One lonely mushroom, a small bracket fungus growning in the wetlands at East Peoria.
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Walking on the ice covering part of the beaver pond.
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Mallard wings spread wide!
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A crunchy walk down the boardwalk to the beaver pond. There was no sneaking up on the Mallards this afternoon!
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Mallard ducks feeding, sun peeking from clouds provides a subtle light.
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Murray Baker Bridge on a cold afternoon in December.
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Peoria Skyline and Bridge.
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East Peoria Festival of Lights Laser Dome. You pay 10.00 to see a laser show inside the dome. I decided to watch from outside in the cold. Brrrrrrr!
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Murray Baker Bridge at night.
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Geese in formatation.
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Peoria Skyline
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Pumpkins in the snow.
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Railroad bridges crossing Kickapoo Creek near the Illinois River.
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Ice on the beaver pond.
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View of Peoria from the wetlands across the river.
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Walking in the sun,
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and talking to me.
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Rising up . . .
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showing her blue wing feathers!
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A closer look at the female Mallard swimming on the beaver pond at Cooper's Park, East Peoria, IL.
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Mallard duck swimming. The other ducks flew away as Scott and I approached. This female stayed and posed for a few photos.
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View from Sanitation Road, Bartonville, IL, near where Kickapoo Creek enters the Illinois River. Thre is no access to the mouth of the creek, due to the sanitation works.
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White-breasted Nuthatch, from the back. He moved around so fast, this was the best I could do.
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Mallard Duck on display at the wetlands. This small area has been preserved by the park district in East Peoria. It is fed by a natural spring and has open water even in sub-freezing weather. There were several dozen mallards feeding in the beaver pond. I took this photo from the boardwalk that runs through the wetland.
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Song Sparrow at the wetlands across the river at East Peoria's Cooper's Park.
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Butterball & Napster, napping.
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World Bird Sanctuary

The World Bird Sanctuary opened the Raptor Hospital in 2003 to treat ill and injured raptors. Raptors, or birds of prey, include eagles, hawks, owls, vultures, falcons, kites, condors and osprey. The biggest threat to these majestic creatures is collision with man-made objects such as wires, buildings, vehicles and fences.

The sanctuary receives over 300 raptors that have been injured in the wild each year. A trained rehabilitation team works closely with volunteer veterinarians to rehabilitate these birds and release them back to the wild to live out their natural lives. The ones who can't make it in the wild live here.
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Lizzard Buzzard

Skyler, a Lizzard Buzzard.
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Great Horned Owl

Jake, the Great Horned Owl.
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Long-crested Eagle

Chrys, the Long Crested Eagle.
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Spectacled Owl at the World Bird Sanctuary

Latee, a Spectacled Owl.
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K-ee-oo

K-ee-oo, talking and flapping his wings. Photograph by Mary Elizabeth.
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Augur Buzzard

K-ee-oo, the Augur Buzzard.
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Tawny Eagle

Max, a Tawny Eagle. Photograph by Mary Elizabeth. He was barking, like a dog, to get the attention of the staff member who was answering questions about the birds.
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Red-shouldered Hawk

Meramec, the Red-shouldered Hawk.
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Thick-Billed Parrot

Thick-Billed Parrot on display.
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Scarlet Macaw

Scarlet Macaw eating peanuts at the World Bird Sanctuary.
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Green Tree Python

Green Tree Python(Morelia viridis. Photograph by Mary Elizabeth.
Anna, the Green Tree Python is found in the tropical rainforests of New Guinea and northern Australia. Young snakes are brilliantly colored golden-yellow or brick-red, colors found in native arboreal flowers. When resting, it loops itself saddle-fashion over a branch, anchoring itself with its prehensile tail and cradling its head in the middle of its comfortably draped coils, as seen in this photograph.
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Bald Eagles

Bald Eagles, photographed by Mary Elizabeth. The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), our national bird, is the only eagle unique to North America. The bald eagle's scientific name signifies a sea (halo) eagle (aeetos) with a white (leukos) head. Bald eagles are found over most of North America, from Alaska and Canada to northern Mexico.
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Turkey Vulture

Turkey Vulture, photographed by Mary Elizabeth.
The Turkey Vulture is one of North America's largest birds of prey. It reaches a length of 32 inches with a wing span of 6 feet. Its overall color is brown-black with a featherless, red head, white bill and yellow feet among mature adults. Immature birds have a darker face. Although usually silent, the bird will occasionally emit a soft hiss or groan. In flight, the Turkey Vulture rocks from side to side, rarely flapping its wings which are held at a V-angle called a dihedral. Silver-gray flight feathers look lighter than the black lining feathers of the underwing. Its long tail extends beyond its legs and feet in flight.
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Storm in the Distance

Storm in the distance. While driving home from Bloomington, I could see it raining over a farm in the distance. Lightening began later, but I didn't make any more stops.
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Swan Love

Swan and Cygnet.
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Swans on a Log

Swans sunning on a log, Banner Marsh.
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Mallard Ducks

Mallard Ducks at Cooper's Park Wetlands.
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Velvet Stem Mushrooms

Winter mushrooms at Cooper's Park Wetlands in East Peoria. They looked like a great bunch, but we couldn't get to them from the boardwalk.
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Springdale Savana

Sassafrass tree inside the Cole Monument ring at the Springdale Savana.
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Mute Swan at Banner Marsh, Fulton County, Illinois

Mute Swan, closeup with the 400mm lens.
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A Closer View

Mute Swans, cropped.
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Mute Swans Sailing

Mute Swans sailing in the wind.
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Pumphouse Road, Banner Marsh

Mute Swans congregate along both sides of Pumphouse Road at Banner Marsh.
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