“Spring Migration by the Numbers,” a public lecture and nature walk, will be presented at the University of Illinois at Springfield’s Emiquon Field Station beginning at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29. The program is free and open to the public; reservations are not required.
The program will be led by Jim Herkert, director of conservation science for The Nature Conservancy. Heckert will explore the phenomenon of migration in birds, discussing how many species of birds migrate through Illinois each year, how birds navigate while migrating, Emiquon’s role in migration and more.
“Emiquon is a great place to observe bird migration because it contains a wide variety of habitats, including woodlands, prairie and wetlands, and therefore provides habitat for a wide range of migratory birds,” Herkert noted. “Because of its large size, Emiquon allows for very large concentrations of birds to use the site during their annual migrations.”
The Emiquon Field Station is at The Nature Conservancy’s Emiquon Preserve, located between Havana and Lewistown. Entrance to the field station is on Prairie Road, located off Illinois Rts. 97/78, approximately one-and-a-half miles north of the Dickson Mounds turnoff. A sign will be posted. A map is also available online at www.uis.edu/emiquon/about/images/mapToTNCEmiquon.jpg.
The program will start with a presentation and then follow with a walk on the nearby trails.
Everyone entering the property will be asked to sign a liability waiver. Participants younger than 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult and must have their waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian. All are encouraged to wear walking or hiking shoes and to bring binoculars.
For more information, contact Mike Lemke, Emiquon Field Station Director, at lemke.michael@uis.edu or 217/206-7339.
