January 10 - January 16 Discover nature this week as you explore the New Year with a winter hike through the woods. The morning after a new snow is the best time to look for tracks, but a good rain will yield good tracks, too. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, the easiest place to look for tracks is where two habitats meet, such as the edge of a field and a wooded area, or at the edge of water. A track's size and shape can help you make a good guess at the size and even

January 3 - January 9 Discover Nature this week as you watch for red-tailed hawks perched along highways, and consider what their presence says about other resident wildlife. Identifying the red-tailed hawk is easy, since the highly-visible rusty-red tail feathers cannot be confused with any other species in Missouri. The red-tailed hawk is a powerful, husky hawk with a wingspan known to reach almost 60 inches wide. Its loud, defiant scream and frequent soaring are familiar to Missourians and

Found across the Eastern and Midwest portion of the United States, the blue jay is a native Missouri songbird. It's a wonderful bird to start with when learning bird identification, especially for children. Jays are conspicuous because of their size and striking color. White patches and black bars highlight the bird's blue wings and tail. And the white underbelly and black necklace on its front are easy to spot as well. A jay also sports a distinct crest on its head. Jays belong to a family of

December 20 - December 26 Discover nature this week and watch for evidence of beavers in your area. Measuring up to four-and-a-half feet long and weighing up to 90 pounds, these animals are classified as the largest rodents in North America. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, they will be feeding on sapling reserves throughout these winter months. The search for beaver pelts was one enticement that led to the exploration and settlement of our nation. In 1763, Pierre Laclede

December 13 - December 19 Discover Nature this week as you learn to identify the Christmas fern in Missouri’s landscape. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, Christmas ferns will be most visible on woodland slopes this week. Most ferns are annual in Missouri, though the Christmas fern overwinters and adds color to our winter season. Knowing the anatomy of a plant is the first key to identification. Leaves of ferns range from quite large to very small. The above ground stem

December 6 - December 12 Discover Nature this week as Missouri’s wildlife den up or hibernate to avoid the cold. Winter is a challenge for wildlife and many species have various methods of surviving the cold. Some animals leave the state and don’t come back until spring. Others find sheltered dens and sleep until spring. Some remain in Missouri and stay active through the winter, but they still have specials ways of handling the cold weather. Woodchucks, or groundhogs, are considered true

November 29 - December 5 Discover Nature this week as Great Horned Owls begin to court. These large, nocturnal birds occur in deep forests, open areas with small woodlots and sometimes in urban areas. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, Great Horned Owls initiate nesting earlier in the year than any other Missouri native bird. Of the four kinds of owls that reside in Missouri year round, only the great horned owl has a thriving population. The remainder is declining in numbers,

Discover Nature this week and your Thanksgiving turkey. Chances are a turkey will land on your table this week -- a bird simmered in American tradition. The turkey was once so common in America and so well liked, that when United States officials were deciding on a national mascot there was much deliberation between the bald eagle and the turkey. The largest of North American game birds, turkeys are large and powerful, standing up to three feet tall when alert. These birds are easily identified

November 15 - November 21 Discover nature this week by making something that will keep you discovering nature all winter long – a bird feeder. According to a Missouri Department of Conservation survey, one and a half million Missourians enjoy bird feeding. Even on the dreariest winter day, watching the freedom and brilliant feathers of a bird in flight or their interactions as they enjoy a meal of sunflower seeds in your back yard can lift a foggy mood. The most commonly recognized bird in

Take an early morning hike in the late autumn air this week and Discover Nature in Missouri’s most fleeting flower - that isn’t really a flower at all. Frost flowers are delicate white blossoms that occur during the first hard frosts each fall when moisture squeezes through cracks in the stem and freezes into frosty Wribbons, rosebuds or other artistic looking shapes. Autumn rain and early frosts favor their formation, because they form when the water that is sucked out of the soil by a plant’s