Mendenhall Road and Banner Marsh East Access

Last Wednesday Scott and I drove to Mendenhall Road and found many Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets in the ponds on the north side of the road. We also found two Green Herons! We drove on down to Banner Marsh, East Access (Peoria County) and found some more lovely creatures.

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Bumblebees were buzzing.

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These Mute Swans were banded by the State Fish & Wildlife people. The neck bands look a little tight to me!

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A couple of Pied-billed Grebes would poke their heads up now and then before disappearing in the water.

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A Belted Kingfisher was busy fishing the ponds.

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A Yellow Warbler was one of many birds peaking out of the shrubs by the Youth Pond.

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Egrets in the ponds north of Mendenhall Road:

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This Green Heron really blends in with the surroundings!

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This Great Blue Heron croaked at me as he flew to a nearby tree:

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Field of Asters -- Prairie Lane Road

More flowers, butterflies, bees, and dragonflies found in the blooming meadow off Prairie Lane Road.

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Eastern Comma Butterfly

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Jerusalem Artichokes

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Marbled Orb Weaver

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Hops

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Hidden Mantis

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Carolina Saddlebags--I love the pattern in the wing.

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Painted Lady

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Eastern Tailed Blue

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Unidentified Flower

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Pearl Crescents Mating

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If You Could Just Hear the Bumblebees

If you could hear the bumblebees.
If you heard it, you could see it:
the flowers, the bumblebees--
could you kill it?
How many butterfly
and plant species
are you going to kill?
Think about what you are doing.
You, about to proscribe it
with this mine.

Decurrent False Asters carpet a 24 acre blooming meadow by Prairie Lane
Road. The sound of the bees buzzing in the field drowned out all other
thoughts or sounds. This is in the heart of the proposed mining site between
Rice Lake and Banner Marsh. This is one more reason to oppose the mining
operation at this site.
Please consider signing the petition asking the USFWS to investigate this
site to prevent violation of the Migratory Bird and Bald Eagle protection
acts, as well as the Endangered Species Act.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/615936766


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Blue Vervain