Blog | Life on CSG Pond

Avian Highlights 2020 at Carillon Stonegate Pond

Terry Wise

Jan 12, 20212 min read

Avian Highlights 2020 at Carillon Stonegate Pond

This past year, there were several noteworthy sightings of birds here at Carillon Stonegate Pond. Here are five sightings that were new...

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Winter Frosting the Woodlands on Carillon Stonegate Ponds

Terry Wise

Jan 4, 20211 min read

Winter Frosting the Woodlands on Carillon Stonegate Ponds

Quiet winter day on Carillon Stonegate Ponds. The dense overnight fog has enveloped the branches of our woodlands with a frosting of ice...

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The “Prairie Wolf” on Carillon Stonegate Pond

Terry Wise

Jan 2, 20212 min read

The “Prairie Wolf” on Carillon Stonegate Pond

A frequent hunter around Carillon Stonegate Ponds is the Coyote as was seen this morning. Here they are constantly stalking around our...

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Whitetail Deer Grazing on Banks of Carillon Stonegate Pond

Terry Wise

Dec 31, 20201 min read

Whitetail Deer Grazing on Banks of Carillon Stonegate Pond

New Year's Eve morning. Cold with several inches of recently fallen snow covering the tallgrasses around Carillon Stonegate Pond. From...

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Our Winter Feeder Birds at Carillon Stonegate Pond.

Terry Wise

Dec 30, 20201 min read

Our Winter Feeder Birds at Carillon Stonegate Pond.

As winter commences, our bird feeders around Carillon Stonegate Ponds are quite busy.

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Whitish Dark-eyed Junco? Ludicrous - No, Leucistic!

Terry Wise

Dec 14, 20201 min read

Whitish Dark-eyed Junco? Ludicrous - No, Leucistic!

Watched Dark-eyed Juncos and some Sparrows foraging below our winter feeders. Then I saw this unusual looking bird. Scroll through the...

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Terry Wise

Jun 21, 20201 min read

First Fawn of 2020 Summer!

The first photo of a fawn sighting at Carillon Stonegate Pond! Always a sign of a good summer here.

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“Blue Angels” and “Orange Angels” of Carillon Stonegate Pond

Terry Wise

May 17, 20202 min read

“Blue Angels” and “Orange Angels” of Carillon Stonegate Pond

It’s a daily occurrence on Carillon Stonegate Pond and with aerial shows several times each day. These birds are Tree Swallows...

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New Avian Visitors at Carillon Stonegate Pond

Terry Wise

Apr 19, 20201 min read

New Avian Visitors at Carillon Stonegate Pond

Day 30 of the Illinois “Shelter-in-Place” Order. After my nature walk, I was looking out over the back yard to the CSG Pond. Two...

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Divin’ Grebe on Carillon Stonegate Pond!

Terry Wise

Apr 1, 20201 min read

Divin’ Grebe on Carillon Stonegate Pond!

Another day of “shelter in place“ when I noticed the activity on Carillon Stonegate Pond. Visitors included several Canada Geese and...

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Spring Visitors to Carillon Stonegate Ponds

Terry Wise

Mar 30, 20201 min read

Spring Visitors to Carillon Stonegate Ponds

With all of us here at Carillon at Stonegate sheltering in place for the past two weeks (and looks like for several weeks ahead!), I...

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Bird Watching While Sheltering in Place!

Terry Wise

Mar 22, 20202 min read

Bird Watching While Sheltering in Place!

Today was the first full day of "shelter in place" as we all band together to contain the COVID-19 virus. So I took some time to watch...

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Majestic Raptor Visits Carillon Stonegate Pond

Terry Wise

Mar 16, 20201 min read

Majestic Raptor Visits Carillon Stonegate Pond

Exciting to see this Bald Eagle visit our pond today. This majestic bird did a flyover a week ago. But today, this eagle stopped and did...

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Cooper's Hawk - Lovely Raptor Here in Winter!

Terry Wise

Jan 29, 20201 min read

Cooper's Hawk - Lovely Raptor Here in Winter!

Even during winter, we have a variety of residents that drop in to rest or roost here at the Carillon Stonegate Ponds. Here is a Cooper's...

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10- point White-tail Buck Visiting Carillon Stonegate Pond

Terry Wise

Jan 7, 20201 min read

10- point White-tail Buck Visiting Carillon Stonegate Pond

New Year's Day brought a visitor to the ridge line north of Carillon Stonegate Pond. It was a White-tail deer. A magnificent male with a...

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Coyotes on the Hunt on Carillon Stonegate Pond

Terry Wise

Dec 16, 20191 min read

Coyotes on the Hunt on Carillon Stonegate Pond

With the fresh snow this morning, two young coyotes were out on Carillon Stonegate Pond hunting for food. These coyotes were my first...

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Dancer and Dasher at Carillon Stonegate Pond?

Terry Wise

Dec 11, 20191 min read

Dancer and Dasher at Carillon Stonegate Pond?

No red nose, so it was not Rudolph! But were these White-tail Deer getting ready for a Christmas Eve fly-around? Probably not. But these...

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Terry Wise

Dec 3, 20191 min read

Sandhill Cranes Migrating South

Wonderful sight to see - and quite the distinctive sound to hear! The fall migration of the Sandhill Crane continues. This afternoon a...

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Great Blue Ice Fishing on Carillon Stonegate Pond

Terry Wise

Nov 16, 20191 min read

Great Blue Ice Fishing on Carillon Stonegate Pond

We all know that ice fishing is prohibited on Carillon Stonegate Pond, but apparently this Great Blue Heron has special privileges! Also,...

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A Winter Noon on Carillon Stonegate Pond

Terry Wise

Nov 15, 20191 min read

A Winter Noon on Carillon Stonegate Pond

"Winter" has fallen upon Carillon Stonegate Pond much earlier than any of us had hoped - including our avian residents. There were a wide...

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