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Birding Tour of the Illinois River
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Woodcock Watch at Tawny Oaks Field Station
Wednesday, March 4, @ 5:40 p.m. Central Standard Time Arrive BEFORE Dusk!
We will be meeting at the Tawny Oaks Fieldstation, a Peoria Park District facility, located a few miles north of Peoria off of W Singing Woods Road, to watch for the spring arrival and "sky dance" of the American Woodcock.
Pete Fenner will be leading the Woodcock Watch at Tawny Oaks. Dress warm for a walk around the prairie property at Tawny Oaks to listen, and hopefully watch American Woodcock perform their annual spring courtship displays. Arrive before dusk as the Woodcocks will be active around, and just after sunset, which is "officially" according to timeanddate.com for Peoria, at 5:53 p.m. CST on March 4. (Note: Daylight Saving Time is scheduled to occur on Mar. 8.) In the evening at Tawny Oaks, restroom facilities are scheduled to be closed.
According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, "The male woodcock’s evening display flights are one of the magical natural sights of springtime in the East. He gives buzzy peent calls from a display area on the ground, then flies upward in a wide spiral. As he gets higher, his wings start to twitter. At a height of 200–350 feet the twittering becomes intermittent, and the bird starts to descend. He zigzags down, chirping as he goes, then lands silently (near a female, if she is present). Once on the ground, he resumes "peenting" and the display starts over again."
American Woodcock, a.k.a. Timberdoodle (Image from YouTube)
Keep watching our Calendar of Events for the latest updated information on meetings, field trips and special events.
Peoria Audubon meetings always feature timely topics and everyone is welcome. And, the meetings are always FREE!
---------------------- Public is Always Welcome Meetings are free and open to the public
Monthly meetings of Peoria Audubon Society are held at |
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Peoria Audubon Society Local Natural Areas Open to Public for Birding The Peoria Audubon Society is inviting members and visitors on to its conservation properties. The Oak Bluff Savanna Nature Preserve and the Brimfield Railroad Prairie Nature Preserve are now birding hotspots open for public birding.
The Oak Bluff Savanna Nature Preserve is a 22-acre high quality oak woodlands, savanna and hill prairie in Marshall County. It is located about 4 miles southwest of Henry, Illinois; 2 miles west of Route 29 on County Road 1150N. Dozens of warbler species may be found in the preserve during spring and fall migration. Resident birds such as Eastern Bluebird, Indigo Bunting and Baltimore Orioles can be found nesting on the site. Bird Surveys have shown over 150 species of birds utilize this natural area.
Oak Bluff Savanna Nature Preserve
The Brimfield Railroad Prairie Nature Preserve is a 6-acre restored native prairie in Peoria County. It is a ˝ mile long strip near Brimfield that was once railroad right of way, located at 18320 W Forney Road, Brimfield. The Jubilee Prairie Dawgs, a volunteer group dedicated to native prairie restoration, have partnered with Peoria Audubon Society to help maintain this prairie. It contains over 100 native prairie plant species, which are a critical part of the food web for many species of birds, butterflies and bees.
Black Swallowtail on Thistle at Brimfield RR Prairie Nature Preserve
Both of these high quality habitats are listed as protected lands by the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission to assist with the protection of high quality natural areas and habitats of endangered and threatened species. Peoria Audubon Society is committed to long term conservation of these areas and is excited to share them with the public.
Peoria Audubon Society encourages visitors to record their bird sightings on these properties at eBird.org. Both nature preserves are listed as public birding hotspots. The nature preserves are open for hiking, viewing and enjoying the natural areas. No camping, no fires, no hunting or fishing, no collecting, and no restroom facilities are available. Visitors are asked to follow “Leave no Trace” principles when visiting Peoria Audubon properties, or any natural area.
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Keep watching the Calendar of Events for details on Peoria Audubon and other local activities. The public are always welcome! We would like to see you there!