Fall Migration Photography Tour at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie
A Bell’s vireo rests in branches at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. Photo by Richard Hickson.
Participants can experience native woodland
birds, butterflies and other migrating prairie species, and learn new ways to
take photos of them on
National Public Lands Day, September 24.
Celebrate National Public
Lands Day exploring and experiencing fall colors and migrating species at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. Midewin will host a Fall Migration
Photography Tour through Prairie Creek Woods on Saturday morning, September 24.
Monarch butterflies roost in the trees near the Iron Bridge Trailhead at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie during their annual fall migration to Mexico and California. Photo by Ronald Kapala.
Bring a camera and hike along with experienced photography instructors through the pristine Prairie Creek Woods at America's only national tallgrass prairie. See migrating monarchs and birds such as vireos, warblers or flycatchers, as well as year-round woodland birds, including hairy woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers and cardinals.
More details, including a map to the meeting
point near the River Road Seedbeds, are posted online at neefusa.org/npld/midewin-national-tallgrass-prairie-prairie-creek-woods/fall-migration-photography-tour.
More information about the area where the tours will take place is found online
at fs.usda.gov/recarea/midewin/recreation/hunting/recarea/?recid=57094&actid=119.
Will County Audubon Society Vice President
Greg Dubois will guide two groups, sharing information about bird watching as
well as photography.
Early Bird Session: 8 to 9:30 a.m. “Getting an early start will increase our
chances of spotting migrating and year-round woodland birds,” DuBois says. “We
hope that the rewards of 'getting up with the birds' will be terrific photo
opportunities and the chance to see some things that we don’t typically have
the opportunity to experience in the later hours of the morning.”
Veterans Session: 9:30 to 11 a.m. U.S. military veterans and family members: Meet
at 9:30 a.m. for a 90-minute tour hosted by the USDA Forest Service, the Will County Audubon Society and Brushwood Center's “At Ease” Nature Platoon. For
photos to be considered for the USDA Forest Service Date Planner, bring an
extra memory card to share the photos.
The National Environmental Education Foundation has
identified “Giving Back Together” as this year’s National Public Lands Day
theme. It is a reminder of the great gift that America’s public lands have
provided as we faced unprecedented challenges together in recent years.
“Our shared natural areas are still here for us,” said Midewin Prairie supervisor Christina Henderson. “They are here for us to try to
help de-stress, clear our minds, re-focus on the positive and tap into those
wonderfully enriched sensory experiences that are so valuable. Whether you
visit Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie or another public land area, try to
get out there and enjoy the great outdoors on this very special day.”
Participants of all ages, skills and interests are welcome
in either of the Fall Migration Photography Tour groups.
To register to participate in the Fall Migration Photography
Tour at Midewin, call 815-423-6370 or email [email protected].
