DRCA snake survey - Day 1

There are snakes at DRCA - at least that's what I've heard from others who have seen, caught, and supposedly positively identified Chicago garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis semifasciatus).  With as much time I have have spent working at that site, out in the prairie and wetlands, I am surprised that I have never seen one.  Well, hopefully that changes soon.  With permission granted, I gathered up a few volunteers and collected a number of discarded wood boards at the trash heap in the back parking lot and strategically placed them in a quiet, unused portion of the site, in the grass along the edge of the wooded area.  Some of the boards are adjacent to areas prone to flooding and others were placed higher up in an area that remains relatively dry most of the year.  It is my hopes that these boards will attract the garter snakes and provide shelter for them.  I plan on returning in the near future and then regularly to check the boards.

Right now, there really is no rhyme or reason to document the snakes other than the fact that I love them and I love the fact that they are still found in the city.  However, in time, this project might grow and develop into something bigger - the possibilities are endless.  Perhaps I can build an independent research project focusing on the influence of development on these snakes.  I would like to evaluate the overall health of the animals, approximate a ratio of males to females on site, and determine what regions of the DRCA they prefer and why.  So, yes, this is a way for me to study snakes because I like to, but at the very least, my findings will constitute an on-site educational seminar or presentation.  Just like last fall's native herp exhibit I developed for and at the site, this could bring awareness of the site's ecology (which really isn't unlike surrounding ecosystems in the northeastern Illinois region - it's just isolated within the built-up urban environment that surrounds it on all sides).  The only difference is that I want to focus on what can be found at the DRCA, which isn't much, admittedly.  Another organization that occasionally works at the site insists there are frogs breeding in vernal pools located deep in the buckthorn jungle, but I doubt the existence of any anurans there (and very likely any amphibians).  The site, though beautiful, serene (for being in Chicago), and full of potential, is degraded to the point where only the toughest herps could thrive.

So I plan on using this blog to update the status of the boards.  Here are some habitat photos and of the boards in situ as of today.

This is the entrance point to the location of the boards.  They are well off the path, out of site, and out of the jurisdiction of any lawnmower.

A view of the location, before the boards were laid down.  

Some of the boards we collected.  Most of these are parts of discarded traffic barriers.

One of the boards just after being plopped down.

Thank you to Wojtek and Jose for their assistance!

Opheodrys vernalis

This morning could not have been any better - unless I was able to catch that behemoth garter snake.

I decided this morning that I was going to head over to one of my favorite forest preserves in Cook County to look for woodland amphibians before the warm weather arrived to stay.  It has been an unusually cool weekend with highs in the low fifties, with overcast skies and wet ground.  Perfect conditions for blue spotted salamanders, spring peepers and western chorus frogs, all of which make their home at this particular preserve, which I will not name out of respect for the amphibians, which are often heavily collected for the pet trade.  When I arrived, there were a lot of cars in the parking lot and I was able to smell smoke.  I figured a prescribed burn or a buckthorn bonfire was taking place, and I was right.  I could see in the distance volunteers working the area where I planned on hiking, so my plans were squashed.  What was I to do?

I decided to walk the other way, to an area I have been to before, but not thoroughly.  I made my way through various biomes, finding among other things, beautiful wildflowers such as shooting star (Dodecatheon sp.) and trillium (Trillium sp,), prehistoric oaks and hickories, and glacial erratics scattered about.  The ground was squishy and lovely, and most of the open areas hadn't gotten very tall yet.  On my way toward what looked like a naturally-occurring swale, I came across and disturbed a massive garter snake (Thamnophis spp.).  It moved very quickly and effortlessly and in moments was gone completely.  It darted into some thick taller grass and I was unable to catch it, but I can say it was FAT.  It was probably the biggest garter snake I've ever seen, based on what I was able to see.  It would have been great to have caught it for a look, but then again, garters that big make a lot of stink.

Once at the swale, I realized this was prime habitat for garters and brown snakes (Storeria dekayi) and possibly American toads (Bufo americanus), the latter of which I have not seen in a while, oddly enough.  However, I was surprised, as I lifted the first piece of flat bark, to find a small Northern red-belly snake (Storeria occipitomaculata), the first I've seen in a while  It was a beautiful example, charcoal grey above with a stunning red underside.  Like most Storeria, it didn't put up a fight, but instead allowed me to move it around without even a tongue flick.

I thought to myself, as I returned the red belly back to its hide, what else I might find here.  I had already witnessed a bulky garter and a redbelly.  There, near the edge of some standing water, laid an old Buick hubcap - a real relic.  Imagine my surprise when I found, loosely coiled underneath that hubcap, a small smooth green snake (Opheodrys vernalis)!  I let out an "Oh my God" the moment I realized that this was the smooth green snake, a snake I had once dreamed of finding since I read all about them as a kid in my old books and since I kept its cousin, the rough green snake (Ophoedrys aestivus), in captivity for a long time during high school.  The smooth green snake is what I would consider one of the best "ecological barometers", next to fish and amphibians.  A state-threatened species, the smooth green snake has disappeared from most of its range due to development and loss of habitat in general.  It is also sensitive to pesticides; its food consists mostly of insects such as orthopterans (crickets, grasshoppers, and the like), spiders, worms, etc.  When these prey species ingest pesticides, they are taken in by the snakes when eaten and bioaccumulate within the snake.  Given the widespread use of pesticides and fertilizers, it is only a matter of time before most populations of smooth green snakes perish.  A few scattered populations remain in northern Illinois, but they are so isolated and small, that long-term sustainability is questionable.  Can these tiny green snakes survive human impacts?  Will they be able to tolerate further expansion and development as the years go by?  Or will they simply disappear altogether, to be remembered only as a novelty that once was?

I'm going off on a tangent here (me?  Really? Ha...), but many times I engage in discussions with different people about conservation of natural resources and of species.  And invariably, someone asks me about a species in trouble - let's just say, in this case, the smooth green snake.  People want to know why they need to be saved.  Are they critical for the well-being of humankind?  Well, no.  Do they cure cancer, AIDS, or obesity?  No, definitely not.    In any way or form, can we make money off of them?  Aside from selling them  for a tiny fee, no.  Ok, so then, why should we save them?

To save them.  That's why.  Let's stop thinking only about us but also the living things we share our planet with.

Why do people need a reason to pay attention to a species in need?  Especially one as nondescript and secretive as the smooth green snake?  I say we do it because we are responsible for their decline, we ought to be responsible for their comeback.  And we need young nature lovers and future generations to know that we are doing it for them so that they can do it for their children, and so on.

Sorry for the rant - I really try not to do that (really, I do!).  Here are a few photos taken today at the unnamed site.

Ephemeral pond

Northern red belly snake

Smooth green snake

Volo Bog

Today, we decided to take a trip to Volo Bog, one of the region's most unique and treasured ecological sites.  Fairly low-key, the bog is a fascinating place unlike any I have previously visited.  It is also home to millions of hungry ticks - bring your bug repellent (we didn't, but we'll be absolutely sure to next time!).  We brought Cassius along and walked the entire 2.75 mile trail encircling the bog.  It was quite a hike - from bog to woodland to savanna to open prairie and everything in between.  I'll be back to further explore the bog walkway.

Young snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina), found near the parking lot.

Massive oak in the distance

One of the many ticks that tried to hitch a ride

Cassius Play 3

I know, it would appear that this is becoming a dog blog.  Though I will continue on with Cassius updates, I do plan on a more holistic approach with this.  I'm hoping to get out and see some woodland amphibians before it's too late, and doing a little more traveling this spring and summer.  I really want to go to Kankakee Sands in Indiana, some portions of the Lower Fox River, and the Volo Bog.  And I won't stop seeking neglected and forgotten elements of city life either - it's what surrounds me on a daily basis anyway.

Apple blossom buds

Weed details

A New Hope

The subject line is an unintended reference to today (May the 4th be with you), even though I am a Star Wars geek.  It reflects the way I feel these last few days.  Last Tuesday was my last final exam and I'll be graduating on Monday the 13th.  It's kind of weird for me because over the last year I've been so focused on  doing well in my classes, being involved in various environmental events and organizations, and overall building a solid foundation to prepare myself for my future.  Prior to last spring, I was working full time but in school only half time.  With a strong desire to just finish already, I went all in full-time, with every other life event squeezed in between work and school.  It became a routine and I was so in tune with it.  So much, in fact, that now that I have a free Saturday for the first time in eight months, it was difficult to not think about going to Dr. Flakne's class on Green Infrastructure or Forest Resource Management.  For the first time in a while, I was able to get up and just "do something".  And it feels like good old times.  I am confident that I can do anything I want at this point.

I took Cassius to Union Ridge Cemetery today.  Aimee and I took him there last week and he really seemed to like the "wilderness" feel to it - the tall, weedy sections of grass, big old gnarled oak trees, discarded piles of dirt and logs scattered about, and lots and lots of bushes and shrubs that he can sniff around.

At Rest - 60+ year old squirrel?

Early April Miscellaneous

A few photos from the last two weeks.

Pinus canopy

He's skured!

Cassius Play 2

Been busy - between 40+ hour work weeks and a full-time school schedule (as well as an additional leadership course I was just accepted into), house stuff, and now dog stuff, I always have time to spend with our dog Cassius.  Today, following a reptile show at UIC with my nephew Peffernaut (who turned 13 yesterday), I scooped up Cassius and took him to Itasca to introduce him to Peffer's husky Thor.  They got along well, and after a couple of hours playing and sniffing, we came home and spent some quality time with Cassius in the yard.  I know I'll have a lot more time to spend with him in a few weeks, following graduation. I can't wait - I'm getting pretty burned out with all of these projects, assignments, presentations, and finals.

Yes, he does need a haircut.  We're working on that.

Cassius Play

We have a dog.

Cassius Play (AKA "Cash") was rescued from a kill shelter in Kentucky and brought to Illinois by Wright Way Animal Rescue.  Aimee and I have been looking at dogs for some time, and talking about it even longer.  We especially wanted to rescue a dog vs support a corporate chain pet store.  Not that I believe that buying a dog from Petland is in and of itself always a bad thing, it's just that there are so many neglected and unwanted dogs in the U.S. that have nowhere else to go.  Three to four million dogs are euthanized each year in the U.S., and that statistic isn't just due to pet stores but mostly to people who don't spay or neuter their dogs.  I could go on and on about this but I won't do that here - I just wanted to introduce you to Cash.  He is an approximately one-year-old Schnauzer mix who is like an angel in a dog suit.  I plan on posting updates on Cash as his antics and idiosyncrasies come to life.  For now, he is relaxing and adjusting to his new life here with us.

Snappy Service System

I was made aware of the unveiling, if you will, of the former facade of this small building through an online discussion at the Forgotten Chicago Facebook page.  This building, on Ashland just south of Division, was last a La Pasadita Mexican fast-food restaurant.  Just like all other La Pasaditas in Chicago (there are in fact two right across the street -can anyone say oversaturation?), this one had been painted bright yellow.  For some reason or another, workers were seen removing the paint and other external furnishings.  Here are the photos that motivated me to photograph them myself - the first photo is from Google Street View, and below is a photo (I did not take) from yesterday.



I decided to head there myself to document the vintage facade myself.  It was hard to get any decent photos due to the timing (a lot of traffic that kept me from backing up for a wide shot) as well as a big tour trolley parked right in front of it.  This building oozes character.  It will very likely soon be all redone.

Champion Ghost

It's been a long time since anyone has been able to see this without squeezing in between the building it's painted on (built in 1930) and the building next to it.  The "newer" building was built in 1962, so the Champion ad obviously is older.  I couldn't find any information on the Champion food store or even anything on the ghost ad.

The sky opened up, and it got COLD...

I have wanted to get out to a local forest preserve where, about five years ago, I noticed a very old bicycle wheel embedded in the trunk of a tree about five or six feet up.  I headed out with my camera early this morning in ten degree weather hoping to find it.  I thought I had a good idea where it was, but it was a no-go.  It was very cold and windy, even though the sun was out and shining bright.  There is a certain sense of tranquility when you're out in nature during the bitter cold - not the same kind of tranquility you get while walking around any other time.  It's not a "dead" atmosphere by any means, but more like nature laughing quietly as it plots an explosion of life that will take place in a little over a month or so.  I strolled down to the river and stepped to the bank, which is frozen to about ten or twelve feet out.  The center of the river still flows and is transporting huge sheets and chunks of ice.  As I stood there I realized that frozen rivers make very odd sounds, sounds that reminded me of pouring water into a glass of ice cubes.  The straining, the cracking, the moaning of the ice as water rushes below and the blinding sun bounces light off the thick surface.  I was about to turn and leave when movement caught the corner of my eye. Something appeared under the ice, and for a split second I thought it was a clump of dead leaves moving with the current.  Quickly I realized that it was not debris but a muskrat, moving gracefully in the frigid water.  As I watched the animal through about three inches of crystal clear ice, I saw it moving its webbed hands and feet as it paddled its way in slow motion from one end of a huge drainage pipe to the other. As it got closer to me it turned over, exposing its underside, then completed its turn and resumed making its way toward its man-made den.  I could see the thick, shiny waterproof fur and little bubbles on its body.  As soon as it appeared, it disappeared underneath a large concrete wall surrounding the drain pipe.  I waited a few more minutes to see if it would reappear, but it did not.  This encounter is a reminder that life goes on even during the most brutal weather conditions.  All you have to do is search it out - and sometimes it does take a little luck.

Sunlit deer path

The icy banks of the Des Plaines

Norman Bates

The most photogenic snake I've ever had.

Abandoned farmhouse in Yorkville

This one's days are numbered.  Located in a rapidly-developing community of exurbs and chain restaurants, this house sits adjacent to townhouses so new you can still smell the VOCs.  Though much of the area is still comprised of farmland, it seems that every time I drive into Yorkville, there are new townhouses popping up in the middle of farm fields accompanied by people driving big trucks and SUVs.  I figure the next time I'm out that way, this house will be gone.

The home has already been ravaged by scrappers.  As you can see, every bit of siding has been removed.  Once a family's dream house, it now sits, undignified, awaiting demolition by a new wave of people bent on capitalizing on the area's seemingly booming housing market.

Part of a new housing development can be seen in the background of this photo.  Right across the street is a confusing maze of townhouses, complete with multicar garages and lawns so new, the turf rolls are still discernible.  Add to that, a quick, cheap, sloppy pavement job and white-as-snow sidewalks and driveways, and you've got the makings of the perfect community for those who wish to shelter their children from any perceived "dangers" the city and even suburbs might offer.  They may enjoy the breathtaking views of endless cornfields while they drink their overpriced coffee each morning.

Stoop castle

Have a seat

One last breath...close your eyes, the pain doesn't last.