Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid 2011

It was 10 months in the making, but I finally found an Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid.  These plants are state-endangered and federally-threatened mainly due to habitat loss.  Last fall when I was volunteering at the Nachusa Grasslands, one of the stewards pointed out an area where the orchids could be found.  I marked it with my GPS, so I would remember where it was.  The trick was showing up at the right time.  

I consulted Michael A. Homoya's Orchids of Indiana (because there isn't an equivalent resource for Illinois) and figured out the best time to return.  As confirmation, the Spring 2011 issue of Illinois Audubon magazine had an essay about this species of orchid at Nachusa. 

Joe and I picked our date to go looking and we followed our GPS waypoint back to the general location.  Even with all the advantages of timing and location, we still had to actually find a plant, which is like finding a needle in a haystack.  The most challenging part was wading through a thorny thicket and crossing a small stream.  It was worth all the blood and sweat we gave in exchange for a look at these spectacular plants!

Peregrine Falcons at Millenium Park

To me, the best part of a summer concert at Chicago's Millennium Park is the the sky show put on by Peregrine Falcons.  These lightning fast birds of prey have been tracked at sky-diving speeds over 200 mph.  Last night, one falcon in particular perched on top of the shell of the beautiful Pritzker Pavilion to enjoy the concert led by Maestro Krzysztof Penderecki conducting his Concerto Grosso No. 1 and Beethoven's Symphony No. 3.  The falcon stayed in place for much of the concert.  But occasionally it would take off and zoom through the air with another PEFA. 

With 20 pairs in Illinois today, PEFAs are listed as an Illinois threatened species.  But 60 years ago there were none.  Due to the chemical DDT, they were entirely wiped out of their territory east of the Rocky Mountains.  Historically in Illinois, Peregrines were found along the Mississippi River between the cities of Alton and Grafton, as well as near the Illinois and Wabash Rivers in Jackson County. As a result of a reintroduction program that began in 1986, the urban landscape along Lake Michigan is now the best place to see PEFAs.

Pritzker Pavilion

For more information about the ongoing Peregrine Falcon reintroduction in Illinois, click this link to the Field Museum's Chicago Peregrine Program.

Historic Prophetstown Farm 2011

Here's a little vignette from a day trip to the Historic Farm at Prophetstown State Park in Battle Ground, Indiana.  There's a period 1920s farm house with a beautiful built-in china hutch.  On the grounds, there are all manner of farm animals -- cows, draft horses, goats, chickens, and pigs.  A couple of friendly kitty-cats invited petting, and a baby Barn Swallow was scolded by a parent to crouch back in the nest, which was artfully constructed and perfectly balanced on the back porch light of the farm house. 

 

They sold fresh produce grown on the farm, including some green beans the farmer had just gathered.  He told us to pick out a head of cabbage and he cut it just for us.  It doesn't get any fresher than that!  We also bought some pork burgers from them and cooked it all for dinner! Yummy!! 

I loved the farm animals. The goats were friendly and soft to the touch, but my favorite were the free-range Barred Rock Chickens!