March

Explore! By Master Naturalist Pam Johnson

Look for the returning songbirds!

It is a transition time. The snow is still lingering and so are the winter birds. But some sparrows are starting to migrate and stop over in Illinois. During migration, fox sparrows forage in the leaf litter of open hardwood forests as well as swampy thickets. You might find them at Rutherford Refuge or Buehler Preserve. “Red” fox sparrows are rusty above with some pale gray on the head and rufous splotches on the underparts. They differ from the song sparrow in that they are larger, more rufous and have a yellowish bill. Both have streaked on belly.

The white-throated sparrow might also be around before it heads north.  Listen for the ‘Oh Sweet Canada’  Then look for the identifying markings:  the black eyestripe, the white crown and supercilium, the yellow lores, the white throat bordered by a black whisker, or malar stripe.  Both breed in the Northern Midwest, Canada and Northeastern US.  They are not rare but are seen in our area during migration and winter. You’ll find White-throated Sparrows along edges of woodlots, hedgerows, thickets, weedy fields, suburbs, backyards, and city parks. During migration, fox sparrows forage in the leaf litter of open hardwood forests as well as swampy thickets.

In the forests on our preserves, birds can be seen on trees creating nests.  The leaves haven’t appeared so it is easy to see the cavity nesting birds on the trees.  Look for a dead tree that might have a chickadee making a nest. Explore Schurmeier Forest.  You might see the remains of an oriole nest hanging from a tree.  You might hear the drumming of woodpeckers.  The bright blue of bluebirds might be seen as they are looking for cavities. Water birds are pairing up.  In backwaters at Buehler Preserve at the south end of the Galena River Trail, you might find a pair of mergansers or wood ducks.

It is also a time of renewal. Visit the prairie at Wapello or Casper Bluff and see the left-over grasses and forbs.  Look for the galls on the golden rod which are the winter home for numerous insects.  Cut one open and see what you find.  A gall is an abnormal growth on a plant caused by an organism feeding on or irritating the plant tissue. Galls can be caused by bacteria, fungi, viruses, nematodes, mites, or insects. After a prescribed fire, see the dark earth which absorbs the sunlight and encourages new growth.  Visit it often and watch as a haze of green and eventually new plants coming up.

Top photo (c) Barbara Baird. All others (c) Pam Johnson.