Friday, July 24, 2009
Pioneer Press
by Todd Shields

Sunshine broke through in columns when the gray morning cloud cover moved east and naturalist Karen Holmes yelled, "That-a-way, to the bridge!"

Twelve paddlers in five Grumman canoes headed for Tower Road Bridge over Skokie Lagoons in the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, Winnetka.

Organized by the Northbrook Park District, the 90-minute outing was an authentic, up-close view of upper Midwest wetland wildlife and flora.

The canoe flotilla traveled south to Willow Road, while our group saw several sightings of water fowl, such as aggressive, low-flying black cormorants that plunged underwater to grab fish with hooked beaks.

Holmes said for centuries the Chinese have utilized the voracious birds, whereby they tie cords around their throats to prevent them from swallowing caught fish on dives.

Four-foot-tall great blue herons flew in loping pairs, high up into shoreline cottonwood trees, nearly invisible against the blue sky, green foliage and gray bark.

"Don't get too close or you'll flush them out," said Holmes, an educator and naturalist for Forest Preserve District of Cook County.

Terns, crackles, gold finches, mimicking catbirds and swallows darted about shoreline shrubs and pink native prairie roses. Men in several kinds of boats fished for walleye, blue gill, channel catfish and northern pike.

Massive pillars of poison ivy engulfed mature willow trees half way up, and we made room for a foot-wide snapping turtle swimming just below the surface.

Chris Merenowicz, a Forest Preserve District resource manager, said Skokie Lagoons and Busse Reservoir in Elk Grove were the two top sport fisheries in northeast Illinois, especially since 1994 when Skokie has been annually restocked following a period of low fish population.

"The Skokie habitat is varied with fish. The many downed trees and shrubs along the banks give fish shelter and protection. We also put in 50 wooden fish cribs for more cover. Most fishermen know where these cribs are located," Merenowicz said.

Skokie Lagoons are one of three biggest water bodies in Forest Preserve District, joining Tampier Slew in Orland Park and Busse Reservoir in Elk Grove Village.

Skokie Lagoons are seven connected bodies of water covering about six miles, starting north at Lake Cook Road near Chicago Botanic Garden and head south to Willow Road. The North Branch Bike Trail parallels nearly the entire lagoon.

Specifically, the lagoons run in a valley west of Wilmette, Winnetka and Glencoe and east of Edens Expressway.

Flowing through a valley marsh at depths between 6 and 8 feet, the lagoon drains three large areas bounded by north and south land ridges and empties water into the North Branch of the Chicago River near Foster Avenue and Pulaski Road.

From 1933 to 1942, the Civilian Conservation Corp. excavated the swamp land, built dikes and put in three flood-control dams, converting the marsh into today's popular recreation area.

Holmes was surprised not to spot a kingfisher -- another diving bird -- that frequents Skokie Lagoon, and she said other common wildlife were mink and muskrat.

Brenda Ewing, of Glenview, has canoed with her two children in Wisconsin's Door County, but said Skokie Lagoons presented much wildlife.

"I've never seen blue herons fly side by side, and we saw lots of jumping fish. It was a good trip today," she said.

For more information about Forest Preserve District of Cook County, visit www.fpdcc.com.