Prairie Warblers

[Adam Sell]

Hey everyone,

I'm hoping to make a trek to find some Prairie Warblers on territory this year.  I'm on a budget and don't want to travel all the way to S. IL, so I'm looking for some of the more reliable places in in N. Central/Central IL to find them.  From what I can tell, some of the CR's around Hennepin-Hopper seem to be good places to find them.  Does anyone know any other reliable areas  South of Chicagoland to find them? 

Thanks.

[tkelly]

Is Indiana in play?  The Dunes has Prairie Warblers.  In fact you can get Cerulean, Prairie and Hooded all in a day's work.

[Adam Sell]

I'm hoping to get some good looks for the IL list   Thanks, though.  I think i'm heading out there at some point, too. 

[Greg Neise]

The habitat near Hennepin-Hopper is the only reliable place that I know of in norther Illinois to get this species.

[Nathan Goldberg]

Is Indiana in play?  The Dunes has Prairie Warblers.  In fact you can get Cerulean, Prairie and Hooded all in a day's work.

Sorry to strand away from the topic at hand, but do you know exactly where all these can be found (location)? Also what time of year would you suggest?

Sorry again,

Nathan

[tkelly]

I went on the 4th of July last year (big mistake to go on that actual day because of the crowds).  That's getting towards the late end of the period for which warblers will reliably be singing.  But anytime now through early to mid July should yield these birds.  I believe the trail numbers for the Ceruleans and Hoodeds are 2 and 10, or the Wilson Shelter trails.  I think it was trail 2 I went on and had both singing within the first 50 yards of the trail.

For the Prairie Warblers, I got them in the beach blowouts, but I think you can also get them from one of the roads outside the park.  I'm not sure what the name of the road is.  Perhaps someone can help us out with that, otherwise I can find out.

[tkelly]

I should add this is Dunes State Park, not the National Lakeshore.

[Robert D. Hughes]

Continuing this thread and moving east, Prairie Wablers can also be found in the blowouts at Warren Dunes State Park in Berrien County, Michigan. The blowouts can be reached from the trail that runs along the beach. I've attached a PDF of Warren Dunes to this post. Warren Dunes is a great place to hike.

Bob H

[Amar Ayyash]

The habitat near Hennepin-Hopper is the only reliable place that I know of in norther Illinois to get this species.

As I was enjoying 2, possibly 3, Prairie Warblers yesterday in Kankakee County I thought about Adam's request.
Who would have known that a new site for Prairie Warblers would present itself this far north and east in Illinois?!

There is a Prairie Warbler being regularly seen in the Milwaukee, WI area. Evidently a bird worthy of being reported on their RBA text system.

[Adam Sell]

As I was enjoying 2, possibly 3, Prairie Warblers yesterday in Kankakee County I thought about Adam's request.
Who would have known that a new site for Prairie Warblers would present itself this far north and east in Illinois?!

There is a Prairie Warbler being regularly seen in the Milwaukee, WI area. Evidently a bird worthy of being reported on their RBA text system.

I went down to get the Kankakee Prairies too.  Really incredible!  It shows why breeding bird surveying is so important.  Man, I love June birding in IL.  Also Amar, what camera setting are you using with the FZ-35?  The recent shots you've had are amazing! 

Adam

[Amar Ayyash]

I went down to get the Kankakee Prairies too.  Really incredible!  It shows why breeding bird surveying is so important.  Man, I love June birding in IL.  Also Amar, what camera setting are you using with the FZ-35?  The recent shots you've had are amazing! 

Adam

Thanks Adam. Did you get more than one Prairie Warbler?
I'm using the "sports mode" setting with a 1.7 tele photo lens by Olympus.

[Adam Sell]

Beau and I got there at sunrise and had one confirmed with sight, and another singing a little farther off that we didn't get our bins on.  Amazing spot in the early morning.  Singing whip-poor-wills as well.