Abraham Lincoln Memorial Gardens- Ostermeier Prairie Center
Thursday October 13, 3:40 PM to 6:00 PM (Over half a month ago!)
Temperature: 65-ish degrees Fahrenheit
Weather: Sunny, light winds out of east
Lincoln Memorial Gardens is probably the best spot to hike in Sangamon County. These photos don't show that, unfortunately, but I was more actively seeing things than photographing.
The afternoon of that stellar day at the bird banding station, we hiked the prairie area at Lincoln Memorial Gardens, after which I hiked the Lake Trail by myself. Initially, it was quite slow, with only a few Blue Jays and Red-bellied Woodpeckers flying overhead, and three White-tailed Deer running away from us. Eventually, we found several Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta) and Red-eared Sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) in the pond (pictured at top), as well as the Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) above and the Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger) below.
Further along the path, I found this Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos), a butterfly very common in the fall here. We also scared up a Swamp Sparrow as we watched the half-dozen turtles in the pond.
Along the edge of the woods, a House Wren, about fifteen mixed kinglets, six Eastern Bluebirds, an American Robin, a Northern Cardinal, a Black-capped Chickadee, three Turkey Vultures, a Mourning Dove, and a Belted Kingfisher were seen, as well as several more Red-bellied Woodpeckers and plenty more Blue Jays (Cyanocitta cristata). 'Tis the season for acorns:
Suddenly, about 100 Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) flew overhead. These birds turn the islands on the lake white with their guano come March, but they are currently moving south for the winter, and someday when the lake freezes over, the cormorants will finally move on.
After spooking a Bald Eagle, seeing a Great Blue Heron, three American Coots, and another Belted Kingfisher, I nearly fell in a creek (by nearly, there was one shoe fully underwater). Around this time, it was time to head back. I separated from the rest of the group to linger about for a little longer. Five American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) were out on the lake, at least, as well as about 20 more Double-crested Cormorants.
On land, I spotted dozens of birds, but none sat still long enough for a photo. There were about 20 Tufted Titmice, two White-breasted Nuthatches, at least twenty-five more Kinglets, a surprise Hermit Thrush, six or seven American Goldfinches, three Black-capped Chickadees and probably more, judging by the crashing about in the undergrowth, for it was a happenin' place.
I saw several birds flying over the lake, mostly about 25 Ring-billed Gulls, some of which were resting on the water. However, I also spotted the above Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) (along with a second bird which I believe is another Osprey) and a second Bald Eagle below, as well as four Turkey Vultures. Unfortunately, all these raptors were too far away for good pictures!
There were tons of birds way out on the lake itself, in addition to those flying over it. I spotted about ten teal, a pair of Northern Pintails, the 14 Ruddy Ducks photographed below, and about 20 Mallards, as well as a few more Pied-billed Grebes.
On the way out, I also saw a flock of some 85- 90 blackbirds, almost exclusively Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles, as well as a Northern Cardinal. The highlight, however, was this Cutleaf Grape Fern (Botrychium dissectum dissectum), of the less common dissected variety. This was my first time ever finding one of these (although if you read my Fults Hill post you already know I saw a lot more afterwards).
Ebird Checklist:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32027955
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