Tucked in the Grand Prairie Division of Illinois, the Mackinaw River Corridor lies within Woodford and McLean Counties and contains multiple birding hotspots with a variety of habitats leading to a wide diversity of migrating birds in spring.
This trip will start on Friday evening with an outing to the Fraker Farm owned by local conservationist, Matt Fraker. Matt has generously offered to host both an evening bonfire (including s’mores) and dusk birding on his property. Matt’s 300+ acres are dominated by woodlands of white oak, black oak, and hickory. He has documented over 220 bird species on the property including 15 species of birds of prey, all seven species of woodpeckers regularly found in Illinois, and 30+ species of warbler.
On Saturday morning, we will continue our adventure along the Mackinaw River Corridor by beginning at Merwin Nature Preserve (part of the Parklands Foundation footprint). These 700+ acres contain river lowlands and bluffs unique to this region of the state. We hope to see songbirds including Blue-headed Vireo, Louisiana Waterthrush, and other early spring migrants.
After leaving Merwin Nature Preserve, we plan to migrate west to Evergreen Lake to continue our search for additional species. Evergreen Lake has a number of accessible hotspots including (time permitting): Shady Hollow, Comlara Park, White Oak Campground, and the Spillway.
Walking distance, if any, and type of surface: Walking at Fraker Farm will be 0.5 miles on mowed, short trails; two to three miles at Merwin Nature Preserve; short trails at Evergreen Lake.
Lodging recommendations:
Holiday Inn Bloomington, 8 Traders Circle, Normal, Illinois 61761
Comfort Inn & Suites: 310B Greenbriar Drive, Normal, Illinois 61761
Trip Leader: Matt Fraker, Nathan Goldberg, Matt Hayes, and Jo Fessett
Cost of trip includes transportation by van, pizza dinner on Friday, snacks and water.
Maximum Field Trip Capacity: 16
Cost: $65
Lincoln’s Sparrow photo by Bob Schifo