Forest Preserve Of Will County: Celebrate Valentine's Day And Spring With Courtship And Campfire Programs

Press release from the Forest Preserve District of Will County:

With Valentine’s Day around the corner and mating season about to begin in nature, the Forest Preserve is offering several online and in-person programs to appeal to the love bug inside us all.

Find out how raptors hone in on their mates or woodcocks wiggle their way to true love. Learn how undergarments evolved from loincloths to lingerie. Or warm up by a campfire with your gal pals.

Here is a roundup of programs:

Raptor Courtships: 7 p.m. Thursday, February 4, Zoom webinar. Ages 16 or older. Raptors don’t wait until spring to begin the mating cycle. These carnivorous birds begin courting in February.

What’s Under There? – A (Brief) History of Undergarments: 6 p.m. Thursday, February 11, Zoom webinar. Ages 16 or older. Lingerie can be part of human mating rituals, so this program peeks into the history of unmentionables.

Gal-Entine’s Day Campfire: 6-8 p.m. Thursday, February 11, Hammel Woods – DuPage River Access. Ages 21 or older. Hey ladies, gather the gals and sip hot cocoa under the stars. Feel free to BYOB to give your hot cocoa a boost. Only a few spots are left for this program, so don’t delay in registering.

Nature Date Night: 6-7 p.m. Friday, February 12, Zoom webinar. All ages. How do ducks and spiders find their mates? This program will explain the surprising and exciting ways animals attract their partners.

Wild Behaviors & Crazy Courtships: 7-8 p.m. Friday February 12, Zoom webinar. Ages 16 or older. Animals that are normally elusive to escape danger throw caution to the wind in springtime in order to attract a mate. Find out what they do and why they do it.

Woodcock Walks: Three woodcock walks will take place in March.

• 6:30-8 p.m. Saturday, March 20, Plum Creek Nature Center, ages 7 or older.
• 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 24 at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, ages 18 or older.
• 6-7:30 p.m. Friday, March 26, Four Rivers, all ages.

Demanding a romantic light, the male American woodcock waits until dusk before performing its theatrical courtship display. The woodcock “sky dance” is quite a sight to see! Program participants will learn all about the woodcock, and how he is normally elusive and timid, and then hike to see him perform his extraordinary courtship dance.

Registration for all programs is available on the Event Calendar.

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This press release was produced by the Forest Preserve District of Will County. The views expressed are the author's own.