March 2009
RRFC Beginning Fly Tying Course
Saturdays, March 7, 14, 21, and 28, 9:00 am-noon
The Rock River Fly Casters are again offering an opportunity to learn the basics of fly tying in a relaxed setting at Severson Dells, under the helpful guidance of experienced tyers. The course consists of four Saturday sessions on March 7, 14, 21, and 28 that run from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon. Fee: $25 to cover the use of equipment and materials to tie 8 fly patterns. Class size is limited. For more details, and to register contact RRFC President Rich Honzel: rhonzel@att.net
Spring Awakening Gathering
Sponsored by The Law Office of Jim Black & Associates
Saturday, March 14, starting at 1:30 pm, come to all or part of the day.
At the Pec Barn located within the Pecatonica River Forest Preserve; entrance at 7260 Judd Road, Pecatonica.
Enjoy the celebration of the coming spring season and have fun with the whole family.
1:30-2:30 pm — Sugar Mapling — FREE! Join Winnebago County Forest Preserve District staff to learn more about the how’s and why’s of sugar mapling. Help tap some trees and follow the path of the sap from tree to syrup. Enjoy some maple syrup on frozen custard. (Thank you to the Culver’s of Winnebago owner Jim Fingland for providing the frozen custard.)
2:00-4:00 pm — Old-fashioned Barn Dance. Come out and enjoy this fun way to welcome the coming spring. We all will be having such a great time it will seem like the barn is dancing. The whole family is welcome to come and participate or watch. One needs not to worry about dancing abilities, only dancing attitude. Music by New Bad Habits with dance calling done by Dot Kent.
Dot Kent and Lynn “Chirps” Smith share music and dance with lovers of old-time traditional fiddle music across the country. Chirps has played with the Indian Creek Delta Boys (declared the official state stringband of Illinois in 1981), the Chicago Barn Dance Company, and the nationally known Volo Bogtrotters. Dot calls dances that get folks up and moving to the music, helping a roomful of individuals weave patterns on the floor. She chooses from a variety of dance formations, including circles, lines, contras and squares, from multiple sources to create a festive patchwork for all to enjoy. She will also introduce all comers to the basics of old-time freestyle clogging.
Lynn “Chirps” Smith was born and raised in downstate Illinois where he learned much of his repertoire of fiddle tunes from old-timers, such as Harvey “Pappy” Taylor and Noah Beavers, who learned many tunes before the advent of radio and records. As a result, the tunes he plays are usually new to the ears of even the most avid collectors of Southern, Appalachian, New England and Texas fiddle music. His Midwestern fiddling style is melodic, notey, rhythmically straightforward, and highly danceable. You won’t want to miss them.
4:45-6:30 pm — Community Supper — FREE! Enjoy the hard work and great recipes of the folks from the region at this pot luck dinner. Bring your own table ware and dish to pass and take in the feast. Severson Dells will provide lemonade and coffee for drinks as well as frozen custard with maple syrup (while it lasts.) Please call if you plan to attend so that we can have plenty for all. 1-815-335-2915
6:45 pm — Witness a Prairie Fire — FREE! The prairie fire is one of the most exciting occurrences of the spring. If conditions are right, we will burn the restored prairie east of the Pec Barn. The prairie is burned so that it remains in a quality state. As the sun is setting, view this incredible spectacle as flames reach high into the evening sky. It promises to be one of those nights that will be etched into your mind for a long time.
Skunk Cabbage Meander at Anna Page Park
Saturday, March 28, 1:30-2:30 pm
Join Don Miller on this walk at Anna Page Park to see the skunk cabbage patch. Skunk cabbage is one of the first signs of spring in the plant world. They have a very unusual look and smell, come check them out. The walk is free and the hiking will be easy. (It could be muddy and wet, however.) Call to register and get directions/meeting place. 1-815-335-2915
The Amazing Sex Life of the Freshwater Clam, by Kevin Cummings
Tuesday, March 31, 6:00 pm
Sinnissippi Audubon Annual Dinner
Lino’s Restaurant, 5611 E. State St., Rockford
Kevin Cummings, of the Illinois Natural History Survey, is a world-renowned authority on freshwater mollusks, championing the protection of this under-appreciated class of creatures. Author of numerous books, articles and websites on the subject, Mr. Cummings has conducted surveys in the Rock and other local rivers to check on the health of our mussels. He has put together a fascinating presentation of photos, shells and biological information that can be best described as totally cool! This is the annual meeting of Sinnissippi Audubon Society. Social gathering and drinks begin at 6:00 pm, followed by a short meeting, a multi-course pasta dinner, silent auction, and Mr. Cummings’ talk. Cost is $25. For reservations, contact Lisa Weckerly at 1-815-623-1815 or Larry McPheron at 1-815-978-0251 or email johannsen889@aol.com
April 2009
Gardening with Birds
Saturday, April 4, 9:30-11:00 am
Combine two great springtime activities, gardening and watching birds. This program, done in conjunction with the University of Illinois Extension, will discuss habitat requirements of birds, what you can grow to help attract them and how you can minimize potential dangers for our feathered friends. You will also learn about the variety of birds that might use your garden for nesting or a migration stopover spot. Presenters will be Mary Thiesing, U of I Extension Master Gardener, and Richard Benning, Severson Dells educator. Program is free to members of Friends of Severson Dells and U of I Master Gardeners. The fee for others is $2 per person, with a $5 maximum per family. 1-815-335-2915
Tour of the Aldo Leopold Shack and Legacy Center near Baraboo, WI
Monday, April 6, 7:30 am (from BFP)
Join the Byron Forest Preserve and Severson Dells Nature Center on Monday, April 6, for this trip to the Aldo Leopold Shack and the Aldo Leopold Legacy Center located outside of Baraboo, WI. The “Shack”, a re-built chicken coop along the Wisconsin River where Aldo Leopold and his family stayed during weekend retreats, inspired many of the essays in the conservation classic, A Sand County Almanac. Now recognized as one of the most influential volumes regarding the appropriate relationship between humans and nature, the book was Leopold’s call for a “Land Ethic” where humans extend their thoughts of community to include the water, soil, plants, and animals that support all life.
The Leopold Legacy Center is an educational and interpretive facility near the Leopold “Shack.” The Center embodies the philosophy of one of the nation’s great thinkers, the late conservationist and author of A Sand County Almanac. Learn about how features like solar power, geothermal, and sustainable building materials make this one of the “greenest” buildings in the world. It has not only received the US Green Building Council’s LEED® platinum certification, the highest possible level, but it was more highly rated than any other building yet rated in the United States. It is also the first building ever to be certified “carbon neutral.” Call SDNC (1-815-335-2915) for more information, or to register. Limited seating. Fee $20/person, $15/senior (over 62). Leave time from Byron’s Jarrett Prairie Center will be at 7:30 am and we will return at 4:30 pm. (Bring a sack lunch and a drink). First eight people to send their reservations in get a free copy of A Sand County Almanac.
Live Bat Encounter — Critter Day
Saturday, April 18, 3:00 pm
Sponsored in the name of Dr. Carl Hartman, Critter Day is an annual program to introduce folks to some of nature’s finest animals in order to give us a better understanding of their importance. Dr. Hartman was a scientific pioneer and his investigations into the nature and habitats of the opossum have not been surpassed. He held a central position among the workers in the field of reproductive physiology during the first half of the 20th century.
During the Live Bat Encounter learn about bats from around the world up-close and personal! Rob Mies, TV personality and Director of the Organization for Bat Conservation, speaks about the benefits of bats, why we need to conserve them, and what you can do to help these unique mammals.
Step into the mysterious world of bats and explore their benefits, habitats, and nocturnal strategies. Come meet a local bat from North America and hear its high-pitched sound with a “bat detector.” You will also meet a Straw-colored fruit bat from Africa, and an Asian. The finale is the largest bat in the world, the Gigantic Flying Fox Bat from Malaysia. This beautiful bat has nearly a 6-foot wingspan!
Rob Mies is a conservation biologist, bat expert, and author. He has appeared on many television shows including The Ellen Degeneres Show, The Today Show, Live with Regis and Kelly, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and Martha Stewart. Rob is the co-author of the first field guide to the bats of the United States and Canada, Stokes Beginners Guide to Bats. His research includes work with the endangered Indiana Bat of the United States, endangered Rodrigues Fruit Bat in the Indian Ocean, and the threatened Spectacled Flying Fox Bat in Australia.
The underlying message of the presentation is about the unique wildlife biodiversity around the world and the importance of protecting it from extinction. Bats are used as a way to interest, excite, and motivate the audience to learn more, take action in their backyard, and work globally to safeguard the earth’s natural world. This program is FREE to all. Please call to reserve a seat (seating is limited): 1-815-335-2915.
Carol LaChapelle
Earth Words: Telling Stories About Water
Sunday, April 19, 2:00-3:30 pm
Sugar River Forest Preserve Riverview Shelterhouse, 10127 Forest Preserve Road, Durand
Sponsored by Illinois Humanities Council and Severson Dells Nature Center
Human beings have been writing about their relationship with nature for well over 2,000 years. The pastoral poems of Theocritus and Virgil, and the British Romanticism of William Wordsworth have informed much of modern nature writing, including the American tradition. And while contemporary writers still explore their personal experiences in the natural world, they do so with a greater sense of urgency, especially as these places become more threatened. This program introduces audiences to nature writers who describe their encounters with water — those rivers, wetlands, lakes, and oceans that sustain them, and us, both physically and spiritually.
Carol LaChapelle is a Chicago-based writer, editor, and teacher who specializes in helping people tell their stories. She earned her BA in Psychology and MA in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she then taught for several years. Carol is the author of Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Stories: 167 Ways to Tell Your Life Stories (Marion Street Press, 2008). 1-815-335-2915. No Fee.
Birding Through Time:
A History of Bird Study in the Chicago Region
Tuesday, April 21, 6:30 pm
A free program sponsored by Severson Dells Nature Center and Sinnissippi Audubon Society
When the first Europeans arrived in this area in the 1670s, they discovered a place with a great diversity of landscapes teaming with an abundance of life. The earliest descriptions pre-date scientific ornithology but they do provide a hint of what was here. It wasn’t until the 1840s, however, with the arrival of Dr. Philo Hoy in Racine, WI did a scientifically inclined observer begin recording local birds. With photos and through the words of those who were witnesses, this program takes us on a field trip through time as we look at the changing birdlife and, equally important, the changing attitudes people held towards birds and nature. The talk is based on Joel’s new book, Of Prairie, Woods, and Water: Two Centuries of Chicago Nature Writing. Copies of the book will be available for sale and signing.
Joel Greenberg has been interested in birds and natural history as long as he can remember. With degrees in law and environmental policy, Joel has worked for such organizations as Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, City of Chicago’s Department of Environment, and the DuPage County Forest Preserve District. Since 2002, he has focused on environmental consulting and writing. He has published numerous articles and three books: A Birder’s Guide to the Chicago Region (w/ L. Carpenter, 1999), A Natural History of the Chicago Region (2002), and Of Prairie, Woods, and Water: Two Centuries of Chicago Nature Writing (2008).
Flights of Fancy
Saturday, April 25, 7:00 am-2:00 pm
For beginner and intermediate. Leader: Keith Blackmore
Enjoy a birding outing during the onset of spring songbird migration and learn more about where birds have been and where they are going. Opportunities will be provided to sharpen the skills useful in field recognition of our feathered friends. What behaviors do birds exhibit which help to identify them? What calls are especially helpful? How can one quickly locate birds in a bird book? We’ll spend about 4 1/2 hours outdoors and 2 1/2 hours indoors. Bring a sack lunch, binoculars, and bird book. Limit 16. Fee: $10. Easy trail walking. Call 1-815-335-2915. Payment of fee saves your spot.
Book Discussion: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle — A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver, Camille Kingsolver and Steven Hopp
Sunday, April 26, 1:30-3:30 pm at SDNC
Led by Joe Haverly, Rock Valley College Assistant Professor of Biology, this wonderfully crafted book chronicles the journey of noted author Barbara Kingsolver and her family as they leave their home in Tuscon and move to a farm in Virginia where they commit to becoming locavores–those who eat only locally grown foods. Once in Virginia, the family quickly begins to get to know their neighbors, their land, and each other as they learn through trial and error exactly what it takes to raise everything they need to sustain themselves. In no time, they learn the ins-and-outs of everything from transplanting tomatoes to turkey sex, all the while discovering what it truly means to have an adventurous palate. This book is full of gardening tips, environmental lessons, delicious recipes, and thoughtful insights into what really brings a family together. Anyone interested in philosophy, gardening, nature writing, or in the humorous details involved with weaning yourself from supermarkets will love this enjoyable read. Everyone is welcome to not only share their thoughts on the book, but also any relevant gardening tips, recipes, or other thoughtful insights. Perhaps you have seen some of the media coverage lately of the Weichel/Holdmann family; locavores living in Winnebago County. Lenae and Kevin will join us and share some of their stories and anecdotes. Free, please call if planning to attend: 1-815-335-2915
May 2009
Enjoying Spring Wildflowers
Saturday, May 2, 8:00 am-3:00 pm
For junior high through adults of any age. Leader: Keith Blackmore. While the dew is drying, we will spend time indoors learning or re-learning the basics of identifying spring wildflowers. We will then visit several area plant communities to see which wildflowers are present. Some car-pooling will be necessary. Bring a sack lunch, and a wildflower ID book and hand lens if you have them. Limit 16. Fee: $10. Easy trail walking. Call 1-815-335-2915. Payment of fee saves your spot.
Birds for Beginners
Saturdays, May 23 and June 6, 8:30-10:30 am (See locations below)
These two sessions are geared for those just getting into bird watching or those with only a rudimentary knowledge about birds. Students, from upper elementary through high school, are encouraged to attend. Adults also welcome. Topics covered include spotting birds, how to conduct yourself to improve your chance of seeing birds, basic bird identification and binocular use. You may attend one or both sessions. Each session will be limited to twelve participants so call and sign up early. The May 23 session will meet at Severson Dells Nature Center and the June 6 session will meet at the barn at Pecatonica River Forest Preserve. No fee. 1-815-335-2915.
