Least Sandpipers

This pair of Least Sandpipers were hanging out in a farm field wetland in north eastern Illinois. The yellow-green legs are a key character. I love the expression on the last picture. For not looking like it would have much, this wetland also had a Sora.

Passer

We stopped by the Sugar Grove Nature Center to check out their bird feeders. One fun thing about the park is that the two members of the genus Passer are regulars.

On the right is the Eurasian Tree Sparrow and on the left is the male House Sparrow. Eurasian Tree Sparrows have a much smaller range in North American, but are widespread worldwide. They are a little smaller than the House Sparrow, but not my much. As similar as they are to the male House Sparrow, it is interesting that the sexes are similar in the Euarasian Tree Sparrow, unlike the House Sparrow.

Greater Prairie Chicken Lek

Kirk and I visited Prairie Ridge State Natural Area in Newton, Illinois. It was a pretty early morning, since we wanted to be there at least a half an hour before sunrise. Weather and conditions favored us; the wind was not bitter and the birds showed up. Almost as soon as we got to the northwest corner of the yard at the office, we began hearing an unearthly sound in the distance. Books describe the Greater Prairie Chicken's call as blowing across a coke bottle. I guess that is the best description, but it doesn't do the sound justice. Soon we began to make out the prairie chickens on the lek about 300 yards away. Two of them were hooting it up. Soon they started whooping. The naturalist who was watching with us mentioned that the whoops meant that there were female prairie chickens nearby. Sure enough, we spotted first one female, and then four more. The males began dancing in earnest, with fancy footwork and fluttery jumps into the air. The one male kept the other away from the females, and posturing and battles ensued. It was fun to watch this action. Soon, another male and another female showed up. It turns out that at least one of the males was a recently released bird that was captured in Kansas. The naturalist was happy to see him mixing it up with the locals so soon. They have been restocking with Kansas birds because the weather has taken its toll on the Illinois population, especially with an untimely hail storm last year. Eventually the females flew off to the north, leaving the guys with no one to impress. They eventually stopped performing and flew off after seventy-five minutes of strutting.

Who wants to see those crisp photos that are everywhere these days, when you could have photos that look like impressionist art? Did I mention that the lek was 300 yards away in low light?

Anyway, I was happy to capture some pictures that at least I could make out as prairie chickens. Here are the two first males side by side strutting their stuff.

One of the males walking along the top of the lek. The state discs the lek every year to keep the vegetation low.

I don't think I got any pictures of the females. They were clear enough to see in the scope, but they blended right in at that distance and light to my camera. For such large birds, they did a good job of hiding.

Two of the males doing battle.  It was a fun trip out to south-central Illinois to see these cool birds.  It is less than three hours from Indy and easy to get to.

Kaskaskia Spring

I was working in southern Illinois, and looking for a shady spot to eat my packed lunch, when we stumbled across a little park (lat/long 39.130566, -88.973151). I had driven by before, since it is near one of the few bridges over the Kaskaskia River, but I had not stopped. Down the little deadend gravel road was a road-side spring. They had it coming out of a pipe and a sign indicating that was good for drinking. I paused and pondered for a moment before taking a good drink. It made me think in a deeper way about how lucky/blessed we are with good drinking water. Most likely, there would be nothing wrong with the spring water, but we rarely drink anything that doesn't have government approval. I am sure that the spring water would have been considered the best water around only a few generations ago. I never did get sick from it, and I guess I am still using the same water bottle that I had filled at the spring.

Near the spring was a plaque marking the location of an old bridge across the Kaskaskia. We saw first-hand this spring how powerful the floods can be along the river.

Marsh Wren

This little Marsh Wren begged for its picture to be taken, striking different poses in a small wetland in Marion County, Illinois. Typically, they seem to stay more concealed.

Slender False Foxglove (Agalinis tenuifolia)

These guys were blooming along the Kankakee River yesterday. It is the most common Agalinis species in Illinois, but I liked the flowers. Illinois Wildflowers link

Tall Green Milkweed

Tall Green Milkweed (Asclepias hirtella) was blooming in Fayette County, Illinois. I was not familiar with this milkweed, and was excited to see it in bloom. Calling it a "green" milkweed doesn't do justice to the beautiful inflorescence. It's alternate, lanceolate leaves make this plant standout.

Two great sites with more information. Illinois Wildflowers & Missouri Plants

Baby Box Turtle

Katie spotted this little guy while we were walking the edge of a bean field in Marion County, Illinois. He was one of the smallest box turtles I had seen in a long time. Not a patient turtle, he seemed very much in a hurry to go somewhere. I can see why it would be tempting to keep these guys, but it is important to let them stay wild.

Purple Fringeless Orchid

Platanthera peramoena (Purple Fringeless Orchid) was blooming in a wooded wetland in Fayette County, Illinois, near Vandalia.

This orchid was blooming with Monkeyflower, Cardinal Flower, and Blue Lobelia. Needless to say, it was a nice place to visit.

It's hard not to see little faces in the flowers. The lip (the lower petal) has three lobes, and is not fringed.

The orchid wasn't too tall, not much over one foot. Three other individuals were blooming in the area. It would be a challenge to spot when not in bloom.

More information from Illinois Wildflowers.

Spiny Softshell Turtle

I ran across this large guy in a shallow riffle on a larger tributary to the Kaskaskia River near Vandalia, Illinois. The third photo gives some perspective, since that is a normal, car-sized tire. He was only in a couple inches of water and wouldn't have been too hard to attempt to catch, but I decided to just watch him instead. After crossing the stream and climbing the bank, we looked back at the softshell. He stuck his head out of the water, looked around as if checking to see if anyone was watching, and then proceeded to twist and scoot in place until he was completely buried in the gravel and sand. His disappearing act made me contemplate previous times I have walked through shallow, clear water not thinking about buried monsters.

Spring and Summer Flowers

One of those flower that is hard to pass by without admiring, the Flowering Dogwoods were putting on a show in Michigan in April.

Another flower that falls into that category, Firepink is always a welcome sight. These were blooming at the Conner Prairie BioBlitz in June. Of course, anytime you talk about Firepink, the legislature's snub for State Flower comes up. It sure would be a nice State Flower, but not too many people care that a non-native flower represents Indiana.

One of the fun flowers to find along the White River at Conner Prairie was some Veratrum woodii, aka Wood's Bunchflower or False Hellebore. It wasn't blooming, but it was still appreciated. Missouriplants.com has some nice pictures.

Green Antelopehorn (Asclepias viridis) was blooming south of Vanadlia, Illinois.

American Columbo (Frasera caroliniensis) was also blooming near Vandalia, Illinios. It has quite an impressive inflorescence.

Purple Milkweed (Asclepias purpurescens) is stunning in bloom.

Clematis viorna, a wild clematis (Leatherflower, Vaseflower, American Bells) was blooming near Pontiac, Illinois.

Snake Grab Bag

I have gotten far enough behind on blogging that I am combining several different snakes over the last couple months into one post.

This Northern Banded Watersnake was sunning on a berm near the Sangamon River in Illinios. I was hoping he would feel like sitting still for some pictures, but he was having none of it. He charged right past me to the pond. I didn't feel like restraining him.

Two different Garter Snakes hanging out in shrubs. Central Illinois had quite a spring flooding this year. I imagine that these guys had to spend quite a lot of time up in the shrubs and off the ground.

A Black Rat Snake comes over to check out the camera. It was fun to actually interact with this four foot long beauty in a peaceful manner, instead of having him flee. I laid down next to him to get a nice eye-to-eye view. He actually turned and came over to check me out.

I was walking along a ditch in Pulaski County, Indiana, when I spotted what I first assumed was a banded watersnake. Upon closer look, it turned out to be a little Hognose! I love those snakes. He was very calm and didn't even wiggle when handled. I put him back down after a closer look and took a couple pictures.

Bird Grab Bag

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were singing for us along a stream south of Moweaqua, Illinois.

A Scarlet Tanager in a very dark canopy on the north side of Indianapolis.

A Dickcissel sits on a Musk Thistle at Conner Prairie.

An Orchard Oriole was feeding in a White Mulberry tree along the White River at Conner Prairie.

A Summer Tanager was singing a way in an oak tree in Fayette County, Illinois.

An Indigo Bunting in the grass in Marion County, Illinois.