Notes from around Chicago outdoors.

WILD OF THE WEEK

Paul Bleers struck out on finding the painted bunting, despite multiple efforts, when the rarity was at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in June. “So my daughter made me the attached painting for Father’s Day to commemorate our efforts,’’ he emailed. “Pretty cool, eh?’’ About as cool as anything.

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. Send nominations to @BowmanOutside on Twitter or Instagram, to Dale Bowman on Facebook or email BowmanOutside@gmail.com.

WILD TIMES

HUNTER SAFETY

Aug. 22 and 24: Newark, (815) 210-4995 . . . Harvard, Mchenryilhs@gmail.com

RIVER TALKS

Monday, July 22: Tim Hoellein, Loyola University, on litter and its effects on aquatic wildlife, McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum Lunch and Learn, 12:15-12:45 p.m., museum plaza on Chicago Riverwalk

ILLINOIS PERMITS

Through today, July 21: Online applications, second lottery, free dove hunting permits, dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/dove/Pages/OnlinePermitApplication.aspx

DALE’S MAILBAG

“I heard my first cicadas tonight [last Saturday] and still have only seen one mosquito.” Steve Statland

A: He beat me on dog-day cicadas, but not on mosquitoes. I have had enough of mosquitoes already.

BIG NUMBER

773: Drownings in Great Lakes since 2010, in a Windsor Star story on the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project (Lake Michigan is most dangerous so far in 2019 with 17 drownings so far).

LAST WORD

“One thing is certain: Nobody likes a jerk in the preserves, and that has been confirmed by the response to the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s big, bold multi-media `Don’t Be A Jerk’ campaign.’’

FPDWC, which is releasing four videos on misbehavior in forest preserves; the first was on misbehaving dog owners, the second (released Monday) is on people and garbage. Bravo on the aggressive approach.