Mandarin duck, Rend Lake Resort, Starved Rock, Bucks: Notes, Chicago outdoors

SHARE Mandarin duck, Rend Lake Resort, Starved Rock, Bucks: Notes, Chicago outdoors
wotw10_28_18mandarinduckbest_e1540727835150.jpg

Mandarin duck in Orland Hills.
Provided by Joe Paton

Notes from around Chicago outdoors.

FIELD NOTES

WILD OF THE WEEK

Joe Paton and his wife Linda photographed this mandarin duck in Orland Hills earlier this fall. It is unknown whether it is a released, escaped or a wayward bird. WOTW, the celebration of wild scenes and stories around Chicago outdoors, runs as warranted on Sundays on the Sun-Times outdoors page. Send nominations by Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or email straycasts@sbcglobal.net.

DALE’S MAILBAG

Resized/Sun-Times

Part of the former Rend Lake Resort, as viewed from the water.
Dale Bowman/Sun-Times

Dale Bowman

“Anything happening at rend as far as Rend Lake Resort?” Sean Zebell

A: Illinois Department of Natural Resources spokesman Tim Schweizer emailed, “IDNR is preparing a new Request for Proposals that will seek an operator for the resort at Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area.” The RFP should be ready in the next few weeks.

BIG NUMBER

Starved Rock State Park file photo.<br>Dale Bowman/Sun-Times

Starved Rock State Park file photo.
Dale Bowman/Sun-Times

2,629: Acres near Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks, acquired by by Illinois from Lone Star Industries Inc., Gov. Bruce Rauner announced Thursday. The IDNR will manage it and plans habitat restoration, trails, campground, picnic areas, boat/paddling access and hunting and fishing areas.

LAST WORD

“The Bucks stepped up for birds in a way that no sports franchise ever has. Hopefully the team’s message, that designing with birds in mind is an achievable goal, will set Fiserv Forum up as a model for arenas, stadiums, and all other buildings for years to come.”

Bird City Wisconsin’s former director Bryan Lenz, on the Milwaukee Bucks with Fiserv Forum, the the world’s first bird-friendly sports and entertainment arena.

WILD TIMES

ILLINOIS PERMITS/SEASONS

Ongoing:Over-the-counter sales of remaining deer hunting permits

Saturday: Upland-game hunting opens

Saturday-Sunday: South-central zone, youth waterfowl hunt

Nov. 14: First dove season ends

Nov. 16: Rail season ends

Through Dec. 1: Applications for first lottery, spring turkey hunting

Through Feb. 28: Crow season opened Sunday and runs through Feb. 28

HUNTER SAFETY

(Click here for full package of northeast Illinois hunter safety classes)

Friday-Saturday, Nov. 2-3:Arlington Heights, huntsafety.webs.com . . . Bartlett, (847) 608-3100 . . . Dyer, Ind., (219) 515-2197

Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 3-4: Morris, rainbowcouncil.org (click event registration)

FISH GATHERINGS

Wednesday: Bass pro Chris Groh, “Dissecting New Waters Quickly,” Walleyes Unlimited, Gurnee American Legion, 7 p.m., walleyesunlimitedusa.org

PHEASANTS FOREVER

(Click here for general list of Illinois PF events)

DUCKS UNLIMITED

(Click here for the general list of Illinois DU events)

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

(Click here for general list of banquets and events)

U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY

(Click here for full listings of classes in the area)


The Latest
A 22-year-old man named Christian I. Soto was charged with murder, attempted murder and home invasion, official said during a Thursday media briefing. Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd said earlier investigators haven’t determined a motive for the attacks.
Can a message generated by an algorithm ever match hearing from a human?
White Sox fans from all over will flock to Guaranteed Rate Field on Thursday for the team’s home opener against the Tigers.
Despite the addition of some new characters (human and otherwise) the film comes across as a relatively uninspired and fairly forgettable chapter in the Monsterverse saga.
Unite Here Local 1, representing the workers at the Signature Room and its lounge, said in a lawsuit in October the employer failed to give 60 days notice of a closing or mass layoff, violating state law.