An owlet photo, an Illinois-record spotted bass, a charter comeback promise and a partial albino robin are among the notes from around Chicago outdoors.

An owlet photo, an Illinois-record spotted bass, a charter comeback promise and a partial albino robin are among the notes from around Chicago outdoors.

By Dale Bowman

Mike Lewandowski of Lew Shots Photography photographed this great horned owlet in a rookery in Hammond, Ind. Credit: Mike Lewandowski of Lew Shots Photography — Mike Lewandowski of Lew Shots Photography photographed this great horned owlet in a rookery in Hammond, Ind.

Notes come from all over Chicago outdoors.

FIELD NOTES

WILD OF THE WEEK

Mike Lewandowski of Lew Shots Photography caught this great horned owl and owlet at a rookery in Highland, Ind.

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. Submit nominations by message on Facebook (Dale Bowman), on Twitter (@BowmanOutside) and Instagram (@BowmanOutside) or email (BowmanOutside@gmail.com).

WILD TIMES

FISH GATHERINGS

Note: The Challunge on the Chain, by the Fox River Valley chapter of Muskies, Inc., has been postponed until Sept. 20. Click here for details.

ILLINOIS PERMITS/SEASONS

May 14, Thursday: Final day, fifth and final turkey season, north zone.

DALE’S MAILBAG

“Just got back from my midday bike ride. Captured this bird on camera. Either a new species, some sort of inbreeding experiment or a robin that was doused with bleach or paint.” Tom Turek, Bridgeview

A partial albino robin. Provided by Tom Turek — A partial albino robin

A: I was intrigued enough to ask Chicago Audubon Society’s Alan Anderson, who indicated it was a partial albino. “Happens in many species,” he replied. “At least two birders have posted photos of similar looking birds (can’t remember which species but one was a robin ) on the various local Facebook birding groups this year.” He also passed along a good source for common oddities at feederwatch.org/learn/unusual-birds/

BIG NUMBER

7-3.12: Pounds-ounces of the Illinois-record spotted bass, caught March 15, 1992 from a Fulton County strip pit by Richard Leonard.

LAST WORD

“The minute I get the word and see I can legally do it, it will be the biggest comeback in Chicago fishing.”

A Chicago-area charter captain, on what will happen when the go-ahead comes to start working again

Next Up In Outdoors

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Chicago fishing, Midwest Fishing Report: Hoping on a warm-up, coho, smallmouth, browns, steelhead

A little help from friends on bagging first spring gobbler leads to Turkey of the Week

An old favorite of the Chicago River, the common carp, still have ‘Big Shoulders’ downtown

Chicago outdoors: Frog sounds question, inquisitive mink, early hummingbird, big Shabbona walleye

Rare wild turkey sightings along lakefront come to a tragic end

Chicago outdoors: Owlet, spotted bass, charter comeback promise, partial albino robin

An owlet photo, an Illinois-record spotted bass, a charter comeback promise and a partial albino robin are among the notes from around Chicago outdoors.