Natural Events - Spring 2000

Here's what's debuting on nature's stage in Chicago Wilderness

by Jack MacRae

Horned Larks
Skylarks are a type of Buick. Horned larks are cute little grassland birds. They get their name from the black, elongated tuft of feathers that stick up like tiny devil horns. These little guys don't hop; they walk across the ground in search of seeds. Their courtship display includes a silent climb way high (800 ft.). Then they begin to sing and circle. At the end of the song they close their wings and drop headfirst to the ground, swooping out of the dive only at the last second. These birds have suffered from development on the open areas of Chicago Wilderness. While these ground-nesting birds were breeding as recently as 1992 in DuPage forest preserves, sadly there was no evidence of nesting activity in 1998. Let's hope this trend reverses itself.

Woodcocks
A well-known but remarkably entertaining evening event in the spring is the courtship flight of the male American woodcock. To advertise his presence, the male jumps into the air and flies upward in a spiral. During his ascent, a shrill whistling sound is created by air flowing through his wing feathers. After circling through the air several times and uttering a clear song, he drops to the ground, floating in a zig-zag manner similar to an oak leaf falling. Then he struts to a female who, obviously impressed by his flight, is ready to mate. After copulation, the promiscuous male repeats his display, hoping to get lucky again.

Woodcocks enter our area in the spring, shortly after the ground thaw. They inhabit rich bottomland woods where they can probe for earthworms in the soft soil. Many forest preserve districts or birding clubs offer outings to observe the woodcock mating dance.

Lakeside Daisies
A true gem of the Chicago Wilderness is the lakeside daisy. While they don't necessarily grow next to lakes — and to my untrained eye don't look like your typical daisy — lakeside daisies are one of the rarest plants in the world, having been extirpated from our region during the 20th century. Blooming in late April and early May, these federally endangered flowers require a habitat with high levels of alkali. Thanks to the good work of the Will County Forest Preserve District, lakeside daisies have been re-established on the dolomite prairie soil of Lockport Prairie and are currently doing very nicely. Be sure to stay on the designated trail and look for these attractive yellow flowers growing out of the rocky ground.

Big Day
To many people, bird watching is an opportunity to spend some leisure time in the slow-paced serenity of nature. There are a few people, however, who thrive on the competitive aspect of birding. One example of this phenomenon is called "Big Day," where teams of individuals compete to see the largest number of birds in a 24-hour period. In the Chicago region, expert birders dash madly from habitat to habitat, looking and listening for bird life. Once a bird has been identified and checked off, the competitors move on to the next species, leaving little time to enjoy the behavior of their target. It is rather humbling to note that these people usually identify more birds (last May 15, the winning total was 165 species!) in one day than I have identified in my life.

Warblers and Lake Temperatures
The warmer temperatures of spring mean more bugs, and more bugs usually mean more bug-eating birds. During May, a great variety of warblers arrive in the Chicago Wilderness seeking to chow down on a variety of flying insects. One interesting note is the effect Lake Michigan has on early arriving warblers. The large, cold body of water to our east keeps air temperatures low and the number of insects down along our shoreline. Just a few miles inland, however, the air temperatures are a few degrees warmer. This means that for a short period warblers are often found a few miles inland, before they are spotted along the lakefront at the Magic Hedge and the Jackson Park Lagoon. Check out inland sites like Thatcher Woods in Cook County, Waterfall Glen in DuPage County, or Ryerson Conservation Area in Lake County.

April Lake Accident
Many thousands of migrating birds pass through our area, typically traveling at night, relying on southern winds to carry them northward. On occasion, a sudden shift in wind direction can spell trouble for these night travelers. One such tragedy occurred in our area on April 16, 1960 when the wind abruptly changed from south to west. Wind speeds reached 80 mph and blew thousands of birds out over Lake Michigan, where a squall of freezing rain drove them down into the cold water. The following day, more than 12,000 birds belonging to 56 species were found washed ashore along the Indiana dunes. The windrows of dead birds included Henslow's sparrows, yellow rails, and meadowlarks.

The Disappearing Cricket Frog
Forty years ago, the Blan-chard's cricket frog was the most common amphibian living in Illinois and used to be found in all types of wet habitats. I'm sad to report that these diminutive tree frogs are now extremely scarce in the northern third of Illinois, and no one is quite sure the reason for their rapid disappearance. Fortunately, there is a relatively good-sized population existing in the wet, open areas along Prairie Creek at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. This spring, a group of volunteer frog monitors are hoping to hear the cricket frog's distinctive mating call &endash; a clicking sound similar to marbles being struck together &endash; as they conduct surveys in our natural areas.

Scouting Cubs
The fox cubs that were born earlier in the spring are now able to conduct short forays away from their home. They are still living with their parents, but are now learning to be a bit more independent in their ways. The woodlands and fields are their schoolyard as they try to figure out the world around them. They are experimenting with different foods, tasting everything from fruit to baby rabbits and beetles to bird eggs.

Grey foxes are living in our forests and timbered areas; their den is nearly always within the base of a hollow, mature tree. Red fox are animals of more open spaces, including the residential neighborhoods of towns and cities in the Chicago Wilderness. The home of the red fox is more likely in the ground, typically an appropriated groundhog burrow.

Illinois Rivers Appreciation Month
June has been designated as Illinois Rivers Appreciation Month. To help promote one of our local waterways, the 3rd Annual Des Plaines River Canoe Expedition will take place June 16 -18. Starting in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin and concluding at Isle a la Cache in Will County, the expedition will feature huge fur trade era canoes hauling dignitaries and elected officials from various communities along short stretches of this scenic river. The expedition will make 24 stops along the route, with short public presentations highlighting issues facing the Des Plaines and its watershed at each interlude. For a complete schedule, call Gary Mechanic at (773) 267-0146.

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