Chicago outdoors: Vulture in Chicago, Spring Bird Count, fishing electronics training, IL fish stockings

Beautiful photo of a vulture in Chicago, a different sort of Spring Bird Count, fishing electronics training in coronavirus times and update on Illinois fish stockings are in the notes package.

SHARE Chicago outdoors: Vulture in Chicago, Spring Bird Count, fishing electronics training, IL fish stockings
A turkey vulture overlooking Rosehill Cemetery. Credit: Paul Vriend

A turkey vulture overlooking Rosehill Cemetery.

Paul Vriend

Notes come from all around Chicago outdoors.

WILD OF THE WEEK

“I’ve never gotten close enough to get a picture of this bird when I vacation up in Michigan,” Paul Vriend emailed. “So, I thought it was convenient when this turkey vulture landed on a tree overlooking Rosehill Cemetery on Balmoral Avenue.”

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

HUNTER SAFETY

June 4 and 6: Newark, (815) 210-4995

ILLINOIS PERMITS/SEASONS

Turkey hunting: North zone, fourth season, through Wednesday, May 6; fifth (final), Thursday, May 7, to May 14; south, fifth (final), through Thursday, May 7.

DALE’S MAILBAG

“Do you have any news/info on fish stocking for this year? The scuttlebutt is that there will be no stocking.” Zachary Arnold

A: Good question and Illinois fisheries chief Mike McClelland had a good answer, “We do plan to conduct the general fish stockings this year. Our hatchery production staff are working on site, while practicing social-distancing procedures, to keep fish alive and well at all three locations to continue fish production for 2020.”

BIG NUMBER

1972: First year of the Illinois Spring Bird Count, started by Vern Kleen (thanks to a blog by Chicago Audubon Society’s Alan Anderson); this year’s count will go on May 9, but, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new line has been added by the Illinois Audubon Society for those “birding from a `House’ or `Nearby.’ “

LAST WORD

“Additionally, I will now offer Virtual Lowrance on the Water Training sessions where I will no longer be restricted by a clients location or have to worry about social distancing.”

Mark O’Neill, adjusting to the times and now offering sessions via Zoom, details at Structure-Fishing.com

The Latest
Eileen O’Neill Burke is leading Clayton Harris III, 50.15% to 49.85%, a margin that changed only by hundredths of a percentage point, after city and suburban officials tallied more mail-in ballots Thursday.
Suspect Romeo Nance’s son witnessed the shooting of at least five relatives, according to Joliet police reports obtained through a public records request. The reports also indicate the child’s mother was more deeply involved in the case than first thought.
Counsell is measured and stoic, more so than Joe Maddon or David Ross. After Justin Steele’s Opening Day injury, Counsell will put his head down, pace and figure it out.
The Cubs opened the season against the reigning World Series champions in Texas.