Avid birder “Lynda O.” has sent in another entry for our “Guest Essays” category, this one briefly written by her guide, Josh. As we’ve said elsewhere, Two-Fisted Birdwatcher is a two-way street when it comes to communication. We welcome reporting such as this. Thanks, guys.
In early May, Lynda and I set off for Illinois’ sole open water bog ecosystem. It was a beautiful morning as we drove into far western Lake County and the small town of Volo, home of Volo Bog. Upon arrival, we set out on the wetland boardwalk to make our way to the bog itself, stopping along the way to watch a very tame pair of Sandhill Cranes.
Ovenbird at Volo Bog
Arriving to the open water bog, which is surrounded by tamarack trees in a scene very unusual in Illinois, we came across a nice flock of warblers, including birds like Northern Waterthrush and Palm Warbler, which will end up breeding somewhere well to our north in a similar habitat in the boreal forest.
We also walked on the trail that makes a wide circle around the bog, a beautiful oak woodland, where we found another nice bunch of migrants–birds like Black-throated Green Warbler and Ovenbird.
It was a lovely outing to a unique place. One of the great things about birding is it gets you out exploring new places, and Volo Bog fit the bill!
Josh, Founder and Guide, Red Hill Birding
