Yellow-Breasted Chat, Orchard Oriole, Yellow-Billed Cuckoo, and Common Yellowthroat Warbler were just a few of the many birds participants encountered on the June 25 bird-watching expedition at the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area. Guide Edna Alexander from the Great Rivers Chapter of the Illinois Audubon Society shared her extensive knowledge of bird calls, developmental stages of birds, and bird identification strategies with the group. It was a terrific introduction to bird-watching, as we learned how to listen for calls, orient ourselves to the birds' location and sight them, then use colors and markings to identify them. Another bird watching outing will be scheduled in the fall—watch upcoming newsletters for date and time.  

Susan Murray