Snow Geese at Emiquon!

Scott and I did our hawk run on Tuesday and then explored Emiquon for a while. It was marvelous, as always. There is something about the winter browns and golds of the wet prairie surrounding Lake Thompson that pleases my eye. I parked at one of the pull-offs and walked down to the lake to get a better look at the waterfowl congregating in an open pool. A small bird flew into tree in front of me. It was a Meadowlark! A sure sign of spring!


I attempted to get closer to the Meadowlark when an eagle flew over with a headless Coot in its talons. It dropped the Coot while I was photographing the scene.



Another eagle circled over the large flock of Greater White-fronted Geese before landing on the ice behind the flock.




Canvasback Ducks flew over and joined a mixed group of ducks in an open pool.


Another eagle flew over, and then another. As I looked around I realized there were about 7 eagles far out on the ice. Altogether there were 20 eagles flying over and around Lake Thompson.




Just as I was about to head back to the car I noticed a flock of white and black birds flying in a huge whirlwind of birds. This was the largest flock of Snow Geese I have ever seen. It looked like a million birds flying in and circling from one side of Thompson Lake to the other. They covered the horizon at one time, then they tightened their circle and dropped down from the sky.






Meanwhile, some American Coots came walking over the ice to the open pool near by.

January Raptor Survey: Eagle Migration Day

We did the Raptor Survey on the last day of January. Scott and I had done a survey earlier in the month, but my notebook with the data disappeared. We took the opportunity of beautiful sunny day on the last day of the month to repeat the survey. We must have hit the road on Eagle Migration Day, because we spotted 24 Bald Eagles, some juveniles, some adults, flying along the bluffs of the river just north of Banner Marsh. They were in groups of 3, 4, 4, and 8. All were too far for decent photographs, but we enjoyed watching them soar over the bluffs, some interacting with each other in the air before flying on their way.






Between Bartonville and where IL 78 splits from IL 24 and turns south towards Emiquon we only spotted 4 Red-tailed hawks. They apparently were all hiding down at Emiquon, where we found 10 Red-tailed hawks along with a couple of Northern Harriers, and three Rough-legged Hawks. Six of the Red-tailed and the three Rough-legged hawks were all along Clark road. Some were hunting out in the fields, some cruising along the bluff that runs along the west side of Clark Road. Two of the Rough-legged hawks were hovering in the strong breeze out over the prairie.

Thompson Lake at Emiquon

Scott and I drove down to Emiquon yesterday. It warmed up the longer we were out. I actually enjoyed my walk out to where Path 2 used to be along Pumphouse Road. The wind was calm, the sky was blue, and the lake was frozen and covered with snow. On our drive around Emiquon we found 2 American Kestrels, 8 Red-tailed Hawks, and a female Northern Harrier.

As I drive down IL 78/93 and come around the bend at the top of the bluff, I get my first glimpse of Thompson Lake at Emiquon.


I go a little farther and I see it in its glory: Thompson Lake! A lake which had completely vanished under farm land has been reborn. You can see Prairie Road leading to The Nature Conservancy on the right.


Pumphouse Road runs through the lake now. You need a canoe to cross to the other side when it isn't frozen. Today I supposed I could walk across, but I didn't try that.


I look to the south, and I see Havana's powerplant, steam billowing into the air.


To the north I see frozen lake covered in snow with the bluffs in the distance.


As we drove north on 78, an American Kestrel flew from the wire to the other side of the highway.



We drove along Emiquon Prairie Road past The Nature Conservancy.




We saw a hawk on the side of the road. When he took off we could see that it was a female Northern Harrier. I wasn't prepared for that! Photos are fuzzy, but here they are:




We found six hawks along Clark Road. Of course I was driving, and by the time I would get out of the car to take a photo, they were gone. They seemed to be in pairs, hunting the fields on the east and the bluffs on the west side of the road.


This guy posed briefly before flying to the other side of the bluff.


This guy, most likely a Red-tailed Hawk, landed way out in the prairie, with the sun providing a back light that made him or her a mere silhouette.


This guy, a Rough-legged Hawk, flew directly over my head while I was out of the car.


Emiquon is a delight, no matter the time of year or time of day. Conditions continually change and the landscape changes with it. I eagerly await the open waters of spring!

Emiquon in Late December

I visited Emiquon on December 28 with my friend Ed. We found two Northern Harriers working the wet prairie by Thompson Lake.




Sister Creeks Farm is visible miles away from the tranquil lake.


A Red-tailed Hawk posed briefly before flying away:


A juvenile Bald Eagle sat in a tree along Dixon Mounds Road:


Scott and I went back on December 30 and found thousands of geese, mostly Canada, but with a mix of several hundred White-fronted geese and a thousand or so Snow Geese! What fun!







A Red-tailed Hawk cruised along the levee:



On the way home,what we think were three Trumpeter Swans were in a corn field just south of Duck Creek Road: