Eagle Scout Projects (Flora & Fauna Brochures)update. And WGC "Wildlife Inventory" updates...American Wigeon & Snow Goose seen on courses..

Remember to click on any picture to enlarge.

There have been two (2) new additions to the Winnetka Golf Club 'Wildlife Inventory'. If you recall, earlier this year in the  May 7th Blog we posted pictures of the American Bittern (type of rail bird) sighting at #4 Pond. Well, this last fall staff members David Evanshank saw and photographed an American Wigeon feeding on duckweed with numerous Mallard Ducks at #9 Pond.

 And Matt Bukovac photographed a Snow Goose at a few areas on the course. Surely these birds would have likely migrated through the course over the years, but these are the first officially  documented sightings. 

This would be a good time to segue into local Boy Scout Troop-20,  Nick Hedge's "Eagle Scout Project". Over a year ago Nick approached the Winnetka Park District's Director of Parks & Recreation/Dr. Terry Schwartz about an idea he had for his upcoming ESP. This very time consuming project included building from scratch a dozen Eastern Bluebird houses and replacing the most dilapidated of the over 35 Bluebird houses on both golf courses. In addition a huge part is 'leading' other scouts and adults for  hundreds of hours of volunteer work sighting wildlife on the course. Through the cooperation of his volunteers, Nick created a 'Wildlife Brochure' of the Winnetka Golf Club. The brochure's goal is for golfers as well as cross-country skiers, snow-shoers, and dog walkers (who utilize the golf courses in the off-season) to ultimately download and print the brochure through the WPD's website. Follow this Blog, WPD or WGC  Facebook for the soon to be released 'Wildlife Brochure'.

Here is Nick Hedge (holding his brochure) and his parents (far left) with the full Winnetka Park District's Board of Commissioners. Nick was formally recognized at the January 19th board meeting.

Another Eagle Scout Project from the same local Troop-20 is also nearing completion as another brochure thus creating  Flora & Fauna dual brochures. This other project will also be downloadable and has a routing map of the golf course similar to the Morton Arboretum's Map routing (one can follow the outer loop or choose additional inner loops) and provides the locations of specimen trees and groves of trees with interesting factoids. This Eagle Scout  documented, categorized and measured hundreds of trees with the help of his volunteers.  Many may not realize in their own backyard (aka Winnetka Golf Club) are many  non-typical trees that grow and thrive in the muck-peat soils of the golf course.