Pat Fosnacht of Yorkville sent an explanation:

Thought you might like this picture I took at Bliss Creek Golf Course in Sugar Grove of a "Fungal Bird Bath."

I saw a bird splashing around in the water in this mushroom, but the bird flew away before I could capture the best photo!!

I have been there on getting outdoors photos a second too late or simply not fast enough. Even without the bird splashing, the image grabs me.

Speaking of photos, I have been running Buck of the Week: Unplugged or Mushroom of the Week photos on the outdoors page of the Sun-Times on Sundays for a long time.

But I think I will now lump them under a more general category of Critter of the Week, it gives me leeway in showing the wonder of Chicago outdoors, such as the eagle chowing on a road-kill deer last Sunday.

If you have a Critter of the Week story and photo, e-mail them to outdoordb@sbcglobal.net.