2009 Field Trips
For more information, look for announcements in Wings Over the Prairie and e-mail flashes to the IOS membership. The current IOS Field Trip Chairman is Travis Mahan.
Note: All IOS field trips marked with an asterisk (*) will include a $5 charge for IOS members and a $25 charge for non-members. These contributions will be used to fund the Research Grant Program, which provides up to $500 to awarded applicants working on a project relating to birds and/or birding in Illinois. IOS proudly supports ornithological projects that advance the knowledge of birds and how they are impacted by environmental changes. Please visit the Research Grant page for more information.
Other field trips may include charges to offset expenses (i.e. the Carlyle Lake Pelagic trip requires rental of pontoon boats and purchase of gasoline).
Total number of species seen on IOS field trips for 2009: 192
Friday, January 30 and Saturday, January 31
*Winter Owls at Carlyle Lake
2009 Winter Owls at Carlyle Lake Trip List
Saturday, February 21
Eighth Annual Gull Frolic
The annual IOS Gull Frolic has been held at North Point Marina in Lake County, Illinois for the last 8 years. North Point Marina is perhaps the best place on Lake Michigan to see large numbers of gulls during the colder months of the year, and uncommon species such as Glaucous, Iceland, Thayer's, Great Black-backed, and Lesser Black-backed Gulls are regularly recorded at the Gull Frolic. Photos from the 2009 Gull Frolic can be seen at the IOS Gull Frolic page on Arlene Koziol's Web site.
Friday, April 17 through Sunday, April 19
IOS Annual Spring Birding Weekend
The 2009 IOS Annual Spring Birding Weekend was held at Prairie Ridge State Natural Area and Carlyle Lake in southern Illinois.
2009 IOS Annual Spring Birding Weekend Trip List
Saturday, April 25
*Yellow Rail Walk
The 2009 Yellow Rail Walk was held near Clinton Lake in downstate Illinois.
2009 Yellow Rail Walk Trip List
Saturday, May 30
*St. Louis and Surrounding Areas
This trip was cancelled.
Saturday, June 6
*Iroquois and Kankakee Counties
This trip visited several habitat types in southeast Kankakee County and northeast Iroquois County that support a diverse set of species that are found more easily here than in most other places in northeast Illinois. A trip list will be posted soon.
2009 Iroquois and Kankakee Counties Trip List
Saturday, July 11
*Lowden-Miller State Forest and Nachusa Grasslands - Birds and Butterflies
Hooded Warbler by Kanae HirabayashiWith such a wide range of habitats in very close proximity, it's not surprising that this area has become one of the premier birding locations in Illinois. Perhaps best known for its populations of breeding species, Lowden-Miller State Forest has provided nesting habitat for a long list of migratory songbirds, including a staggering number of warblers. Blue-winged, Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Green, Yellow-throated, Pine, Cerulean, Worm-eating, Kentucky, Mourning, and Hooded Warblers are among an impressive list of warblers encountered here during the breeding season. In recent years, Blackburnian Warblers have been suspected of nesting here, but solid evidence has yet to be found. Could this trip yield confirmation of the first nesting of this species in Illinois? Many other interesting breeders can also be encountered at Lowden-Miller, such as Broad-winged Hawk, Acadian Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Vireo, Brown Creeper, Veery, Scarlet Tanager, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak, to name just a few. In addition to the birds, butterflies will also be sought. Large numbers of Hackberry Emperors should be seen, and we'll sort through them for American Snouts. Giant Swallowtail is possible, and we'll check out at Eastern Commas and Question Marks for the occasional Gray Comma. While American Coppers are likely, past visits have yielded the much sought-after Harvester butterfly, the only North American carnivorous butterfly!
Nachusa Grasslands provides an insight into what pioneers must have encountered prior to settlement in Illinois. Thanks in large part to great conservation efforts by the Nature Conservancy and others, this area offers one of the largest areas of remnant prairie in Illinois. Consisting of nearly 2,500 acres, Nachusa supports many native prairie plants, some of which are candidates for federal listing. We will search this prairie and surrounding areas for grassland birds, such as Bell's Vireo, Sedge Wren, Yellow-breasted Chat, Lark, Grasshopper, and Henslow's Sparrows, Blue Grosbeak, Bobolink, and Dickcissel. For butterfly enthusiasts, Nachusa means the presence of the Regal Fritillary. This endangered butterfly will be active during this time of year, and we will have an excellent chance at seeing it. Other butterflies to look for include: Aphrodite, Variegated and Meadow Fritillaries, various swallowtails, and Gorgone Checkerspot.
Directions to Lowden-Miller State Forest can be found at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Web site. The meeting time and location for this field trip will be at 6:30 a.m. at Parking Area # 1 within Lowden-Miller State Forest, which can be found on this map of the park at the IDNR Web site. Due to the large area to be covered, this trip will require extensive walking of at least 1.5 miles. Please plan to bring plenty of water and snacks. The nearby towns of Dixon and Oregon offer a nice array of restaurants for lunch options, as well as lodging for a potential weekend stay.
For details and registration, please contact Jeff Chapman by phone at 630-910-8684 or by e-mail, or Bob Fisher by phone at 630-985-2956 or by e-mail.
Saturday, August 15 and Sunday, August 16
IOS Chautauqua Shorebird Spectacular
See the 2009 IOS Chautauqua Shorebird Spectacular page for details about this event.
Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20
Carlyle Weekend
Details to come.
Saturday, November 14
*Sprague's Pipit Walk at Pyramid State Park
Dan Kassebaum will again lead eager birders through the grasslands of Pyramid State Park in search of the elusive Sprague's Pipit. We hope that this year will be a victory, but the chance of success is unknown. Illinois falls on this species' eastern range-limit for migratory movements; consequently, small numbers probably pass through the state each year. Its choice of habitat makes it very difficult to locate. One must walk large expanses of fields at the right time of year for the remote chance that one will flush - a daunting task for one or two individuals. Another problem is that access to proper habitat is typically an issue. A key focus of this trip is to get a large group of birders together in optimal habitat to try finding a Sprague's Pipit. Getting people together in the right habitat and at the right time of year will offer the best opportunities for locating this species in Illinois.
Looking for Sprague's Pipits. Photo by Travis Mahan.
Our target area is within the Arklands complex, an area of reclaimed strip mines known as Pyramid State Park. The timing of this trip coincides with the date range expected for the fall movements of this species. The fields to be walked are ideal for the species - fields of short grass resultant from periodic grazing. This aspect of the field trip will be similar to a Yellow Rail walk in that participants will be required to walk in an organized fashion to cover a large area in hopes that the group will flush a Sprague's Pipit from the vast expanse of available habitat. Participants should come prepared to walk at a steady pace for long distances through rough terrain. It will also be highly advantageous to become familiar with the Sprague's Pipit flight call so that you will be prepared in the field when, and if, a pipit is flushed. Fleeting glimpses of flying birds are the most likely encounter, so vocalizations will be very important for identification. Recordings of the flight calls will be played on sight prior to entering the field so that all participants will be prepared.
Frost and/or dew may make for wet walking in the morning, so bring knee-high boots and dress accordingly. Don't forget to bring plenty of water and snacks.
Besides the possibility of finding a Sprague's Pipit, there will be plenty of bird activity to keep us occupied. The area maintains excellent populations of grassland species such as Northern Harrier, Loggerhead Shrike, Horned Lark, and Eastern Meadowlark. The area also hosts impressive numbers of waterfowl.
After the morning birding, we will head east to Pinckneyville for lunch where a variety of restaurants are available. From Pinckneyville, we will travel north to Carlyle Lake for some additional birding opportunities.
Once we arrive at Carlyle Lake, most of our time will be spent scanning the lake for loons, grebes, and gulls. Scoters, Red-throated Loon, Pacific Loon, American White Pelican, Bald Eagle, Little Gull, and jaegers are among the long list of potential species to be found at Carlyle Lake.
Please meet Dan Kassebaum at the parking area at the Denmark Unit entrance of Pyramid State Park at 7:30 a.m. The entrance is on the south side of Pyatt-Cutler Rd. just west of Panda Bear Rd. Nearby lodging is available in both Pinckneyville and Du Quoin.
[Back to Top]For more details and to register, please contact Travis Mahan by e-mail or by phone: 217-454-3408.