Illinois River Valley -- South Peoria Loop

Sunday, February 24, 2008, Scott and I took a drive along the South Peoria Loop. We started at Spring Lake in Tazewell County, drove past Chautauqua Wildlife Refuge, had lunch in Havana, drove through the Emiquon Prairie, and then stopped briefly at Bells Landing at Banner Marsh. We spotted 22 Red-tailed hawks on our drive, as well as three American Kestrels, one Merlin, forty or so Great Blue Herons, hundreds of Canada Geese, fifty or so Mute Swans, and three Common Goldeneye Ducks.