Ice Tables at Cooper Park

Wednesday afternoon we drove over to Cooper Park to see if there was any beaver activity. The boardwalk was covered with at least three inches of ice topped with a layer of crunchy snow. We were the first people to walk on it after the flood and snow. Brother rabbit had been there, but no people tracks were found.

 

 

The water had been up over the boardwalk when it froze hard and thick. Then the water receded and left shelves of ice attached to the trees. It looked like someone had taken a sledge hammer to a room full of white tables. Beavers were no where to be found.

 

 

 

 

Mallards and Canada Geese were enjoying the spring waters near the beaver dam. Beavers were no where to be found.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

Spring Lake had some open water far out on the North lake where a group of geese and swans gathered.

 

 

A pair of Common Goldeneye Ducks were swimming in the slough between Spring Lake and Larry's Restaurant. I flushed a Great Blue Heron near the slough along Spring Lake Bottoms. We drove a little further and flushed 13 more, and then a little farther flushed another 20 or so. I have never seen so many Great Blue Herons in one flock!

 

 

A Quick Drive Through Emiquon

After having Lunch in Havana, Scott and I headed for Emiquon. As we crossed the Havana bridge, we saw a Bald Eagle sitting in a tree along the edge of the Illinois River. We turned onto the road leading towards Dixon Mounds so that we could drive along Prairie Road, in hopes of finding Northern Harriers hunting the prairies along the base of the ridge. Scott saw what he thought was a big cat trotting long the levee on the south side of the road. When we got closer we could see it was a coyote. I drove forward, stopped the car, and tried to take a photo. It saw me and headed out across the snowy field of corn stubbles.

 

 

While I was photographing an American Kestrel, I heard the call of a Pileated Woodpecker. I was only able to take a couple of photos before it disappeared in the woods along the bluff. It is in a tangle of branches, but if you click on the photo to see the large version, you can see the markings.

 

This Red-tailed Hawk landed in a tree on top of the ridge. The head seems very dark for a hawk with such a light belly. The tail, which you can't see in this photo, was definitely red.

 

Another Red-tailed Hawk was flying over the the trees bordering the prairie on the West side of IL 78. All together on our drive we saw 22 Red-tailed Hawks, with 5 or 6 of them at Emiquon. We also found 3 American Kestrel's and one Merlin. No photo of the Merlin, as he was on a power pole along IL 78 where there is no shoulder. I would love to have a photo of a Merlin. Maybe next time!

 

American Kestrel landing in a tree along the bluffs at Emiquon.

 

 

Red-tailed Hawks Over Banner Marsh

After leaving Emiquon, we headed back to Peoria. As we neared Bells Landing at Banner Marsh we saw two Red-tailed Hawks soaring together over the marsh. I turned onto Bells Landing road and stopped to take a few photos before they moved on. One had a very pale belly band and a light head, the other had a darker belly band and a very dark head. They were definitely together as they soared over the river bluffs. Later we saw these same two hawks soaring over Peoria as they headed up the Illinois River.