Mother's Day with Birds of Prey

Sure, flowers, gifts and breakfast in bed are nice, but some more adventurous moms and their families decided to mark Mother's Day this year by spending time getting to know some of nature's most fascinating creatures.

The Stillman Nature Preserve in South Barrington hosted Mother's Day with Birds of Prey on Sunday, giving bird and nature lovers a rare opportunity to get up close with owls, hawks, falcons and even a turkey vulture.

The nature center is a private facility that operates environmental education programs on 80 acres of woods, lake and prairie. The land contains a variety of habitats which offer food, cover and nesting sites for wild animals.

The birds of prey housed at Stillman are used for educational programs and can be seen by the public when the center is open on Sundays.