CHAMPAIGN -- “Birds of omen, dark and foul,” wrote Sir Walter Scott about owls, once considered harbingers of doom, death, and destruction. In Medieval Europe, owls were thought to be witches and an ...

Q: I would really like to see a screech owl, but I never have. What’s the best way to locate one of these owls? A: These small owls are described as “common” but are notoriously challenging to spot ...

It’s now 2026, and the New Year arrived cold and windy. No doubt the cold and icy patches will be around for a long time. It was really cold last Sunday, when the annual Bethlehem/Easton Christmas ...

The sound was unmistakable and led me outdoors to face the thick woods across the road. In the advancing twilight the sound pierced the darkness again, and then again. The ghostly mournful wail, best ...

Owls are more often heard than seen. In New York, there are eight species of these interesting raptors, with the majority most active at night. Some live here year-round, some are migratory. They ...

On the chilly morning of Dec. 5, Alex Patton headed into a coffee shop in Utica. On his way out, he glanced across the nearby stream and noticed the bird in the accompanying photo. Sharp-eyed Patton ...