Nature Center Shots from Saturday (image heavy)

[CaraRose]

It was a cloudy wet Saturday, but the rain dissipated and I had a nice quiet time at the nature center. I went Sunday as well, but unfortunately that was a bit nicer and much more crowded.

It was a bit blustery though... this deer didn't seem to care much for the wind.








Good amount of squirrels out






I went and took some shots of the maple sap buckets and tapped trees



They re-use water and milk jugs to collect the sap




So I was framing a shot of the jug on a maple tree when I heard wing fluttering above me. Hadn't even realized I was right across from the old Cooper's Hawk nest. Not the best shots, they were literally right above my head, but guess what was above me?


The happy couple together


Here's their nest


The wetlands have finally thawed and the pond had some waterfowl on it. I saw some red wings, but they were all either up high or took off as soon as I got them framed.



Sleepy goose


Stopped at Starbucks on the way home and couldn't resist taking a few shots of the pigeons nesting on the starbucks sign

[Singletracklovr]

Nice series,
Are the jugs on the tree's collecting sap for syrup?

[CaraRose]

Nice series,
Are the jugs on the tree's collecting sap for syrup?

Yep. They have a maple syrup festival every year. They tap some of the maples and collect the sap, do educational demonstrations on how you tap the trees. Then boil it down and make the syrup. They were doing a demo for a group on how you make it on Sunday. I took a shot or two of that.

I think the festival's next weekend. Will be crowded but I'm planning on going if something else doesn't come up.

[SARtech]

LOL.... now that's a different perspective for hawks.
Where is your nature center?

[CaraRose]

Off Pulaski between Bryn Mawr and Peterson. It's part of a complex that used to be the Cook County TB sanitarium.

http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/i...ee1acd136a.cfm