The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

Painted Turtle © Byron Jorjorian

This November, there is a lot going on in Illinois. Listed here are some of the many natural events occurring throughout Illinois' diverse habitats this month. Look below to find out what our Conservation Director recommends!

• Bald cypress tree needles turn crimson red at the Grassy Slough Preserve in the Cache River wetlands.
• Groundhogs and painted turtles enter hibernation, beavers are busy building barriers and hornet nests appear on leafless trees at the Grassy Slough Preserve in the Cache River wetlands.
• American bald eagles start arriving in large numbers along the Illinois River Valley at Emiquon and Spunky Bottoms.
• Cormorant migration peaks and wood ducks head south while snow buntings begin to arrive at the Grassy Slough Preserve in the Cache River wetlands.
• Arrival of winter raptors such as short-eared owls, northern harriers, and additional red-tailed hawks at the Midewin Tallgrass Prairie.
• Colors abound at Kankakee Sands when bottle gentian bloom, sassafras trees turn orange and red, oaks turn brown and yellow, and little blue stem grass turns orange.