Nature Month by Month

Animals — Land and Water

• Watch for animal tracks in new snow.
• Raccoons breed through March.
• Eastern moles active in deep tunnels underground.
• Groundhogs breed through March.
• Mink begin breeding.
• White-tailed deer feed in groups this month. If snow is deep, they "yard-up" in bottomlands.
• Watch for evidence of otters on frozen waters of the Middle Fork River.
• Salamander courtship begins in late February if temperatures are in the 30s, and lakes and streams are thawed. Salamanders are fairly common at Middle Fork, but are nocturnal, thus seldom seen.
• Squirrels bear spring litters through March.

Birds and Insects

• Pileated woodpeckers drum to establish territories at Homer Lake, Middle Fork sites.
• Peak numbers of bald eagles gather this month near open water and big rivers. Eagles are seen occasionally at District sites.
• Snowy owls occasionally seen here when food is scarce in the Arctic.
• Watch for chickadees feeding on insects in bark crevices. Chickadees respond readily to birdfeeders.
• Cedar waxwings flock to feed on cedar berries and other fruit.
• Chickadees begin to sing -- the first bird song of the new year.
• Great horned owls begin nesting - hollow trees are essential to them.
• American goldfinches begin molting into bright breeding plumage.
• Male cardinals begin territorial singing.
• Canada geese search for mates.
• Screech owls begin breeding.

Plants

• Maple sap flows now, depending on season; freezing nights and thawing days cause change.

Other

• Danger--spring fire season begins if there is no snow; lasts until the greening of spring. Weather-permitting, District begins prescribed burns for environmental maintenance of prairies and forests.

Animals — Land and Water

• Opossums begin breeding in wooded areas along streams.
• Rabbit reproduction triggered by weather above 60 degrees; males begin fighting and chasing.
• Coyotes breed through early April; listen for howling.
• Chipmunks come out of hibernation.
• Skunks breed through to early April. Nocturnal, skunks are seldom seen.
• Flying squirrels begin breeding. Also nocturnal, flying squirrels are threatened with loss of habitat.
• Opossum young are born and climb into the female's pouch.
• Muskrats breed through August.
• Eastern cottontail rabbits bear first litters.

Birds and Insects

• Least shrews are born in late winter.
• Look for large flocks of returning robins.
• Woodcocks begin courtship.
• Turkey vultures begin arriving.
• Vultures, or "buzzards", are important scavengers.
• Overwintering box elder bugs appear on warm days until mid-April.
• Killdeer begin arriving.
• Ducks and geese migrate north through April.
• Earliest migrating warblers herald the massive spring bird migration.
• Great blue herons begin arriving at heronries.
• Setup or check your bluebird nest boxes. Entrance guards help keep out predators. Bluebird nest boxes in open fields will be most successful.
• Barred owls begin nesting.
• Wood ducks nest around wooded ponds & backwaters; clean or put up nest boxes before April 1st.
• Bald eagles begin incubation.
• Field sparrows arriving.
• Male red-winged blackbirds arrive and set up territories.
• Prairie chickens "booming" through April (Jasper County, southeastern Illinois).
• Overwintering mourning cloak butterflies may be seen in late March on the warmest days.

Plants

• Red maples begin to bloom.
• Wild onion and garlic are greening in pastures and woods.

Other

• Walk a trail to enjoy the sounds of spring. The District's bike/pedestrian path at Lake of the Woods, Mahomet, is especially enjoyable.

Animals — Land and Water

• White bass begin spawning.
• Flying squirrels bear young through this month.
• Young river otters are in dens near lakes and streams along Middle Fork River.
• Carp are spawning.
• Eastern moles bear young through mid-May.
• Painted-turtles bask in the sun for warmth.
• American toads begin calling.
• Largemouth bass begin spawning.
• Beaver bear young through early July.
• Bats are leaving hibernation sites.

Birds and Insects

• Wild turkey courtship gobbling through mid-May.
• On warm days watch for water striders on streams.
• Canada geese begin nesting.
• Female red-winged blackbirds arrive this week.
• Horned larks flock in open fields.
• Newly emerged zebra swallowtail butterflies fly in woodlands.
• Swallows return.
• Double-crested cormorants arrive at wetlands to pause from migration.
• Phoebes return for the summer.
• Bobwhite quails begin calling.
• Tent caterpillars appear early this month.
• Ospreys begin spring migration -- they often rest at Homer Lake.
• Loons occasionally rest at District lakes.
• Look for luna moths around porch lights.
• Kingfishers arrive; listen for their rattling calls along streams and around District lakes.
• Robins and other backyard birds are building nests.
• Prairie chickens perform courtship displays at sunrise in Jasper County.
• House wrens begin to arrive.
• Honeybees swarm into May.
• Whip-poor-wills begin calling.
• Listen for wild turkeys gobbling.

Plants

• Spicebush blooms through this month.
• Elms begin blooming.
• Look for pussy willows' fuzzy blooms.
• Serviceberry begins to bloom.
• Ohio buckeyes begin leafing.
• Wild plums begin blooming along woods and fence rows.
• Elms start scattering seeds.
• Bird's-foot violet blooms.
• Common morel mushrooms begin to peek through leaves on the forest floor.
• Pawpaws bloom this month.
• Maple seeds are falling.
• Wild black cherry begins blooming.
• Gather wild greens -- poke, dock, dandelion.

Other

• Vernal Equinox (first day of spring) - day and night are equal in length.
• Lyrid meteor shower peaks on the 22nd.
• The Big Dipper tips and spills into the Little Dipper

Animals — Land and Water

• Spawning of smallmouth bass starts.
• Coyotes bear young through early June.
• Crappie are spawning.
• Mink kits are born through May.
• Skunks bear young through mid-June.
• Raccoons bear young.
• Male catfish begin making nests around logs.
• Bluegill begin spawning.
• Fawns born through late June.
• Opossum young begin emerging from the female's pouch.

Birds and Insects

• Warbler migration underway -- best viewing at Middle Fork site, five miles north of Penfield.
• Canadian goose goslings have hatched.
• Orioles arrive; listen for their flute like whistles.
• Ruby-throated hummingbirds have arrived.
• June bugs begin appearing.
• Indigo buntings and dickcissels are arriving.
• Chimney swifts return.
• Peak of ring-necked pheasants crowing.
• Meadowlarks begin nesting, especially in grassland north of campground.
• Shorebirds are plentiful at Middle Fork wetlands. Take your binoculars or spotting scope!
• Goldfinches eat dandelion seeds.
• Wood ducks hatch.
• Watch for common night hawks over cities at night.
• Bobolinks migrate from Argentina - some nest in Champaign County Forest Preserve grasslands - especially at Middle Fork near Penfield.
• Carpenter bees lay their eggs in wood.
• Purple finches leave.
• Peak hatch of wild turkeys.

Plants

• Look for flowering dogwoods.
• Oaks bloom.
• Cedar apple rust appears.
• Hickories bloom.
• Mayapples begin blooming.
• Jack in the pulpits bloom in Patton Woods, Rayburn-Purnell, Stidham and Collins Woods.
• Ohio buckeyes begin blooming.
• Plant sweet corn when white oak leaves are the size of a squirrel's ear.
• Hawthorns blooming in open areas.
• Blackberry Winter: A cold spell may occur, freezing blackberry blooms.
• Black locust trees in bloom.
• Wild strawberries ripen in grasslands.
• Yellow ladies' slipper orchids are in full bloom in late May.
• Twayblade orchids bloom concurrently in similar habitat.

Animals — Land and Water

• Green sunfish and bluegill begin nesting.
• Young beavers emerge from lodges.
• Antlers begin to grow on white-tail bucks.
• Coyote pups begin emerging from dens.
• Young woodchucks leave dens.
• Turtles begin laying eggs.
• Catfish fry leave nests.
• Gray squirrels begin second breeding.
• Bobcat kittens are born through to July in southern Illinois.
• Peak of bullfrog breeding.
• Red foxes are with kits.

Birds and Insects

• Eastern bluebirds begin second nesting. Please clean nest boxes, check for ants.
• Chigger season begins; continues through August.
• Young bald eagles begin learning to fly, "fledging".
• Bird song at daybreak is at its peak.
• Eastern kingbirds nest and defend territories fiercely.
• Orioles begin building a woven nest; takes about a week.
• Watch for birds carrying food to their young.
• Bobwhite quail hatch is at its peak.

Plants

• Stinging nettle is tall enough to sting; jewelweed is big enough to relieve the burn.
• Serviceberry fruits ripen. Expect some minor damage to limbs as critters seek out the fruit.
• Purple coneflowers and coreopsis blooming on prairies and roadsides.
• Queen Anne's lace (white flowers) and chicory (blue) also bloom - neither are native.
• Tulip poplar trees display attractive yellow/orange flowers - look high in tree.
• Elderberries begin blooming.
• Watch for butterfly weed blooming on roadsides.
• Trumpet creeper attracts hummingbirds.
• Cattail blooms are covered with pollen.
• Yuccas bloom.

Other

• Solstice/first day of summer - longest day of year

Animals

• Female coyotes wean pups.
• Young raccoons leave dens.
• During hot days, woodchucks go in dens to avoid heat.
• Weasels breed through August.
• Lizard eggs begin hatching.
• Squirrels bear summer litters.
• Mink kits travel with their mother along streams.

Birds

• Peak of Canada goose molt.
• Cicadas begin to sing.
• Eastern bluebirds begin third (last) nesting. Please check nest boxes again.
• Bird song has subsided; birds are busy raising young.
• Dragonflies lay eggs on ponds and streams.
• Fall webworms begin web building.
• Cicada-killer wasps prey on cicadas.
• Great blue herons begin fledging. Young herons are white initially.
• Katydids sing.
• Warblers begin to gain weight for energy during migration.
• Watch for young hummingbirds at feeder. Clean feeders every 4 - 7 days.

Plants

• Prickly pear cactus blooms.
• Mulberries are ripening.
• Blackberries are ripening. Chigger bites itch from blackberry picking.
• Black-eyed Susans bloom.
• Birds and mammals feast on wild fruits.
• Mayapple fruits ripen and fall on ground.
• Wild black cherries ripen.
• Blazing star blooms on prairies and roadsides.
• Wild plums ripen.

Animals — Land and Water

• Pocketbook mussels begin breeding this week.
• Young striped skunks strike out on their own.
• Toadlets move away from water to feed.
• Striped bass heads for cold water.
• Young gray squirrels search for home territories.
• Male white-tailed deer rub velvet off antlers; watch for their "rubs" on small trees.
• Thirteen-lined ground squirrels begin to gorge.

Birds

• Look for flocks of purple martins gathering for migration.
• Goldfinches -- last to initiate nesting -- begin as thistles go to seed.
• Major shorebirds' southern migration begins.
• Hummingbirds begin migrating; numbers around feeders increase.
• With nesting completed, herons disperse.
• Cormorants may usually be seen at the Waterfowl Management Area, Middle Fork.
• Peak of warbler migration through to early September.
• Late summer molt produces drab plumage in robins and other birds.
• Dabbling ducks return from the north.
• Watch for unusual birds; most common in late summer or early fall.
• Osprey begin fall migration.
• Watch for lightning bug larvae (glowworms) in low water.

Plants

• Sumac fruits ripen to crimson.
• Hawthorn fruit ripens.
• Wild grapes ripen.
• Elderberries ripen. Elderberry jam is delicious.
• Jewelweed (touch-me-nots) seedpods explode when touched.

Other

• Perseid meteor shower peaks on the 12th.

Animals — Land and Water

• Beavers add sticks and mud to lodges, insulation for winter.
• White-tailed deer breed now through mid-November.
• White bass school through early October.
• Deer mice store seeds and nuts underground and in nests.
• Fawns have lost their spots.
• Brown bats gather to mate and hibernate.
• Snakes begin winter dormancy.

Birds and Insects

• Monarch butterflies begin migrating in large numbers, sometimes traveling 1,000 miles.
• Peak of blue-winged teal migration.
• Common nighthawks begin migration.
• Tree and barn swallows stage in large flocks.
• After a cold front, watch for broad-winged hawks migrating.
• Early wintering sparrows arrive.
• Watch for goldfinches eating sunflower seeds.
• Ruby-throated hummingbirds are migrating.
• Keep feeders full of fresh sugarwater-NO dye!

Plants

• Hazelnuts ripen; watch for their ruffled cases.
• Sassafras, sumac and Virginia creeper show fall color.
• Begin watching for puffballs and other fall mushrooms.
• Hickory nuts ripen and begin to fall.
• Acorns begin to fall. Squirrels bury acorns and nuts for winter food.
• Pawpaw fruits ripen.
• Black gum, bittersweet and dogwood show fall color.
• Fall color begins; peak varies widely with season and conditions.
• Persimmons start to ripen.
• Gentians bloom on prairies.

Animals — Land and Water

• Beavers are active during the day, gathering winter food.
• Striped skunks are fattening up for winter.
• Bullfrogs begin hibernation.
• Woodchucks are hibernating in underground burrows.

Birds and Insects

• Peak arrival of American wigeon, pintail and gadwall ducks.
• Chimney swifts begin migration.
• Look for spiders ballooning on clear, windy days.
• Peak of green-winged teal migration.
• Juncos arrive from Canada.
• Katydids sing in the trees at night.
• Peak of snow goose population at wetland areas.
• Put up bird-feeding stations.
• Listen for the last cricket calls.
• Look for mallards.
• Watch for old birds' nests while walking through woods.

Plants

• New England asters bloom -- provide nectar for late migrating monarchs.
• Beginning of peak fall color in maples, oaks, and hickories.
• "Turkey feet" seed heads of big bluestem prairie grass mature.

Other

• Average first frost in Champaign County is middle of month

Animals — Land and Water

• Mammals seek winter shelters.
• Voles and mice feed on grass and seeds under the snow.
• River otters begin breeding now through March.

Birds and Insects

• Birds begin gathering at feeders.
• Canvasback, redhead, scaup, merganser and ringneck duck populations peak.
• Scan leafless trees for gray nests of bald-faced hornets.
• Great horned owls courting; listen for "Hoo, hoo-oo, hoo-oo."
• Barred owls courting; listen for "Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?"
• Pine siskins and purple finches at bird feeders.

Plants

• Milkweed pods open.

Other

• Leonid meteor shower peaks on the 17th.

Animals — Land and Water

• Raccoons den up during snow and ice storms.
• Eastern cottontail rabbits use abandoned dens during heavy snow.
• Skunks sleep during weather of 15 degrees or colder.
• Gray squirrels begin breeding now through February.
• Red foxes begin mating this month; listen for their barks and squalls.
• Beavers feed on sapling reserves.
• Squirrels gather in nests to conserve energy.

Birds and Insects

• Evening grosbeaks eat sunflower seeds at feeders (Homer Lake Interpretive Center - Homer).
• Look for goldfinches, cardinals, titmice, chickadees, and nuthatches at your feeders.
• Look for woodpeckers at suet feeders: downy, hairy, and red-bellied.

Other

• Geminid meteor shower peaks on the 14th.
• Solstice/first day of winter - shortest day of year.
• Orion, Cassiopeia, and other winter constellations arrive.
• A snowfall acts as insulation, protecting the animals and plants beneath.