Observing Nature


From the Rock River Times

By Don Miller, Education Director, Severson Dells Nature Center

Ely Keilback was born on February 6, 2009, this is a fact. However the legend of Ely starts here; after floating around in embryonic fluids for over nine-months, Ely was ready to run the current of his mom’s birth canal. The legend continues that he ran the canal like all good river runners who were being dumped, feet first. This is standard procedure just incase there should be obstacles in the way; the legs can provide a cushion for the body. There were no obstacles, but the story is told that Ely came out paddling. He used a perfect forward stroke with an occasional j-corrective stroke to continue himself on his straight and narrow path. (Mom Keilback says that Ely also used the sweep and pry strokes on his way out. Mom should know.) When he burst from the chute he took a deep inhale breath that was full of cosmic dust gathered through the eons, with it was water vapor from all the rivers and lakes of the world as well as the spirit of all those adventurers that that are living now and have lived before.

So at the age of three-months it was no surprise to me that Ely was canoeing on the Kishwaukee River. Now don’t be calling the DCFS on us, he was in good, if not great hands. He was with his mom, dad and me! We found ourselves on a warm May day running two canoes from Kishwaukee River Forest Preserve to Atwood Park in New Milford. I couldn’t help but think of the “circle of life” as I pushed off my canoe from the bank. Here I was floating with Ely on his first float on the same stretch of river that less than a year ago I had canoed with my friend Fran Lowman. Fran had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and that trip was to be her last float. It was a privilege to float with both Fran as it is now with Ely; such is the circle of life.

I was ecstatic when the Keilbacks called and had included me in their plans. They would be in one canoe with Ely and I would be in the other, with camera ready. A writer’s first obligation to his readers is to tell the truth. Well for the first 15 minutes little Ely wailed big time. Holy cow he wailed!!! It was a complete exercise in lung capacity building. But after mom readjusted his straight jacket of a life preserver, we all relaxed without adding any more water to the already high flow of the Kish.

Hope is not an action word. Nothing ever happens just because you hope it will. I know that there are people who are “half full” as well as there are people who are “half empty.” One can spend an insurmountable time hoping that their glass would become full or one can go out and fill it. Keilbacks are the type of parents who are going to fill Ely’s cup to the top. They will expose him to nature, make it fun, as well as give him room to grow. And yes, and then hope for the best. Life is full of choices. As parents we choose what is important to us to introduce to our children. It could be a variety of things: soccer, bowling, basketball,…nose to the grindstone homework values, dress codes, music, and we all know at some point in their young lives, peers and others will have their influence as well. We have know idea what our kids interest or focus may end up being. We can only lead them down the trail so far.

I wish on Ely’s first exposure to running rivers I could tell you about how an eagle soared over our heads, or about an osprey robbing the river of one of its small mouth bass, or that a pair of great blue herons performed their ancient dance on the shores…but none of that happened. Such is life, were we disappointed? Hell no! We saw a kingfisher that lead us down the river and chatted the whole way. Who knows maybe it’s a language not forgotten by three month old babies? We heard a barred owl asking,”who cooks for you, who cooks for you?” The banks were lustfully green and the sun was placing dancing diamonds on the waters surface. There was a young mom and dad with their baby boy at one within a family and at one within nature, filling their cups to the brim.

Ely will remember this day through pictures that will be shown and stories that will be told and retold. He may not actually remember the event at all, and that is okay because we did it as much for ourselves and we did it for him. This trip I am sure was the first of many adventures Ely will have in his life. As we floated Ely’s first float we went by a dad on the bank skipping stones with his young daughter. Further downstream the current took us by a grandma fishing from shore with her grandson. They were not at home “hoping” to go fishing or to skip rocks, they were making it happen.

The journey ends and we pull our canoes out of the water. Dad Keilback sprinkles a small amount of Kishwaukee River water on his son’s head. If you are shaking your head at that… don’t. There was no sac-religiousness in this act. Isn’t the love between a father, mother and child and them sharing the beauty of this world we live in with each other, a sacred thing to celebrate? To consecrate?

So welcome aboard little Ely, ride that current of life and always keep your cup full. I promise you that it will be a most amazing float. Love, “Uncle” Don

Don Miller ponders trees in this week’s Rock River Times.

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Tree huggers wrap up a bur oak.

He writes:

The old adage of “can’t see the forest because of the trees” has taken on a new meaning for me. I always thought it described some people who just didn’t get the big picture.

And . . . .

“Can’t see the forest because of the trees” may mean that one is so centered on the beauty or uniqueness of a single tree, the surrounding ones all disappear. Much like being at a crowded airport and not noticing anyone except the loved one you are focused on. I decided I needed to do some soul-searching and to seek out the trees that are in my life and mind. I found each tree special for a variety of reasons.

Click here to read the story.

Rockford’s Eddie Calloway is an amazing bird photographer who always keeps up on the latest high tech gadgets and applications. He’s also a wonderful blogger.

His in his latest blog post at Birdfreak.com, he takes a look at his crystal ball and sees a bright future where advanced technology plays an important role.

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Predicting the future is sorta like picking football results. The longer into the future your prediction, the higher the probability you will be wrong. So, what is in the years ahead for birders? As we get more fast-paced and high-tech, we think birders will become more advanced as they make a push to slow down and enjoy the birds they have helped conserve.

Read more: The Future of Birding and Conservation: Predictions and Wishful Thinking

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ⓒ Photo By Robert Renk

In the plant world, skunk cabbage is one of the first signs of Spring. Severson Dells member Robert Renk captured these images of skunk cabbage March 28 during the Skunk Cabbage Meander at Anna Page Park.

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ⓒ Photo By Robert Renk

It’s called skunk cabbage for good reason: It stinks. And it’s a good survival strategy as the rancid odor attracts flies, bees and gnats that pollinate it. Skunk cabbage blooms way before other wildflowers. The plant generates heat and is sometimes seen surrounded by snow and ice.

It grows in wet areas like creek and river bottoms, and wetlands. Its maroon petals and green leaves provide marked contrast to the leave litter that it emerges from.

Even though parts of the plant are poisonous, Native Americans used skunk cabbage to treat headache, muscle ache, hysteria, respiratory problems, epilepsy and various other ailments.

Why bring a child to summer camp? How about because nature experience changes lives.

Rockford Register Star Go columnist Geri Nikolai discovered that last year when she brought her granddaughter to a Grandparents and Grandkids camp at Severson Dells.

The experience changed her granddaughter’s life, replacing a sense of fear about nature with a sense of wonder and opening her eyes to the splendor of nature.

Click here to read the story. GERI NIKOLAI: Teach children to love nature

Learn more about Severson Dells Nature Center’s Summer Camps here.

By Brian Leaf

This was the spring we planned to spy on a pair of red-tailed hawks nesting in the downtown’s River District.

The hawks had other plans.

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They moved back into their nest before we humans could equip the large orange and white tower near Church and Jefferson streets with a wireless camera to broadcast the raising of their young to school classrooms and homes through the Internet.

The project, proposed by Severson Dells Nature Center, has been delayed until spring 2010.
Federal rules protect nesting raptors, whether they’re in a dead tree or a manmade tower. The rules also prevent humans from risking an aerial attack from an angry feathered missile protecting its family turf.

Hawk Cam is part of the Year of Innovation initiative to highlight unique projects throughout the region that result from collaborations between businesses and non-profits.

Our partners — AT&T; SupplyCore; Wilson Electric; Special Power, Inc.; the Labor Management Cooperation Committee of IBEW Local 364 and the Northern Illinois chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association; and BirdFreak.com – are still enthused about the project.

Work on the project is expected to continue later this year, after the birds have left the nest.
Thank you, partners!

When you’re downtown, keep your eyes open for the red-tails, one of North America’s most common raptors, but a relative newcomer to the city.

They do seem out of place. It is normally a bird you see sitting on fence or telephone posts during a country drive, waiting for a rodent to appear in the grass. They usually nest in the crotch of a tree, 50 or 100 feet up.

But increasingly, red-tails are living the urban life, building their nests of sticks on buildings or man-made structures like the AT&T microwave tower. The most famous pair of urban hawks is

Pale Male and Lola, who moved into a building in Manhattan near Central Park. A PBS documentary was made about the NYC birds.

Red-tails eat rodents, small mammals, birds and reptiles. Scientists say the bird’s success in cities is, in part, because it can modify its diet to adjust to local food sources.

Breeding pairs usually remain together until the death of a partner. Females lay one to four eggs. Males do most of the hunting.

Red-tails have returned to the tower for at least the past three years and they’re often seen perched on the tower next to the AT&T building, or chasing flocks of frantic pigeons that may provide regular meals for these city dwellers and their brood.

They’re quite a sight to behold. But wait a year and hopefully you’ll get a much more intimate view into the life of Rockford’s River District red-tails.

This story appears in the March 18-24 edition of the Rock River Times.

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At dusk on Sat., March 14, a fire was lit to manage a 4 acre prairie near the limestone barn at the Pecatonica River Forest Preserve. It was the finale to the Severson Dells Nature Center’s spring awakening, sponsored by The Law Office of Jim Black and Associates. Severson Dells board member Chris Mann captured the blaze with his camera.

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Before the fire.

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The fire begins.

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Dan Johnson of the Winnebago County Forest Preserve District was the fire starter.

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The crowd watches.

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Big blue stem’s last stand.

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Look at that!
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The blaze pushes on.

Everything was orange. Then the fire died out.

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The barn and prairie, after the fire.

Camp Peek-Into-Creek

Grade level: 2nd-5th Grade (2008-2009 school year)
Tuesday-Thursday, June 16-18, 2009 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

(Early and late drop offs and pick-ups can be arranged)
$55.00 Members of “Friends of Severson Dells”; $70.00 Non-members (Multiple sibling discount available)

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Dive into the ecology of stream life; whet your appetite and wet your feet. Take part in the A, B, Sees (appreciation, biology and silliness) of this watery world. We will explore the creeks located at Severson Dells Forest Preserve and Seward Bluffs Forest Preserve. (Campers will be expected to be dropped off and picked up at the appropriate scheduled locations.) The camp will be led by a professional staff with a 5 to 1 student to teacher ratio. (Maximum number of campers is 20.) The camp will end with the legendary creek slosh through the dells in the beautiful Hall Creek of Severson Dells.

Please call to register, or for more information: 1-815-335-2915

Download Creek Camp Registration Form Here

Check out the slide shows from creek camp 2008.

Grandparents and Kids Camp

Camp #1: Monday-Tuesday, June 22-23,
2009
Camp #2: Thursday-Friday, July 9-10, 2009
9:00-11:30 a.m.
Come One, Come All
Young and Young at Heart
(for grandparents and their grandchildren ages 5-12)

“There is no such thing as a grown up person”

Spend three fabulous mornings with your grandchildren enjoying the out-of-doors. We offer a variety of activities to complement differing levels of ability. No need to be an expert, just come and have fun.

“It is not half so important to know as to feel when introducing a young child to the natural world.” — Rachel Carson

$30.00 for members of “Friends of Severson Dells” for grandparent(s) and one child ($4.00 each additional child)
$40.00 for non-members for grandparent(s) and one child ($6.00 each additional child).

Please call to register, or for more information: 1-815-335-2915

Download Grandparents and Kids Camp Registration Form Here

See a story from Grandparents and Kids Camp 2008

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Nature Play For Little Kids

Designed Just For Younger Explorers (4-6 Years Old)
Fun! Mud! Water! Bugs! Outdoors!
Monday-Wednesday, July 6-8, 2009 — 9:00 -11:30 a.m.
Cost: $25 for members of “Friends of Severson Dells”
$30 for non-members

Please call to register, or for more information: 1-815-335-2915

Download Nature Play Registration Form Here

See Video from Nature Play Camp 2008.

Adventure Quest

It’s fun! You won’t want to miss it!
Grade Level (2008-2009 school year) 6th-9th grade
Monday- Wednesday, July 20-22, 2009
9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. (Monday)
8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (Tuesday & Wednesday)
(early drop-offs and late pick-ups can be arranged)

Cost: $125 per member of “Friends of Severson Dells”; $140 per non-member
These 3 days are for students going into the 6th-9th grade who want to
experience some exciting places and learn hands-on about rivers, wetlands,
woodlands, and caves.

Day 1 will be spent at Severson Dells walking in and exploring our creek.

Day 2 we will travel by van to a mystery destination.

Day 3, also by van, will take us to Maquoketa Cave State Park in Iowa to investigate the wonderful world of caves.

Please call to register, or for more information: 1-815-335-2915

Download Adventure Quest Registration Form Here

Bird Hike
Saturday, Feb. 21
8:30-11 a.m.
Join volunteer naturalist Phil Schwab at Severson Dells Forest Preserve as we begin by identifying birds at the feeders.
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We then will walk outside with the hopes of seeing the numerous winter residents of Severson Dells.

Meet at the Nature Center, 8786 Montague Road

Bring binoculars and dress for the weather. No fee.

Call 1-815-335-2915 to confirm.

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And Sunday . . . .

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Are there wolves in Northern Illinois?

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