Starting a new year with a nature walk in South Barrington

Not everyone was watching football on New Year's Day. Some people started the new year combining a quest for exercise with a chance to commune with nature and participated in a walk at the Stillman Nature Center in South Barrington.

Over the years, New Year's Day hikers on Stillman's trails have encountered everything from bluebirds and shrikes to the remains of coyote kills.

Birds turned out for this year's hikers, but tracks and droppings revealed the recent presence of raccoons, squirrels, rabbits, coyotes and skunks.

"This is an excellent way to start the new year," said Tony Manos of Arlington Heights.

Mark Spreyer, executive director of the Stillman Nature Center, said the annual New Year's Day walk has been going on for about 20 years.

Stillman is a private, nonprofit center for environmental education located on 80 acres of woods, lake and prairie. A former estate, the land was donated by Alexander Stillman for the purpose of establishing a nature center.