Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve

08/31/2026

Did you know there are seven states that have the northern cardinal as their state bird? And Illinois is one of them! Enjoy creative interpretations of state birds through 28 unique paintings. Chicago-based artist and writer Marcia Whitney-Schenck portrays her subject matter in playful ways. She illustrates the state birds and adds visual word puns and unexpected associations. Enjoy Whitney-Schenck's art while taking in the birds at our bird feeders.

Chicago artist and writer Marcia Whitney-Schenck brings humor and imagination to “Winged Ambassadors,” a summer art exhibit at Plum Creek Nature Center featuring creative interpretations of America’s state birds.

08/28/2026

Sugar gliders are a woodland animal, inhabiting forests and wooded areas in eastern Australia and New Guinea. They spend most of their life in the trees, rarely reaching the ground. Like the southern flying squirrels that inhabit Illinois forests, sugar gliders are mostly nocturnal.

Australia is full of marsupials, including the sugar glider, a curious-looking creature that is reminiscent of the tree squirrels we are familiar with. 

08/27/2026

Male hummingbirds are the first to leave each year. They aren't involved in raising their offspring, so they will leave before the females and young birds. The hummingbirds typically continue departing on their migration through early October.

Hummingbirds are here in Will County for a good portion of the year, but knowing when they migrate can help determine when to have hummingbird feeders out. 

08/26/2026

Learn all about monarchs and take home a seed bomb to help them thrive in your own yard with this evening program at Plum Creek Nature Center. Join us to learn about monarchs and their incredible migration and how you can help them at home, plus make a milkweed seed bomb to help these essential insects thrive.

Bombs Away for Butterflies
When: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4
Where: Plum Creek Nature Center at Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve
Registration is required.

9/4/2026: Help monarch butterflies one seed bomb at a time in this hands-on program.

08/21/2026

Their name, which means "ear creature," actually comes from the idea that earwigs crawl into people's ears while they are sleeping. Luckily, though, there's no truth to that old superstition.

Earwigs may look menacing, but they are completely harmless to humans. And they don't want to crawl into your ears either.

08/20/2026

Whether you paint regularly or want a little guidance from a professional artist, don't miss this!

8/30/2026: Join The Nature Foundation of Will County for a plein air painting fundraiser at Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve.

08/18/2026

Find your nature’s muse at this event full of hands-on activities that let you express yourself through music, movement and visual arts. Contribute to colorful community art installations, shop one-of-a-kind works from artists and enjoy tasty culinary treats along the way. Spark your imagination and experience the many ways nature can inspire art in many forms for all ages.

9/26/2026: Find your nature’s muse at this event full of hands-on activities that let you express yourself through music, movement and visual arts

08/18/2026

As the sun sets, Snapper Pond comes alive! Sign your kids up for an evening program at the pond, examining the aquatic creatures that live in its waters. Kids can use dip nets and more to learn more about this freshwater ecosystem.

After Hours at the Pond
When: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27
Where: Plum Creek Nature Center at Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve
Registration required.

8/27/2026: Come learn what’s stirring beneath the surface of Snapper Pond and who pops out near the shore as day turns to night.

08/14/2026

Groundhogs are actually rodents, and they are most closely related to squirrels. In fact, they are the largest animal in the squirrel family.

08/13/2026

If you spot a tiny owl here in Illinois, it's probably either a northern saw-whet owl or an eastern screech owl. But small as they may be, these owls, the two smallest in Illinois, stand much taller than the diminutive elf owl.

The tiny elf owl is the world's smallest raptor, and it thrives hunting insects and more in the desert climate where it lives.