I was hiking down the main trail to the Fox River observation platform in the Hoover Forest Preserve (one of my favorite outdoor activities) near Yorkville just a couple of weeks ago in early October when I heard several unfamiliar calls emanating from the crowns of some tall white oak trees about half-way from the … Read more

I’ve always loved to come across a Green Heron when I’m on the river fishing or hiking in a riverside forest preserve.  These interesting herons are less frequent sights than their larger cousins, the Great Blue Heron and the Great Egret in our area.  These beautiful birds have been on the decline over the last … Read more

My sister and l recently took a ride out to the site of the Little Rock Creek Bald Eagle nest that I have written about in this space previously.  While the eaglets had fledged a few weeks ago, I was hopeful that one or two of the juvenile eagles or their parents might be paying … Read more

As I write this article in early July, I’m celebrating the beginning of a wonderful Independence Day weekend for our country, but also the emergence from the nest of a new-year-class of Bald Eagles. They are making their debut in the skies over the Fox River watershed!  I have been closely following the progress of … Read more

Back in 2005, I wrote a column for the Friends of the Fox River’s newsletter entitled “How Green Is My River?” due to the incredible algae blooms that were going on that year.  For much of that year, the river was a vivid pea-soup green: not healthy for river life and not very aesthetically pleasing … Read more

For this month’s column, I’ve decided to recount an incredibly unique experience I had along the banks of the Fox River last October (2022) on one of my frequent visits to the river observation platform at the Hoover Forest Preserve in Yorkville.  As you might suspect, this experience revolved around the interaction of three different … Read more

I frequently like to take drives along the Fox River where roads closely parallel the riverbank.  One such road that I particularly like to take during this time of year (spring) is IL Route 25 from Aurora south to Oswego.  This route passes by some great fishing areas, the sites of several water willow stands. … Read more

It’s the first day of meteorological spring (March 1) as I write my column for this month’s Reflections on the Fox blog.  Spring is an exciting season of “comebacks” in our Fox River Valley.  As of this writing, great flocks of Sandhill Cranes have been seen flying overhead as they come back from their winter … Read more

It’s a bright, sunny Groundhog Day as I write this article.  Punxsutawney Phil and our local groundhog, Woodstock Willie, both saw their shadows today signaling six more weeks of winter.  Whether you subscribe to these rodents’ forecasts or not, we’re in store for a fairly long period of winter weather before spring’s arrival!  I choose … Read more

One of my favorite winter birding pastimes is searching for one of the most spectacular birds that visits northern Illinois from the Arctic north during the winter: the Snowy Owl.  While I’m searching for Snowy Owls, I occasionally come across other large raptors like Bald Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks, Northern Harriers, and Rough-legged Hawks.  I also … Read more