Graduation Trip: Day 2

Across IL!

Thursday 8 June 2023 78 °F

SUNDAY, MAY 21:

This morning, I woke up in a rest area at the crack of dawn in order to find my lifer and long-time nemesis Greater Prairie-Chicken. Would I? Read on and find out next!

The day started off with a gorgeous sunrise:

And two beautiful BLUE GROSBEAKS:

Just after I texted Simon asking for other locations for the Prairie-Chickens, I spotted this lone hen out by herself in the middle of an agricultural field! Wow!!!! Different from its lookalike Ring-necked Pheasant by more distinct barring and more distinct facial pattern…

And the more blunted tail in flight, and fly it did soon after starting to admire it:

An awesome nemesis conquered, and my 1151st life bird!!!!! Greaaat!!!!

Other birds were around the grassland area too, including this male AMERICAN GOLDFINCH:

And DICKCISSELS a-plenty:

EASTERN KINGBIRD:

Soon, I continued my drive southward and a bit past Mt Vernon, IL I spotted a denizen of southern IL birding: BLACK VULTURE, a species that has become increasingly common in this area in recent years! (And I’m talking very recent, Isoo and I had trouble finding these in 2020!)

My first stop in truly “southern” Illinois was the beautiful Ferne Clyffe State Park for birding.

And birds, I found! Here is a nice RED-EYED VIREO:
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And a WHITE-EYED:

RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD:

And a nice KENTUCKY WARBLER, another classically-southern bird:

And a nice brief but clinching view of a MISSISSIPPI KITE through the treetops, another species I struggled finding back in 2020:

Beautiful butterfly on the trail:

BROAD-WINGED HAWK was also nice:

As was ACADIAN FLYCATCHER:

And LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH:

Then, I was treated to stunning views of a male PRAIRIE WARBLER briefly accompanied (and bullied) by a male RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD:

RED-TAILED HAWK:

Then, I made it to Tony’s place where I will stay for the next three nights! There, I was treated to incredible views of MISSISSIPPI KITES:

And less-impressive views of a flyover FISH CROW:

Male SCARLET TANAGER:

Tony’s guineafowl never cease to entertain!

One of my favorite aspects of Tony’s place are the dozens of acres of restored native grassland he maintains. The White-tailed Deer also appreciate it.

Female PROTHONOTARY WARBLER:

He also has great ponds on his property which are thriving with herp life such as these young Red-eared Sliders:

A pair of Five-lined Skinks on his property:

It wasn’t the greatest day of herping his property but there were a few things to be found such as Northern Slimy Salamander:

This pretty gnarly-looking Midwestern Wormsnake:

And a tiny little Ring-necked Snake:

Later in the evening, Tony, his family, and I piled into his van and we headed over to Mermet Lake to try for my lifer Diamondback Watersnake. Well, there were plenty of other watersnakes such as Midland:

And Plain-bellied:

And even a venomous Northern Cottonmouth:

YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS are used to coexisting with Cottonmouths:

And it was a quintessential southern Illinois scene to watch this colony of GREAT EGRETS in a stand of cypress trees:

A beautiful way to end an eventful day of birding and herping. Bird-of-the-day to my lifer Greater Prairie-Chicken with runner-up to the Mississippi Kites as I had only ever seen that species once before today!

Good birding and herping,
Henry
World Life List: 1151 Species (1 life bird today: Greater Prairie-Chicken)

Posted by skwclar 19:28 Archived in USA