Notes come from around Chicago outdoors and beyond. Finally getting this posted after a week of computer issues.
WILD OF THE WEEK
Kate Briand emailed the photo of a sandhill crane in unincorporated Lake County the day after Christmas. “I spotted this sandhill crane and his/her mate in our neighborhood today,” she noted. “They are residents here during the normal breeding/nesting season (and can often be seen walking down the middle of the street) but I never expected to see them on December 26th!”
She also noted, “Last winter, I saw a pileated woodpecker going in and out of a nest in an old oak in a neighbor’s yard. That was a thrill that I never expected to see in such a relatively developed area (I’d seen one in northern Wisconsin years before). Thankfully, the old growth oaks in the area have been saved so birds like that have homes!”
WOTW, the celebration of wild stories and photos around Chicago outdoors, runs most weeks in the special two-page outdoors section in the Sun-Times Sports Saturday. To make submissions, email BowmanOutside@gmail.com or contact me on Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside), Instagram (@BowmanOutside). or Bluesky (@Bowmanoutside).
SHOWTIME
Through Jan. 7: Let’s Go Fishing Show, Gateway Convention Center, Collinsville.
BIG NUMBER
88 — Years that Park Bait has been in operation in some form at Montrose Harbor. This was the first year it was open through Christmas.
LAST WORD
‘‘It’s amazing that a year ago today temps were near zero, and I was drilling holes. Not today with highs in the 50s!’’
Ken ‘‘Husker’’ O’Malley, a Christmas holiday observation on fishing conditions.
WILD TIMES
HUNTER SAFETY
Jan. 12-13: Bourbonnais, (815) 933-9400
Feb. 24-25: Essex, (815) 922-4027
U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY
Saturday, Jan. 6: Boat America, Chicago, Dan O’Connell, cgaux.doc@gmail.com
SHOWTIME
Through Jan. 7:Let’s Go Fishing Show, Gateway Convention Center, Collinsville
Click here for the complete list of show, outdoors classes, swap meets and major ice-fishing events.
ILLUMINATION
Through Saturday, Jan. 6: Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum. For tickets, go to mortonarb.org and in-person at the Arboretum Visitor Center during operating hours. Pricing begins at $18.