by NIAS | Mar 29, 2024
Listening to Amphibians at Elkhorn Creek
Wednesday, April 24, 6:30 p.m.
Coordinator: Mary Blackmore, 815-938-3204
Carpool from the Harbor Freight lot in Freeport at 6:00 p.m.
Join us at our Elkhorn Creek Biodiversity Preserve to listen to the spring advertisement calls of frogs and toads. While 6 species of amphibians have been identified at Elkhorn Creek over the years, our best chances are for hearing the rapid metallic clicks of the Western Chorus Frog and the long musical trill of the American Toad. We’ll walk near both wetland areas at the preserve that provide amphibian habitat.
Meet in the parking lot in the northeast corner of the preserve off of West Grove Rd. The preserve is located 3 miles southwest of Forreston in the SE corner of Freeport and West Grove Rds.
If weather is questionable, call Mary.
by NIAS | Mar 29, 2024
Blooming Pasque Flowers at the Freeport Prairie
Sunday, April 14, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Coordinator: Mary Blackmore 815-938-3204.
Join us as we admire one of the prairie’s harbingers of spring, the Pasque Flower. Unlike the crocus it resembles, a Pasque Flower, Anemone patens, is a member of the buttercup family. In early spring the plant sends up a flower stalk in advance of leaves so what you see are delicate pale violet blooms nestled in the muted tan tangle of last year’s prairie grasses. Come and see how Pasque Flower blooms actually move to track the sun.
The Freeport Prairie is an Illinois Nature Preserve located on Freeport’s south side. Meet in the preserve’s parking lot just off of Walnut Rd. at 2 p.m.
If weather is questionable, call Mary.
by NIAS | Mar 29, 2024
Enjoy The Spring Migration!
April 12 – Duck’s Misery and the southern Jane Addams Trail.
During most of this outing we are walking on the level, hard surface of the Jane Addams Trail. Some observations will be made from the shoulder of Winneshiek Rd. Carpool at 7:40 a.m.
Leader: Laura Dufford (815-541-8958)
Expected trail conditions are described above. Restrooms are not available unless noted. We’ve resumed carpooling from the Harbor Freight east parking area on Freeport’s south side adjacent to the McDonald’s along HWY 26. For walks where there is a carpool option, the departure time is indicated.
All of the walks will begin at 8 a.m. And conclude at 11 a.m. Feel free to join or depart the group anytime during those three hours. Those who wish to will gather for lunch afterwards at a nearby restaurant. If the weather is questionable or you need further directions to the site, please call the listed leader. We hope you can join us!
by NIAS | Mar 29, 2024
Spring Mississippi River Waterfowl
Saturday, April 6, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Coordinator: Anne Straight 815-938-3263 (call to register)
Carpool from the Forreston municipal lot on the south side of the village library along HWY 26 at 9 a.m. Or meet the group at the Spring Lake parking lot just off of HWY 84 about 2 miles south of Savanna at 10 a.m.
Join us as we look for migrating waterfowl on the Mississippi River south of Savanna. Usually a wide variety of both diving and dabbling ducks can be observed, with males in their colorful breeding plumage. We also should see grebes, pelicans, eagles, geese, songbirds, and perhaps some cranes and swans.
Following our time at Spring Lake, additional downstream sites will be visited, ending at Lock and Dam #13. Bring a sack lunch if you plan to stay past noon. Expected return time to Forreston is 4 p.m.
Please call Anne to register for this trip.
by NIAS | Jan 22, 2024
Skunk Cabbage Walk at Franklin Creek
Saturday, March 2
1:00-4:30 p.m. (Carpool 1:00 p.m.)
Carpool from the Forreston Municipal lot (on the south side of the village library)
Coordinator: Mary Blackmore
815-938-3204
Join us as we leisurely stroll the hard-surfaced paths at the Franklin Creek State Natural Area in northern Lee County looking for that wetland harbinger of spring, Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus). Restrooms are available just off the parking area.
If there is any snow cover, sometimes heat from the growing Skunk Cabbage melts a circle of snow around the emerging plant. On past trips we have been able to see the beginning of flowering on the spadix inside the distinctively mottled brown and yellow-green spathe. This is a fascinating plant!
Predicting plant emergence is an educated guess; be sure to sign up for this trip so that Mary can contact you if cancellation is necessary. Carpool from the Forreston Municipal lot (on the south side of the village library) at 1 p.m.
