From the President

The last official duty of the ECIMN Advisory Board outgoing president is to prepare an annual report. Mine is too large to include in Field Notes, but you will receive via attachment on the ECIMN listserve. Congratulations to US! We are outside…and inside, making the world a better place. It may sound trite, but you know it's so. We work in sturdy boots and work clothes, with cutting tools, gloves, long sleeves, a hat and bandana. No frills. We bring to bear years of diverse education and expertise, plus knowledge from our incomparable fall training class. We joined with a desire to learn, and we serve in a hundred ways with new skills and enthusiasm.

It has been a privilege to serve as a general member of the East Central Illinois Master Naturalists Advisory Board for the past three years and then as president in 2011. All things have a beginning and conclusion. As new people take their place in leadership, our chapter has the potential of being even stronger and better than it was before. I wish you all the best: in the field, on the water, and at the table, working to preserve, and protect our natural resources.

Welcome to Our Newest Board Members

We cordially welcome (and gratefully thank) our newest board members and our outgoing ones as well. To get to know the new folks a little better, here are some brief tidbits they've shared with us:

Joe Finnerty, Class Of 2009

I have always been interested in the outdoors and our natural environment. The ECIMN program has given me an opportunity to formally further my knowledge of the natural world and put some of that knowledge to practical use.

My wife and I volunteered at a National Forest and worked on an invasive (tamarisk) project in Utah during the summer of 2010. She and I have both been involved with volunteering for various local work days as well. During the winter months I like to downhill ski out west.

I was born and raised in New York City. This experience made me appreciate the natural environment during my formative years.

I have done a lot of work with Scouting (local and national) and always tried to instill in the scouts the idea of leaving natural areas, "cleaner than when we first arrived." The ECIMN program has provided an opportunity to continue practicing this belief.

I'm a Professor Emeritus of Finance at the U of Illinois and a retired US Army Reservist with 27 years of service at the rank of LTC.

Mary Stech, Class Of 2010

I became an ECIMN because of my love of nature. I was born in Tuscola, Illinois in 1961 and grew up in Arthur, Illinois – a rural community of about 2500 people (no, I am not Amish). Living in a small community is similar to living in the country. I often visited the farms in the area, as my best friend's grandparents were farmers with livestock and crops. We were very familiar with working with animals and agriculture.

My father grew up in a farming family. This, I believe, influenced me in my love of the outdoors and of nature. I love what the MN role represents and the continuous lifelong learning opportunities I will experience.

My role as a volunteer so far has included prairie restoration through seed collection, and both general membership and board service with the Champaign County Audubon Society. I have also participated in bird counts. I have a fondness for Birds of Prey. One particular count involved going to the Illinois River and counting the eagles!

I currently work as a Nurse Practitioner in Pulmonary and Cardiology at Christie Clinic.

My hobbies, besides volunteering as a Master Naturalist, include photographing birds, birding, traveling and scuba diving. My travels usually involve being outdoors and a part of nature. I am very excited about my next trip to South America that includes the Islands of Galapagos, the Amazon River and Machu Picchu!

As a new board member, I am eager to apply my enthusiasm for nature and my willingness to participate as a Master Naturalist in teaching about nature, enjoying nature and learning to understand my natural surroundings.

Carol Steinman, Class Of 2010

I was born in Virginia and lived in Cuba while my father was stationed at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in the 1950s. Much of my early life was spent in Danville or just west of it in a small community called Hillery, close to Kickapoo and Kennekuk Parks. I became a part of the Champaign-Urbana community in 1970 when I transferred from Danville Area Community College to the University of Illinois.

After completion of my B.S., I taught middle school at Jefferson Junior High in Champaign where my subjects included health education, earth science and conservation. After completion of my M.S., I served as the coordinator of the first community-wide health education/Wellness program located at Parkland College and sponsored by C.W. Christie Foundation. After serving as coordinator for 10 years, I held several administrative positions at Parkland College and retired from Parkland in 2006 as Vice President for Student Services.

In 2010 I completed the East Central Illinois Master Naturalist program and have since been certified as a Master Naturalist. In addition to volunteering for the program, I also spend my time in caring for family members, my 87 year-old mother who lives in an assisted living facility in Urbana, and, on occasion, my 2 grandchildren, Kai (9) and Drake (5). I have two grown children who also live and work in Champaign. My husband, Topper, is a self-employed educational consultant after having retired from 20 years of middle school counseling. He and I love to travel, spend time out doors hiking, exercising and enjoying each other's company as well as the company of our children and grandchildren.

Since completion of the program last fall, I've collected seeds and removed invasions at Buffalo Trace; completed the frog call monitor survey training and did limited surveying at Meadowbrook Park; pulled garlic mustard at Meadowbrook and Weaver Parks and the Middlefork Forest Preserve; cut honeysuckle at Weaver during their weekend workdays; sold prairie plants and volunteered for the Rattlesnake Master Race for Grand Prairie Friends; staffed the table for Urbana sweet corn festival for CCFPD; assisted with several 2011 class sessions to include helping to set up and clean up at the pizza party; helped to organize a field trip; and currently serve on the Program Committee.

Each volunteer opportunity renews my excitement about the Master Naturalist program and the honor it is to work for the land as well as with the dedicated professionals and ECIMN colleagues.

Operation Migration: Missed them by "This" Much!

Midwestern aficionados of the Whooping Crane have a great resource in Operation Migration (OM). They work with groups of cranes that are raised in captivity and have never seen humans-caregivers wear all white from head to toe! The flocks need to be led south via ultra-light aircraft on their annual fall trek from Wisconsin to Florida. The OM website, includes information on flyover sites including one northwest of Fairbury, IL. (operationmigration.org)

The OM human-led migration is the only one of its kind in North America. Cranes are separated from the public in pens while on the ground. Observers can see the birds only as they flyover. This disappoints fellow MN Larry Eyre, '10, but not me. I'd rather see them in their free, natural state.

The OM website also includes daily blogs by the amazing team of volunteers. They share tales of their progress and struggles. Some write of being grounded for extended periods of time due to weather; sometimes about the scarcity of pumpkins for the cranes to munch. On our first attempt to see them, Larry and I learn that the cranes have been on the ground in Fairbury for 7 days due to inhospitable southern winds.

November 11, 2011

"Larry, the Whooping Cranes might fly out tomorrow morning! We have to be there by dawn!" I say to Larry. "Alright, [Beckie] I'll pick you up at 4:30 a.m. but I'm not shaving." That night I was so excited I didn't fall asleep until midnight and the alarm sounded too quickly at 4:00 a.m. With my tote bag packed with binoculars and camera, we took off. The dark blue sky, lit by a full moon, was peaceful, quiet, and beautiful.

With directions from the web and additional information from Sara Hostetter (2010), Larry and I headed off for Bin #11689 located on the Sara's family farm. We are the first ones to arrive and I was slightly nervous about parking there so early in the morning. "Larry, someone is going to call the sheriff on us." Not long after, another car pulls in and I am relieved. One by one, more folks arrive and we wind up with 15 cars in total. We are facing east looking out over a harvested field with an unobstructed view of the sunrise. Gorgeous! Sara arrives and fills us in on what she knows from this event and past ones. She says many people come from as far away as the Chicago area and Indiana to watch. Sara moves about from car to car, talking to everyone, as a good hostess would.

Liz, an OM volunteer, pulls up in her R.V. with a walkie-talkie. There are 3 ultra-lights ("trikes") up in the sky flying above the harvested field. Liz and Sara tell us they are using instruments to test wind speeds. If we're quiet we can hear the chatter. The disappointing decision was made not to fly because the winds were too strong aloft. One of the trike pilots landed in the field and held a little Q & A session with us circling round him in the middle of the road. Sara declared that this is a first. What a treat!

Even though we were disappointed, all was not lost. Sara took us to "Lost Times" café for a fabulous breakfast and then out to Fugate Woods, northeast of Fairbury, where she volunteers. She gave Larry and me a personal tour of the fascinating 150 acres on the field cart. We saw 2 bluebirds!

Before we left that day we visited the Weston Cemetery Prairie. On the way home we had made an impulsive stop-off at a historical marker on Route 24 telling of a tragic train accident. Larry dropped me at home at 10:30 a.m. and it felt like it should have been 3:30 p.m. Though the cranes didn't fly out today, it was still exciting.

Nov. 16, 2011

The desire to see the cranes was so compelling that, 5 days later, with an optimistic prognosis of a fly-out, my husband volunteered to go with me since Larry couldn't. It was my birthday so this was a little gift to me and, he figured, if he does this, then he would be good for five more birthdays! The early morning sky was cloudy so, no pretty sunrise this time. The cranes had been on the ground for 12 days. The volunteers were frustrated and the cranes were getting restless. We arrived at 5:45 a.m. to find one woman from Bloomington already there. Today was her one shot to see them fly this season. Sara returned too. Our final group was smaller this time. The trikes weren't up in the air either. After a bit we got the word – no flying today, the wind was too strong. I'm disappointed for my husband and myself. Even if he had just seen the trikes I think it would have sparked his interest. Again, all was not lost; another wonderful breakfast at the Lost Times café with Sara and Marcia Rossi, an MN from Bloomington.

Epilogue: November 20, 2011

Disappointed, I missed the cranes as they flew out this morning, but I was so glad they were able to move on. They were grounded for too long. They're somewhere in Piatt County right now headed for the warmer climes. When I told a friend about this adventure, she asked if migratory birds were my area of interest. "No," I replied, "they're part of nature and that's my interest."

2011 Rattlesnake Master-Run for the Prairie

This year's 2011 Rattlesnake Master-Run for the Prairie was held on the brisk and overcast Sunday November 6th at Meadowbrook Park. It was the 14th time the race has been held. Beginning at 9 a.m., approximately 150 brave folks ran or walked 5K or 10K distances through Meadowbrook Park and some of the surrounding areas. When they crossed the finish line, volunteers had refreshments, prizes, and recognition of a job well done waiting for them!

Out of 45 volunteers at the event, 22 were Master Naturalists. We also had seven interns from the class of 2011 helping out. In recognition of their contribution, Grand Prairie Friends put our logo on the race shirt for the first time. Thanks to all who helped out! Look for your chance to get involved next year!

What to Look for this Season...

The cold weather months are upon us – time for hot chocolate and warm socks.

December

Skunks, raccoons & rabbits are finding dens for the coldest weather. Put out suet to entice downy, hairy and red-bellied woodpeckers and look for titmice, goldfinches, evening grosbeaks and others at feeders. Although you can start seeing meteors as early as the 6th, the Geminid meteor shower is at its height (50-80 meteors/hour!) on the night of the 13th-14th. and wanes (1 or so/hour) by the 18th. The 22nd is the Winter Solstice and on the night of the 24th-25th, be on the look out for a red-suited, reportedly jolly, elf in a sleigh silhouetted against the moon.

January

Beavers and foxes breed through the month and river otter litters are born. White-tailed bucks lose their antlers and deer and other wildlife feed on twigs and saplings.

February

Prime time to look for bald eagles along rivers and open bodies of water. Consider a trip up to Starved Rock! Maple sap begins to flow and you can see animal tracks in fresh snow.

For a full listing of seasonal happenings, see Champaign County Forest Preserve District's Nature Month by Month (http://www.ccfpd.org/NaturalResources/NatureMonthByMonth.html).

Volunteering with the Urbana Park District

The Urbana Park District (UPD) maintains parks and facilities and offers a myriad of recreational programs to our community. With 22 parks comprising nearly 600 acres, the UPD manages a diverse selection of lands, including woodlands, savanna, prairie, wetlands, and developed parks. These areas provide habitat for wildlife, beautiful green-space, and enjoyable recreation opportunities for residents.

Our goal for these natural areas is to restore and sustain the native characteristic of Illinois' most diverse habitats. Restoration includes planting and seeding native plants, removing nuisance plants and invasive species, and conducting prescribed burns to encourage healthy growth. Other tasks may also include trail maintenance, and trash removal.

There is always a lot of work to do in maintaining these amazing spaces and the CU community has consistently stepped up to help. Stewardship Saturdays through the fall 2011 have been extremely successful, with over 200 volunteers contributing over 400 hours to natural areas improvement. Many groups and organizations throughout the community participated in the workdays, including East Central Illinois Master Naturalists, Parkland College biology students, Roots & Shoots, and several service fraternities. Many natural area goals have been accomplished this season thanks to dedicated volunteers, and it would not have been possible without so much community support for these efforts.

Stewardship Saturdays, are offered throughout the spring, summer, and fall, twice per month. Available work-sites are at Busey Woods, Meadowbrook Park, Weaver Park, and Perkins Road Wet Prairie. Special workdays for groups can also be arranged. The remaining Stewardship Saturday for 2011 will be on December 10 from 9–11:00am at Busey Woods and from 1–3pm at Weaver Park. Call 217-384-4062 and sign up to participate. Workdays for 2012 will begin in late January. Please contact Mike Davis at 217-344-9583 with questions or to arrange for group events.

Groups You Should Know: The Citizen Scientists - Fourth Installment

It has been a great year to report on citizen science opportunities. As I've learned about these groups, I've concluded that citizen science groups combine two key factors of citizenry and science-fun and exploration/learning, into a package deal that's easy to swallow (not a large time commitment)! If you have a favorite animal, stream, or area, chances are that you will be able to be in your favorite place and contribute to science. When several individuals put in small amounts of time, it adds up quickly to usable data. It has always been amazing to me that a core group of eight to ten frog call surveyors can make a few visits each to a site over the season and by the time they are done, it totals over 250 surveys in many different areas of Champaign County. Now imagine if one person were to try to attempt that in a single season! So, thank you to all that have participated in citizen science opportunities this year. For those of you that aren't quite convinced yet, check out the programs highlighted below. And for those of you that want to learn more about the programs showcased here, as well as many others we didn't get to in the past four issues, please visit: http://scienceforcitizens.net.

The Great Backyard Bird Count

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology offers birdwatchers nationwide a chance to contribute to our world in a meaningful way through the Great Backyard Bird Count. This count is an annual four-day event (typically in February) that engages bird watchers of all ages in creating a real-time snapshot of where birds are across the continent. Counts can be completed in your own yard, at local nature centers or anywhere you have permission to watch birds. It is a simple tally noting the greatest number of birds of each species spotted together at one time. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event. From my own experience this is a great program to introduce small children to the adventures of birding and bird feeding. Last year, my five year old helped me fill out the simple form, and helped input the data online. It's free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds. Cornell provides great online maps showing the number of participants around the nation as well as updated lists on what birds have been seen over the past several years. There is much more to this program so visit http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc.

Frog Call Surveys

The local frog call survey grew out of our very own East Central Illinois Master Naturalist Chapter. In 2007, the chapter partnered with the Champaign County Forest Preserve District and the Urbana Park District to develop a pilot program to monitor frog and toad activity on District lands. Today, there is an established program in place, and hundreds of data points have been reported. This program requires two trainings in February or March each year (I know, that is a tough time to be thinking about frogs) and is supported by a myriad of on-line information. Surveyors visit various wet areas in Champaign County at dusk in the spring and summer listing for the soothing sounds of frogs and toads. There is no cost to the program and all tools are provided. Though it requires a nighttime trip, the visits are at your convenience. It is a great opportunity to get out in nature as the sun is setting. Data collected is used to look at long-term population trends, presence or absence, and species diversity. It is also used to make management decisions and to provide evidence of need in grant proposals for restoration and conservation. Visit www.ccfpd.org/NaturalResources/FrogCallSurvey for more info!

The Majestic Great Blue Heron

The majestic Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) is the largest heron in North America. In flight it looks enormous and it is -- head-to-tail length measures 4 to 5 feet and the wingspan about 6 to 7 feet. It stands about 4 feet tall, but weighs only about 5 pounds. It flies at speeds as fast as 20-30 mph, usually holding its head in towards the body with its neck bent, occasionally letting out a harsh and loud croak. The Great Blue Heron has a long yellow bill, a long neck and very long legs. The only thing not long is the short tail.

These birds stand motionless along the banks of ponds or rivers, waiting for fish, frogs, crayfish or other prey to come within range. Then they spear their prey with that long sharp bill; they usually swallow it whole. Hunting is generally a daytime activity, with dawn and dusk the most common periods for foraging. With their long legs, they are able to feed in deeper waters, waters not available to others.

Although Great Blue Herons are solitary foragers, they breed in colonies, called rookeries; there is big one in Allerton Park. These rookeries can contain just a few couples or several hundred, and generally have over 100 huge stick nests. The birds are extremely territorial and aggressively defend their nests. Great Blue Herons are monogamous and breed once a season, usually from March to May. The females lay 2 to 7 pale blue eggs, and both parents take turns incubating the eggs over a period of 26 to 30 days. Both parents also feed the chicks by regurgitating food. The chicks live in the nest for about 2 months and are then ready to fledge, that is, leave and survive on their own. Typical lifespan in the wild is about 15 years.

Many Great Blue Herons migrate south for the winter, but some stay and overwinter, provided there is open water and they can feed. They are among the first birds to return in early spring.

It's that time of year!

Please turn in your volunteer hours report for 2011 and sign a volunteer agreement form for 2012 by January 15. Both can be found on our website www.extension.illinois.edu/cfiv/mn or stop by the office for a copy.

Prairie Seed Collection: Living the Dream

Boy, was I caught up short this week; cold rainy weather, not my time of year! My world closes in and I head for the covers. But I'm not going to write about that: last month was my time of year. In my amateur naturalist mode, I have found the perfect experience-- prairie seed collection. Under the tutelage of someone who knows what we are doing, I've been a part of four groups venturing through the high grasses to collect seed heads. It works like this:

A naturalist with the park district who has followed prairie restorations in a specific area over a period of time decides what plants need to be increased. In my forays, I've worked with the Forest Preserve District at Lake of the Woods and the Urbana Park District at Meadowbrook. They scope out what areas of the prairie have the potential for harvesting the desired plants ahead of time. When volunteers arrive, each person is given a collection bag or bucket (sometimes artfully tied around one's waist with old neckties) and shown one type of plant to collect. Then you are turned loose to wander merrily off on your own within the designated area to play hide and seek with that plant. Along the way, if there is another plant you are curious about, you give a shout-out to the natural resources staff person who comes along and fills you in on the botany and ecology of that plant. All the while there is this glorious sunshine. And you actually have permission to venture past the signs that say, 'Keep off the grass – prairie restoration in progress!'

Some people collect together and use it as time to visit with companions while providing a useful service. Some people are afraid of insects and snakes and the like and stick close to the perimeter. I tend to plunge right in til the big bluestem and Indian grass tower above me. For someone like me with aging mobility, it is fun to see how agile I can be amid the grass clumps that in the tundra are exaggerated and called tussocks. Tussocks are the bane of the hiker in North Country. A tussock (can you tell I like the sound of the word?) is a clump of living and dying plants that grow on top of one another over seasons. They are plants that don't like the wet conditions of the soggy tundra in warm seasons. They make great stepping stones among the melted ice but you have to land upon them squarely or you slip down the sides. This is me navigating the Illinois prairie.

I also use the time imagining myself as a pioneer trying to navigate through miles of this tangle looking forward to a better life. This exercise in imagination helps me better understand why they wanted to cut it all down to the barest of earth and plant it with a monoculture crop that would be easier to subdue and benefit from.

Mostly, I take in the sun and the diversity of plants and commune with the earth. It is totally refreshing. I don't make those emotional connections easily. Remember those ads showing someone in slow motion bounding through a meadow full of flowers and sunlight, into the waiting arms of a beautiful child or handsome prince or princess, apparently no cares in the world? For me, armed with sunscreen and insect repellent, sturdy hiking boots and a bush hat, sweating like I'm obviously not using the deodorant with life-healing powers that is being advertised, I think seed collecting brings me the closest I can get to living that slow-mo perfect meadow scene!

Master Naturalist Resources

Hi to all previous graduates of MN training. We have a few items here at the Extension office you may find you cannot live without. We also have extra copies of the new chapters (listed below) for a mere $4 each (same as our cost). Thanks to your fellow MN Lex Lane, we have the First edition manual (2006-2010) available as a CD at no cost to you. It's searchable and well organized. Thanks Lex! Stop by the office anytime M-F 8am-11:30am and 12:30pm-4:30pm Just ask the secretaries for the items you want. Hope you take advantage of this opportunity!

1. Introduction to the Il Master Naturalist Program
2. Understanding the Natural World
3. Understanding the Prairie in the Prairie State
4. Forests of Illinois
5. Wetlands
6. Agricultural Lands and Wildlife
7. Urban Areas and Wildlife
8. Ornithology
9. Mammalogy (not available)
10. Herpetology (not available)
11. Botany
12. Entomology
13. Geology and Soils (not available)
14. Natural Divisions: The Biogeography of Illinois (not available)
15. Environmental Ethics and Philosophy
16. Archaeology – People and the Early Illinois Landscape (presently out of copies)
17. Weather and Climate

Internships completed

Congratulations to those who completed their internships in September, October, and November:

• Sharon Kristovich
• Ann Bentley
• Susan Campbell
• Kena Jo Chapman
• Annette McDowell
• Kathy Springer
• Jan Weber
• Cathy Inman
• Roger Inman
• Mary Ann Berg
• Mary Stech

Please Note: the Extension office will be closed from December 26 through January 2.