McHenry County Blog

It's not at the flood stage it was in May, but the Algonquin dam is open and there is not much of a drop over the spillway, as you can see in the picture I took yesterday about 11.

Considering the almost 6 inches of rain that fell at McHenry, according to Channel 7 weather, one might think the water level would be higher.

It was high enough for the Fox Waterway Agency to issue a “No Wake” order for the lower Fox River yesterday morning at 8.

I did see at least four egrets on the shore at Algonquin's Cornish Park.

Photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Labels: Algonquin, Cornish Park, Egret, Flooding, Fox River

Observant folks driving past the outlet of Crystal Lake saw this egret standing in the spillway.

After taking my son to South Elementary School on Tuesday, October 3rd, I parked at Gate 3 and went to take some pictures.

I got several of the egret standing in the shallow, running water.

I wonder what kind of food it is looking for.

I walked closer, I guess I scared it, because it took off.

A woman walking from the Main Beach thought she made it take flight, but I think it was my movements.

When not on the spillway, it could often be seen with a gray companion perched on the barge from which 4th of July fireworks are launched.

I suppose this is the same bird that I caught on a large tree hanging out over the water at Beach 7 this summer.

It’s probably the same one we saw near Gate 21 while out on our pontoon boat.

Since the temperature dropped 40 degrees in 48 hours the middle of this week, I haven’t sighted the egret again.

I wonder how far south it winters.

The egret is not the only bird feeding near the little dam. My son pointed out a blue heron the first part of July, but I didn’t get as good a photo of it.

Labels: Crystal Lake, Crystal Lake Outlet, Egret, Message of the Day

I don’t know if this is the same egret we saw just west of Gate 21 in Lakewood last week, but it flew onto the main trunk of the tree just west of the Gate 9 pier early on Independence Day morn.

My son and a friend who had spent the night had convinced me to accompany them to the lake to search for snails as soon as they awoke.

That was about 6:30—well before my normal rising time.

We went over and found the previous night’s rainstorm had left the lake less transparent than it usually is that early in the day.

We could see the bottom out probably ten feet from shore, but I could find none of the tell tail snail trails that ended where the tiny snails stopped.

These are the snails that eat duck poop, which, in turn, results in something that causes swimmers itch.

I had hoped the boys would gather dozens of them and remove them from the lake—permanently.

But, no such luck.

I did get most of three newspapers read before I noticed a lovely white bird flying toward the tree which overhangs Crystal Lake at the west edge of Country Club Additions Property Owners Association’s property that is called Beach 7.

I got to the edge of the closest parking lot and took the picture you see.

As I snuck closer the egret became alarmed and flew off. I got a white smudge of a picture of one of the wings, but little more.

For those who can’t envision the tree where the egret landed and where generations of kids have loved to play in winter and summer, here’s a picture I took within the last week showing the setting sun’s rays shining through it.

The egret was standing on the branch sticking over the lake.

Labels: CCAPOA, Country Club Additions Property Owners Association, Crytal Lake, Egret, Gate 9, Sunset

I first saw egrets in Illinois driving through South Barrington.

There was a rookery on the road that is east of Route 59.

Now, every once in a while they can be seen on Crystal Lake.

This one had just flown across from the North Shore.

It landed in front of a South Shore house west of Lakewood's Gate 21 beach.

The bird is certainly looking for something to eat.

Labels: Crystal Lake, Egret, Gate 21, Lakewood