Wildlife
SIEVERT: I Need a Hero
Aug 9th
The Northeast sky seen from Quincy on August 11, 2011 at 3:30 AM. This is a screenshot from the Star Walk App for iPhone. The meteor shower will appear to radiate from the point marked "Persieds."
As far as Grecian heroes go, Perseus really has it all. He’s the son of Zeus and Danea; so he’s got the fame. He’s slayed his fair share of monsters, including “snake-for-hair” Medusa; so he’s got the street cred. He rescued the damsel-in-distress Andromeda from a serious sea serpent set upon her by Poseidon; so he’s got the girl. With a resume like this, it’s not surprising that Perseus is one of the most recognizable constellations in the night sky.
Sievert
Each summer in Northern latitudes, we are treated to the Persied Meteor shower. These meteors are actually remnants of the tail of a comet named Swift-Tuttle. This comet orbits through our solar system, and its tail debris stretches hundreds of thousands of miles through space. As the comet crosses Earth’s path, bits of rock and ice slam into Earth’s upper atmosphere, and we get to view to some of the most spectacular “shooting stars” in the Northern Hemisphere.
The Persieds began in July, but will be peaking this week. Gazers can expect to see up to 50 meteors per hour in the Northeast sky radiating from the belt of the constellation Perseus. The full peak of the shower will be on Thursday, Aug. 11, around midnight, but there’s a bit of bad news: this year, Aug. 11 is also the night of a full-moon, and this will obscure all but the brightest Persieds. Here are a few tips to view the most meteors in spite of the moonlight:
1. Watch all week — Sure, the meteor shower peaks Thursday, but there will still be lots of streaking debris as the moon begins to wane next week. The best time for viewing with the least amount of moon interference is immediately proceeding dawn. At that time, the moon will set just a bit before the sun rises, so there will be a few minutes of precious dark.
2. Get out of town — City lights of any kind are going to obscure your view, so head out to the country to the darkest spot you can find. I’d suggest camping out at a local State Park and setting an alarm to wake you up in the wee hours of the morning if you really want a great view.
3. Find a moon shadow — The moon will be shining low in the southern skies around dawn this week. If you can find a barn or big tree or hill, you can sit on the north side and amplify the darkness. The darker the sky appears for you, the more meteors you’ll see.
4. Bring a sky map — If you’re going to be out star-gazing anyway, bring a sky map. There are five planets that are visible from Earth with the naked eye, and three of them appear in August (four if you’re lucky enough to glimpse Mercury just before sunrise). Saturn will be in the West in the early evening, and you can even view its rings with a telescope. As Saturn sets around 11 p.m., you should see Jupiter rise, and then Mars will follow Jupiter’s path in the sky a few hours after that. Besides the planets, it’s a fun time to find constellations like Queen Cassiopeia in her “W” shaped chair, Canus the dog, Ursa the Great Bear (A.K.A. the Big Dipper), Ursa Minor the Little Bear (A.K.A. the Little Dipper), Taurus the Bull, and many more.
5. Get the App — I apologize for the advertisement, but for my money, the app “Star Walk” (available on iPhone and Android) is simply one of the best celestial aids out there. Point it at the sky to see a map of the constellations you’re looking at. Point it at a major star and find out where it is, how big it is, and how many millions of year old the light you’re viewing today is. Besides the great live features, the app also gives you a picture of the day and a calendar — without which I would have forgotten the Persieds. The app is $2.99 for iPhone and $4.99 for iPad. It’s totally worth it.
I hope you “Get Out” for some star-gazing this week. Your next best chance for a meteor shower will be this winter when the Geminids will be streaking through our skies, but believe me when I say that sitting outside in August is substantially more comfortable than doing the same in January.
P.S. — I couldn’t write a blog about the stars without mentioning my favorite poem of all-time: When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer, by Walt Whittman.
Happy star gazing everyone!
Laura Sievert
SIEVERT: Sandy, but no day at the beach
Jun 3rd
Prickly Pear Cactus are common in the Illinois Sand Prarie, but are not often found in the rest of the state.
If you read my blog last Friday, I bet you’re anxious to know which Memorial Day Weekend destination my husband and I chose. After careful consideration, we headed north and visited Sand Ridge State Park, in Forest City, Ill.
Sand Ridge is the largest state park in Illinois at 7,500 acres, so we only got the chance to scratch the surface of what it has to offer on this short visit. One thing I can tell you is that this is the most unique environment I’ve ever seen in our area.
Justin Sievert is setting up a campsite at Sand Ridge State Park.
Laura Sievert is seen on a trail at Sand Ridge State Park.
The park gets its name because it is, in fact, very sandy. The receding glaciers dumped most of the sand there about 15,000 years ago, and a subsequent dry period turned the area into a desert. Fast-forward a few thousand years, and the deciduous forests of Illinois have grown onto the great sand dunes and merged with this formerly arid area to form what’s known as a Sand Prairie.
The area itself is so unique that it’s difficult to describe. There are the usual suspects from an Illinois forest: similar trees, deer in the distance, cardinals and robins raising a ruckus in the early morning hours, but there are also some strange features. For example, I trod over Prickly Pear Cactus in the first ten yards of the unceremoniously named “Orange Trail.” The trail was completely made out of deep sand and supported a variety of wildflowers that I’d never seen before. The plants seemed sturdy and worn and reminded me more of the southwestern U.S. than northern Illinois.
The sand also supports a wide variety of bugs. Besides some really pesky gnats and an unfortunate number of seed ticks, we saw some unique beetles, huge centipedes and several lovely types of butterflies. My favorite butterflies of the forest were the bright yellow Tiger Swallowtails and blue and orange Woodland Swallowtails.
The abundance of bugs supports a variety of animals that eat bugs — particularly birds and bats. As I was walking away from our campsite early Sunday morning, an electric buzzing sound caught my attention. I thought to myself how strange it was that they’d run electricity clear out in the woods, when I noticed that the sound was coming not from a light pole, but from a dead tree. The dead tree was evidently the home of a whole colony of Myotis lucifugus, or Little Brown Bats. I guess the noise was just the bats getting settled from a night on the wing at the best bug buffet in Illinois.
Sievert
Hiking and camping at the park is very rustic. The trails are fairly well-marked, but there are not many of the amenities you might expect. The bathrooms are all latrine style and unplumbed, and there are no playgrounds, rental areas or shelter houses. The sand was wet due to storms this weekend, and the temperatures were in the 90s, so the hiking was pretty exhausting. The back country campsites are stationed every few miles on the trails and do include nice fire pits. If you’re planning a trip to Sand Ridge State Park, you can reserve campground sites (with or without electricity) or backcountry sites at http://www.reserveamerica.com. The park does have very nice equestrian trails and a hand-trap range that look like fun. Seasonally, hunters find this park to be one of the best destinations in Illinois for deer, pheasant, quail, doves, turkey, and red and gray fox.
Overall, if you’re looking for a rustic outdoors experience at a very utilitarian park, or if you are interested in seeing a unique ecosystem in our own backyard, Sand Ridge is for you. I’m looking forward to visiting again in the winter and learning what a Sand Prairie looks like in colder months. But for now — does anyone know how I’m going to get all of this sand out of my sleeping bag?
Laura Sievert
SIEVERT: Choices, choices for Memorial weekend
May 27th
Eastern Fence Lizards can be found in Sand Ridge State Forest.
It’s Memorial Day Weekend and I don’t yet have a plan. I know, I’m getting to it a little late, but here’s the thing: there are so many great options. The weather is finally going to cooperate and give us some sunshine, and I’m ready to hit the trail for some hiking, but where to go? Here are the four ideas I’m tossing around — Maybe you can help pick:
Siloam Springs State Park
It’s the closest park to Quincy and has hiking trails that are just lovely (I blogged about them this winter!). The boat house opens this weekend, so we could rent canoes or a john boat and enjoy Crabapple Lake. I know there are lots of nesting birds around the edges of the lake too, so maybe I’d get a chance to see some fuzzy baby geese or something! Siloam is always a good choice for a near by adventure.
Justin Sievert at Argyle Lake State Park in both the winter and the spring.
Argyle Lake State Park
This state park is also quite close to Quincy. It’s just outside of Colchester, IL, and is one of the area’s best-kept secrets. The park features nice amenities including nice spots to camp and the hiking trails make different loops around and near the lake. There have been several improvements to the park lately, including the addition of stairs on parts of the trail that were in areas that are steep and can wash out in the rain. There is also a self-guided interpretative trail near the lake with info-graphics that describe the lake ecosystem. I love a good info-graphic! This park is also one of the few in the area with designated mountain biking trails for the intrepid weekend warrior!
Sievert
Sand Ridge State Forest
At 7,200 acres Sand Ridge is the largest state park in Illinois. It’s in Forrest City, Illinois, which is in the general vicinity of Peoria. This park is wholly unique to Illinois. It is a backpacker’s dream with over 26 miles of trails and 120 miles of fire lanes that can all be explored. There are registered campgrounds as well as rustic backcountry sites that can make this park a real outdoors experience. The ecosystem of the park is unlike the rest of the state. Thanks to the receding glaciers of the last ice age dumping millions of tons of sand on the area, as well as a prehistoric dry period in the state’s history, the forest is actually considered temperate desert or “Sand Prairie.” The unusual make-up of the soil supports plants and animals unseen anywhere else in the state. There are badgers, pocket gophers, fence lizards, prickly pear cactus, bur oak, and many more unusual species. The area is also known for its bird life and includes semi-tropical migratory birds like indigo buntings, verry, ovenbirds, and scarlet tanager, along with Illinois game birds like quail, dove and pheasant.
Question Mark Butterfly at Argyle Lake State Park.
Cuivre River State Park
I blogged about this Troy, Missouri park just a few weeks ago, but I just can’t say enough about it. The trails are great, and the wildlife is even better. The campsites are nice and flat and all have fire pits and grill covers, and maybe best of all, there are shower facilities that are included when you pay the $12 fee to camp. Now that it’s warm, the lake and beach will be open. That means swimming and lounging around to soak up some rays! The park rents paddleboats and canoes, so there are plenty of ways to beat the heat. As if all of those things weren’t enough, Ranger Talks start this weekend, and you can listen to the experts tell you more about the wildlife of the park. Who knows, I may even bring my bike if we go to this park, because the roads through the park also make a lovely ride.
So there you have it. It’s a good list of options, and now all I need to do is make a choice. I said this on my first blog, but it’s worth saying again: we live in amazing part of the country. All that’s asked of us is to “Get Out” and explore it. Have a great weekend everyone!
Links and directions:
Siloam Springs State Park http://tinyurl.com/siloamsprings
Argyle Lake State Park http://tinyurl.com/argylelake
Sand Ridge State Forest: http://tinyurl.com/sandridgeil
Laura Sievert
Cuivre River State Park http://mostateparks.com/park/cuivre-river-state-park
Next up to bat…
Apr 26th
These bats have been affected by White Nosed Bat Syndrome
Let’s talk bats.
Sievert
These much maligned winged mammals have long been typecast in horror flicks and nighttime terrors, but the truth is, bats are an integral part of the world’s ecosystem, and indeed, are important in our own backyards. According to the Department of Natural Resources websites, there are around 12 species of bat in Illinois and Missouri; including three species on the endangered species list.
Each individual bat in the state can eat up to 3,000 bugs in a single night. Thanks to just the gray bats in Missouri and Illinois, there are 1,080 TONS of flying insects that are not bugging you all summer long. All of the bats in the area are insectivorous, and this massive bug buffet is our best defense against dangerous mosquito populations and diseases they carry, like West Nile Virus. Bats are also important pollinators, and with decline in honeybee populations, they become more important in that respect each year.
But something is killing our bats. White Nosed Bat Syndrome was first documented in 2006 in Albany, New York. There, cavers began to notice bats acting strangely, some dead or dying, and many with a strange white fungus around their muzzles. Since the fungus has been discovered, there has been an unprecedented spread of the disease. The cold-loving fungus appears to grow on the bats in the winter and disrupts normal hibernation. The bats awaken too early or too often and exhaust their fat stores and essentially starve to death. In some hibernating populations, the mortality rate is more than 90 percent. The bulk of the cases of WNBS have been in New York and Tennessee, however, the epidemic appears to be spreading and has been seen in nearly all of the Eastern Seaboard and into the Midwest, including Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Indiana and Ohio.
It is believed that the primary spread of the disease is among the bats themselves, however, people who go caving (also called spelunking) may unknowingly spread the fungus between populations on their boots or equipment. Though the fungus itself does not pose a threat to humans, bats are so crucial to our ecosystem that the Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state authorities closed most caves on public land in all of the affected states in 2009, and the closures are still in effect this year. The closures do not affect privately owned caves, however, the DNR urges landowners to be aware of the problem and report any dead bats found on their properties.
So, as outdoor enthusiasts, what can we do to help? Besides abiding by the closures recommended by the DNR, outdoorsmen (and women) should always be aware of the possible contaminates found on their clothes, equipment and boots. The White Nosed Bat Syndrome, along with fish and game related diseases and invasive and the spread of non-native plant and insect species can largely be avoided if we take some basic precautions. These include: Wash all boots and equipment when traveling between different ecosystems, states, bodies of water, etc. This can be as simple as wiping the bottom of your boots with a bleach and water solution. A bleach solution also works well to clean waders and fishing equipment. Also, don’t move wood or plant products. Bugs and disease can easily hitch a ride on firewood or plants and a new ecosystem may not have the ability to fight off a foreign invader. And never, never, never move plants or animals from one place to another. Ever. The best advice is to use common sense. The cleaner you are when you’re in the great outdoors, the better. As the saying goes, “Take only memories (or photographs), leave only footprints.”
For more: www.fws.gov/whitenosesyndrome
Laura Sievert
SIEVERT: Cuivre makes for great adventure
Apr 13th
Jeremy Grootens and Laura Sievert at the trailhead to Big Sugar Creek Trail.
Photos from Sievert’s three trips to the park: 1. Woodland Swallowtail Butterfly 2. Red-Throated Woodpecker 3. Wildflowers 4. Frog 5. Cardinal 6. Water Snake 7. Wildflower 8. Icicles along the bluff 9. Wildflowers 10. Squirel 11. Forest Plant 12. Eastern Fence Lizard 13. Rat Snake eating a Corn Snake 14. Dogwood Tree 15. Titmouse. (Photos by Laura Sievert)
Everything about Cuivre (pronounced “quiver”) River State Park in Troy, Mo., is wild. There are wild flowers, wild animals and wildly-fun trails, lakes and campgrounds. All in all, the park makes for a great adventure.
Cuivre River is only an hour and a half from Quincy, and is one of the loveliest state parks in Missouri. I suggest starting your visit with a stop in the park’s Visitor’s Center. The park staff is very friendly and will give you great tips on finding just the right activities for your group. They know the local wildlife and trails inside and out, so ask them how to get the most out of your visit.
Even though the park is close to home, the variety of trails, habitats, and terrains make the park seem like a real vacation. The 11 trails at the park are well-marked and easy to follow, and they vary in length and difficulty. Some trail highlights include: Lakeside Trail (3.5 miles) This trail leads right along the perimeter of Lincoln Lake. My husband and I hiked this trail just last weekend, and saw frogs, snakes, butterflies, beavers, lizards and more. Big Sugar Creek Trail (3.75 miles) I hiked this trail with friends in January, and it was simply breathtaking. The creek and bluffs were heavy with icicles in the winter, and in the warmer months, the bubbling stream and chirping birds are a symphony. Lone Spring Trail (4.75 miles) The Lone Spring Trail has both a north and a south loop, which gives you the option of only doing 2.3 miles if you prefer a shorter walk. In addition to its namesake natural spring, this trail traverses an open woodland area. This area is currently being restored via controlled burns, and it’s amazing to watch the processes of the forest right before your eyes. Prairie Trail (.3 mile) and Turkey Hollow Trail (.8 mile) are great short options if you’ve got kids along. They each are short, well-marked trails that give you views of prairies and woodlands, respectively.
There are far too many activities at this park to list, but I’d suggest checking out the Ranger Talks on Saturday nights or Sunday mornings between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Topics are seasonal and have featured subjects like owls, bats, wildflowers, birds-of-prey, prairies, conservation, wetlands and much more. Call the park office at 800-334-6946 or visit their website http://mostateparks.com/park/cuivre-river-state-park
Sievert
Also, don’t miss the lake, the beach, the campgrounds, the fishing, the swimming, just don’t miss this park.
*Note: There is also a cave at Cuivre River State Park. It is closed at this time, as are most Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa caves, to control the spread of White Nosed Bat Disease. I will be talking about the cave closures in an upcoming blog, however, the closures may be lifted later this summer. Check the Department of Natural Resources for the most up-to-date information.
SIEVERT: The ‘Morel’ of the story
Apr 8th
It’s ostensibly quite easy to mushroom hunt. You grab a sack, go for a walk in the woods, find mushrooms and pick them. Really though, there is so much more to consider. If you remember my blog from last month about Siloam Springs State Park you might recall I promised to tell you about Morel Mushroom hunting.
So here goes: 90% of what I know. 10% I’m not telling.
When?
The first thing you need to know is when to start looking. People have been finding noshable vegetation in the forest forever, and everyone has a different “sign” to let them know that it’s time for Morels. I have an uncle who used to call mushrooms his “other tax day refund,” therefore he believed April 15 was the day to go. My grandpa’s formula was two weeks after the dogwoods start to bloomm, but it has to rain and be at least 50 degrees at night. Me? My sign is a plant called a May Apple. This little umbrella shaped plant is ubiquitous in the forest, and when its little white blossoms appear, I say it’s go-time for mushroom hunting.
What to bring?
Being prepared to go mushroom hunting is very important. You are out in a bunch of trees that have just awakened from winter, and if you ask me, they seem a little cranky about it. Wear long pants (for thorns), good shoes (for walking), a hat (to keep ticks out of your hair) and a jacket (because it’s colder under the trees). Also, bring a few bags to put your prizes in. Make sure they’re not easy to rip, lest a thorn bush snag your bag and redistribute your findings into the forest. Also, bring something to drink, because you’ll be hiking all day. It’s usually just wishful thinking, but I also like to bring along a big garbage bag, just in case I hit the mother-lode.
Where are they?
Mushrooms don’t grow in all of the woods around here. I can’t explain to you why. For instance, I’ve always had good luck at Siloam Springs, but have never found a mushroom in the woods near my grandma’s house. Before you go, find out if mushrooms have ever been found in the area, and always get permission before going on private land.
No, seriously, WHERE are they?
My dad always says that mushrooms are wherever you least want to be. It seems to be true. See that stand of thorn bushes at the bottom of that drainage gully? They’re probably under there. Other people will tell you to look for fallen maple trees or in creek beds. Some say they have to be where some sunlight filters to the ground, but not in direct sun. Some say they’re by the base of oak trees but only on the west side. I have no idea what to tell you here. I’ve seen them everywhere. As a 
matter of fact, two years ago, my husband found four growing in our backyard on 14th street in Quincy. I like to imagine that the mushrooms have little feet like in Mario Brothers games, and at night they run around the forest and hide.
I Found Mushrooms! Now What?
Good for you. When you get home, take your bags straight to the kitchen sink. Cut each mushroom in half length-wise and put them all in a sink full of cold water. Let them soak for at least an hour. This step gets all of the dirt and little ants out of the mushrooms. Then lay them out on a paper towel to dry. They can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a few days. My family generally cooks a mess of mushrooms by dipping them in one beaten egg, giving a light coat of seasoned flour and pan-frying them in batches. I’ve been more adventurous in the last few years, and some of my favorite applications are making Wild Mushroom Risotto (add black truffle oil on the top and this is just heaven), Homemade Pizza with Wild Mushrooms (make this Italian Style, using garlic olive oil instead of tomato sauce and goat cheese instead of Mozzarella), or Wild Mushroom Soup (I like to make mine with lots of fresh thyme and plenty of roasted garlic).
Sievert
Happy hunting and good luck. I’ll be looking in my top-secret-never-fail-mushroom-location. I’ll give you a clue to find it: it’s near some trees by some grass in the neighborhood of a creek somewhere in the county.
Mwaa ha ha ha!
*A special thanks to Clinton Begley for the Morel photographs.
SIEVERT: Two quick and easy ideas to beat cabin fever
Mar 21st
A deer stands near the fence for a bite of carrot at the Illinois Veteran's Home.
If you’re like me, you took advantage of the beautiful Spring weather we had this weekend and spent some time outdoors. It seems harder to fit that kind of fun into a weekday when you’re not home until 5, but here are 2 quick and easy ideas to get the whole family out of the house on a weeknight!
Bob Mays Park & The Cedar Creek Trail
Pack a picnic dinner (or grab some Subway) and head to Bob Mays Park! Bob Mays is located on North 18th near Quintron Way and features 50 acres of grassy area, brand new playground equipment and the Cedar Creek Trail. The paved 1.5 mile trail is especially versatile, and its many uses were evident this weekend. Kids were riding big-wheels or bikes, people were walking dogs, one man was running laps as part of his training for a marathon, and whole families were skipping rocks by the side of the creek. The grassy area is great for tossing around a football or a Frisbee, and the trees are far enough apart that the area would be perfect for kite flying. Park amenities are lovely and clean. I especially appreciated the well-maintained bathrooms, informative Park District kiosks, solid benches, and readily available doggie waste disposal bags.
Illinois Veteran’s Home & Deer Park
Sievert
The Deer Park at the Veteran’s home, located on North 12th street just past Locust, has been a favorite destination for my family since we were kids. In addition to deer, there are geese, llama, ducks, swan, peafowl, and bison at the park. The best way to experience the park is to grab a loaf of stale bread and maybe a bag of carrots and toss bites to the animals as you walk around the outside of the enclosure. Facilities include covered picnic tables, restrooms, water fountains and a playground. There are also numerous things to see walking around the Veteran’s Home campus, such as beautiful fountains, the Eternal Flame monument, Tanks and Helicopters and statues. Be sure to visit the All Wars Museum, and don’t miss the opportunity to talk to your kids about the heroes of past and present wars who fought for our country. The museum hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 9am to 12pm, and from 1 pm to 4pm. Sundays from 1pm-4pm. Guided tours are available for individuals, classes or groups and can be arranged by calling 222-8641, ext 338.
SIEVERT: Rush hour is for the birds
Mar 8th
Bald Eagle
If you think of the Mississippi River Flyway as a super-highway for migratory birds, then right now it’s the morning rush hour.
I was feeling a little under the weather this weekend, so a low-key adventure was just what the doctor ordered this Sunday. Some girlfriends and I grabbed our cameras and a pair of binoculars, loaded up the Camry and took to the road for some amazing bird watching.
Sievert
According to the Audubon website, up to half of North America’s migrating waterfowl and many shore birds use the Mississippi Flyway to navigate between their winter haunts and their summer digs. It’s not hard to see why birds choose this route. As the ice pack breaks its hold on the river, the fish and other food sources become abundant. Also, the river is such an easy marker of North and South for the birds to follow, that it’s like a natural GPS.
The tri-state area is something of a cross roads of the birds this time of year, and it’s not uncommon to see mixed groups of birds sitting out on the water. Sunday we came across a particularly odd “flock” of canvas backed ducks, mallards, seagulls and white pelicans.
Our driving route gave us the best views of birds I could have asked for. We started on the Quincy riverfront and headed north on Bonansinga Drive. We then took a left by Bear Creek (W County Road 1550) and a right up County Road 423 E (this is the first right you see after Bear Creek. Quincy natives will know this as the “Bottom Road.” The road takes you all the way to Warsaw where I can confidently guarantee Canadian Geese sitting along the riverfront. From there, we headed towards the Keokuk Bridge — stopping briefly on the Illinois side by the boat launch for some bald eagle watching, and then we headed over the bridge to the Keokuk riverfront.
Red Tailed Hawk
Your bird viewing will be different depending on the time of day and your luck, but we saw the following birds all on one Sunday (estimates of numbers where applicable):
- Bald Eagles (12)
- Blue Heron (1)
- Red Tailed Hawks (10)
- Canvas Back Ducks
- Mallard Ducks
- Golden Eye Ducks
- White Pelican Flock
- Turkey Vultures (the biggest flock I’ve ever seen. 100+)
- Wild Turkey (1…what was he doing out there?!)
- Killdeer (2)
- Canadian Geese
- Assorted year-round birds including Common Grackle, Cardinals, Robins, Sparrows, Doves, Seagulls
Laura Sievert
