Homer Lake Wetland Blog

Here are five images of the wetland captured today (11/11/21). The Fall beauty of the wetland speaks for itself.  I hope you enjoy the Fall Photos! Most of the plants and animals are transitioning to a season of rest, and I am as well. Between March 1 and September 30th this year I spent over 200 hours at the wetland and many more hours working on my photos, videos and blog posts. I've enjoyed just about every minute of it and have learned a lot, but it's time for a change. My hope is that this blog has incited curiosity and stirred up wonder for all who've read some of the posts. And of course the blog will remain as a resource for all who are interested in exploring more of the wonders of the wetland. Spoiler Alert: I've been in discussion with the folks at the Homer Lake Interpretive Center and the current plan is for me to collaborate with them on an interpretive display about the wetland coming probably in April 2023 to be displayed in the Interpretive Center for

The Wonderful Wetland, June 8, 2021 shortly after sunrise It may surprise you to know that fifteen years ago this wonderful, magical, glorious wetland, which I've spent the last eight months marveling at and blogging about, did not exist except on paper. The Homer Lake Wetland I am so fascinated with is a wetland restoration proposed by the Champaign County Forest Preserves and partially funded by a Five Star Restoration Challenge Grant awarded by the National Association of Counties in July, 2006.  The photo below shows the site of the proposed wetland in September 2006 before any work had begun. You may recognize the tree at the right in the photo below as the now dead snag standing on the east edge of the wetland visible in many of the photos of the wetland I have posted, a favorite perch for bluebirds and flycatchers watching for flying insects emerging from or attracted to the wetland. Likewise, bluebird nesting box number seven at the bottom left of the photo below still stan