Mississippi River Birding Part 1 – Palisades

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The Birdfreak Team (Kestrel & Birdfreak) spent Saturday birding along the mighty Mississippi River in northwestern Illinois. Our first stop was Mississippi Palisades State Park. Warblers were a plenty, but hard to photograph in the dark, ferny woods.
Ferns Galore
Kentucky Warbler
Kentucky Warbler

After quite a bit of hiking we returned to the parking lot and the bird activity picked up incredibly. Soaring overhead were a pair of Cooper’s Hawks, several Turkey Vultures, a juv. Bald Eagle, and a flock of American White Pelicans that passed by the moon. What was really fascinating was a juv. Bald Eagle being chased by a Peregrine Falcon! The falcon gave up the chase fairly quickly as the eagle continued soaring by.
Turkey Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Very poor picture of a juv. Bald Eagle (it sorta resembled a Golden Eagle)
Unknown Raptor

Other great birds found near the parking lot were Yellow-throated Warblers and Northern Parulas, with a possible nest.
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Tomorrow we’ll talk about part 2 of the trip, the Lost Mound…

One thought on “Mississippi River Birding Part 1 – Palisades

  1. Wonderful day and our Parula’s nest near our Yellow-throated Warblers also! I have never been able to photograph the kentucky before! BRAVO

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