Thursday, February 14, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Dreaming of Emiquon
My favorite place to be right now is Emiquon. I love every minute that I spend there. God's own nursery; man's reluctantly surrendered hostage to corn; land returning to its original configuration. It is a wonder to behold.
Last Friday, February 8, 2008, I drove down to Emiquon for my first look of 2008. As I left TNC headquarters, I stopped to photograph the many sparrows in the tall prairie plants. Most were Eurasian Tree Sparrows and American Tree Sparrows with a few Song Sparrows and other unidentified small brown birds. Just as I was thinking about what good harrier food the little birds would make, I spotted one of the Northern Harriers that I regularly see there. She was far out across the prairie headed in my direction. I think it was a female, because it had much streaking on the underside. She flew low over the prairie with her owl face peering intently on the look out for prey. Two Red-tailed Hawks were also hunting the fields and prairie along the Emiquon Prairie Road. One flew high above the prairie and landed in a tree near the road. He didn't stay long. He flew off as a truck drove past his perch and disappeared over the ridge. Not far from Dixon Mounds I spotted another Red-tail flying towards the flooded and frozen field. It landed in a tree near the road, just as the road makes a sharp turn towards IL SR 78. There wasn't any traffic, so I drove on around the curve and stopped the car for a better look, with the sun shining on him instead of behind him. He didn't seem too concerned about me. I took a few photos and then left him to his business.
I found a third Red-tailed hawk flying over Pumphouse Road (Path 2). Hundreds and hundreds of American Tree Sparrows hid in the thickets of mullein, sedge weeds, thistle, and other tall grass-like plants that surround Thompson Lake. As I left path 2 and rove north on IL 78, I spotted a fourth Red-tailed Hawk perched on a power pole. He was near the one area with a shoulder, so I pulled over and took a couple of photos through the passenger window before he flew to the next power pole. He was safe there, since there is no shoulder anywhere else along that highway.
Next I drove down Clark Road where a fifth Red-tailed Hawk flew from a tree on the side of the road and disappeared in the prairie.
Last Friday, February 8, 2008, I drove down to Emiquon for my first look of 2008. As I left TNC headquarters, I stopped to photograph the many sparrows in the tall prairie plants. Most were Eurasian Tree Sparrows and American Tree Sparrows with a few Song Sparrows and other unidentified small brown birds. Just as I was thinking about what good harrier food the little birds would make, I spotted one of the Northern Harriers that I regularly see there. She was far out across the prairie headed in my direction. I think it was a female, because it had much streaking on the underside. She flew low over the prairie with her owl face peering intently on the look out for prey. Two Red-tailed Hawks were also hunting the fields and prairie along the Emiquon Prairie Road. One flew high above the prairie and landed in a tree near the road. He didn't stay long. He flew off as a truck drove past his perch and disappeared over the ridge. Not far from Dixon Mounds I spotted another Red-tail flying towards the flooded and frozen field. It landed in a tree near the road, just as the road makes a sharp turn towards IL SR 78. There wasn't any traffic, so I drove on around the curve and stopped the car for a better look, with the sun shining on him instead of behind him. He didn't seem too concerned about me. I took a few photos and then left him to his business.
I found a third Red-tailed hawk flying over Pumphouse Road (Path 2). Hundreds and hundreds of American Tree Sparrows hid in the thickets of mullein, sedge weeds, thistle, and other tall grass-like plants that surround Thompson Lake. As I left path 2 and rove north on IL 78, I spotted a fourth Red-tailed Hawk perched on a power pole. He was near the one area with a shoulder, so I pulled over and took a couple of photos through the passenger window before he flew to the next power pole. He was safe there, since there is no shoulder anywhere else along that highway.
Next I drove down Clark Road where a fifth Red-tailed Hawk flew from a tree on the side of the road and disappeared in the prairie.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Springdale Cemetery in January
Saturday the air was cool but the light was bright and the shadows were striking at Springdale Cemetery. I walked up and down the bluffs for several hours with my camera and found many interesting things to photograph. The light and shadows fascinated me as I continuted to search for birds and other creatures that live in the cemetery.
The first thing I saw when I walked along the creekside road was an adult Bald Eagle soaring over the bluffs. Seconds later I spotted an Eastern Red-tailed Hawk. Later on my walk an owl flew over, being chased by jays and crows. He landed in a tree on a distant bluff and then was hounded away. Later, as I headed down the bluff, I spotted another Red-tailed Hawk flying into a tree. When I got close enough to attempt a photo he flew to another tree. Then a second hawk flew to the tree and the first hawk flew away. In addition, I found deer in the pine trees behind the little hillside savanna. All in all it was an excellent day!
The first thing I saw when I walked along the creekside road was an adult Bald Eagle soaring over the bluffs. Seconds later I spotted an Eastern Red-tailed Hawk. Later on my walk an owl flew over, being chased by jays and crows. He landed in a tree on a distant bluff and then was hounded away. Later, as I headed down the bluff, I spotted another Red-tailed Hawk flying into a tree. When I got close enough to attempt a photo he flew to another tree. Then a second hawk flew to the tree and the first hawk flew away. In addition, I found deer in the pine trees behind the little hillside savanna. All in all it was an excellent day!
Springdale Creek
Springdale Creek runs through the cemetery. It is a dry creek most of the time, but on Saturday it was running strong.
Abandoned Park Building
This building has only desintegrated over the 20 years that we'ver lived in Peoria. It looks like part of the park district and is fenced off from the cemetery. It is sometimes covered with huge tarps that must cost a fortune, but after the first storm they start to fall apart and no one does anything. Lately they seem to have given up trying to cover it. I think at this point they should recover any materials (the tile roof!) and tear it down. What is the point of preserving it like this?
Springdale Creek runs through the cemetery. It is a dry creek most of the time, but on Saturday it was running strong.
Abandoned Park Building
This building has only desintegrated over the 20 years that we'ver lived in Peoria. It looks like part of the park district and is fenced off from the cemetery. It is sometimes covered with huge tarps that must cost a fortune, but after the first storm they start to fall apart and no one does anything. Lately they seem to have given up trying to cover it. I think at this point they should recover any materials (the tile roof!) and tear it down. What is the point of preserving it like this?
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