Banner Marsh, East Access, Peoria County

Great Blue Heron at Banner Marsh. Banner Marsh is a great place to bird from your car. We drove down the gravel road towards the dike and walked out to the duck blind, where we found some geese and a Baltimore Oriole. Later we got back in the car and drove down to the boat launch. Along the way we spotted a Great Blue Heron hunting close to the road. We stopped and got out and I was able to get some great photos of this magnificent bird. Here is a link to the path we drove:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=350203

Great Blue Heron 2.

Great Blue Heron 1.

Great Egret.

Great Blue Heron stalking its prey.

Baltimore Oriole.

Great Blue Herons flying overhead.

Unknown sparrow or finch.

Morels are Back!!!

Morchella elata (Grey Morel). Morels are in season. The park where we hunt for them was packed with people out looking for the tasty fungus. This tiny morel was overlooked by the previous mushroom hunters that passed through the woods.

Gyromitra esculenta (False Morel). Don't eat this one!

Verpa conica. Don't eat this one either. They will make you feel sick.

Polyporus squamous (Dryad's Saddle). This one is edible, but I wouldn't try it. It smells like watermellon. I don't think it would taste very good, so what would be the point?

Large Yellow Morel hiding behind some plants.

Tiny, newly emerged Morchella esculenta (Yellow Morel).

Three Yellows.

Dimpled Morchella esculenta.

Morchella esculenta (Yellow Morel).

Twins!

Tiny, newly emerged Morchella esculenta (Yellow Morel).

Morchella elata (Grey Morel).