Rain, rain, go away! On to Starved Rock!

Well, things didn’t go quite as planned. Six young birders met bright and early Sunday morning, April 15th, in the parking lot of Denny’s in Bourbonnais eager to explore the Kankakee River area. Yet, mother nature had other plans. It wouldn’t stop raining. Still, we drove to Kankakee River State Park and hoped for the best. Despite the rain, there were birds in the area, but there was no way we could continue for long.

So, we called an audible. Pulling up the weather on our phones, we could see where the edge of the storm was to our west, about an hour’s drive. Starved Rock! Luckily, the parents were game and we set off for the Illinois River.

On our way, we stopped by a known spot for Snowy Owl in La Salle County. Despite being mid April, sure enough a Snowy Owl was present. We all stopped to enjoy this arctic beauty who was sure to be on its way north soon.

From there, we drove on to Starved Rock, where the American White Pelicans were loafing on the banks of the river and a Pileated Woodpecker cackled nearby. At the feeders, we picked up finches, nuthtaches, and several species of woodpeckers. As we walked the trails, we heard Carolina Wren, Tufted Titmouse, and Fox Sparrows all singing.

Our last stop of the day was Lone Point Shelter along the Illinois River. Right away, we spotted a Black-and-white Warbler foraging at the base of a tree. Field Sparrows hopped about in the grass. Several species of swallows were darting over the water. It was surprisingly birdy in this spot despite the cold wet weather.

We wrapped up the day at this point. Here’s hoping for better weather in May!