As the heat abated a little bit, we decided to take a hike at the DuPage County Greene Valley Forest Preserve in Naperville, Illinois, this past weekend. On the east side, in the central part of the preserve, a 2.25 mile trail loops from the south parking lot to the Southern DuPage County Regional Trail and the Valley Trail. Trails are well-marked, wide limestone paths, with plenty of room for walkers and bicycles.
We found a pleasant, open vista that was great for birdwatchers and prairie enthusiasts alike. The Valley Trail runs alongside the east branch of the DuPage River, which makes it attractive to bird species, although there is no view of the river for hikers. While it was an overcast day making bird identification difficult, we were able to observe those seen below:
Birds pictured above in clockwise order: Northern cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, by Mshake, Getty Images; Red-winged blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus, by Robert Jakubowski, Pexels; Song sparrow, Melospiza melodia, by BrianEKushner, Getty Images; Common yellowthroat, Geothlypis trichas, by BrianEKushner, Getty Images; Field sparrow, Spizella pusilla, by Mr Jamsey, Getty Images Signature; Gray catbird, Dumetella carolinensis, by SKHoward, Getty Images Signature
Vegetation varies greatly, providing good protection for many of the small mammals plus lots of perches for birds. Many plant varieties could be seen and identified without leaving the trails, including those pictured below.
Black raspberry, Rubus occidentalis; Edible in season 
Climbing prairie rose, Rosa setigera; Pollinator species for bees 
Common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca; Pollinator species supporting more than 450 species of insects 
Cup plant, Silphium perfoliatum; Leaf wraps around the stem forming a water holding cup 
Eastern Black Walnut, Juglans nigra; It is allelopathic, releasing chemicals from its roots that may give the tree some advantage over its nearest competitors for food and nutrients 
Elderberry, Sambucus sp.; Sambucus is Greek for an ancient wind instrument sounding as a whistle 
Grey headed coneflower, Ratibida pinnata; Perennial attractive to Butterflies & birds 
Hemp dogbane, Apocynum cannabinum; All parts of the plant are toxic, possibly fatal 
Joe Pye weed, Eutrochium sp; Considered medicinal by early American cultures 
Northern red oak, Quercus rubra; Acorns need a minimum 3-month exposure to near freezing temperatures to germinate 
Sumac, Rhus sp.; Prized as a spice from the cashew & mango tree families 
Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia; Flowering vine in the grape family 
Grey poplar, Populus x canescens; Cross between white poplar and Aspen 
Wild bergamot, Monarda fistulosa; Considered medicinal in use as a tea for colds
Scroll through pictures above using the left & right arrows
The area supported plenty of small mammals such as rabbit, shrew, deer, coyote, and both gray and fox squirrels. We saw lots of pollinators including bees, moths, butterflies, and dragonflies. Greene Valley Forest Preserve offers a wide range of hiking trails, a scenic overlook, camping and picnicking facilities, a model airplane field, and many events, including night sky observations throughout the year. Consider catching some of the amazing sights in natural areas near you.
Fauna pictured above in clockwise order: Coyote, Canis latrans, by Esteban Arango, pexels; Galls on grape leaves; White-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, by Stefonlinton, Getty Images Signature; White cabbage butterfly, Pieris rapae, by Bejan Adrian, Pexels; Shrew by CreativeNature_nl, Getty Images; Eastern cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus, by Brian Forsyth, Pexels
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