Catbirds were everywhere I went at Allerton on Monday morning.

CatbirdAllerton_MG_2590
Originally uploaded by jward199

Three Eaglets!

There are three eaglets in the nest again this year. Apparently that is very uncommon; most eagles successfully raise one eaglet. These guys have had three eaglets two years in a row! Babb Slough off the Illinois River must have loads of fish (and ducks)!

Eaglets-three_MG2313
Originally uploaded by jward199

Cooper Park: A Wetland Oasis

Cooper Park provides a great habitat for migrating birds. It is a tiny strip of wetland/bottom woodland between the industry along IL 116 in East Peoria and the river.

A tree with a lop-sided smile!

A White-tailed Deer peeking over the boardwalk.

TreeKnotCooperPark_MG2038
Originally uploaded by jward199

Swamp Sparrow and White-throated Sparrow

Swamp Sparrow in the willows, which are making a come-back after the beaver demolition over the icy flooded winter.

White-throated Sparrow foraging on the debris washed in by the floods over the winter.


SwampSparrowCooper_MG_1978
Originally uploaded by jward199

House Wrens Nesting at Cooper Park

I watched this little wren climb the locust tree to the top where it is hollow. Wrens have nested there in past years. I think they have a nest up there again!

See how tiny she is? She is sitting on one of the thorns, not a branch.

HouseWrenCooperPark_MG2107
Originally uploaded by jward199

Warblers at Cooper Park

Many little birds were on the ground and up in the trees, but they were fast and hard to see clearly. Here are a few that I was able to capture with my camera:

Yellow-rumped Warbler came briefly into view.

Palm Warbler foraging along the floor of the woods at Cooper Park. Click the photo to see the larger version.

I thought this bird was a Tennessee Warbler, but it turns out it is a Warbling Vireo!

PalmWarblerCooperPark_MG2012
Originally uploaded by jward199

Tree Swallow and Rough-winged Swallows

The Rough-winged Swallows were flying low over the stream leading away from the beaver pond. The tree swallows were flying higher around the tops of the trees. This guy took a break and posed for me.

Originally uploaded by jward199

Birds at Forest Park

20-30 Yellow-rumped Warblers were flitting from tree to tree at Forest Park on Saturday afternoon.

Tennessee Warblers were mixed among the Yellow-rumped.

A female Northern Cardinal posed prettily for me in the Red-bud tree.

One of the warblers looks like a Nashville Warbler.

Black-capped Chickadees were chattering and feeding on seeds and bugs in the prairie remnant at Forest Park.

Originally uploaded by jward199

No Morels at Jubilee . . .

Maidenhair Fern poking its head up in the ravine where the creek runs through.

Dryad's Saddle.

Eastern Towhee at Jubilee State Park.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak at Forest Park. Something is wrong with his beak.

Originally uploaded by jward199

Virginia Blue Bells carpeted the floor of the forest at Forest Park.

Virginia Blue Bells, just before the bells open and turn blue.

Purple Violet, one of the many flowers along the trail.

Yellow Violet at Forest Park Nature Center.

Tooth Wort is about to open its blossoms.

Spring Beauty at Forest Park.

Two Eaglets!

This is my first evidence that two eaglets are in the nest. I think there is a third because of the females behavior as if feeding a third while these two little sock puppets watched. Next week I'll check back for a bigger third!

 

 

 

One Leaves, One Arives

The male jumped to the other side of the nest. Soon after he flew to a near-by tree (obscurred by branches) and stood watch. The female (the larger of the two birds) flew in with a fish in claw shortly after.

 

 

Incoming Eagle with Fish

After the male flew to a near by tree, the female flew in with a fish in claw. She mesmorizes me!

 

 

 

 

Spring Bay Fen

Spring Bay Fen is the only remaining example of an Illinois River cold water tall shrub fen in the state. The fen is a "bog-like" community dominated by several shrub species: red-osier dogwood, nannyberry, poison sumac and pussy willow. This community is similar to a bog in the structure of the peaty soil and springs, however, the pH of the spring water is different. The calcareous water flowing through the soil creates an alkaline pH to the soil-water, resulting in a fen community rather than an acidic bog. The plant communities have rare plants such as black ash, spotted phlox and highbush cranberry. More typical plants include skunk cabbage, blue iris, spreading goldenrod and spotted touch-me-not. Wood duck, heron, egret, bullfrog, garter snake and beaver are just a few common animal inhabitants. Record floods occurring in both 1983 and 1984 seemed to have had little adverse impact on the significant features.

A stream runs through the fen, so clear you can see to the bottom.