Spring Migration in Southern Illinois, May 1-7, 2012
by
Henry Detwiler
A fine trip visiting my parents in Carbondale, and doing a lot of birding in Jackson County
110 species seen on May 7th.
Click here for bird checklist
Click on thumbnail pictures for full-sized photos.
One of the highlights of my birding trips to southern Illinois is seeing the warblers, both migrants and residents. Tennessee Warblers made up the bulk of the birds passing through, followed closely by Blackpolls and Yellow-rumpeds. Other migrants seemed in short supply this spring, but did include a few Northern Waterthrushes, Palms, and a Black-and-White Warbler.
Kentucky Warbler
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American Redstart
Among the breeders, American Redstarts and Northern Parulas were almost everywhere. Louisiana Waterthrush were common in suitable habitats at Giant City Park, Pomona Natural Bridge, and Clear Springs Wilderness. Yellow Warblers were vocal and easy to find at Oakwood Bottoms and Evergreen Park. Kentucky and Worm-eating Warblers were in all the well-forested areas. Prairie and Yellow-throated Warblers seemed scarce.
Blackpoll Warbler
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Cerulean Warbler |
I was very fortunate to get re-acquainted with a bird I hadn't seen since I lived in Carbondale 30 years ago! A "burry" song caught my attention south of Little Grand Canyon and after a bit of searching I located a Cerulean Warbler. My not-so-patient stalking with my super-telephoto automatic Canon was rewarded by some "documentary" shots of the bird catching a worm .
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Canada Geese at sunrise
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Evergreen Park, on the south side of Carbondale, is a fine place to search for a wide variety of birds. A mix of fruiting berry trees, pines, cypresses, open parkland, woods, marsh, and a large lake draw in the birds and provide good habitat year-round. Several visits there this trip turned up six species of woodpeckers, Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, various flycatchers, both tanagers, and ten warbler species.
Red-bellied Woodpecker
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Oakwood Bottoms and Greentree Reservoir is a large area of lowland forest, marshes, lakes, and ponds in the Shawnee National Forest several miles north of Grand Tower.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak |
It is quite accessible via gravel roads, dirt tracks, and hiking paths. Water is pumped into discrete "units" during the fall to attract migrant and wintering waterfowl along the Mississippi flyway. The first parking lot on the north side of the main access road provides access to Greentree Reservoir and a quarter-mile boardwalk looping through a section of the oak woodlands. Walking this boardwalk is an easy way to enter the woods without worrying about ticks, chiggers, and snakes. Over the course of two visits I saw and heard Wood Duck, Pileated & Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Prothonotary and Tennessee Warblers, redstarts, vireos, titmice, Acadian and other flycatchers, and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. |
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Brown Thrasher
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Surrounding Greentree Reservoir is a pretty park with cypress trees, maples, and hedges. Birding here turned up Yellow Warblers, Northern Parula, Brown Thrasher, Gray Catbird, and Chipping Sparrows. Barn Swallows were nesting under the large picnic pavilion.
Summer Tanager
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Farther down the access road a gated gravel road led to a maintenance area and a small pond. Along the wooded and brushy edges of the pond were Carolina Chickadees, a beauty of a Prothonotary Warbler, a rare Philadelphia Vireo, and a lingering Swamp Sparrow. On my final visit to the area I also had two healthy water moccasins greet me.
Prothonotary Warbler
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Cottonmouth (Water Moccasin) - above & below
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Bald Eagle
Bobolink
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The levee road along the Big Muddy River provided good views over lowland ponds, fields, woods, and the river itself. Two Bald Eagles were nice to see, but several flocks of Bobolinks were even more exciting (for me!). This vantage point is one of the easiest for spying on skittish Wood Ducks. The road is also an excellent way to get great looks at both Indigo Buntings and Blue Grosbeasks. And finally, in the spring, be on the lookout for a variety of reptiles!
Wood Ducks
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On my last full day in Illinois I did an eleven-hour "big day" in Jackson County, beginning the morning at Evergreen Park, working my way west to the Pomona area, exploring the upland forest, meandering down to Oakwood Bottoms, traveling north to Kinkaid Lake, and ending up in the reclaimed strip mines south of Pinckneyville. I tallied 110 species, including some good birds for the area: 2 Hooded Mergansers, a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, a Cerulean Warbler, and numerous Bobolinks. Can't wait to return next year!
Box Turtle
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Racoon
Scarlet Tanager
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