Notes come from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.
WILD OF THE WEEK
Paul Vriend emailed, "Last week, I saw a flock of white birds swirling high in the sky over Rosehill Cemetery. I couldn't tell what they were at first, but I thought they were terns or something of that sort. When they descended a bit, I realized they were way bigger. American white pelicans passing over Chicago. Cheers." Over the last 20 years, the migration patterns of those pelicans have drifted or spread farther east from the first time I noticed them decades ago during a walleye tournament on the Illinois River at Spring Valley.
WOTW, the celebration of wild stories and photos around Chicago outdoors, runs most weeks in the special two-page outdoors section in the Sun-Times Sports Saturday. To make submissions, email BowmanOutside@gmail.com or contact me on Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside), Instagram (@BowmanOutside). or Bluesky (@Bowmanoutside).
DALE'S MAILBAG
"I have a little rabbit who comes by me often. What can I feed it? I read that lettuce and carrots are no good for them." Thanks, Ginny
A: I would not feed it anything. Wildlife is far more resilient than we give them credit for. They will find food. At least the rabbits that savaged my early vegetables and herbs and my wife's early flowers certainly found food.
WILD TIMES
WATERFOWL BLIND DRAWS
Details at dnr.illinois.gov/press-release.30182.html.
Saturday, July 27: Northern Illinois sites
Next Sunday, July 28: Illinois River and most Downstate sites
GARDEN CONSERVANCY TOUR
Saturday, July 27: Tours of four notable private gardens in the north suburbs, $10, $5 for members of the Garden Conservancy, 12 and younger free, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., gardenconservancy.org/open-days
HUNTER SAFETY
Aug. 8 & 10: Mundelein, arodkey@countrysidefire.com
Aug. 24-25: Morris, (815) 941-1366Sept. 7: Chicago, forms.gle/yUxRfKkHaC5MEh5f9
Full state listing is at dnr2.illinois.gov/SafetyEd/SafetyEdClassByCounty
WINGSHOOTING
Aug. 17 or 18: Introductory days, Shabbona Lake SRA, rakcarlson@comcast.net or (815) 757-2949
ILLINOIS PERMITS
Through Aug. 16: Third lottery, deer firearm & muzzleloader
