Observations by esokol

Freshwater catfish are typically caught under 10-15 pounds, however this one you can see is over 20 pounds. Age range is difficult to determine, but due to the size of the fins and aging skin, a safe bet would be about 15 years. This type of catfish is found following the seawall of homes, grazing the bottom of lakes. They will eat wandering fish, smaller in nature. Difficult to bait, they typically will take bites from bigger fish and bright jigs. They are knowledgeable creatures, slower in nature to swim but quick to take on prey.

Largemouth bass are easy to catch with smaller minnows or moving bait. To be good to eat, a bass should be right around 12-15 inches, in which this one is. Once they get passed 15 inches, they are a much older fish and their meat is less tasty. The large mouth bass is easy to differentiate because of the wide-set jaw and long back fin. They are very light green in color, and can be found about halfway from the top of the surface of the water to the bottom, where the water is at a cool temperature.

This baby bluegill is about the size of my palm, roughly seven inches from mouth to tail. Typically, these fish are found at the surface of the water grazing the warmed lake. The typical bait used to catch one of these is a night crawler, or other worms. The most obvious characteristic in determining if they are a bluegill is the blue spot found at the top of their gill. They also will have spikes around the top fin, difficult to unhook once caught.

This Bald Eagle can be found out in Lake Bloomington, where he hunts by day to feed his family. His nest resides high in the trees, in which the nest is about the size of a large pizza. At a time, they can carry around three baby birds in the nest or less, in which this one has three. He is carrying a fish home to his family, which he most likely will return out together another for himself. The bald eagle has a wing span bigger than most human's arm span, and happens to be an endangered species as well. They are not allowed to be hunted or killed.

This owl is found wide awake, contrary to the species popular day activity. There are quite a few owls out in Hudson and Lake Bloomington, where the deep forest and canopy trees bring shade by day and rodents to eat by night. This owl is a Barred Owl due to the brown-colored feathers, bigger breasts, and large wings (http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birding/barred-owl/). Also, you will most likely find them hiding up in the tops of trees, the way this one is.

Baby fawn white-tailed deer found in the woods near Hudson, Illinois. The fawn is near her mother, in the woods across from our cornfields. She is most likely eating dinner and avoiding the road across from where she is hiding. The fawn is most likely alone, since deer typically have one baby, and I did not find another one her age. She is seemingly young, with the spots on her back she is within the first few months of life, since her spots are still prominent on her back.