Nesting Tree Swallows & Flycatchers

Tree Swallows are nesting in the bluebird box along Prairie Road at the Emiquon Preserve.

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Originally uploaded by jward199





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Originally uploaded by jward199

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Originally uploaded by jward199

Emiquon in April

Before the Emiquon Corp of Discovery meeting I took a walk along the ridge. I walked down a tractor path leading to the prairie below. On my last visit a couple of weeks ago this prairie and the ridge had been burned by The Nature Conservancy; it is already turning green again. Field Sparrows singing all over the place, each declaring his territory. Tufted Titmice, White-crowned Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers are just the birds I could identify in the poor light. The view of Thompson Lake from the ridge is expansive; Emiquon lies spread out before you, as far as you can see in all directions, from horizon to horizon. You can see the Havana power plant to the south and the Canton plant to the north. That's how far you can see! On the way back to the car, four crows flew over and an American Kestrel flew rapidly by. One American Bald Eagle was soaring over Thompson Lake. The sun began peeking through the cloudy sky. Hundreds of American Coots were swimming in the shallow waters of Thompson Lake. Thompson Lake has expanded so far! it covers the roads that we used to be able to drive!

 

 

 

Emiquon Ridge in Black and White.

 

 

 

The Nature Conservancy has been doing controlled burns at Emiquon, in the prairie and up on the ridge. It is amazing how fast it is turning green again!

 

 

 

 

Cormorants and Red-tailed Hawk at Emiquon

Hundreds of Double-crested Cormorants were sitting around and swimming in the sloughs on the side of IL 78 at the Emiquon Preserve. All of a sudden they began to leave, filling the sky with their striking silhouettes.

 

 

 

A Red-tailed Hawk soared over Thompson Levee at Emiquon.

 

The Nature Conservancy recently burned a large portion of the newly emerging prairie and the ridge on the Northwest side of Emiquon.

 

 

Thompson Lake is growing. The area surrounding it is becoming submerged. The wetland is returning!

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

The caretaker's cottage at the base of the ridge.

 

One of the remaining farms along Emiquon Road.

 

 

A second Red-tailed Hawk landed in a tree along the road to Dixon Mounds.

 

 

The Red-tailed Hawk landed briefly in a tree along Prairie Road before disappearing over the ridge.

 

 

 

 

Emiquon Panorama: Thompson Lake

Eagles at Emiquon

As I walked out towards Thompson Lake, I noticed two large birds hovering over the water. When I got closer I could see that they were eagles, one immature, and one just coming into its adult plumage.