by Jack MacRae Most birds do their best to maintain a tidy nest. Removing eggshells, stray feathers, and bits of food is serious business for avian parents. And of course, there is loads of excrement. Some baby birds defecate every time they eat, up to 13 times a day. Fortunately, nature provides disposable bags to help with housekeeping. Fecal sacs are … Read more
by Jack MacRae Green herons return to the Fox River during the third week of April. They play on a smaller, more intimate stage than their big blue cousins, usually shunning the commotion of large communal rookeries. Little Green Love Shack Upon arriving at his territory, the male starts building his love nest by placing a few … Read more
by Gary Swick Having access to clean water is a need for all living things. The natural environment provides that through the hydrological cycle. Humans routinely interrupt that process and threaten their own water quality. It is the mission of Friends of the Fox River to protect our watershed through education, restoration, research, and advocacy. … Read more
By Arthur Malm It has been 100 years since the passage of Illinois’ Sanitary District Act of 1917. That Act allowed voters to petition for a referendum to form a sanitary district and build treatment plants to “conduce to the preservation of the public health, comfort and convenience”(1). Since that Act’s passage great strides have … Read more
by Gary Swick McHenry County Green Drinks recently invited Friends of the Fox River to talk about paddling the Fox River. We decided that our Executive Director Gary Mechanic would talk about the physical aspects of paddling, and I would offer a spiritual perspective. I’m a spiritual guy, but I’m also a science guy. I … Read more
By Jack MacRae Ephemeral Flora Spring beauties (claytonia) are true cuties. They’re wee little flowers found in our mature oak and maple woods. Look close and you’ll see five peppermint pink striped petals that form a saucer shape corolla, two soft green sepals that form the calyx, and five stamens with pretty in pink anthers. They … Read more
by Gary Mechanic, Executive Director The Fox River has come a long way from the days when it was the most used and abused river in Illinois. An 1908 monograph describes the Fox River: “… the tributaries often bring large amounts of sediment, and various manufactories along the river discharge a large amount of refuse … Read more
By Gary Swick Because our watershed is biologically significant, it’s experiencing continual growth, and it’s home to a lot of conservationists, the Fox River is fortunate to have an incredible assortment of protectors. The list of who’s doing what can be quite confusing, with an alphabet soup of acronyms. The following is only a partial … Read more
by Crusty Jack MacRae There are not too many forms of fungus you can spot from 60 yards away. But the next time you’re visiting your favorite ancient oak woodlands in the Fox River’s watershed, take note of the wide, pale gray bands of smooth bark on the trunks. I grew up calling it “cow rub”, but … Read more
By Gary Swick What government agency is responsible for the Fox River’s shoreline and bottom, its water quality, the fish in it, or the bald eagles visiting it? The answer is four different agencies! Do you know who they are? Just deciphering who’s protecting the Fox River can be a huge challenge. If Hilary Clinton … Read more
