Southern
Illinois
Apr 27 -
May 4, 2001
Sunny and Warm
- Henry
Detwiler
This was my annual spring
visit back home to see my parents.
133 species total
Click on the thumbnail pictures for full-sized ones.
After landing in the early afternoon in St.
Louis, I rented a car and drove out to the Riverlands Demonstration
Wetlands.
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Mississippi Lock at Alton
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There were a few
shorebirds: Lesser & Greater Yellowlegs, Solitary
Sandpiper, and Killdeer. And of course the main attraction,
the European Tree Sparrow--a bird imported at the turn of the
century from Great Britain.
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Spring time in Southern
Illinois is the best time to enjoy a profusion of wildflowers.
In the open woodlands, like here at Washington County
Conservation Area, you can find these beautiful larkspurs. |
Larkspurs |
French's Shooting Star
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The Fern Bluffs Nature Trail in Giant City State
Park is one of the best areas for spring wildflowers and of
course, ferns. While enjoying these rare French's Shooting
Stars, you'll be serenaded by Eastern Phoebes, Wood & Hermit
Thrushes, Northern Waterthrushes, Parulas and
Worm-eating Warblers. |
Spiderwort at Giant City
State Park |
Giant City State Park
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Larue Swamp
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Larue Swamp is situated close to the Mississippi
River at the base of the Pine Hills. During several visits
there we saw Wood Duck, Pileated Woodpecker, both Scarlet and
Summer Tanager, flycatchers, vireos, and many warblers. My
mother also spotted a huge cottonmouth (water moccasin) swimming
in the murky water. |
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Swallowtail Butterfly at
Larue
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Larue Swamp
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Cache River Cattail
At Bell Smith Springs we hiked down into one of the most scenic
canyons of the Little Ozark Mountains. Here, too, were an
abundance of wildflowers. During the afternoon we visited
the birds were pretty quiet, but then my father asked me
"What's that bird that's singing 'Teacher, teacher,
teacher'?" It was an Ovenbird, of course!
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Bell Smith Springs
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Cache River Cypress
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The Cache River winds through much of
Southern Illinois, providing invaluable habitat for bats, frogs,
snakes, and of course, birds! A variety of woodpeckers and
flycatchers call the swamps home, but perhaps the most distinctive
and noticeable bird is the Prothonotary Warbler. Other
common residents we located were Carolina Chickadee, Blue-gray
Gnatcatcher, and Tufted Titmouse.
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Daisy Fleabane and Yellow
Rockets |
Swallowtail Butterfly |
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Fish Crows along the
Mississippi |
Turkey Vulture in the
Mississippi flood plain |
The Mississippi River has
carved out a large floodplain west of Carbondale, where one can
find many wonderful areas to bird. Twenty years ago these
Fish Crows were a rarity in the area; now they are quite
common. In a flooded field next to the the big river I was
fortunate to find a few lingering American Golden
Plovers.
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Dr. & Mrs. Donald S.
Detwiler
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