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Illinois

Bald eagle
Bald eagle
©Harvey Payne
Event: Bald Eagles Nesting
Where: Cache River Joint Wetlands Project
When: Last two weeks in January
Peak of wintering bald eagle concentration; easily seen at all southern Illinois preserves.

Open to the public. Facilities available (at nearby state park): camping.
The Long Reach, Cache River Wetlands
The Long Reach, Cache River Wetlands
©Harold E. Malde
Event: Chorus Frogs Calling
Where: Cache River Joint Wetlands Project
When: Early to mid-February
At the beginning of its mating season, during the second week of February, the Illinois chorus frog, a threatened species, is very vocal in Alexander County.

Open to the public. Facilities available (at nearby state park): camping.
Coyote in the snow
Coyote in the snow
©Ken K. Ringer
Event: Coyotes Breeding
Where: Cache River Joint Wetlands Project
When: Mid- to late February
Coyotes can be heard howling each night during the peak of their mating season in southern Illinois.

Open to the public. Facilities available (at nearby state park): camping.
Corn snake
Corn snake
©Kenneth A. Deitcher
Event: Snakes Migrating
Where: Cache River Joint Wetlands Project
When: Mid- to late April
Roads must be closed off as snakes migrate between the bluffs and the Mississippi River in far southern Illinois.

Open to the public.
Cache River wetlands
Cache River wetlands
©Harold E. Malde
Event: Songbirds Migrating
Where: Cache River Joint Wetlands Project
When: First week in May
The Cache River bioreserve is an important stopover point for neotropical migrants heading north from Latin America and the Caribbean.

Open to the public.
Blue heron in rookery
Blue heron in rookery
©Lynda Richardson
Event: View Heron, Egret Chicks
Where: Lake Renwick Heron Rookery
When: Early May
The largest heron breeding ground in Illinois is open May through August for guided tours (Wed. and Sat.). Saved by the Conservancy in the early 1980s, the island rookery is owned by the Forest Preserve District of Will County (south of Chicago). Five rare bird species breed here, including three threatened or endangered in Illinois.

Open to the public.
Bobcat
Bobcat
©Janet Haas
Event: Bobcat Litters Born
Where: Cache River Joint Wetlands Project
When: Mid-May to mid-June
Bobcats in southern Illinois have their litters from mid-May to mid-June.

Open to the public.
Nachusa Grasslands
Nachusa Grasslands
©Joseph Kayne
Event: Upland Sandpiper Breeding
Where: Nachusa Grasslands
When: June
Several species of state-endangered and threatened grassland birds such as the Upland sandpiper, Northern harrier and Henslow's sparrow breed at Nachusa Grasslands. Few Illinois preserves offer the large block of habitat these species require to successfully nest and breed.

Open to the public.
Blazing star
Blazing star
©Alan D. St. John
Event: Blazing Star Blooming
Where: Nachusa Grasslands
When: First three weeks of September
Rough blazing star blooms just as the native grasses are becoming dark blue and dominate the landscape. ""Autumn on the Prairie"" is held the third Saturday in September. Numerous tours and activities available.

Open to the public.
Nachusa Grasslands
Nachusa Grasslands
©Joseph Kayne
Event: Fall Celebration
Where: Nachusa Grasslands
When: September
Annual, daylong celebration with booths, demonstrations, tours, crafts and food at this 1,000-acre Conservancy prairie preserve in northern Illinois.

Open to the public.
Monarch butterfly
Monarch butterfly
©Harvey Payne
Event: Monarch Butterflies Migrating
Where: Cache River Joint Wetlands Project
When: Peaks late September
Monarch butterflies reach their peak numbers.

Open to the public.
Purple prairie clover
Purple prairie clover
©Raymond Kammer
Event: Prairie Wildflowers Blooming
Where: Cache River Joint Wetlands Project
When: Mid-September through early October
Mid-September through early October is the peak for autumnal prairie flowers blooming in southern Illinois.

Open to the public.
Mallard duck
Mallard duck
©Geraldine Clark
Event: Ducks Migrating
Where: Spunky Bottoms
When: October
The restored wetlands at Spunky Bottoms are ideal habitat for migrating waterfowl. Each fall thousands of ducks and geese pass through the preserve.
Blufflehead hen with ducklings
Blufflehead hen with ducklings
©Charlie Ott
Event: Christmas Bird Count
Where: Cache River Joint Wetlands Project
When: December
Annual Christmas bird count at the Cache draws participants from around the state.

Open to the public.

For additional information on a particular location, click on the name of the preserve associated with the event or visit the Illinois site.