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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Springfield February 2017 (2 Viewers)

seedyrom

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I will be in Springfield from 13th -17th February. Can anyone recommend any good spots for birding in and around this area, please?
 
In/adjacent to the city:
Adams Wildlife Sanctuary (HQ of Illinois Audubon Society) 30ac. mostly wooded
Carpenter Park - High quality Oak/hickory forest at north side of town
Lake Springfield - just south of town
Lincoln Memorial Gardens - SE edge of Lake Spfld, plenty of wooded trails

Further afield:
Nipper Wildlife Sanctuary - Further away 30min? SW, mostly restored grassland, forest edge
 
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Thanks, Bill, for taking the time to reply. Unfortunately, my husband got the name of the town he will be working in wrong. He will be working in Sullivan and we will be staying in Arcola. Population 2,000. And I will not have any transport :( So I don't think Ill' get much birding done after all :(
 
Wow, surprised to hear you are staying in Arcola! Mattoon is nearby and while it's not a metropolis, would definitely have a little more going on.

There has been a Prairie Falcon overwintering in that area which has been of note for IL birders. Arcola is sorta between two state universities (Univ of IL and Eastern IL Univ) and there are some birders in the area. If you like I can post on the IL listserv to see if anyone would take you birding on a day or 2.
 
Hi, Bill. Arcola is not my choice! Yes please to the offer of posting on the IL.listserv. There really doesn't seem to be anything at all to do in Arcola so I had resigned myself to doing lots of reading and sewing! A bit of birding would be great.
 
Well, unfortunately it looks like I did not receive any response to my listsev request (asked them to email me or post on this thread.)
 
Well thanks for trying. I really appreciate that. We went to Lake Shelbyville today. It was really warm. No coats needed. I have never seen so many woodpeckers in the space of 2 hours before! Fantastic:) Sullivan wetland was fantastic. Loads of waterfowl and the skies and surrounding fields held hundreds of Snow geese. Just amazing.
 
Nice to see you were able to get out. Really mild weather this week. Haven't been able to be out much myself...headed to West Mexico with Nick Bray next week.
 
Yes, the weather has been great. Not seen much in Arcola itself apart from 3 Killdeer in front of the hotel along with what I think are Song sparrow which are a lifer for me. Spent some time watching 3 American kestrel one day and the Red-winged blackbirds are so beautiful. Hundreds of sparrows - could do to take them home with me as their numbers have plummeted. Nice Cooper's hawk too. Enjoy Mexico. We were thinking of going next Christmas but the people I asked for a quote haven't got back to us so we'll probably go to Gujarat instead. Nick Bray has sent me a friend request on Facebook. Small world.
 
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