Morton Arboretum opens Scarecrow Trail to celebrate fall

It isn't easy being a crow.

Think about it. When we humans see a robin in March, we say, "Golly, there's a robin! Spring must be just around the corner!" We talk about how cute those little yellow finches are. We put up feeders to attract hummingbirds.

Few of us hang a bird feeder in our yard and say, "I sure hope some crows show up."

In fact, pretty much the only time we see a crow eating is when it's pecking away at a dead squirrel squished along the side of the road.

And now the Morton Arboretum in Lisle is getting into the act, with the opening of its Scarecrow Trail that will be on display through the end of October as part of the outdoor museum's Fall Color Festival.

The arboretum once again has asked kids from area schools and Scout troops to build some of the coolest scarecrows you're ever going to see and install them along the paved path that runs around Meadow Lake near the Visitors Center.

The scarecrows, which are on display from 7 a.m. until sunset at 4100 Route 53, provide a perfect backdrop for the season and are almost certain to trigger smiles.

That is, they're almost certain to trigger smiles for the thousands of human visitors who flock to the arboretum each fall and who can visit www.mortonarb.org for more details.

But when you install something called a "scarecrow" it's a pretty good bet it's not going to bring a whole lot of joy for that particular feathered friend - not that crows are known to smile in even the best of times.

No, it's not easy being a crow, and the Morton Arboretum just made it a little tougher.