That all depends on wind and weather, of course, but one whooper is already lingering in southern Indiana.

Overall, most of the 87 birds in the eastern migratory population remain at previous locations according to the ICF. The present estimated distribution is as follows: 44 whoopers in Floriday, 18-21 in Tennessee, 7 in Alabama, 4 in Georgia, 4 in South Carolina, 1 in Indiana and 6-9 at unknown locations.

Writes the ICF:

The 2008 ultralight-led whooping cranes at the Chassahowitzka and St. Marks National Wildlife Refuges are doing well. The birds continue to forage outside of their pens during the day and roost in the pens in the evening. A few nights the monitoring crews had a harder time getting the birds back into the pens to roost.  Changes in water levels were a likely cause as this occurred during the same period at both Chassahowitzka and St. Marks NWR.

So keep your eyes skyward in the weeks to come for large white whooping cranes passing overhead as they head north.

The water he sees is clean, at least compared to the “nasty” flowage he fished as a youngster in Spring Valley.

The fishery is vastly improved. In fact, Guerrini said the current population of sauger—a cousin to the walleye—is the best this decade.

“What we hadn’t had for a number of years was a good spring flood to let the small fish get into the backwaters and grow up to be big fish,” he said. “Now we’ve had three good years of spring floods. If Mother Nature cooperates, this year we’re going to see some of the best-looking fish we’ve seen in a long time.”

But Guerrini saves his widest smile for what is still to come. In just over a month anglers from across the country will descend on Spring Valley for the 23rd annual Cabela’s/Masters Walleye Circuit tournament. 

“I never would have thought in a million years that we’d have all the Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota guys coming down here to buy an Illinois fishing license to fish,” Guerrini said with a chuckle. “It was always the other way around. All the guys from here migrated up there to fish.

“It’s kind of nice to see that switch.”

That switch is one of many reasons Guerrini will be inducted into the Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame on Saturday at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles. This is the eighth class inducted to the Outdoor Hall of Fame, which is dedicated to honoring those who go above and beyond the call of duty for conservation.

Guerrini, 60, certainly fits the bill. He’s one of those people who somehow manages to work a full-time job while also working full-time as a volunteer. He founded the Spring Valley Walleye Club in 1990 and is still president. He served as tournament director of the MWC event for its first 16 years and is still executive director.

“Any time we’ve ever needed anything to promote fishing in the area Bill says, ‘You tell me when and where and we’ll be there,’ ” said Ron Allen, an events promoter with the Department of Natural Resources and now the Illinois Conservation Foundation. “Bill’s the type of person we had in mind when we established the Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame in 2002.”

In addition to promoting fishing, Guerrini works tirelessly to boost business in Spring Valley. That’s actually why he stepped forward in the late 1980s when the late LaSalle outdoor writer Bart Crabb said a professional walleye tour was eyeing Illinois.

Guerrini knew the Illinois River had come a long way since he spent the summers of his youth catching bullheads, carp and catfish. So he jumped at the chance to put his hometown and its surging sauger fishery on the map as an MWC tour stop.

“Back then Barto Landing was a gravel lot and it was five feet lower than it is now, but they agreed to give us a shot,” Guerrini said. “The rest is history.”

After a few tournaments Spring Valley began building a reputation for some of the finest sauger fishing in the Midwest. The resulting attention has pumped money into local businesses since that first tourney in 1987.

And the impact goes beyond business cash registers. Fish caught during the competition are hauled to the nearby LaSalle Fish Hatchery where they provide eggs and milt for the next generation of sauger.

Money raised by the Spring Valley Walleye Club has been used for river studies and to buy equipment for the LaSalle hatchery.
Most recently the club leased Barto Landing with an eye toward improving the popular ramp. Plans call for permanent bathrooms, resurfacing of the parking lot and a new rip-rap seawall to slow sedimentation.

The future is bright, Guerrini said, thanks to plenty of help. In addition to being an honor, he said his induction is “on behalf of all the club members and all of the countless numbers of volunteers who have helped make us what we are today.”

One of his top priorities is starting a golf trail in southern Illinois. What golf has to do with natural resources is a logical question.

Kurt Granberg said he plans to answer that question and many more. Granberg was appointed DNR director late last Friday. The long-time state representative from Carlyle moved into his DNR office Thursday after attending President Obama’s inauguration.

Granberg was no surprise. He had been touted as the next DNR director for more than a year and bought a house in Springfield last summer. The timing of the appointment was a surprise given Gov. Blagojevich’s current situation.

Or maybe it wasn’t a surprise. Granberg — a staunch Blagojevich ally with 21 years in the House of Representatives — resigned his seat hours before the impeachment vote. Such loyalty brings rewards in Illinois, deserved or not.

By taking a $133,000 per year position, Granberg earns a hefty raise from the $85,903 he earned as a legislator. More importantly, he could also ensure his state pension is based on that higher salary by serving even a short term at DNR.

But Granberg bristled at the notion his appointment is tainted.

“I was supposed to be appointed more than a year ago,” Granberg said. “So I’m not going to address that. There are too many serious issues to be addressed at DNR. It’s been a tough year for DNR.”

No question there. But is Granberg the best person to address those issues? Will the Senate confirm his appointment? And why a golf trail?

Granberg said the Abraham Lincoln Golf Trail would be modeled after a similar trail in Alabama. He said state lodges would benefit from the tourism. “We’re essentially ready to go with this,” Granberg said.

In a year of preparing to run the DNR, that’s the best Granberg came up with. Any wonder conservation types are gnashing their teeth?

Any wonder the Belleville News-Democrat called Granberg’s appointment “outrageous” in an editorial.

Any wonder many expect Granberg’s reign will be short.

When Kevin McDermott of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch asked Granberg about working for Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, Granberg laughed and said, “Pat and I don’t get along.”

By Wednesday Granberg had changed his tune. While conceding he and Quinn have been at odds, Granberg said he can work with the lieutenant governor. “I think we’ve both matured over the years and hopefully (Quinn) would come in with an open mind and I will come in with an open mind,” Granberg said.

But if Blagojevich is removed from office, Granberg might want to put that Springfield house on the market based on Quinn’s official statement: “We have had a long line of professional politicians in the DNR and the agency needs someone with a natural resources background. Someone who understands hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, birdwatching and a good steward of natural resources.”

Granberg said he measures up to many of those qualifications.

“I’m going to be an unabashed advocate of the DNR,” said Granberg, whose term is set to run through January of 2011. “From my knowledge of the legislative process I think I can be an asset to DNR. I know how to get things done.”

An occasional hunter who grew up fishing in Clinton County, Granberg said his first priority is to meet with conservation groups.

“I’m not an expert, but I’m smart enough to know I’m not an expert,” Granberg said.

In regards to reopening closed parks, Granberg needs more time for evaluation. “I think we have to go park by park and look at usage, revenue and quality. If a park is not being used very much, that may not be a priority.”

Granberg said he is also aware of problems regarding sweeps of dedicated funds that could jeopardize $16 million in federal money.

Granberg is also aware that many are critical of his lacking background in natural resources. He even mentioned the perception he is a “political hack.”

“I understand people are frustrated. People in my district are worried and frustrated,” he said. “But I think they’ll be reassured after I’ve had a chance to talk to them.”

UNIQUE HUNTS: As hunting seasons end, stalking predators gains in popularity. Three unique contests this weekend are proof of that.

On Saturday the Central Outdoors Coyote Classic starts at 6 a.m. at Bridson’s Taxidermy north of Elmwood. Check-in is from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Cost is $50 per team. Visit centraloutdoors.com.

Then Sunday Al’s Sporting Goods of Galesburg and Grizzly’s Wholesale hold their 20th annual Predator Thon. Hunters start at 5 a.m. at Al’s or in Middle Grove and are due back at Al’s at 1 p.m. (1:30 p.m. for Middle Grove participants). Trophies are awarded for top two-man and four-man teams. Cost is $7.50 per hunter. Call (309) 342-7776.

Also Sunday, Presley’s Outdoors has a Crow-a-Thon from sunrise to 3 p.m. Cost is $20. Call (309) 697-1193.

The Associated Press reports that Gov. Blagojevich appointed Granberg to the top DNR job on Friday. Granberg, a 55-year-old Carlyle Democrat, was named to the $133,000-a-year post for a term ending January 2011.

Granberg was born June 16, 1953 in Breese and attended the University of Illinois, where he studied political science and criminal justice. He also attended The Illinois Institute of Technology’s Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Asked last September about Granberg by Mike Riopell, a Lee Enterprises Springfield bureau reporter, Blagojevich had this to say about Granberg. ‘‘I have the greatest regard for Kurt Granberg,’’ Blagojevich said. ‘‘He would do great at anything he wants to do. So, let’s see where we are and see where this goes. But Kurt’s a good man.’‘

Granberg told Riopell on Friday he had been expecting the appointment for months and plans to increase tourism at the state’s parks and sites with ideas that include a golf trail in Southern Illinois.

“I thought I would be appointed by now, frankly,” Granberg said.

“During his long, distinguished career, he has shown his commitment to our state’s lands, waterways, wildlife and other natural resources,” a statement from Blagojevich’s office said.

Granberg takes over for Sam Flood, who has served as acting DNR director since Joel Brunsvold stepped down from the position in December of 2005. At that time, Flood said he was not interested in serving as anything more than acting director. And he did not expect to hold even that job for very long. Now Flood is expected to remain as assistant director.

Granberg served in the House of Representatives since 1987 and was assistant majority leader under Speaker Michael Madigan. He resigned his seat before the House voted Jan. 9 to impeach Blagojevich.

Granberg had been rumored as the top candidate for the DNR job for more than a year and was rumored to have purchased a house in Springfield.  There are also reports, however, that the DNR job was not Granberg’s top choice. According to Kurt Erickson of the Bloomington Pantagraph, “The 55-year-old Carlyle Democrat had hoped to land a job at the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, but got the DNR job instead.”

As far as his outdoors interests, Granberg is said to be a bird hunter.

Granberg’s most publicized previous dealings with natural resources came in 1999-2000 when he was involved in a bid to have a resort built on the east side of Carlyle Lake. One problem stood in the way of that plan: the Eastern massasauga rattlesnake, just a few hundred of which are believed to survive in the state.

Snake experts said Carlyle was home to the largest population of these small, relatively docile rattlers. Granberg tried to get the rattlesnake taken off the state’s endangered species list when it threatened plans for the lodge.

At the time, he was quoted as saying, “I don’t want to wipe out a species, but I think we can balance economic development and the environment,” he said. “The whole premise of the lake when it was built was to control flooding and to promote tourism and economic development, but nothing came to fruition.”

Next up is confirmation by the Illinois Senate, which is usually a formality.

Beyond that, there is the very real possibility that Blagojevich will be removed from office. That might not be good news for Granberg. When Kevin McDermott of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch asked Granberg if he had talked to Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn about working for him, Granberg laughed and said, “Pat and I don’t get along.”

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sent Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s office a letter Dec. 19 stating that any transfer of hunting and fishing license fees to pay other state expenses would violate federal law.

The Fish and Wildlife Service had warned the state against the transfers in a letter on Oct. 6.

The money is part of $221 million swept last fall from a long list of special state funds to help close Illinois’ budget gap. Included were six funds that are repositories for hunting and fishing license, stamp and other fees.

States receive a share of excise taxes collected on the purchase of sporting goods, such as fishing rods and reels and shotgun shells, if they agree not to spend money generated by the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, stamps and related fees on things other than managing wildlife and fish restoration projects.

Illinois’ estimated share of federal funds for fiscal 2009 is about $16 million. The letter from Thomas Melius, regional director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service based in Fort Snelling, Minn., noted that Blagojevich was advised of fund transfers were illegal, but signed the bill into law the next day.

The “swept” money is being used to keep open some state parks targeted for closure and to restore other cuts, including for substance abuse treatment centers throughout Illinois.

Blagojevich vetoed $55 million of the $221 million authorized by the legislation to be swept from the funds, much more than the $9.25 million questioned by the Fish and Wildlife Service, according to a letter sent Dec. 16 by Kevin Hovis, general counsel in the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget.

Half of the $9.25 million already has been transferred from the dedicated funds.

“None of the money transferred from the Funds in accordance with the Act has been spent by the state,” Hovis wrote. “The transferred money remains untouched in a separate and distinct State fund.”

Legislative action is needed to return DNR funds “from which they originated,” Hovis added.
Aaron Kuehl, conservation director for Illinois Pheasants Forever, said he is concerned that distractions caused by the possible impeachment of Blagojevich may bring other work to a halt at the Capitol, causing Illinois to miss the Fish and Wildlife Service’s deadline.

Feb. 2 is 45 days from the Dec. 19 date stamped on the letter.

State Rep. Dan Reitz, D-Sparta, said concerns about inaction are legitimate.

“We’re really not functioning on any level,” Reitz said. “A lot of problems and concerns are not going to be addressed until we finish the impeachment process and move on.

Still, Reitz said he remains hopeful the legislature can restore the transfers in the first week of the new session that starts Jan. 14.

While the rules have always stated a loss of federal funds was possible, Kuehl said it could be good for everyone to see that the rules have teeth.

“Long term, this could be a good thing for these funds,” he said. “Now, the (Fish and Wildlife Service) has taken it a step farther, and we have a letter saying this is wrong.

“Hopefully, we won’t be revisiting this in the future.”

At least that’s what senior policy advisor Marc Miller told Dale Bowman of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Also according to Bowman: “Quinn indicated to Miller that naming a director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources would be ‘promptly reviewed.’ “

Speculation has been rampant for the past year that former Rep. Kurt Granberg (D-Carlyle), would be taking over as DNR director for Sam Flood, the acting director. Those rumors heated up in recent months, but so far nothing has happened officially. And given the state of Gov. Blagojevich’s administration, it’s doubtful appointing a new DNR director ranks very high on his list of priorities.

Bowman also wrote about his list of nine top candidates to take over as DNR director. Click here to read his list, which includes the following names.

1. Brian Anderson
2. Mike Conlin
3. Brent Manning
4. John Rogner
5. Charlie Potter
6. Jeff VerSteeg
7. Claudia Emken
8. Rep. Dan Reitz (D-Sparta)
9. Kirby Cottrell

According to a federal criminal complaint, Blagojevich also was charged with illegally threatening to withhold state assistance to Tribune Co., the owner of the Chicago Tribune, in the sale of Wrigley Field. In return for state assistance, Blagojevich allegedly wanted members of the paper’s editorial board who had been critical of him fired.

A 76-page FBI affidavit said the 51-year-old Democratic governor was intercepted on court-authorized wiretaps over the last month conspiring to sell or trade the vacant Senate seat for personal benefits for himself and his wife, Patti.

The affidavit said Blagojevich discussed getting a substantial salary for himself at a nonprofit foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions.

It said that Blagojevich also talked about getting his wife placed on corporate boards where she might get $150,000 a year in director’s fees.

He also allegedly discussed getting campaign funds for himself or possibly a post in the president’s cabinet or an ambassadorship once he left the governor’s office.

“I want to make money,” the affidavit quotes him as saying in one conversation.

U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald said in a statement that “the breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering.”

“They allege that Blagojevich put a for sale sign on the naming of a United States senator,” Fitzgerald said.”

Messages left for Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero and at the governor’s press office were not immediately returned Tuesday morning.

Among those being considered for the Senate post include U.S. Reps. Danny Davis and Jesse Jackson Jr.

The affidavit outlined a Nov. 10 call between Blagojevich, his wife, his chief of staff — John Harris, who also was arrested Tuesday — and a group of advisers in which Harris allegedly suggested working out an agreement with the Service Employees International Union.

Under the plan, Blagojevich would appoint a new senator who would be helpful to the president-elect and in turn get a job as head of Change to Win, a group formed by the union.

The union would get an unspecified favor from Obama later.

Nothing in the court papers suggested Obama had any part in the discussion. In fact, Blagojevich allegedly said in the same conversation that Obama most likely would not appoint him as secretary of health and human services or to an ambassadorship because of the negative publicity that has surrounded the governor for three years.

One day later, according to the affidavit, Blagojevich allegedly told an associate he knew Obama wanted a specific Senate candidate but “they’re not going to give me anything except appreciation.” He finished the remark with an expletive.

Blagojevich also was charged with using his authority as governor in an attempt to squeeze out campaign contributions.

Corruption in the Blagojevich administration has been the focus of a federal investigation involving an alleged $7 million scheme aimed at squeezing kickbacks out of companies seeking business from the state. Federal prosecutors have acknowledged they’re also investigating “serious allegations of endemic hiring fraud” under Blagojevich, who has a $177,412 salary, though it’s unclear whether he accepts the total.

Political fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko who raised money for the campaigns of both Blagojevich and Obama is awaiting sentencing after being convicted of fraud and other charges. Blagojevich’s chief fundraiser, Christopher G. Kelly, is due to stand trial early next year on charges of obstructing the Internal Revenue Service.

According to Tuesday’s complaint, Blagojevich schemed with Rezko, millionaire-fundraiser turned federal witness Stuart Levine and others to get financial benefits for himself and his campaign committee.

Federal prosecutors said Blagojevich and the chairman of his campaign committee have been speeding up corrupt fundraising activities in the last month to get as much money as possible before the end of the year when a new law would curtail his ability to raise contributions from companies with state contracts worth more than $50,000.

According to the affidavit, agents learned Blagojevich was seeking $2.5 million in campaign contributions by the end of the year, with a large part allegedly to come from companies and individuals who have gotten state contracts or appointments.

The affidavit also outlines Blagojevich conversations related to Tribune Co., which has been hoping to sell Wrigley Field, the home of the Chicago Cubs which the publishing giant also owns.

Blagojevich was quoted in court papers as telling Harris in a profanity laced Nov. 4 conversation that his recommendation to Tribune executives was to fire the editorial writers “and get us some editorial support.”

Harris is quoted as telling the governor Nov. 11 that an unnamed Tribune Owner, presumably CEO Sam Zell, “got the message and is very sensitive to the issue.”

The affidavit said Harris quoted a Tribune financial adviser as saying cuts were coming at the newspaper and “reading between the lines he’s going after that section,” apparently meaning editorial writers. Blagojevich is quoted as saying: “Oh, that’s fantastic.”

“Wow,” Blagojevich allegedly replied. “Keep our fingers crossed. You’re the man. Good job, John.”

Harris allegedly told Blagojevich in his conversation with the financial adviser he had singled out deputy editorial page editor John McCormick as “somebody who was the most biased and unfair.”

After hearing that, Blagojevich allegedly stressed to the head of a Chicago sports consulting firm that it was important to provide state aid for a Wrigley Field sale.

Blagojevich took the chief executive’s office in 2003 as a reformer promising to clean up former Gov. George Ryan’s mess.

Ryan, a Republican, is serving a 6-year prison sentence after being convicted on racketeering and fraud charges. A decade-long investigation began with the sale of driver’s licenses for bribes and led to the conviction of dozens of people who worked for Ryan when he was secretary of state and governor.

FBI spokesman Frank Bochte said federal agents arrested the governor and Harris simultaneously at their homes at 6:15 a.m. and took them to the Chicago FBI headquarters.

Bochte said he did not know if either man was handcuffed or if the governor’s family was their North Side home at the time of his arrest. He did say Blagojevich and Harris both were given time to get dressed before being taken to the headquarters.

He also did not have any details about Blagojevich’s arrest, only that he was cooperative with federal agents.

“It was a very calm setting,” he said.

The governor was to appear later Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nan Nolan to answer the charges. The time was not immediately set.

The House approved the legislation two weeks ago, so it now goes to Gov. Rod Blagojevich for his approval.

Almost immediately, though, the governor’s office signaled that the Senate action may not save all of the parks, sites and jobs. Blagojevich must act on the budget restorations for them to take effect.

“We still have to look at particulars of the bill and the language before deciding what to do,” said Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero in an e-mailed statement. “We will spend what we can afford to spend in the areas of the greatest need.”

Guerrero cited a report issued by the administration Tuesday that state revenues may fall $200 million short of projections by June 30, 2009, the end of the fiscal year. The budget bill approved by the Senate contained $220 million in spending.

Rep. Gary Hannig, D-Litchfield, said the new shortfall should not be an issue. The package passed by the Senate also calls for taking money out of restricted state accounts to pay for the increased spending, so “it pays for itself,” Hannig said.

Blagojevich has said the budget lawmakers sent him at the end of May was at least $2 billion out of balance. He cut $1.4 billion, with tighter money management used to balance the rest.

Because of those cuts, state agencies announced plans to close two dozen state parks and historic sites and lay off about 325 workers, mostly at the departments of Human Services and Children and Family Services.

The Senate voted 55-0 on Senate Bill 1103 that restored the cut money for parks, historic sites and the jobs. It also reinstated funding slashed from substance abuse programs and money taken from statewide officials who have announced layoffs, unpaid days off and hiring freezes.

The Senate then voted 40-15 on Senate Bill 790, which takes money out of restricted state accounts to pay for the spending.

“All I can believe is, he is going to sign this bill,” Sen. Donne Trotter, D-Chicago, said of the governor. “It got an overwhelming vote. This is what we believe is the will of the people.”

However, Rep. Mark Beaubien, R-Barrington Hills, said he doesn’t think Blagojevich will go along.

“He has the ability to take his veto pen and play games,” Beaubien said. “He can mess with it.”

If Blagojevich does make changes to the budget bill or vetoes it entirely, lawmakers can still try to override him before the cuts take effect. The administration has pushed back closing parks and historic sites until the end of November. Lawmakers are scheduled to return to Springfield Nov. 12 for the start of the veto session.

Trotter noted that DCFS officials told him the agency had “no immediate plans for layoffs, and they were still looking at going through December” before making staff cuts.

“They have enough funding (now) to get them at least to January,” Trotter said.

Members of both the House and Senate said they got loud complaints from constituents upset that parks and historic sites were closing. They resorted to raiding restricted state funds so the facilities could reopen, although many criticized the practice.

Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, said lawmakers shouldn’t take any pride in choosing between taking money out of, for instance, a fund helping unborn babies and preventing state parks from closing.

“This is truly, truly the lesser of two evils,” Righter said. “Let’s not take pride in what we’re doing here today.”

The list of budget restorations almost got bigger, with money added for cooperative extension programs, community colleges, mental health programs and grants to local health departments. Beaubien and Hannig, who were negotiating the budget bill, both said an agreement was tentatively reached for a more extensive restoration when Senate Democrats abruptly pulled the plug.

Trotter, representing Senate Democrats in negotiations, said the budget bill started ballooning.

“Once we opened up that (budget) bill, everybody wanted something,” he said, including Blagojevich, who sought an extra $45 million for health-care programs.

At that point, Trotter said, negotiators decided to stick with the smaller bill (including money for parks and historic sites) that already had passed the House.

The budget action came on the same day the Department of Revenue projected state revenues could fall $200 million short of initial forecasts, further aggravating the state’s financial woes.

That estimated shortfall is based on revenue from individual income taxes increasing just 1.2 percent in the first two months of the budget year, and sales tax revenue growing by just 0.5 percent so far.

The budget assumed individual income tax revenue would grow by 3.3 percent this year, and sales tax would be up a little more than 1 percent.

Senate approves fund sweep

SPRINGFIELD (AP)—Illinois lawmakers voted to restore hundreds of millions of dollars to the state budget Tuesday, aiming to save more than 300 state jobs and keep open state parks and historic sites.

Most of the $231 million the Senate approved would come from “surpluses” in special state funds. The money would prevent the layoffs of human services caseworkers and the closure of places associated with Abraham Lincoln on the eve of the 16th president’s 200th birthday.

“We need to step forward and draw on existing resources for those who are most vulnerable in our communities and to ensure that essential services the government provides can continue,” said Sen. Jeffrey Schoenberg, the Evanston Democrat who sponsored the “fund sweeps.”

Funds sweeps would provide $221.5 million; the rest would come from regular revenue sources, such as sales taxes and taxes on riverboat gambling, that lawmakers did not previously know would be available, said Sen. Donne Trotter, a Chicago Democrat and lead budget negotiator.

Spending the money also would make Illinois eligible for another $16 million in federal matching funds, Trotter said.

But the Senate vote, which sends the measure to Gov. Rod Blagojevich, came on the same day Blagojevich’s Revenue Department announced that the slowing national economy has crimped tax collections. Income, sales and other tax receipts are down $200 million from anticipated levels.

That shortfall exacerbates the budget problems, Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero said. But Guerrero said he knew nothing of Trotter’s claim that Blagojevich asked lawmakers Tuesday to add $45 million to the bill for expanded health care.

“We will spend what we can afford to spend in the areas of the greatest need,” Guerrero said.

While debating the restorations, some lawmakers criticized Blagojevich, but just months ago, legislators sent the Democratic governor a spending plan that was out of balance by as much as $2 billion, saying it was up to the executive to “manage” it.

Blagojevich cut $1.4 billion, and in August announced that translated into laying off 325 workers, including 252 at the Departments of Human Services and Children and Family Services, which help low-income families and tackle child abuse.

The rest would lose their jobs at the Department of Natural Resources, which would close 11 state parks, and the Historic Preservation Agency, which would shutter 13 landmarks, including the site near Charleston where Lincoln’s family lived. The state is gearing up for international attention from the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth in February.

But the money comes from accounts set aside for special purposes, some of which critics said fund the very services the measure attempts to save, such as a local tourism fund, a trust fund for Medicaid health coverage, and a fish and wildlife endowment fund.

“No one walks out of this building proud of the way this is done,” said Sen. Dale Righter, a Mattoon Republican. “This is not a good solution.”

Such opposition was reflected in the 40-15 vote to sweep the special funds. But when it came time to appropriate the money, the vote was 55-0.

Chicago has the Magnificent Mile of Michigan Avenue shopping. It has some of the world’s most notable architecture. Then there’s the Art Institute of Chicago, the Adler Planetarium and Shedd Aquarium — all good reasons to visit the lakefront.

That’s why it seems so unfair that Chicago also boasts some of the state’s best bird watching.

That’s right. The long narrow strip of green along Lake Michigan — almost 15 miles long — is one of the best places to see migrating birds of all kinds. Even short-eared owls — state-endangered prairie dwellers — can be found in the grassy park that once was the Meigs Field airport, at the right time of year.

“Because the lakefront is running north and south, if the winds are from the west it kind of pushes birds up against the lake,” said Doug Stotz, an ornithologist with the Field Museum. “It happens regularly in the fall and that is when the lakefront is most consistent (for birding).”

In spring, lake breezes tend to keep birds off the lakefront.

Some Chicago residents are likely unaware that the lakefront parks are a rarity. One might expect prime real estate like that to be fenced off and in private hands, not one long public space with beaches, parks, bike paths and more.

“The combination of the lakefront and the green space surrounded by a fairly hostile environment of the city means birds get concentrated,” Stotz said. “It is their oasis. It is fairly unusual to have something that looks like this along the whole lake shore that extends along the entire length of Chicago.”

Stotz sometimes birds right on the museum campus, located just off Lake Shore Drive.

“It depends on how sure I am that it’s going to be good,” he said. “This morning, we finally had a front move in so I stopped and birded for an hour around Buckingham Fountain in the heart of Grant Park.”

Approaching weather fronts sometimes force birds to put down to avoid strong winds — something birders like to call “fallout.”

Stotz says in Grant Park there are elms, hawthorns and crab trees there to attract birds. And despite a slow start to migration in late August, Stotz said he saw six different warblers that morning, and other migrants including thrushes, flycatchers and an indigo bunting. At times, even golden crowned kinglets show up, like the one in Lincoln Park photographed below by Chris Young.

Meigs Field was built on the first of a set of planned islands. It originally was called Northerly Island.

“Northerly Island was the only one created and for years it was a small airport,” he said. “It’s mostly prairie, and it is good for sparrows, short-eared owls and northern harriers.

“During fall short-eared owls are pretty regular there once they show up in mid-October,” Stotz said. “I know I’ve seen at least eight in a day there.”

Additionally, the best birding spots along the lakefront include Wooded Island, behind the Science and Industry Building, and Montrose Point in Lincoln Park.

Montrose is a spit of land that extends out into Lake Michigan. Part of the park is landscaped for birds and captures a fair number of migrants.

“But any place on the lakefront can be really birdy if you hit it at the right time,” he said.

Stotz said the Chicago Park District has been doing a better job over the past decade managing parks for biodiversity — and not just recreation. Enclosures for shorebirds protect them from dogs running on the beaches and special plants attract and feed birds during migration.

A special dog beach has moved animal traffic away from the areas frequented by birds.

Lake Michigan is a great place to see shorebirds, terns and other unusual water birds. But for birdwatchers, the gold standard seems to be the wood warblers — tiny, colorful songbirds that nest in the northern United States and Canada.

Stotz said his best day on the Chicago lakefront tallied 23 species of warblers.

“The most I’ve seen anywhere (in one day) is 28, which is not stupendous,” he said. “People have been into the 30s and some have seen more than 30 species in a day at Wooded Island.”

For Stotz, it’s all about the length of his break and how good the birding is on a given day. The trip under Lake Shore Drive to the lakefront takes about 10 minutes on foot.

“It takes four minutes to get outside the museum, and I start checking right away.”

In the past several years, the Illinois General Assembly and Gov. Rod Blagojevich have tapped into funds set up for specific purposes to help balance the budget.

The Illinois House of Representatives recently passed legislation authorizing $221 million to be taken from a long list of state funds, including more than $16 million from funds administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

The money would help bridge a budget gap that is forcing the closure of some state parks and historic sites before the end of the year.

But some of the funds within the DNR come with specific restrictions on their use — especially those where the money from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses is deposited.

States have to pass a law preventing the diversion of license fees to other uses in order to receive a share of a federal excise tax placed on the sale of shotgun shells, bows and arrows and other sporting goods. The state’s share is determined by a formula taking into account land area and the number of licenses sold.

And these funds cannot be used other than for wildlife and fish restoration projects. In other words, those people who hunt and fish pay for the maintenance of the resources they use and enjoy.

And more than once, the state has been warned not to use these funds for other than their intended purposes or risk losing all federal funding.

“Here we go again,” says Jerry Beverlin, a retired DNR administrator who continues to volunteer for the United Bowhunters of Illinois.
“About $9 million (in DNR special fund dollars) is all tied to federal funding,” he says. “And (diverting that money for other uses could) cost the state’s share. The feds could cut us off to the tune of $15 million — until you pay it back.”

In 2005, an audit of DNR released by Illinois auditor general William Holland’s office warned that the state was in danger of losing federal dollars when money was removed from the Wildlife and Fish Fund and Salmon Stamp Fund to pay a bill owed to Central Management Services for “efficiency initiatives.”

“Payments were also made from two license and stamp funds, which could be considered an illegal diversion of license revenues under federal law,” the report summary says. “Diversion of these funds through efficiency initiative payments could invalidate past and future funding from the USFWS (United States Fish and Wildlife Service).”

Also in 2005, the state proposed taking money from the Illinois Habitat Endowment Trust Fund. Hunters have to purchase a habitat stamp in order to be allowed to hunt in Illinois, and thus the habitat stamp fee is considered to be part of the hunting license.

That effort was eventually dropped.

The Senate must pass the fund sweeps OK’d by the House before they would become law. This week it was announced that the Senate will return to Springfield next week for a regular session.

Beverlin says some lawmakers rationalized the fund sweeps by saying that the amount put back into the budget from special funds was more than the original $14 million cut from DNR.

“Just the fact that you take it out and put it in the general revenue fund and give it back to them — it doesn’t matter what you do with it after it comes out; it’s already a diversion,” Beverlin says.

Beverlin says restricted funds can’t necessarily be used to operate state parks. Some park uses — such as stocking fish or buying land to expand hunting — would be covered, but not all operations.

“You could use Fish and Wildlife funds directly to operate a fish and wildlife area, but not to operate a park and canal,” he says.

Jonathan Goldman, executive director of the Illinois Environmental Council, says DNR advocates were caught off guard because the fund-sweeps bill was passed so quickly during the most recent special session.

“We were caught a little bit flat-footed,” he says. Normally, the IEC and the umbrella group Partners for Parks and Wildlife pay close attention to efforts to take money from the Natural Areas Acquisition Fund and the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development fund — two funds not tied to federal dollars but financed by a tax on real-estate sales.

“By the time we realized it, it was done,” he says.

Beverlin says he is disappointed DNR has not informed the governor’s office about potential conflicts with federal funding.
“You would think that the administration within DNR would have pointed these things out so it would be fairly clear to the governor’s office as to what the complications are,” he says. “Just as you would have thought they would have pointed out what the negatives are to closing parks.

“Closing Wolf Creek State Park, which makes hundreds of thousands of dollars in camping fees ... (it) comes as close to paying for itself as any park.”

On Wednesday, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn announced the launch of an online petition drive to encourage Blagojevich to keep the state parks and historic sites open. The new site is http://www.saveourstateparks.org.

Quinn wants the governor to restore funding to the parks while DNR advocates look at alternative funding sources, including closing a sales-tax loophole and exploring the possibility of dedicating a fraction of one percent of the sales tax to conservation.

“Conservation and natural resources have taken the brunt of these budget cuts over and over,” Quinn says. “It’s upside down, really.”
He says closing parks actually could end up costing the state more money if it turns out that federal funds spent at sites to be closed must be paid back.

“When you get federal funds to do certain things and then decide to close that thing down — I think they call it reversion — you have to give the money back,” he says. “That’s a budget mistake of high magnitude to try to be cutting down things and end up paying more money back to the feds than you are saving.”

Berverlin says he is concerned about DNR’s future.

“I don’t know where we’re going,” he says. “I really don’t. Every time you think it can’t get worse, it does.”

Chris Young can be reached at chris.young@sj-r.com or 788-1528.

About half of the 11 sites have federal funds used in the constructing of things such as boat launches. Under federal regulations, if those constructions built with federal funds are no longer used for that purpose—if the site is shut down for budget reasons—the feds can ask to be reimbursed in current dollars.

So say a launch and parking lot were built for $50,000 in 1950. Those funds would have to be paid back roughly nine times as much in 2008 dollars, if my calculations from the Consumer Price Index are right..

Click here to read the rest of Bowman’s column.

That’s one of several examples of a lack of forethought by the administration in this recent announcement. Not that is should come as a shock. The list of closings first released included Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area. Then that site was pulled in favor of Wolf Creek State Park.

And there’s more.

As part of its routine tasks, staff at Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park must perform regular maintenance on 104 culverts and drainage pipes along the canal. The task is stipulated in convenants signed when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers transferred title of the canal.

Who will do that maintenance if Hennepin Canal closes, as Gov. Blagojevich’s office has proposed? Hennepin is one of 11 parks slated for closure on Nov. 1 when 39 DNR staffers are also slated to be laid off.

White, 67, has been providing food and shelter for hummingbirds for 25 years. A decade ago, she opened the grounds of her home to share them, and now people stop by most days to gaze at the graceful birds.

The Illinois Audubon Festival was held there Sunday afternoon, providing all who attended a chance to see the birds up close as they were captured and tagged with basic data, then released.

Vernon Kleen, a member of the Illinois Audubon Society board of directors, carefully measured 38 birds captured during the festival Sunday. He placed a tiny metal band on each one before passing them on to be looked at closely by visitors. Kleen (pictured below) is one of two licensed hummingbird banders in Illinois.

Children gathered around Kleen as he worked, waiting for a turn to put their fingertips on the chests of the birds, whose hearts beat about 1,200 times every minute.

Teacher Brenda Bridson of Williamsfield came to the event to learn more about the birds she sees feeding near her kitchen window.

“I’m fascinated by hummingbirds. I love them,” she said. “I’ve had two come in my house.”

The hummingbirds are attracted by about 50 feeders filled with sweet liquid. White said the first one was a Mother’s Day gift from her son. It attracted birds the day she opened it and hung it, so she bought two more the next day.

Most holidays since have included at least one feeder as a gift to White. Her home is open every day at any hour to people who want to sit on shaded benches and watch the birds, and they come by the busload.

White offered the crowd her tips for attracting hummingbirds: Use a glass feeder and fill it with a mixture of four parts water to one part sugar that has been brought to a boil and then cooled. Repel ants by tightly winding a pipe cleaner soaked in vegetable oil around a piece of wire and hanging it just above the feeder.

She cleans her feeders every third day, White said, a process that takes about four hours. She also advises changing the feeding mixture to three parts water to one part sugar during May and September, the months of migration.

“It gives them some extra energy,” she said.

She suggests placing feeders in the shade and planting tubular red flowers nearby.

White said she’s got all the feeders she can handle, but her husband, Creel White, smiles knowingly when asked if he thinks she’ll get more.

Lois calls her husband the “enabler” of her hummingbird habit. She said they both look forward to hosting visitors for as long as they can.

“If I can help the people help the hummingbirds, that’s what it’s all about,” she said.

So says former DNR Director Brent Manning in a Sunday interview with Dale Bowman of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Manning’s call for a commission is not his first. But in the face of yet another round of budget cuts for the DNR he had built to such a respected level, it is particularly timely.

Writes Bowman:

Manning envisioned a commission selected from something like the Conservation Congress, which featured representatives from park districts, forest preserves and conservation, hunting, fishing and paddling groups. He thought it might be best to use the IDNR’s five-region setup, with one or two commissioners from each region.

Click here to read the rest of Bowman’s column on the subject.

Click here to read more from Bowman’s interview with Manning.

A half-dozen advocacy groups met Tuesday at Jubilee College State Park to outline Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s $14 million slash from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources budget.

“The funding is going to be cut as of this Thursday,” warned Bob Jorgensen, chairman of the Heart of Illinois chapter of the Sierra Club, urging outdoors enthusiasts to contact their legislators.

“It’s not just a one-year belt-tightening,” said Eric Schenck, regional biologist for Ducks Unlimited. ” This is the type of cut that will have consequences for several years to come.”

Among the worries:

• Losing $2.1 million in funding could prevent completion of a water planning study due next June.
• More than 160 staff positions may be cut at DNR, which probably means some facilities will close. At the end of 2001, there were 1,982 staff members. By the end of 2009, there would be 1,160, a loss of more than 40 percent.
• Twenty-four more conservation police officers may lose their jobs. There were 172 officers in 2001. There are 133 now, with 24 unfilled positions and a dozen officers expected to retire within a year.

The predicted result is fewer programs and services, more poaching and crime on state grounds. There may be fewer education programs. Annual water surveys could be done only every two to four years. There may be no more reporting deer kills at check points during the hunting season, as well as a major cramp in land acquisitions.

“That is decimating natural resources,” said Claudia Emken of The Nature Conservancy. “It’s something that will take decades, if not longer, to restore.”

The cuts may take effect Thursday, but IDNR spokesman Chris McCloud said there will be no action that day.

“IDNR continues to work towards a management plan that makes the most sense for the agency and the constituents we represent,” he said, adding the governor was forced into this position because there was not enough money in the budget.

But the groups represented at Tuesday’s conference said these reductions may cost more money in the long run, particularly in tourism and recreation. Anaise Berry, director of the Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway, said there are dozens of sites people can visit here “on less than a tank of gas,” which should not be closed when they get there. As Schenk pointed out, Illinois hunters contribute $693 million to the economy each year, generating more than $49 million in state and local taxes.

“Tell the folks in Springfield to get together, quit squabbling, and come up with a solution,” summed up Jen Hensley of the Sierra Club.

The budget cuts, announced earlier this month by Gov. Rod Blagojevich to meet what he says is a $2 billion shortfall in the budget passed by the General Assembly, will take effect Thursday unless lawmakers restore the money.

That’s what the Illinois Environmental Council and other groups want, though they concede the odds are against them. The state Senate would have to agree to restore funding, and Senate President Emil Jones — Blagojevich’s primary ally — says he won’t consider the idea.

Environmental Council spokesman Jonathan Goldman called the cuts shortsighted, given that high gas prices likely make the department’s more than 120 parks, lakes and recreation areas an attractive vacation alternative.

Based on loss projections, Goldman expects DNR will have to lay off about 163 people, or 11.5 percent of its 1,420 employees, which he said could force parks to operate for fewer hours or in some cases close.

“We don’t see how they’re going to be able to keep the parks open at the level that they are today,” Goldman said. His group and others held news conferences around the state Tuesday to try to persuade lawmakers to restore DNR’s money.

Only one location is specified in the cuts, Wildlife Prairie Park near Peoria. The state-funded park, which is operated by a private group, would lose all its funding.

DNR spokesman Chris McCloud, however, said the agency doesn’t yet know what it will cut to handle the loss of about 7 percent of its $191.1 million budget. That figure excludes $19.1 million just shifted from the agency to the University of Illinois, the Illinois Geological Survey and three other similar offices.

“Everything’s on the table and nothing’s on the table,” McCloud said. “It’s just too early. No decisions have been made as to what’s going to happen.”

The DNR has lost hundreds of employees to budget cuts and hiring freezes since 2001. The agency had 1,982 employees in June 2001, according to the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Two hundred of those jobs shifted to the University of Illinois with the Geological Survey, but the others were cut.

Whatever happens, boat-shop owner and park user Mike Miles of Springfield said the decision to cut DNR funding is unwise and doesn’t take into consideration the wide degree to which parks are used.

“Half of our fishing boat (sales) is people who go to state parks,” said Miles, co-owner of The Boat Dock. Legislators “are starting to think that money is more important than natural resources,” he said.

If DNR loses staff, it will be harder to enforce the state’s game and fish laws and keep animal populations at healthy levels, according to Eric Poertner of the Police Benevolent & Protective Association of Illinois, the union that represents the officers.

“You put those laws into effect to provide for future generations,” he said. “I think it’s pretty important.”

The agency now has 133 conservation officers, down from 172 in 2001, Poertner said.

Ducks Unlimited, another of the groups hoping lawmakers will restore funding, worries the cuts will hurt the Illinois State Wildlife Action Plan, a blueprint of sorts for maintaining the state’s wildlife.

Rep. Mark Beaubien, one the of the Republicans’ chief budget negotiators in the House, said last week that any attempt to restore money cut by the governor was a waste of time with the senate president standing in the way. Jones said it would be irresponsible to restore funding that the state doesn’t have.

On Tuesday, that hadn’t changed.

“Certainly they would like their funding restored,” Jones spokeswoman Cindy Davidsmeyer said. “But again, without money, without revenue to provide for the program, I don’t know how we do that.”

Though nothing is set in stone yet, and there are plenty of fights ahead, Blagojevich’s cuts would likely require major staff reductions. Sources say the DNR cuts would include $9 million in salaries, or 11.5 percent of all DNR salary from funds. The proposed DNR head count for 2009 would be 1,420. That would require a reduction of 163 positions.

Here’s a possible breakdown in those cuts, culled from fact sheets sent out recently by two different sources.

• Office of Realty and Environmental Planning GRF cut in personnel is 960,000 or 51%. Total Personnel cut (taking into account money from other funds) is 40%.
• Business Services GRF Personnel cut is 227,900 or 25%. Total personnel cut is 9%.
• Public Services GRF cut in personnel is 113,100 or 25%. Total Personnel cut is 22%.
• The Office of Resource Conservation GRF cut in personnel is 960,000 or 43%. Total personnel cut is 7%.
• The Office of Law Enforcement GRF cut in Personnel is 781,700 or 12%. Total Personnel cut is 6%.
• The Office of Land Management GRF cut in Personnel is $3.2 million or 22%. Total Personnel cut is 13%.
• The Office of Mines and Minerals GRF cut in Personnel is 633000 or 25%. Total Personnel cut is 10%.
• Office of Water Resources GRF cut in Personnel is 831,700 or 21%. Total Personnel cut is 19%.
• The Illinois State Museum GRF cut in Personnel is 484,700 or 14%.
• Total veto of all operational funding for the Wildlife Prairie Park in Peoria ($828,200).
• Veto of two items (Lost Mound and Endangered Species, total $480,000) from the Natural Areas Acquisition Fund. Since it’s not GRF this does nothing to help balance the budget.

It’s been a frustrating spring for the always-impatient birders of central Illinois.

First, the cold spring weather delayed migration a bit. Then high water that was great for waterfowl earlier this spring stayed around and kept habitat for shorebirds and other wading birds covered up.

And the warblers, those sought-after songbirds, usually don’t show up until the leaves on the trees make viewing particularly difficult.

So after all the waiting around, naturally everything happens at once. Today, birders will celebrate the miracle of migration with International Migratory Bird Day — observed with bird hikes and special programs. It’s also the day of the annual spring bird count, an event that requires the birding community to have “all hands on deck” to count birds — both residents and those passing through.

Early to mid-May is considered the peak of spring migration. Trees are leafing out, and songbirds are following the greening northward as they head for breeding grounds in the northern United States and Canada.

Birds that breed in central Illinois are busy setting up territories, while some — such as owls, eagles and Canada geese — already are tending young.

Despite relatively high water conditions, a drive around the levee at Lake Chautauqua on Tuesday yielded four Illinois state-threatened or endangered birds, including the least bittern, Forster’s tern, black-crowned night heron and American bald eagle. Refuge manager Matt Sprenger saw a black tern recently, also a listed species.

That makes six of Illinois’ 32 threatened or endangered birds using the refuge this week.

The levee drive around Lake Chautauqua — which normally is closed to cars — will be open today, and events also are planned at nearby Dickson Mounds Museum near Lewistown and Lake Shelbyville (see accompanying story).

Retired Bradley University professor Richard Bjorklund of Topeka and his son, Sigurd, make a weekly survey of birds at Chautauqua and a few other locations along the Illinois River.

They have missed only four weeks in the past six years as they try to create a database that will give refuge managers an idea of what birds are using the refuge and when.

“With all the high water we’ve had, the shorebirds are virtually absent,” he said. “It’s not been a good spring with the water up so high most of the time.”

Wading birds like snowy egrets, cattle egrets, little blue herons and others have been missing this spring.

But some common species still are frequenting the water’s edge of the refuge.

“The spotted sandpipers are quite prominent in spring and they do nest in this area,” said Bjorklund. “Last week, we counted 46 on our drive around. They like those rip-rapped rocky edges.”

Sprenger says shorebirds are starting to arrive as the water slowly recedes.

“The water is going down at almost the perfect time, with those birds wanting to move north,” he says.

Visitors also should be able to see a pair of active eagle nests, and refuge staff will have spotting scopes set up in key locations along the drive.

The Bjorklunds discovered a second eagle nest at Chautauqua this winter. A nest in a dead tree standing in the north pool has been active for several years, and a pair of adults is tending a young eaglet again this spring.

The Bjorklunds saw the eagles courting during the winter and observed them carrying sticks to build a nest.

“I said, ‘We’ve got to watch this spot,’ and then all of a sudden we had a nest appearing,” said Bjorklund.

“We saw a head there last Friday,” he says, referring to a young eagle poking its head above the rim of the nest.

After a rough spring that had the Illinois River flowing over the spillway and into the refuge — bringing with it uprooted trees and other debris — crews at the refuge have been busy clearing the roadway.

“Things are a little rough,” Sprenger says. “We had a fair bit of flooding-related damage this past year.

“It’s passable,” he adds. “If you’re driving speeds that one should be driving to view wildlife, then there should be no problem.”

Sprenger says visitors should take time to walk the trails at Eagle Bluff Access and near the refuge headquarters to look for songbirds.

“There has been some really good viewing for warblers,” he says.

Birders should look for songbirds before taking the drive around the levee for the best results.

“Birds have to fill up and gas up for the day,” he says of the birds’ early morning activity period.

Sprenger says that after all the waiting around, prime time for viewing birds has arrived. Birders who put off getting outside might just miss it.

“Migration happens pretty quick.”

But the popular state fish and wildlife site is also an excellent place to watch birds.

Due to its diverse habitat — deep strip-mine lakes, shallow marshes, stands of prairie grass and small patches of trees — Banner attracts a wide variety of birds, including several Illinois threatened species.

Spotting those birds can often be done from the comfort of a car, since entry to the 4,300-acre marsh is readily available through four gravel roadways: East Point, Main, Wetland and Bell’s Landing accesses.

Best of all, many of Banner’s winged visitors are large enough that even novice birders like me can spot them.

Most obvious in the early spring are waterfowl. While the bulk of migrating ducks and geese are gone, a few remain to nest. Someday let’s hope that includes a few pairs of trumpeter swans, a group of which stopped at Banner this spring.

In terms of big white birds, though, Banner is best known for a growing population of mute swans. Also highly visible are flocks of white pelicans that make occasional visits.

A less visible drawing card is Banner’s osprey nest, first spotted in 2004 and the first documented in central Illinois since the 1890s. Site manager Bill Douglass said osprey are nesting again this spring. Their perch is near a Bell’s Landing prairie that occasionally attracts two other state threatened species, the short-eared owl and the northern harrier hawk.

Speaking of state threatened species, Journal Star state reporter Matt Buedel photographed a threatened American bittern last week in the marsh. And Douglas said a bald eagle started building a nest this spring across from the hunting check station.

“We saw a mature eagle on it early, but it almost appears to have been abandoned,” Douglass said. “Maybe next year.”

Beyond the rare and threatened, Banner is home to many common Illinois birds. Rare is the spring hike through Wetland Access that fails to roust a blue heron, kingfisher, Canada goose, red-tailed hawk, wood duck or teal.

So next time you plan a trip to Banner, bring binoculars along with your bait.

The following are more pictures from Banner taken by Peoria Journal Star state reporter Matt Buedel.

Killdeer frequently scurry along marshy roadsides within Banner Marsh, as this one was doing when photographed in March at the East Point Access.

Blue-winged teal favor shallow ponds at Banner Marsh. This drake was feeding on aquatic vegetation in the Bell’s Landing Access earlier this month.

Two American goldfinches, a brighter-colored male and a drab female, spar over thistle seed near the levee in Bell’s Landing. The birds eat the seeds and use other materials from thistle for nesting.

American bitterns like this one in a thick reed bed near Bell’s Landing are one of many heron species that call Banner Marsh home for part of the year.

This year’s celebration features speakers from the Illinois Audubon, Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the International Crane Foundation.

Field outings will cost between $5 and $25. For more information or to register, call 657-2064 or visit http://www.birdingblitz.org.
For the more competitive birder, Friday features the Birding Blitz, a fun bird watching competition in which teams try to locate and identify as many different bird species as they can in 24 hours. The Blitz attracts individuals from around the region to look and listen for Black-bellied Plovers, Snowy Egrets, Mississippi Kites, Cerulean Warblers, Indigo Buntings and more. Birding Blitz teams in past years have seen over 150 species in 24-hours and have raised money to support habitat restoration in the Cache River Watershed.

One thing that makes this birding event special is its location. Events like this are held throughout the country, but Southern Illinois, because of its geography, offers birding possibilities that are truly remarkable. The half-million acre Cache River Watershed, with its wooded hills and cypress swamps, looks more like Louisiana than Illinois. Its unique landscape results from the intersection of four major geographic regions of the U.S. Here in this corner of southernmost Illinois, East meets West and North meets South creating an area of rich diversity. The location puts it at the southern range of many northern species and at the northern limit of many southern species. Southern Illinois is also part of the Mississippi flyway—one of four primary bird migratory routes in the country. Finally, the event is timed to coincide with the spring migration, and many birds that are seen in the region only during their migratory flights many be spotted during this event.

Highlights for Weekend will include:

• Cache River Wetlands Center: Open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, and 7a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday The Center will be open throughout the weekend and provide information, Birding Blitz registration, Tour reservations, Programs and Exhibits; there will be hands-on activities for kids,  and live animals to touch and look at up close. Silent auction items, raffle tickets and T-shirt sales will also be available at the Center.  Audubon members and resource staff will be available to offer birding tips and staff will be on hand to provide area information.  All field trips depart from the Cache River Wetlands Center
• Cache Corps of Discovery Exhibition: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday to Sunday A photo exhibition will be presented by members of the Cache Corps of Discovery and feature Photo Contest Winners.
• Photo Contest:  8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Friday to Sunday                                                                                 The photo contest will feature the natural beauty of southern Illinois and the Cache River Wetlands.  The competition is open to amateur photographers and includes adult and youth categories.  Contest winners and all photo submittals will be exhibited throughout this weekend. 
• Birding Blitz: The Birding Blitz begins at 12:01 am on Friday April 25 and continues until midnight.  It’s a friendly competition to see which team can identify, by sight or sound, as many species as possible within a 24-hour period. Birding teams seek sponsors to pledge an amount of money for each species recorded, with the money going to habitat conservation in the Cache River Wetlands.  The more species documented, the more money raised for conservation.  Visit http://www.birdingblitz.org for more information on how to register and fees.
• Guided Canoe Tours: Join educators and birders, for a guided tour through Buttonland Swamp. Tours will take participants along a 6-mile canoe trail that meanders through backwater sloughs to the state champion bald cypress and Eagle pond. These trips are ideal for the beginning canoeist and a great way to experience the beauty of this National Natural Landmark. A reservation & small fee required.
• Wild Bird Show: Join staff from the Free-Again Wildlife facility—for a close and personal view of owls, hawks, and falcons. Professional naturalist staff will introduce visitors to these birds of prey and highlight the natural history of each. This program will also focus on current issues facing raptors in the wild. Other guided hikes and tours, offered both Saturday & Sunday, include Heron Pond, Michael Wolff Memorial Wetlands,  Bellrose Waterfowl area, and the
• Tunnel Hill Bike Trail: Seminars include landscaping for wildlife, and Duck Wings & Tails. The weekend will include many more activities, hikes, and programs that showcase the area’s rich history, abundant wildlife, and natural areas.  Reservations are recommended for tours and hikes.

The administration hinted weeks ago that some higher park fees could be necessary to fill a $750 million budget gap.

So Blagojevich is proposing that campers pay $5 more per day for electric hookups and $10 more per day for sites on holiday weekends. Out-of-state hunters would pay more for archery and firearm licenses.

The state’s Department of Natural Resources says current fees aren’t keeping pace with actual utility costs.

Lawmakers are scheduled to meet through the end of May.

The proposed fees would go into effect July 1.

From north to south, Illinois offers varied opportunities for birdwatchers, especially during peak migration times in spring and fall (when you can see Blackpoll Warblers like the one pictured above). While no list can be all inclusive, the following sampling of prime birding spots will give new birders, or those living in different parts of the state, some ideas of productive places to bird.

Outsmart elusive species by knowing where to perch

Northern Illinois

1. Chicago Lakefront
The Chicago Lakefront is extremely rare indeed. Not only is the shoreline of Lake Michigan one, long public park, it is one of the prime birding spots in Illinois. Migrating birds encounter Lake Michigan and stick to the shoreline, stopping to rest on spits of land and islands of green in the sprawling metropolitan area that stretches from Wisconsin to Indiana. Key birdwatching places on the lakefront are Montrose Point, Lincoln Park, Illinois Beach State Park and Lake Calumet.

• Species you’ll see: migrating songbirds, ).diversity of gulls, waterfowl and terns (like the Caspian Tern pictured at right

2. Lost Mound National Wildlife Refuge
Randy Nyboer of the Illinois Natural History Survey says birding parties at this spot in the former Savanna Army Depot southeast of Galena can access the site if they call ahead and try to plan a weekday trip. (815) 273-3184. Because of ongoing environmental cleanup at the former ammunition facility, only portions are open to the public.

• Species you’ll see: Upland sandpipers and other grassland birds.

Central Illinois

1. Carpenter Park, Springfield
Owned by the Springfield Park District. Open during daylight hours.

• Species you’ll see: migrating songbirds, pileated woodpeckers and bluebirds.

2. Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area
Located near Chandlerville. (217) 452-7741.

• Species you’ll see: migrating songbirds – including some that stay to nest. Henslow’s sparrow is found here in summer. Also, look for game birds such as wild turkeys, bobwhite quail and pheasant.

3. Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge
Located near Havana. (309) 535-2290.

• Species you’ll see: All types of migrating waterfowl, swans and shorebirds.

4. Spunky Bottoms
Located in Brown County, owned by The Nature Conservancy. (309) 547-2730.

• Species you’ll see: Restored wetlands, prairie and forest provide excellent birding opportunities for a variety of species during migration.

5. Banner Marsh
Located along the Illinois River between Havana and Peoria. (309) 647-9184.

• Species you’ll see: Waterfowl and other migrants.

Southern Illinois

1. Prairie Ridge State Natural Area
This spot in Jasper County features a large mosaic of grassland interspersed with cropland. Best viewing is from roads or at one of the sanctuaries established by the Illinois Audubon Society.Trails and viewing stands are available at some locations.(618) 783-2685.

• Species you’ll see: grassland birds, including state-threatened and endangered species such as the greater prairie chicken (pictured above).

2. Heron Pond Nature Preserve
The Cache River, in extreme southern Illinois, is the northernmost cypress and tupelo swamp in the United States. (618) 995-2568.

• Species you’ll see: Northern, southern, eastern and western species often converge here. Listen for the “tsweet, tsweet, twseet” of the prothonotary warbler that nests here.

3. Union County State Fish and Wildlife Area
Located near Jonesboro. (618) 833- 5175. More than 6,000 acres of MississippiRiver bottomlands.

• Species you’ll see: waterfowl, eagles and migrating birds.

Writes Hennen:

“Courtship has been going on for the last few weeks. Lots of activity, lots of peregrine sightings.

I wanted to let everyone on IBET know the latest about our Illinois peregrines and ask for your assistance. Illinois has a number of peregrine territories that while we know birds are in the area, we do not know the exact location of the eyrie. It would be great if people can let me know the address of any peregrine sighting.  Photos are also greatly appreciated for documentation.

If you wish to report any sightings, or you have any questions,  I can be reached at mhennen@fieldmuseum.org. 

Please keep in mind, it’s best to observe from a distance. Some buildings/locations are not open to the public (such as the Uptown theater) but the birds can be seen from the street level. Also, I would request that you do not approach any building managers about the birds.  Please leave that to me.

Illinois peregrine nest list Eyrie Location Known

1. Wacker
2007 – 2 young fledged.  Male ID confirmed as Etienne b/b 7/6 (Etobicoke, Canada 2002) and the female is Rahn b/g 01/A (Sheboygan WI 2001).
Unfortunately in January Etienne died.  As of this past week, 2 birds have been seen flying around the building and one sighting on the ledge.

2.  Broadway
2007 – 3 young fledged.  The adults:  Auntie Em 5/*P (b/g 1999 Milwaukee, WI) and Tracy *P/M (b/g 1997 IL - Broadway).

3. Prison Birds
2007- 2 young fledged.  Adults:  female Hercules *D/W (b/r 1997 Minneapolis MN) and male Emily 5/*E (b/g 2000 Milwaukee WI).

4. Uptown Theatre
2007 – 3 young fledged.  Adults: male is G/G (b/g 2001 Wheatfield, IN) and the female is Zoom *4/H (1997 St. Paul. MN).

5. Waukegan
2007 – 3 young fledged.  Adults:  male b/g and female Fran 5/*X (b/g 1999 Milwaukee, WI).
Webcam is active (http://www.earthcam.com/usa/illinois/midwestgen/) and birds have been seen in and out of box. No eggs as of 3/18/08.

6. Pilson Park
2007 – 2 young fledged, one survived.  Adults: female Bryanne, b/g 9/*Y (Froedtert Malt Milwaukee in 2000 and male b/g L/N (Broadway, Chicago, 2000).
Birds present. No eggs as of 3/17/08.

7. Evanston Library
2007 – 4 young fledged.  Adults: male Squawker b/g 48/M (Pleasant Prairie WI 2003) and female 64/D b/g (Cedar Rapids IA, 2004).
Webcam is active ( http://www.epl.org/falconcam/) and while birds are active, no eggs of 3/18/08.

8. St. Michael’s Old Town
2007 – No successful nesting.  The original female Kelliwatt b/g 60/D (Aberdeen OH 2004) laid one egg.  Second female present Ballistic b/g 69/C (Cleveland OH 2005). Male was Hops 58/M (b/g 2003 Milwaukee WI).
Pair present March 2008.
9. UIC
2007 – 3 fledged, 2 survived.  Adults: an unbanded male and female Rosie *6/D (b/r 1997 Milwaukee, WI).
3/12/08 Third peregrine present at site was seen on ground and later on ledge.  He died later that day (Perry, b/g 65/M, Milwaukee WI 2003).  Pair present the same day.

10. Lakeview
2007 Adult birds present in April & May.

11. Lawndale
2007. Birds present.  2006 adult id male Dave 14/K (b/g 2001 Chicago, Il) and female Nitz 2/*Y (b/g 2001 Milwaukee, WI).

12. Hyde Park
2007 - Only 1 peregrine seen at a time, id on the bird present on 5/29/07 was of Magnolia blk 22R (91, WI) who has been in Hyde Park for 14 years.  2 nest boxes are available.
In March 2008, pair seen copulating on Pick Hall at Univ of Chicago.  One of the nest boxes is on Pick.

13.  Fermilab, Batavia IL
New Site for 2007. Adults: female is Neomi Jo b/r P/*L (Trimble Co. Kty 2006) and male Joe b/g D/11 (Broadway Bldg Chicago 2005.)  Nest boxes were erected for the 2008 season.

14. Field Museum - Chicago, IL
New site for 2007.  Adults: male is unbanded and the female had been identified as far as b/g 73/??.  Currently a pair is going into the ledge corners on the north side of the building.  This site is inaccessible for both banding and seeing into the nest.

15. McCook, IL
New site for 2007 – fledged 3 young.  A pair of adult peregrines (one confirmed banded though no id) were observed in June 2007 near the quarry in McCook.

16. Marseilles, IL
Exelon LaSalle County Generating Station.  Single bird observed during winter 2005.  Pair in 2006 laid 2 eggs which did not hatch.  Adult female identified as Carrie b/g 76/B (Broadway Chicago IL 2003).  We’re still checking on details for 2007 and current season.

Peregrine Territories / Eyrie Location Unknown

17. Lake Calumet / Skyway
Location of eyrie not known.  In 2007, one unbanded immature was picked up by Animal Control on 6/19 but it died during the night.

18. River Birds
Peregrines reported in the neighborhood of Michigan and Wacker.  2 adults have been observed on various buildings including; the Prudential building, the Jewellers bldg, and Mather Tower.

19. Bloomington, IL
Wintering site.  Single bird over winters but no sign of birds during breeding season.  A nest box is present.

20. Belmont & LSD
During 2006/2007 a pair of peregrines began using the ledges of a building near Belmont and Lake Shore Drive.  The female that identified at the site move to St. Michael’s.  No observations were made during the winter of 2007/2008.  It would be good to keep an eye on this site.

21. Peoria, IL
No current activity.  Mature male and immature female seen during winter or 2005/2006.  Nest box installed during this time period as well.

22. Loyola Campus, Chicago
Juvenile peregrine sighted on Jesuit residence on 5/9/07.  Also seen on Mundelein looking over Sheridan Road.  Because of the date, it was too early for a fledged bird so it must have been a one-year old bird.

23. Highland Park, IL
Over the past few years, peregrines have been sighted periodically in the area.  A juvenile peregrine was sighted in June 2007.

24. Moody Institute on LaSalle
Over the past 2 years, peregrines seen in the neighborhood.  This site is close to the St. Michael’s site though observers do not believe it to be the St. Mike’s birds.

Ground surveys were conducted January 2-16 with target dates of January 11 and 12 within the Illinois and Mississippi River watersheds. The Illinois River basin produced 171 and the Mississippi River basin yielded 3,793. Other areas surveyed, including the Ohio River, Crab Orchard, Carlyle and Horseshoe Lakes contained 328.

The bald eagle survey categorizes eagles as adults, immature, and of undetermined age. This year 2,434 adults, 1,711 immature eagles, and 147 of undetermined age were counted. Of the total number, 40 percent were immature birds, indicating progress in the recovery of the bald eagle.

Each year surveyors leave their warm homes or offices to brave the cold and snow to count bald eagles along standard survey routes and survey routes of 2 to 120 miles in length. Although official assessments of bald eagle recovery are based on summer nesting populations, the midwinter count gives an idea of the trend in numbers. Since the number of birds in Illinois depends on local weather conditions at the time of the count, nationwide numbers rather than those of just one state are compared from year to year. This year’s temperatures were milder than last year with less ice on the rivers.

“That is a new record,” Randy Nyboer of the Illinois Natural History Survey during a meeting last month near Kankakee. “I don’t think that we’ve ever reached 4,000 before,” said Glen Kruse, natural heritage division chief for the Illinois DNR. “And the neat thing is that 40 percent of them are immature,” said Nyboer.

“These last several years, I get an e-mail or phone call almost every day from somewhere in the state reporting a bald eagle sighting,” noted Kruse. “Random, individual sightings we don’t report anymore. We did 20 years ago because it was so rare.”

Nyboer reported seeing three eagle nests he had never before seen. Kruse noted DNR is investigating the destruction of a nest in central Illinois as a criminal matter.

Illinois Midwinter Bald Eagle Survey is coordinated by the Illinois Audubon Society. The United States Army Corps of Engineers coordinates the national survey.  Illinois surveyors include employees of state and federal wildlife agencies, college instructors, students, members of the Illinois Audubon Society, and other interested individuals. 

The mission of the Illinois Audubon Society is to promote the perpetuation and appreciation of native plants and animals and the habitats that support them.  Independent from National Audubon, the Illinois Audubon Society is a privately supported, not-for-profit, statewide organization. It was founded in 1897 and is Illinois’ oldest private conservation organization with over 2,300 members, 19 chapters and 13 affiliate groups. IAS currently owns and manages 12 wildlife sanctuaries and has saved over 2,600 acres which are now being protected and managed for habitat and biodiversity throughout Illinois.

And in these earliest days, nowhere is the migration more evident than in southern Illinois. As Les Winkeler of the Southern Illinoisan notes, “From now until the end of April, Southern Illinois will be a birder’s paradise.”

First come ducks, then shorebirds in mid-March and then songbirds in April.

“Starting about mid-March, if you’re into shorebirds, that’s the beginning of your kind of nirvana - the yellow-legs, dowitchers and sandpipers, that whole group,” Mike Baltz of the Nature Conservancy told Winkeler. “March is really the month of the shorebirds, although they’ll persist into mid-April as well.

“If you are just a general migration enthusiast, as one wave peters out, the next one begins.”

And best of all, the same timeline—albeit a bit later the farther you go north in Illinois—is repeated all across the Prairie State. After a long winter, the presence of birds will be welcome indeed.

Click here to read Winkeler’s column.

“Each tally helps us learn more about how our North American birds are doing and what that says about the health and the future of our environment,” said Tom Bancroft, Chief Science Officer for Audubon. “These volunteers are counting not only for fun but for the future.”

Great Backyard Bird Count is not only great for birds, it’s fun and easy for the whole family. Observers simply count the highest number of each species they see during at least 15 minutes on one or more of the count days, and submit each count online. Click here for complete instructions, checklists and helpful hints for identifying birds can be found at. During the count, the website will provide a real-time picture of results, enabling participants to compare their tallies with others as checklists pour in from throughout the U.S. and Canada. 

“Literally, there has never been a more detailed snapshot of a continental bird-distribution profile in history,” said John Fitzpatrick, Director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “Imagine scientists 250 years from now being able to compare these data with their own!”  This year, fledgling filmmakers will also be able to upload video of their backyard birds on YouTube and tag it “Great Backyard Bird Count. The best clips will be posted on the birdcount.org website. Still photographers can get in on the fun by submitting their digital images for the online photo gallery and contest.

“People who take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count see the results of their efforts in the news and in bird conservation work taking place across the country,” said Audubon Education VP, Judy Braus. “Whether the counts occur at home, at schools or nature centers, they’re more than engaging and educational science activities for young people and adults, they’re a way to contribute to the conservation of birds and habitat nationwide.”

In 2007, Great Backyard Bird Count participants made history, breaking records for both the number of birds reported, and the number of checklists. Participants sent in 81,203 checklists tallying 11,082,387 birds of 613 species. With the growth of bird watching described by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Survey, Audubon and Cornell are hoping that this year’s event may attract even more birders. Last year, over 70 million Americans participated in at least one type of wildlife-watching activity, including observing, feeding, or photographing birds.

Lt. Daniel Britt, back home in Zimmerman after serving in Iraq for 16 months, is looking forward to the GBBC. “I plan to do the count with my three boys in our backyard this year. My oldest son Daniel and I also hope to ski into the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge to count birds there.”