Chicago outdoors: Coupling monarchs, kings and gobies, grandfather notes, Illinois Natural Areas

Notes come from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.

WILD OF THE WEEK

Diane Conmy spotted coupling monarchs last Saturday that than landed on a magnolia leaf in River Forest, then emailed, “[They] flew awkwardly due to the weight of two butterflies attached to one another. Their wings opened and closed in unison, a beautiful ballet.”

WOTW, the celebration of wild stories and photos around Chicago outdoors, runs most weeks in the special two-page outdoors section in the Sun-Times Sports Saturday. To make submissions, email BowmanOutside@gmail.com or contact me on Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or Instagram (@BowmanOutside).

els, Deacon’s Bar, Wauconda, publish.illinois.edu/huntcampil/

DALE’S MAILBAG

“I’d like to thank you for writing about our exploits canoeing on the Chicago River and for mentioning my grandfather Tom Carbery. Your column will have a special place in our hearts because my grandfather passed away last Wednesday—the day your column was published. My dad read your column to my Grandpa in hospice and the entire family shared a chuckle that he would sneak his name into the newspaper on his last day.” Ben Carbery

A: Some notes just get. Even better, Ben shared a story about his grandfather I wish I could share.

BIG NUMBER

60th: Anniversary of Illinois passing the Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act, establishing the Illinois Nature Preserves System, on Aug. 28, 1963.

LAST WORD

“The thing we’ve noticed, the kings are coughing up gobies.”

Capt. Dan Leslie, noting a surprise this summer with Chinook, which traditionally focus nearly exclusively on eating alewives.

WILD TIMES

DUCKS UNLIMITED

Thursday, Aug. 24: Northwest Suburban Fundraiser, Cotillion Banquets, Palatine

HUNTER SAFETY

Aug. 26-27: Kankakee, (815) 935-2700

Sept. 9-10: Morris, (815) 942-6645

WINGSHOOTING

Sept. 16 or 17: Des Plaines Conservation Area, Wilmington, (815) 423-5326, clck here for details

WATERFOWL SHOW

Next Saturday, Aug. 26: Waterfowl Hunters Expo, Sunnyview Expo Center, Oshkosh, Wis.

HUNTER CAMP

Sept. 23: For adult hunters of all lev