A tree swallow banks away from the evening sun in McHenry County, Illinois.

Two coyotes ramble through the brush during an early Spring snow in Kane County, Illinois.

This great horned owlet was giving us the stare one evening from its nest a couple of weeks before it fledged. Seemed to be saying, "I'll be big and free from this nest soon and won't have to put up with you anymore!"

Flight of the Bumblebee. June 22-28, 2020 has been designated National Pollinator Week to celebrate pollinators and spread the word about what you can do to protect them. Here's more info: https://www.pollinator.org/pollinator-week.

A great blue heron takes off from along the Fox River in Kane County, Illinois earlier this Spring. Although great blue herons are a common sight, the really are a beautiful and colorful bird . . .

A raft of ruddy duck drakes and hens are doing what they do best during the daylight hours: sleeping. The male ruddy ducks are known for their bright blue bills . . .

Northern Illinois is in the migratory path for American White Pelicans, and usually by late March or early April of each year they'll stop for a spell in a handful of local lakes. This particular group of 50 or so pelicans had split off from the rest of the bunch (up to a couple hundred) and had gone fishin' . . .

June 20th is American Eagle Day, and this special day was established to commemorate the anniversary of the Bald Eagle's selection as our National Symbol in 1782, to celebrate its physical recovery in America's skies, and to observe the American values, ideals and attributes for which it stands. What a glorious and magnificent bird, and a perfect symbol of the United States of America.

A trumpeter swan fans its beautiful wings in the afternoon sun of a late winter day earlier this year. The snowy-white plumage of the trumpeter swan is stunning, along with the six foot wingspan of our largest native waterfowl in North America.

A great horned owlet enjoys a little extra space in the nest while Mama is up on a high branch watching from overhead. As the owlets get bigger, it gets just a little cramped for both Mama and the owlets, so a little respite from the crowding is a nice change of pace. It won't be too much longer before the owlets fledge, and they can then cover the skies along with the local raptors.