Nature Notes: Marsh Grace

By: Alyssa Nyberg, Efroymson Restoration at Kankakee Sands Rain soaked and exhausted, I stand at the edge of a wetland. My hair is plastered to my face, my shirt is askew, and my jeans are heavy with water and mud. At this moment, I am far from the epitome of "marsh grace". But the short green plant before me, Eleocharis obtusa, is exactly "marsh grace"…

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Nature Notes: Fame Flowers

By: Alyssa Nyberg, Efroymson Restoration at Kankakee Sands Here I sit beneath the shadecloth at the Kankakee Sands Nursery at four o'clock in the afternoon. I am just watching and waiting. Beside me are 200 small black pots of prairie fame flower (Phemeranthus rugospermus). Any moment now, the pots will be transformed from a mass of green succulent leaves to a floating sea of pink when the blossoms of the fame flower open. Then within an hour, they will close again. The whole process is absolutely mesmerizing, puzzling, and intriguing. That's why you'll find me here, again, this evening, watching and waiting for the floral show to begin…

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Nature Notes: The Crow - The Smartest Bird You Know

By: Samantha Kinsman, Efroymson Restoration at Kankakee Sands Photo credit to Kathy C. Malone I'd say if there is any bird that everyone knows, it is the crow. They're big, black, and noisy which makes them easy to spot and identify. Maybe that is why for as long as I can remember, they have been my favorite bird. Many find crows to be obnoxious or a nuisance, but once carefully observed, their intelligence and prominent role in nature is uncovered…

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