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May 25th, 2017

5/25/2017

Rainy Days

We've had many days of rain in May, more that were overcast, yet the monthly rain total is just a little above average.

I missed both Saturday's Cap Sauers workday and Sunday's at Black Partridge. I'm told that John had a good turnout at Partridge, and that his garlic mustard population was either minimal or very well hidden. I sincerely hope it was the former.

We roamed Paddock yesterday looking for more of the weed. Found some re sprouts in the area where Brenda and crew brush-cut, but nothing compared to what they took out of there. Don't know if Kristin has yet evaluated the effectiveness of the brush-cutting test and am curious to hear about it.

So I offer a couple of pictures from yesterday at Paddock and today's walk on a small stretch of the yellow trail. It's fungus time...

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Willow Springs, Hidden Pond, Paddock/McClaughrey, May 13-17, 2017

5/18/2017

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Willow Springs Woods Saturday May 13
Hidden Pond Sunday May 14
Paddock/McClaughrey Springs Wednesday May 17

Garlic mustard parties all over the preserves in the past week! Mixed results from site to site. On Saturday we roamed large areas of Willow Springs and Willow West searching for the occasional weed. It was a great interpretive walk yielding just handfuls of GM.

Sunday at Hidden Pond we found more, though still spread over a decent area given our small group size (six). It seemed less than in recent years at Hidden Pond which is some comfort.

Wednesday at McClaughrey: this is where the tables turned. Diana was kind enough to direct us to a low, flat area west of Mill Creek that was an absolute harvest for the GM hunter. Talking bumper crop here.

With ten of our regular Paddock people, and 30 students from South Side Baptist School in Oak Lawn, we spent all of our picking time in an area perhaps 150 yards by 100 yards. When finished we had a mound of garlic mustard that dwarfed any I've been involved with in recent years.

We also took a short hike through the preserve, ending at the monster oak tree on the upland side that is my personal fave.

Thanks to Elisabeth Pluth and the students of South Side Baptist School for a most enjoyable, productive day! Thanks to our Paddock people for the big assist they provided.

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McClaughrey Springs May 6, Cap Sauers May 7, Paddock May 10, 2017

5/11/2017

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Garlic mustard season is in full swing now though some spots are not so hard hit. Others have more than their fair share. Saturday we worked in close proximity to one another and didn't really move out of the area in the course of three hours. A day later, at Cap, we were fewer in number and spread over a wide area.

Some of the early spring blooms are long gone. A few spring beauties are holding on, the mayapples blooming as the trillium fade. The ground is filling in and showing the great lushness of a moist spring like the one we're experiencing. Lovely!

An abundance of riches

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Paddock to Swallow Cliff, Black Partridge too. April 30 - May 3, 2017

5/1/2017

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Paddock Woods April 29
Swallow Cliff & Black Partridge April 30
Paddock May 3

Last weekend's forecast was one of storms and flooding of near-Biblical proportions. Despite that, we managed to pull garlic mustard three times over two days, only getting rained on for short stretches. Thanks to the brave souls who came out, and thanks to Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth for assistance with transportation.

Sunday was memorable as John Marlin's workday marked his 25 years of stewardship at Black Partridge. Or as I call it, his first 25 years of stewardship. Congratulations and thank you, John!

Wednesday it was another trek to Paddock, for another round of garlic mustard pulling. Each week something new is blooming, making it a fun time to be in the woods.

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May 25th, 2017

Willow Springs, Hidden Pond, Paddock/McClaughrey, May 13-17, 2017

McClaughrey Springs May 6, Cap Sauers May 7, Paddock May 10, 2017

Paddock to Swallow Cliff, Black Partridge too. April 30 - May 3, 2017

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