I had the pleasure of visiting another nature preserve today, from their website; "Lake Renwick Heron Rookery Nature Preserve is "By far the most valuable rookery in all of Illinois...a site of outstanding statewide significance," according to the Illinois Audubon Society. The 320-acre site was acquired beginning in 1989 and dedicated as a State Nature Preserve in 1992 to protect the breeding and foraging habitat for five species of then-endangered or threatened birds. Today, only one of the bird species remains endangered. Lake Renwick Heron Rookery is a unique site in Illinois where great blue herons, great egrets, black-crowned night herons, double-crested cormorants, and cattle egrets nest together. The site includes a 200-acre lake with several small islands used for nesting. Because of these sensitive natural resources, dogs are not allowed in the preserve. During the breeding season (March through mid-August), the preserve is closed to the public, except for public bird viewing programs, which are offered May 1 through August 15 every Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to Noon and on Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m." Not mentioned on the site is that this lake used to be a gravel pit and the telephone-pole like nesting platforms were put in place due to the high "guano" content emitted by the birds causing all the trees on the little island spit to die. The current count of nests (including a second island) is just over 1,000. Do zoom, I left the image at full size as it really challenged my telephoto lens to get some good shots, the island being so far from shore.