 |
| Dickcissel |
Today began at the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Illinois, our nation’s first federally designated tallgrass prairie. A beautiful morning with much birdsong. Dickcissel were quite common along the entry road.
 |
| Dickcissel |
 |
| Dickcissel |
 |
| Cedar Waxwing |
A pair of Cedar Waxwings continued to build and tend their nest as we photographed them and other species.
 |
| Bell’s Vireo |
A Bell’s Vireo sang continuously as it bounced through the shrubbery by the parking area. A singing Common Yellowthroat was not cooperative for the camera.
 |
| Bell’s Vireo |
 |
| Eastern Bluebird (female) |
A pair of Eastern Bluebirds fed young in a box along the entrance road. Spiders, caterpillars, crickets and a few unidentified morsels were brought to the hungry chicks as we enjoyed watching their hunting forays.
 |
| Eastern Bluebird (female) |
 |
| Eastern Bluebirds |
 |
| Gray Copper |
Later in the day we made a visit to the Neal Smith NWR, a tallgrass prairie in Iowa. Here we found a wonderful, large group of Gray Copper butterflies!
 |
| Elk at the Neal Smith NWR in Iowa. |
Along the driving tour we found a photogenic pair of elk before we continued west toward Omaha.
Tomorrow we head off to explore the Platte River, heading west to North Platte, Nebraska.
-photos and text © Kevin Loughlin
