Fox River

“Whoooo” is Out on the Illinois Prairie this Winter?

I still am, but not the Snowy Owls! Regular readers of this space know that I enjoy looking for Snowy Owls during the winter months.  Over the last several years I have enjoyed searching for, and finding, these beautiful visitors from the Arctic North.  This winter has been no exception, at least in the searching … Read more

June is a Time to Fine-tune

It has been said that folks in Illinois don’t complain about the weather for only two of the twelve months, those being June and September. Now behind us is the excitement of the ephemeral blooms on woodland forest floors, the brief visits of migrating bird travelers, and the challenges of big swings in unpredictable weather. … Read more

Friend Feature: Maureen and Larry Huey Go Native! 

By Jenni Schiavone, Friends of the Fox River Lead Educator Batavia residents and Friends of the Fox River members Maureen and Larry Huey recently took a giant leap. These passionate and active environmentalists invested in the conversion of their entire Fox River waterfront property from mowed turf to native plants. Maureen and Larry’s inspiration came from … Read more

Fox River near Silver Springs July 2020 by Tom Schrader

Reflections on the Fox

By Tom SchraderLifelong Fisherman and Past Friends of the Fox River President Hello fellow citizens of the Fox River watershed!  I have lived in the southern part of our watershed (near Aurora) for my entire 60 years here on Earth.  I have always loved nature, particularly the water, and the plants and animals that live … Read more

Gary Swick and Otter Creek Middle School

Finding Our Way in a Changing Landscape

By Gary Swick, FOFR President Returning to familiar but different landscapes is commonplace for life in the natural world. Most bird species migrate in the fall; their return in the spring is both an investment in what was there last fall and a gamble that what is needed for survival will still be accessible. The … Read more

1024px-Snapper2 By Rob Duval Own work CC BY-SA 40

Meet Your Submerged Neighbor

By Snappin’ Jack MacRae It’s not too difficult to find a few big old snapping turtles in January and February if you know where to look (under the ice), and have an adventurous streak. Warm clothes are a bonus. During the winter, when local ectothermic animals (e.g., amphibians and reptiles) are undergoing hibernation (or, brumation if you want … Read more