In the cold winter of 1819, a crew of surveyors was crisscrossing the hills along the bluffs of the Illinois River. They were part of the General Land Office’s new initiative to deploy a square-grid geographic identification system. This process…
The high-pitched whistle-trill of the Cedar Waxwing comes from the top branches of a tall Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana). The blue-colored berries of the Red Cedar are what the namesake bird is after. A plentiful food that can easily…
From beneath the melting snow, it can be seen. Shriveled, green rosettes of leaves, awaiting the warmth of spring. Each of these rosettes represents a plant that has found a toe-hold along our wooded paths in central Illinois. Each is…
Each year, as March moves into April, spring tempts us with its erratic presence. One day is 70 degrees and the Cardinals and Song Sparrows are busy singing in the brush. The next day is blanketed with snow and the…
Way back in forestry class, I learned that a good forestry practice was to leave some old trees standing when harvesting timber. Our forestry professor, Dr. Jay Cravens, used to say, “Make sure you leave some of the old trees…
December and early January was Christmas Bird Count time in Central Illinois. The Peoria Audubon Society coordinates three counts in the region. One in Peoria, one near Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge, and another in Chillicothe. The Christmas Bird Count (CBC)…
The Peoria region is blessed with woodlands along the bluffs of the Illinois River. Many of these have been protected as conservation areas and nature preserves. Places like Forest Park, Detweiller Park, Robinson Park, Camp Wokanda and Singing Woods are…
Last month, I wrote about the impending destruction of a native prairie near the Rockford International Airport. This prairie, one of the few remaining habitats of its kind, was slated to be destroyed by airport expansion beginning Nov. 1. Since…
In Illinois, the prairie state, finding prairies can be a real challenge. Over 99.99% of Illinois native prairie has been destroyed. Most prairie has been converted to agriculture. The areas that were too hilly to plough or too dry or…
Every year, a gloriously colored mushroom pops up at the base of an oak tree in one of our parks. It’s pumpkin colored top and other-worldly shape, makes it look like something that would be more at home on a…
