It’s an early morning, the sun is just up, and the water looks like a sheet of glass as you slide onto the surface. The only sounds are the birds, an occasional fish breaking the surface, and some droplets off your paddle as you move the blade to the front. It’s a memorable experience, one … 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
Humans are generally social creatures. We survive and thrive by working together. We are all individuals. For a variety of reasons, we develop relationships. We find commonality with others as siblings, neighbors, classmates, partners, friends, colleagues and more. By cooperating and collaborating with others, we can better achieve our common interests and aspirations. These groups … 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
Of course, you can! And you should on the Fox River. The Fox River is a wonderful place for canoe experiences. As a mid-size river, it offers fewer hazards than big rivers with barges or small narrow rivers often blocked by fallen trees. The Fox River is normally slow moving with many areas along shorelines … Read more
The Fox River is healthier than it has been in 100 years. This is due to government intervention in the name of public health and continued federal and state regulation on effluent from private businesses and public wastewater sources. A major turning point was during the Nixon administration. Wedged between a very unpopular Vietnam War … 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
If you are already a Friend, you received your (new this year) Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR) eCalendar. If you haven’t received yours and would like one, please email us at info@friendsofthefoxriver.org In addition, many of you have ordered your FOTFR wall calendar; if you haven’t, it’s still available, but the supply is limited. … Read more
By now, regular readers of my blog here know that I spend a lot of time hiking in the Hoover Forest Preserve along the south bank of the Fox River in Yorkville, Illinois. The preserve offers a wide variety of beautiful trees, colorful wildflowers, interesting animals, and a plethora of amazing birds. This summer, one … Read more
What do Pearl Harbor and the Fox River have in common? You are correct if you said, they both are places where pearls have been found. Pearl Harbor in Hawaii is locally known as Wai Momi or, “Waters of Pearl”. In 1914, the largest pearl in America was found in the Fox River. Mourning Our … Read more
