Dundee Township

05/30/2026

Thank you, Mr. Nicholson DuKane Chapter of ABATE of Illinois for your efforts in advancing Motorcycle Awareness and for including us in this important initiative. We appreciate the opportunity to participate and support this cause.

Thank you to Dundee Township for proclaiming May as Motorcycle Awareness Month! Put down the cell phones and START SEEING MOTORCYCLES! 🏍

05/30/2026

What a wonderful Memorial Day event! Dundee Township is incredibly grateful to the VFW, the Scouts, dedicated volunteers, and the many residents who came together to honor and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

A special thank you to Debbie Cagle for her hard work, dedication, and countless efforts in helping make this event so meaningful and memorable. We are also thankful for the partnership and support of the VFW Commander and East Dundee Mayor Dan Pearson.

Events like these are a testament to the strength of our community and our shared commitment to honoring our nation's heroes. Thank you to everyone who helped make this day so special.

Hope everyone had a wonderful long weekend 🇺🇸.

05/29/2026

05/29/2026

Do you know what a Micro Blue Moon is?

The Full Moon on May 31 is a Blue Moon according to one of its two definitions. It will be the first Blue Moon in almost two years. Most months have one Full Moon, but sometimes a calendar month can have two Full Moons. The second Full Moon is then defined as a Blue Moon. The other definition of a Blue Moon is that it is the third Full Moon in an astronomical season with four Full Moons. The next Blue Moon according to this definition will happen in May 2027.

Why do Blue Moons happen? A day is based on the rotation of the Earth on its axis, a year comes from the time it takes Earth to orbit the Sun, and a month is based on the revolution of the Moon around Earth.

And this is where the term arises. Typically, we see 12 full Moons a year, one on average falling neatly into each calendar month. But the two calendars don’t precisely match up. A calendar year contains around 11 days more than the number of days in 12 lunar cycles, so eventually the difference makes itself known. And no, it is not necessarily colored blue. This is just a term that was coined decades ago. The moon can have a blue tone to it as it can also appear as other color tones. This is typically due to some atmospheric conditions that appear to change the moon’s color.

But May’s final Full Moon isn’t only the second Full Moon in the same month. The moon reaches its farthest orbit from the Earth on June 1 and will be high in the sky, making it appear farther away making it a Micro Blue Moon!

05/22/2026

Did you know bees dance?

One kind of dance they do is called the waggle dance. The waggle dance tells the watching bees two things about a flower patch’s location: the distance and the direction away from the hive.

The dancing bee waggles back and forth as she moves forward in a straight line, then circles around to repeat the dance. The length of the middle line (which is called the waggle run) shows approximately how far it is to the flower patch (see graphic).

Bees also know which way is up and which way is down inside their hive, and they use this to show direction. In the hive, bees dance with the waggle run at a specific angle away from straight up. Outside the hive, bees look at the position of the sun, and fly at the same angle away from the sun (see graphic).

Illinois has several hundred native bees. Bees are important for many reasons including the following: native bees have co-evolved with local Illinois plants. They are responsible for complex processes like "buzz pollination" (vibrating flowers to release pollen), which many native plants and food crops require. Native bees (such as bumble bees) are specially adapted to the local climate. For certain crops, native bees are more effective pollinators than non-native honeybees. By pollinating wildflowers and shrubs, native bees propagate the plants that provide food and habitat for birds, butterflies, and small mammals.

You can help native bees out by providing habitat around your yard (a lot of native bees are ground nesters or like hollow logs), plant native plant species, and reduce the use of insecticides. For more information on native bees follow the link.

https://dnr.illinois.gov/education/wildaboutpages/wildaboutinvertebrates/wildaboutnativebees.htm

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05/15/2026

Did you know?

Although the most common crane in North America, Sandhill Cranes are nothing short of extraordinary. They are named after the Sandhills near the Platte River in Nebraska, where many (100,000s) travel during spring migration. These birds are known for their long legs, large wingspans, graceful mating dance, and distinctive vocalizations. Sandhill Cranes are large birds, standing up to 4 feet tall, with a wingspan to 6.5 feet. Adults have an overall gray plumage with a white throat and its characteristic red crown of feathers on their forehead. Juveniles work their way up to those colors, wearing a lighter, rusty coat and lacking the white and red patches on their head until they are about a year old.

Sandhill Cranes typically find their mate during spring migration. Some find their mate as early as two years of age, and nearly all are paired by age eight. To attract a female’s attention, males perform a courtship dance. They will stretch out their wings, leap, and bow. Once the female is satisfied with a performance, the two mate and generally maintain a life-long bond with their partner. Marshes, wet meadows, and prairies are great habitats for nest-building and raising their young.

Young are already born covered in down when they hatch and can leave the nest within a day of hatching. Once they are between 2-2½ months old, chicks take their first flight. Despite this, it can be between 10 and 12 months before the chicks are fully grown, and so they stay with the parents until a couple of months before the following spring. After fully developing, they join a juvenile flock, eventually finding their mate and pairing with them in the new flock.

The Sandhill Crane’s call is a loud trumpeting sound whose tone is a product of its anatomy: Sandhill Cranes have long windpipes that coil into the sternum and help the sound develop into a variety of tones. Use your ears to listen for them overhead as you hike Open Space sites and keep an eye out for them foraging around Open Space sites. The Open Space Program has had a breeding pair on one of its properties in the past.



Pic: Adult sandhills forage around Jelke Creek.

05/08/2026

Did you know?
The month of May is Invasive Species Awareness Month in Illinois. The entire month is dedicated to educating the public on the threats invasive plants, animals, and insects pose to the state's natural areas and economy. An invasive species is any species not native to a particular ecosystem, including its seeds, spores, or other biological material capable of propagating that species and whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm. Many of these species are aggressive in their new environments without any of their natural controls present. Invasion by these species usually results in the elimination of native species, reduction of the natural biological diversity and degradation of habitat. So, what can you do? Educate yourself and learn about the impacts of invasive species. Keep hiking gear, outdoor equipment, boats, and watercraft clean. Use local wood. Plant natives! Many of the invasive plant species come from ornamental garden escapes. Find out about local conservation groups and programs, such as the Dundee Township Open Space Program and volunteer. Go out and enjoy and protect your natural areas.

05/01/2026

Did you know?

The Mayapple is an herbaceous perennial plant native to Illinois and is found throughout the woodlands in many Open Space sites. It is a unique plant that has two leaves when it produces a flower and only one leaf when it does not produce a flower. When there is only one leaf, the leaf looks round, and when there are two, the leaves look like two halves of a round leaf. The flower (which typically appears in May) grows from between the two leaves and under the leaves, so it is often not easily seen. The fruit or “apple” that follows typically ripens by August. Many parts of this plant are considered poisonous. This plant spreads rapidly through underground rhizomes to form large colonies. These plants generally look like a bunch of umbrellas on the forest floor. Some have referred to them as “toad umbrellas.”

04/25/2026

Did you know?

Wetlands, like the ones that exist in Dundee Township Open Space lands like Jelke Creek Bird Sanctuary, are important “rest stops” for migratory birds. Spring migration is in full swing and bodies of water provide many resources birds need for their long flights.
Ponds of all sizes, even seasonal temporary ones, provide foraging habitat, nutrients, and food sources like insects and other aquatic organisms that replenish the bird’s energy reserves. Water provides them with a place to drink and helps to keep their feathers in prime flying condition through bathing. Ponds can help migratory birds to avoid predators, especially ponds with surrounding vegetation. Conservation and restoration of these wetland habitats is critical.
Migration takes enormous amounts of energy, and these bodies of water help our feathered friends to complete their long journey whether they are heading back north (spring) or going south (fall). We are in the Mississippi Flyway. It spans from the Canada through the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Valley to the Gulf Coast, and includes states like Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Over 325 species of birds use this route, with roughly 40% of all U.S. waterfowl and shorebirds traveling it each spring and fall. Common travelers include Mallards, Wood Ducks, Canvasbacks, Blue-winged Teal, White Pelicans, Whooping Cranes, and numerous songbirds.
Enjoy your Open Space, happy bird watching, and happy (belated) Earth Day!