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 ...

When birds are making a commotion, I always follow the sounds to the source, because it usually leads to a hidden raptor. One day this mobbing behavior led me to a fierce little owl, gripping a tree ...