DuPage Forest Blog

Geese-Free, Thanks to a Border Collie Named Louie

on 9/12/18 4:02 PM By | Forest Preserve District of DuPage County | 0 Comments | Insider Wildlife Locations Recreation Golf

It’s 5 a.m. at The Preserve at Oak Meadows — the Forest Preserve District’s signature golf course — and Louie the border collie is on patrol for nuisance geese. His head is lowered, shoulders and hips down, and tail hung low. He locks his eyes on a flock on the grass near Salt Creek. Step by slow, quiet step… he stalks and uses “the eye” to intimidate the geese.

Eastern-chipmunk-Cephas-via-wikimedia-commons

Small Mammals Busy Preparing for Colder Weather

on 9/11/18 3:12 PM By | Forest Preserve District of DuPage County | 0 Comments | Nature Insider Wildlife Locations Conservation

While many small mammals and bats are putting on fat in fall to prepare for a long, cold winter hibernation, many are not. For the most part, our common small mammals -- the eastern chipmunk, white-footed mouse and meadow vole – remain active during the winter with periods of torpor — a short period of inactivity but not true hibernation.

Monarch Butterflies Start Long Migration

on 9/6/18 2:29 PM By | Forest Preserve District of DuPage County | 0 Comments | Nature Insider Wildlife Locations Conservation

Late summer and early fall is a peak time for monarch activity as they prepare for the long migration south to the forests of central Mexico. It’s also a great time to view them as they feed on late blooming flowers like goldenrod and aster to fuel their long journey.

Routine Physical for Willowbrook's Resident Bobcat

on 8/28/18 9:49 AM By | Forest Preserve District of DuPage County | 0 Comments | Nature Insider Wildlife Locations

A routine annual physical is anything but when your patient is a 30-pound bobcat.

Training With Willowbrook Wildlife

on 8/20/18 12:10 PM By | Krystle Piwowar | 0 Comments | Nature Insider Wildlife Take 5 Locations Recreation

For 62 years Willowbrook Wildlife Center has been known for rehabilitating native wildlife and providing education programs for people of all ages throughout DuPage County.

Lunch Break Loops

on 8/15/18 9:30 AM By | Forest Preserve District of DuPage County | 0 Comments | Nature Insider Wildlife Take 5 Locations Recreation

Late summer is a beautiful time in the preserves. But it can still be a struggle to find time to get to your favorite forest preserve, even though research shows that 20 minutes outdoors can reduce stress, improve your mood, enhance your memory and help you maintain a healthy weight. Fortunately, the Forest Preserve District offers lots of short trails that can help you get your daily dose of nature even during lunch!

Ranger Helps an Entangled Turtle

on 8/9/18 9:07 AM By | Forest Preserve District of DuPage County | 0 Comments | Nature Insider Wildlife Locations Recreation

Forest Preserve District Ranger Austen Doherty answered the call when a visitor at Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve reported an injured turtle along the Salt Creek shoreline.

Protecting the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly

on 8/6/18 11:11 AM By | Tom Velat | 0 Comments | Nature Insider Wildlife Locations Conservation Natural resources

Working on the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly Project over the past several years has been a fascinating experience for me.

Bright Flashes of Orange in Local Trees

on 7/30/18 10:37 AM By | Forest Preserve District of DuPage County | 0 Comments | Nature Insider Wildlife Take 5 Locations Recreation

Despite their bright orange plumage, Baltimore orioles may not be easy to spot. These relatives of yellow-headed and red-wing blackbirds prefer high branches in densely wooded areas over open space like prairies. They tend to stay hidden, so you’re more likely to hear these birds than see them. They have a very rich, operatic, liquid-sounding whistling song, according to Abby Dean, a naturalist at Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center in Oak Brook. "It really stands out," she said.

Fireflies are a Summer Delight

on 7/16/18 11:09 AM By | Forest Preserve District of DuPage County | 0 Comments | Nature Insider Wildlife Take 5

The twilight twinkles of fireflies, or lightning bugs, is one of the sure signs of summer. Most of us have fond memories of spending warm summer nights chasing them. Fireflies are fascinating creatures, but they’re not really flies – they’re beetles. The Lampyridae are a family of insects in the beetle order Coleoptera. They are winged beetles, commonly called fireflies or lightning bugs for their conspicuous use of bioluminescence during twilight to attract mates.

Kline Creek Farm Helps Save Heritage Milking Shorthorn Cattle

on 7/9/18 10:07 AM By | Forest Preserve District of DuPage County | 0 Comments | Insider

In the 19th century, the Milking Shorthorn cow was one of the most popular and common breeds in the United States. Today, it is a rare and endangered breed, with just 245 registered Heritage Milking Shorthorns in the U.S. And now Kline Creek Farm has one of them.

Helping the Hine's Emerald Dragonfly

on 7/3/18 9:07 AM By | Andres Ortega | 0 Comments | Nature Insider Wildlife Conservation Natural resources

Being a parent is one of the most difficult — but most rewarding — jobs I have ever had. You watch your children grow from someone in need of constant attention and care until, all too sudden, they become independent, self-sufficient young adults. While neither of my children have reached that final stage where they “fly the coop,” I can sense it in the not too distant future. For me, raising the federally endangered Hine’s emerald dragonfly at the District’s Urban Stream Research Center — while obviously different — also has many parallels to parenthood.

Beyond the Riding Lesson at Danada

on 7/2/18 3:06 PM By | Forest Preserve District of DuPage County | 0 Comments | Insider Take 5 Recreation Danada Equestrian Center

Animal lovers, curiosity seekers, horse enthusiasts and those visitors in-between can get up close to our horse herd at “Horsin Around” on July 21 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Danada Equestrian Center in Wheaton. This unique experience — one of many one-day programs at the center throughout the year — not only offers an opportunity to interact with the horses but also learn about general breeds, colors and care. We’ll even explore topics in horse health, grooming and pasture turnout versus stall boarding.

Get to Know Nature's Nasties

on 6/25/18 10:07 AM By | Forest Preserve District of DuPage County | 0 Comments | Nature Insider Wildlife Plants Health and wellness Take 5

Ah, summer in DuPage County. Time to get reacquainted with the incredible array of plants and wildlife that call the forest preserves home. Sure, the thought of a few of them might make your skin itch or crawl, but learning what makes them do what they do — and what we can do to avoid them — can alleviate a lot of the uneasiness. So take a deep breath and read on!

Forest Fave: Meacham Grove

on 6/21/18 11:41 AM By | Forest Preserve District of DuPage County | 0 Comments | Insider Take 5 Recreation Trails Locations

When ranger Sarah Rosenberg needs to reconnect with nature, she stops at Meacham Grove Forest Preserve in Bloomingdale. She especially loves the excellent hiking trails at the 255-acre preserve, which features woodland groves, meadows, a fishing lake, wetlands, the meandering Spring Brook Creek and the Meacham Grove Nature Preserve.

Butterflying in the Forest Preserves

on 6/20/18 9:08 AM By | Forest Preserve District of DuPage County | 0 Comments | Wildlife Conservation Natural resources Insider Locations Plants

Watching butterflies in DuPage forest preserves is a favorite summer pastime for some insect enthusiasts. But even the lesser experienced bug lover in you can find butterflying a rewarding hobby with some patience and a little know-how. If you don't know where to begin, our top 10 observation tips will get you started butterflying this summer in the preserves.

Young Anglers Catch Fun at Just for Kids Fishing Derby

on 6/14/18 1:05 PM By | Forest Preserve District of DuPage County | 0 Comments | Nature Take 5 Recreation

Approximately 308 young anglers participated in the 32nd annual Just for Kids Fishing Derby at Blackwell Forest Preserve’s Silver Lake on June 10.

Best Wildlife Dads

on 6/6/18 10:24 AM By | Forest Preserve District of DuPage County | 0 Comments | Nature Natural resources Insider Wildlife

In the natural world, we know that mom is usually boss when it comes to raising babies. And in many species, it is the mom who does most of the work on her own. However, there are some cases where dad plays a huge role and is crucial for the successful raising of young. In honor of Father’s Day, we’re highlighting some of the best wildlife dads in the area.

Trail Segment Connects Two Counties

on 6/4/18 11:23 AM By | Forest Preserve District of DuPage County | 0 Comments | Recreation Trails Locations

The Forest Preserve Districts of DuPage and Will opened a 1.25-mile trail connecting Greene Valley Forest Preserve in Naperville to Whalon Lake Forest Preserve in Bolingbrook on June 1, 2018. Officials from the two forest preserve districts gathered for a ribbon-cutting at Whalon Lake, just where the trail extension meets up to the preserve’s looped trail.

New McDowell Grove Bridge Reopens

on 6/1/18 12:15 PM By | Forest Preserve District of DuPage County | 0 Comments | Conservation Nature Natural resources Recreation Trails Locations Insider

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County officials celebrated the opening of the new two-lane entrance bridge at McDowell Grove Forest Preserve in Naperville at a May 29 ribbon-cutting ceremony at the preserve on Raymond Drive.

Nature's Storytellers

A Blog About Nature in Our DuPage Forest Preserves