The early bird gets the ... uh... the snow cone.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLCFEz7r8MrDfqtiAGwePzMByyuwIDToAfy_v2X8tG6mclvndxwJWDLUWWPQYxASi9x5ALEvA0sg4F-na2zhFQHwlI2QIMFhoU6oX9GU9-Ru0RDPfOimSehWtaS2tdcWvbiGJ6yRJP6fN/s400/Frozen-field,-Cherry-Valley.jpg) |
Lapland Longspurs and Horned Lark graze for something to eat on a snowy frozen field near Cherry Valley, IL; 2/25/2012. |
Yestreday I blogged about a yellow-bellied Sapsucker that I saw in early February, which would be uncommon for that species to already have arrived in our territory of Northern Illinois. So today I will mention all the migrants who I have observed during the month of February, which officially was still Winter in these parts. As you can see by the picture (Above), even in a light snowfall winter, Northern Illinois still had snow on the ground in late February. Winter residents such as Lapland Longspurs, Horned Larks, American Tree Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncoes were still present for another one or two months.
Because February and March are busy months for my High School Theatre work, I don't get out birding as much as I'd like to. So with that disclaimer, other than the 2/5/12 Sapsucker other "early birds" included: Red-winged Blackbirds arrived on 2/19 (I first heard and saw them in Starved Rock State Park), then were in the Rockford area a day later. Common Grackles and Brown-headed Cowbirds also joined the Red-wings at this early date. On 2/20, I saw my first American Robins in Espenscheid Forest Preserve. Then a week later while I was cruising the farm fileds near Cherry Valley, looking for winter open field birds, such as the Longspurs and Horned Larks (Above), I heard an Eastern Meadowlark sing from a snow-covered cornfield. I scanned the fields and at first all I could spot was a small herd of White-tailed Deer (Below), until I spotted the bright yellow dot in the sunsetting light (also Below).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6D6bC_QIYQYUSCLxvdr81oLJejpVvmTXWQSwbDlbKxnNdLP_91SxKmfZtM9ptIqwiZ0LOJNwh7YNjHTpPATgoJwQBozAgstF12h2-8HG4FAFUKH2jfy2v7u-xV-04OPB8Pf5ReCS4NqON/s400/White-tailed-Deer,-Cherry-V.jpg) |
A small herd of wary White-tailed deer wondering why I was watching them, Cherry Valley, IL; 2/25/2012. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtd5yJFvJvjHwaoKYm4RoQS1b8wLRaSZ2qy8pW0B-OLCEHM4nZ2iAO-w17nm4T7bAaBII5QLPNf19q_x4EhBDoI6zzc2qVpLV-dGwusJYbebWiVGyptAGW6rHHus6Df6oHHhcr0GeioXl1/s400/East-Meadowlark%252C-CV%252C-2-25-1.jpg) |
Can you spot the eastern Meadowlark? |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEdU44WJtj9_YBZATVk8jF1fbt1atbt2Fy5NvJcYmY9-90Jx8nppewklnrWCNU682hBaOG36I4wx3qPMy9X4B82PAfBnT-FUqqWuldPTqaGHSUZdHY6j218bnv-BTRgP84QHKSr2MfwO-n/s400/Eastern-Meadowlark,RCSP,-3-.jpg) |
An Eastern Meadowlark eyes its potential perch, Rock Cut State Park, 3/24/2012. |
A month later I was following an Eastern Meadowlark as flew back and forth between a tree and the grassland prairie near Olsen Lake in Rock Cut State Park. I finally was able to capture one of its landings (Above). The photo (Below) remains one of my favorites of the year so far.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6-_xp4F_hyg0AgxJ6WPAALUN9Uh-elLXMM_1e9vadM5O_-E8tZMaFZUydFr26rHjT3ajvAbvRm7kWhgBmqFCXXjOwx2uGxOAmKhUSIqubbR544i_FHFjGFBSFd8FIBajOxwvrWokNCg9/s400/Eastern-Meadowlark,-RCSP,-3.jpg) |
The Eastern Meadowlark about to touch down, Rock Cut State park; 2/25/2012. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqtsuGMRIxJ5BnV9XK9PHp0AgrmofbBroL97MHaSykPs1cDZFzmZUxJmMPRIad1sdDNB-GC0MVCtxBRKV71iCVDSh9ooiYClWxEc_bqOpvZBQvwouUVnduxpZj51wZNy3PEHZObRc5Dzqr/s400/EasternMeadowlark,RCSP,-3-2.jpg) |
It makes contact ... |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivECoot6QkRjudtd-3R5vE78IbHO9Z0wEmPgosEqGhUnI2CLcKoMwV5bAqDtupPGzqw85GD2VNT3JSyMQrJN6WLfr9VM6OC2rCLlkNhSW3Jm4qOTf6MsdLnIrGMgoE6aVzj7V1XtRyPUn-/s400/EasternMeradowlarkRCSP3-24.jpg) |
Looking proud on its perch, RCSP; 2/25/2012. |
Eventhough the pic (Above) is not the best in sharpness, I really like how the background greens and purples of the prairie and the distant trees help set off the bright yellows of the Meadowlark.
Other pics of early migrants below:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZCxSts5kLv78Ej2f4rBQKANCNz4CK8oB5PJFoNLLZVuhG0vD-p7HTr4Ax_QSPsOCj1ldxeaKFSWpfygmekk85dx7NvexpaiMr6hXn5xcaMh1sFbinXqBoFa8wupZcYQwfsRrHyDd21zM/s400/Brown-headed-Cowbird,-StrvR.jpg) |
Brown-headed Cowbird, Starved Rock State park, IL; 2/19/2012. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibUn6z8BC8S605mBr_NXEXxKmHW6SH8IDXDcdfqp6G4JRYqo8wAoSSPPLHDunohDsAKKbxpSMTv2Xr1m_AFMS40_c_5vDlO-7BO-blOYtRp_Xm8Ze9MJEiissNB55uOQtzWMM4E2Ql2V3/s400/Common-Grackle,-3-29-12-818.jpg) |
Common Grackle, Rockford, IL; 2/19/2012. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjoeJPHrZ1LGQ93VRPsdXzfsO9PPuynO1gOMPHhN5i9PEoMCJgnRIz1BBEAHKIgdLcvvdjB4sYRw9DU3fs06WOuIf6reMis_66WaiW5BDCiC4bJHhnQp1wvg1PHc9gzPH4A8SEVlY9-HlI/s400/Red-winged-Blackbird,-StrvR.jpg) |
Red-winged Blackbird, Starved Rock State Park; 2/19/2012. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAALKNNBU6dTDvSAOA391Ujk7auaZJkmbVbqhQ9BGY1EGZZ_aYRyg7Z75ZgI67535SHggvzCjROyA5u6z8m98aDlMkmHbg_-yO1BZZP8OOY8reJAwXOizbkc5BmPhDW6omj7NtbgqkASxF/s400/Grt-Blue-Heron,-RCSP,-3-29-.jpg) |
Great Blue Heron, Rock Cut State Park, 3/29/2012. |
The earliest Great Blue Heron I saw was from the car as I was returning to Rockford on I-39 from Starved Rock State park on 2/19. The pic (Above) was taken a month later.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2toySPM_V8Z9okon7_9C0Z1h4_yzIETl7wxPeToBcAS2U6C8cA_rwBM4qUk1IeyC7-c_WyrBCzTwwLGFatIMzJm-FmNtSXdOfWYxoJP4TnQ-gEZThKI-TcE0AJkGokdIm6LZv4P-kodp1/s400/IMG_6433.jpg) |
I saw my first American Robin of the year, Espenscheid Forest Preserve; 2/20/2012. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCd53BFsjWpx5QDn6lngIOuysm7LWoReu5AtVF-BgpjjfiJxdAHU9rVXC1G5VnXZ8tI9etkkjwOPF41mTr6I3vPBoIL0uWQgr5Ek0VeU_0r0_0qniLtce4eI7hI6TS_d2jXTukUGf3QROr/s400/Sunset-&-Byron-Nuclear-Plan.jpg) |
Sun setting behind the vapor clouds of Byron Nuclear Plant, Cherry Valley, IL; 2/25/2012. |
I can't help but include the sunset picture (Above), which I took soon after photographing the White-tailed Deeer and the Meadowlark (Top 3 pictures) from the country roads surroundng Cherry Valley, IL.
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