and gradually add smaller sized limbs. Make the pile denser in the middle and looser near the edge
10/30/20
Happy International Bat Week -Are you living in a Bat Myth or Truth?
I hope you enjoy this week's brief as we explore the world of bats! No better time than the week of Halloween to learn more about these extremely special mammals that do more to make our lives enjoyable than most of us know.
Try out our "Bat Trivia Video" above and see if you believe in bat myths or truths. And if you are like me and MAY have raided the trick-or-treaters candy more than you care to admit, get your healthy mojo back with our "Thank a Bat" smoothie bowl recipe below! Did you know bats help pollinate and disperse seeds for things like coconut, strawberries, and mangoes? If you are a smoothie lover, thank a bat! If you prefer your mango in a margarita....well thank a bat for that too! Bats are the primary pollinator for agave which is what tequila is made of! Cheers to bats!
The world's only flying mammal does so much to protect our food supply by being a top insect predator (one bat can eat between 2,000-6000 insects in a night) and a necessary pollinator, but they are facing challenges just like so much of our beloved wildlife. At Prairie Land Conservancy we are working to protect the endangered and threatened bats in Illinois by providing habitat and careful management practices at our reserves and preserves. Many conservation easements also provide healthy habitat for these winged wonders. So test your skills on our trivia video, make a smoothie and spread the word that bats are heroes!
Try out our "Bat Trivia Video" above and see if you believe in bat myths or truths. And if you are like me and MAY have raided the trick-or-treaters candy more than you care to admit, get your healthy mojo back with our "Thank a Bat" smoothie bowl recipe below! Did you know bats help pollinate and disperse seeds for things like coconut, strawberries, and mangoes? If you are a smoothie lover, thank a bat! If you prefer your mango in a margarita....well thank a bat for that too! Bats are the primary pollinator for agave which is what tequila is made of! Cheers to bats!
The world's only flying mammal does so much to protect our food supply by being a top insect predator (one bat can eat between 2,000-6000 insects in a night) and a necessary pollinator, but they are facing challenges just like so much of our beloved wildlife. At Prairie Land Conservancy we are working to protect the endangered and threatened bats in Illinois by providing habitat and careful management practices at our reserves and preserves. Many conservation easements also provide healthy habitat for these winged wonders. So test your skills on our trivia video, make a smoothie and spread the word that bats are heroes!
10/16/20
Three Billion Gone
It was sobering the first time I saw that figure. Three billion? Really? How have we lost three billion birds in my lifetime? I became a birder after taking a class with Macomb's own Mr. Ed Franks (a retired WIU ornithologist) who has taught so many folks to appreciate birds whether in his classroom at WIU or in his community LIFE classes. He inspired in me a deep love for birds. When I heard these statistics, I did some research to see if this three billion figure was true. Sadly, it was.
Normally I try to keep the Nature Brief upbeat and light, but today we must dig deep and look at a real challenge facing our world. Birds are showing us that we must act now to ensure our planet can sustain wildlife and people. But do not worry, there is hope! We at PLC are working to be part of the solution, and you can help!
Take a look at the statistics according to the partners at 3billionbirds.org which include Audubon, The American Bird Conservancy, and Cornell Bird Lab:
"Across the continent, numbers have plummeted, even among common species. Published in Science by researchers at seven institutions, the findings show that 2.9 billion breeding adult birds have been lost since 1970, including birds in every ecosystem. We have lost 1 in 4 birds since 1970. The losses include iconic songsters such as Eastern and Western Meadowlarks (down by 139 million) and favorite birds at feeders, such as Dark-eyed Juncos (down by 168 million) and sweet-singing White-throated Sparrows (down by 93 million). The disappearance of even common species indicates a general shift in our ecosystems’ ability to support basic birdlife, the scientists conclude."
So what now? Habitat loss is the single biggest threat to birds. At PLC we have protected over 2,000 acres of habitat. Many of these acres were purposely set aside to benefit migratory birds. This year, we are working hard to restore the woodland and prairie for migratory birds at our 200-hundred-acre Wigwam Hollow Bird Sanctuary. We will work to remove invasive, non-native plants and plant new trees. We will establish a tall grass prairie as well. But we need your help!
We invite you to join us as we work to restore and protect vital bird habitat right here in Macomb. If you can, please donate to our Wigwam Hollow Bird Sanctuary to support our work in protecting bird habitat right here in McDonough County. You will get back what you give as nearby nature brings greater health and happiness to your life and your relationships.
Normally I try to keep the Nature Brief upbeat and light, but today we must dig deep and look at a real challenge facing our world. Birds are showing us that we must act now to ensure our planet can sustain wildlife and people. But do not worry, there is hope! We at PLC are working to be part of the solution, and you can help!
Take a look at the statistics according to the partners at 3billionbirds.org which include Audubon, The American Bird Conservancy, and Cornell Bird Lab:
"Across the continent, numbers have plummeted, even among common species. Published in Science by researchers at seven institutions, the findings show that 2.9 billion breeding adult birds have been lost since 1970, including birds in every ecosystem. We have lost 1 in 4 birds since 1970. The losses include iconic songsters such as Eastern and Western Meadowlarks (down by 139 million) and favorite birds at feeders, such as Dark-eyed Juncos (down by 168 million) and sweet-singing White-throated Sparrows (down by 93 million). The disappearance of even common species indicates a general shift in our ecosystems’ ability to support basic birdlife, the scientists conclude."
So what now? Habitat loss is the single biggest threat to birds. At PLC we have protected over 2,000 acres of habitat. Many of these acres were purposely set aside to benefit migratory birds. This year, we are working hard to restore the woodland and prairie for migratory birds at our 200-hundred-acre Wigwam Hollow Bird Sanctuary. We will work to remove invasive, non-native plants and plant new trees. We will establish a tall grass prairie as well. But we need your help!
We invite you to join us as we work to restore and protect vital bird habitat right here in Macomb. If you can, please donate to our Wigwam Hollow Bird Sanctuary to support our work in protecting bird habitat right here in McDonough County. You will get back what you give as nearby nature brings greater health and happiness to your life and your relationships.
Wigwam Hollow Bird Sanctuary is being conserved, in part, by funding made available as mitigation for impacts caused by the construction and maintenance of the Enbridge Pipelines, LLC, Flanagan south Pipeline. The Conservation Fund is working in partnership with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to manage the pipeline mitigation funds as part of its Midwest Habitat Fund.
10-9-2020
Why the Opossum is Totally Awesome!
The lowly opossum… they don’t get a lot of respect. Today, I invite you to reconsider the role of the opossum in your life. In all honesty, I made the Nature Brief about opossums this week because I have a large family of them residing in my back yard. I personally find them kind of cute (weird, I know). However, I realized.. I know nothing about opossums.
When people speak of them, well....I generally hear the following:
I don't ever remember someone making the opossum a focus of wildlife education. So today is their day at PLC!
True...they are not so cute, or cuddly, but they ARE AWESOME!
What if I told you an opossum walked the earth 65 million years ago?
What if you knew your best defense against ticks in your yard is the opossum?
What if they really are not an overgrown rat, but really a very special mammal?
Watch the Nature Brief this week to learn more about the opossum and why they are truly awesome.
When people speak of them, well....I generally hear the following:
- “They are so ugly!”
- “It looks like an overgrown rat!”
- “I don’t want them in my yard!”
I don't ever remember someone making the opossum a focus of wildlife education. So today is their day at PLC!
True...they are not so cute, or cuddly, but they ARE AWESOME!
What if I told you an opossum walked the earth 65 million years ago?
What if you knew your best defense against ticks in your yard is the opossum?
What if they really are not an overgrown rat, but really a very special mammal?
Watch the Nature Brief this week to learn more about the opossum and why they are truly awesome.
9/11/20
Leave the Leaves
You worked really hard to bring bees, butterflies, birds, and beneficial insects to your yard this year by planting native flowers and grasses. Now that most flowers are done blooming and the temperatures begin to drop, you might think your work is finished helping pollinators this season. Actually there is one more big step you can take to help pollinators. Do not bag up or shred your leaves this fall. This video will show you why pollinators and other insects and wildlife rely on leaf litter and how leaving your leaves can help you too!
8/21/2020
Defeat Pesky Squirrels at Your Bird Feeder
Are you losing the birdseed battle with squirrels? Watch this video to see recommendations for how to keep squirrels at your neighbor's bird feeder instead of yours :) Our program coordinator, Kate Van Sloten shares her successful tips with you after a year long battle of experimenting with what works and doesn't in her own backyard battle with squirrels.
7/8/2020
Celebrate National Bison Month With Some Trivia!
July is the month in which we celebrate our National Mammal, a symbol of cultural, historical, and ecological importance - the American Bison! Join in the celebration by playing a little Bison Trivia with us. Watch our video above to test your trivia skills and see how the bison is making a comeback thanks to conservation efforts and scientific research studies.
July is the month in which we celebrate our National Mammal, a symbol of cultural, historical, and ecological importance - the American Bison! Join in the celebration by playing a little Bison Trivia with us. Watch our video above to test your trivia skills and see how the bison is making a comeback thanks to conservation efforts and scientific research studies.
7/8/2020
Lions, Tigers, and Bears - Oh My!
Well, there were no tigers or lions, but this past month a certain bear has been making headlines across Illinois and gaining a nationwide following. “Bruno” is the infamous black bear that left Wisconsin and traveled through Iowa, west- central Illinois, and Missouri. As of July 8th, it was reported that Bruno is still in Missouri. On this week’s Nature Brief, we explore more about Bruno’s journey and answer this question - Why didn’t Bruno stay in Illinois?
Well, there were no tigers or lions, but this past month a certain bear has been making headlines across Illinois and gaining a nationwide following. “Bruno” is the infamous black bear that left Wisconsin and traveled through Iowa, west- central Illinois, and Missouri. As of July 8th, it was reported that Bruno is still in Missouri. On this week’s Nature Brief, we explore more about Bruno’s journey and answer this question - Why didn’t Bruno stay in Illinois?
7/1/2020
Bird Beaks: What a Beak Can Tell You About a Bird's Diet.
Maybe you have put out birdseed thinking you could attract a certain type of bird, but it never came. Was the seed bad? Did you put it in the wrong spot? Is the feeder wrong? Before you scour articles about what is the best birdseed or feeder, consider WHAT your favorite birds actually were designed to eat. Watch the video above to get a better understanding of how a beak gives clues to birds' natural dietary needs and preferences.
Maybe you have put out birdseed thinking you could attract a certain type of bird, but it never came. Was the seed bad? Did you put it in the wrong spot? Is the feeder wrong? Before you scour articles about what is the best birdseed or feeder, consider WHAT your favorite birds actually were designed to eat. Watch the video above to get a better understanding of how a beak gives clues to birds' natural dietary needs and preferences.