Glen Ellyn's "Biggest Backyard" (Under Construction)

  The Village Links is more than a place for recreation.

                           

                           

               Photo by Village Links Staff

 

February 2006.

There are only a few golfers that are hardy enough to play golf on our 9 hole golf course, which is open all winter, but it's surprising how much wildlife is still active during the winter months. A Great Horned Owl has been visiting the golf course for the past few weeks. Great Blue Herons have stayed in Glen Ellyn most of the winter and can be found feeding in pockets of open water in the golf course pond that have not frozen due to this winters mild temperatures. A pair of Coyotes have made the golf course their home.

 

 

 

There are several Robins that didn't migrate south and have spent the entire winter at the golf course. The Village Links provides plenty of food in the form native shrubs. This Robin feeds on berries of a Black Chokeberry bush located in the main parking lot.

  

                                                           Photo by Village Links Staff

 

 

 

 

Feeding stations at the golf course supplement natural food sources. Cardinals are permanent residents at the golf course. Dark-eyed Juncos are only seen in Glen Ellyn during the winter months. They will leave in spring to migrate to their summer homes to the north.

                                                                                                      Photo by Village Links Staff

 

March 30, 2006.

The first Tree Swallow appeared at the golf course. Tree Swallows return from their winter migration as soon as flying insects begin to appear.

             Photo by Village Links Staff  

                                                                                   March 31, 2006.

                                                                The first Bluebird appeared at the golf course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                          Photo by Village Links Staff

April 3 , 2006.

A pair of Red-tailed Hawks have been incubating their eggs for 3 weeks in their nest near the top of an Eastern White Pine behind 12 green.

May 15 , 2006.

The Red-tailed Hawks eggs have hatched. The adults spend their time soaring over the golf course hunting for a meal to feed their growing young. Cavity nesting birds are competing for nest boxes. Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, Black-capped Chickadees and House Wrens have all begun nesting. There are approximately 30% more Tree Swallows on the golf course this spring. Staff has installed additional nest boxes to handle the increase in birds.

June 1, 2006.

The Red-tailed Hawks have 2 young who are one week from leaving the nest. Cavity nesting birds are busy laying eggs in many of the nest boxes set up around the golf course. Lori Carlson, who volunteers as a nest box monitor, reports that out of 9 nest boxes she watches, 6 boxes contain Tree Swallow nests and one box is occupied by a pair of Bluebirds. The Tree Swallows are in the process of laying eggs but the Bluebird eggs have already hatched.

June 29, 2006.

The Red-tailed Hawk babies are out of their nest. They have limited hunting skills and are still dependent on their parents for food.

                              Photo by Village Links Staff

Japanese Beetles are emerging and can be found feeding on trees, shrubs and flowers. The beetles, which appear at the end of June in Glen Ellyn, are the adults of white grubs that spend their life below ground feeding on grass roots.

                                                                                                            Photo by Village Links Staff