B

• Bald eagle also see Raptors
  • Fledging
    
  • Peak wintering concentration
    
  • Tending nests
• Baptisio
• Barn swallow
• Bats see Red bat
• Beebalm
• Beggar's Lice (Desmodium)
• Big Bluestem
• Birdbaths
  • Keep clean water available January 4; August 21
    
  • Scrub out bird baths and keep them filled
• Birdfeeders
  • Accipiters visit
  • Clean birdfeeders January 14; February 16
  • Fledgling goldfinches visit
  • Keep birdfeeders stocked
    
  • Start winter birdfeeders
• Birdhouses see Bluebird boxes
  
• Birds
  • Begin carrying nesting material
    
  • Attracted by ripe cherries
  • Groups and Species
    • Accipiters
      
    • Bald eagle also see Raptors
      
    • Barn swallow
      
    • Blackbird
      
    • Bluebird
      
    • Blue-gray gnatcatcher
      
    • Bobolink
      
    • Bobwhite
      
    • Broad-winged hawk also see Raptors
      
    • Brown thrasher
      
    • Canada goose
      
    • Canvasback
      
    • Cardinal
      
    • Chimney swift also see Swifts
      
    • Chuck-will's-widow
      
    • Dabbling ducks also see Ducks
      
    • Diving ducks also see Ducks
      
    • Ducks
      
    • Eagles see Bald eagle and Raptors
      
    • Eastern Screech owl also see Screech owls and Raptors
      
    • Flycatchers
      
    • Gadwall
      
    • Goldfinch
      
    • Great Blue heron also see Herons
      
    • Great Horned owl also see Raptors
      
    • Grebes
      
    • Gulls
      
    • Harriers
      
    • Hawks also see Raptors
      
    • Herons also see Great Blue heron
      
    • Horned lark
      
    • Hummingbirds
      
    • Indigo bunting
      
    • Junco
      
    • Killdeer
      
    • Lesser Scaup
      
    • Loons
      
    • Louisiana waterthrush (warbler) also see Warblers
      
    • Mallard
      
    • Migrant Rails
      
    • Neotropical songbirds
      
    • Nighthawk
      
    • Phoebe
      
    • Pine warbler
      
    • Pintail
      
    • Purple martin
      
    • Redhead duck
      
    • Robin
      
    • Rose-breasted grosbeak
      
    • Ruby-Throated hummingbird also see Hummingbirds
      
    • Screech owls also see Eastern Screech owl and Raptors
      
    • Seagulls see Gulls
      
    • Shorebirds
      
    • Short-eared owl also see Raptors
      
    • Songbirds
      
    • Sparrows see White-throated sparrow
      
    • Swallows see Barn swallow and Tree swallow
      
    • Swifts also see Chimney Swifts
      
    • Tree swallow
      
    • Turkey
      
    • Turkey vulture also see Raptors
      
    • Vultures see Turkey vulture
      
    • Warblers also see Pine warbler and Louisiana waterthrush (warbler)
      
    • Waterfowl
      
    • Whip-poor-will
      
    • White pelican
      
    • White-throated sparrow
      
    • Wood duck
      
    • Woodcock
      
    • Yellow-bellied sapsucker
      
  • Migration
    • Autumn
      • Breeding warblers
        
      • Canada goose
        
      • Canvasback
        
      • Dabbling ducks
      • Diving ducks
        
      • Ducks see Dabbling ducks and Diving ducks
        
      • Chimney swift see Swifts
        
      • Fall migrants
        
      • Gadwall
        
      • Hummingbirds also see Ruby-throated hummingbird
        
      • Lesser scaup
        
      • Mallard
        
      • Neotropical songbirds also see Songbirds
        
      • Nighthawk
        
      • Pintail
        
      • Purple martin
        
      • Redhead
        
      • Robin
        
      • Ruby-throated hummingbird (adult males) also see Hummingbirds
        
      • Songbirds
        
      • Shorebirds
        
      • Swifts
        
      • Whip-poor-will
        
      • White-throated Sparrow
        
      • Woodcock
        
      • Yellow-bellied sapsucker
    • Spring
      • Barn swallow
        
      • Blue-Gray gnatcatcher
        
      • Broad-winged hawk
        
      • Brown thrasher
        
      • Chimney swift
        
      • Ducks
        
      • Great Blue heron
        
      • Hummingbirds
        
      • Junco
        
      • Killdeer
        
      • Louisiana waterthrush (warbler)
        
      • Neotropical songbirds
        
      • Nighthawk
        
      • Phoebe
        
      • Pine warbler
        
      • Purple martin
        
      • Robin
        
      • Shorebirds
        
      • Spring migrants
        
      • Tree swallow
        
      • Turkey vulture
        
      • Waterfowl
        
      • Whip-poor-will
        
      • White pelican
        
      • Woodcock
  • Bittersweet
    
  • Blackberries
    
  • Blackbird
    
  • Black gum
    
  • Black walnut
    
  • Blazing Star
    
  • Bluebird
    • Begins laying eggs
      
    • Peak of nesting season
      
    • Could be starting third brood
      
    • Large flocks of wintering bluebirds
      
  • Bluebird boxes
    
  • Blue-Gray gnatcatcher
    
  • Bobcat
    
  • Bobolink
    
  • Bobwhite
    
  • Bolete mushroom
    
  • Box turtle
    
  • Broad-winged hawk also see Raptors
    
  • Brown-eyed Susan
    • Blooming June 16; June 28
  • Brown Recluse spider
    
  • Brown thrasher
    
  • Bullfrog
    • Singing
      
    • Listen for bullfrogs
  • Bushes
    
    • Species
      • Elderberry
        
      • Spicebush
        
  • Butterflies
    • Look for butterflies at mud puddles
      
    • Tickseed sunflowers attract butterflies
    • Species
      • Cloudless Sulphur butterfly
        
      • Giant Swallowtail butterfly
        
      • Monarch butterfly
        
      • Mourning Cloak butterfly
  • Butterflyweed

  C
  • Canada goose
    
  • Canada goldenrod
    
  • Canvasback also see Diving ducks--At refuges on on big reservoirs
    
  • Cardinal
    • Begin singing
      
    • Late broods of cardinals follow parents
  • Carlyle Lake
    
  • Caterpillars see Tent caterpillar
    
  • Chantrelle mushroom
    
  • Chicory
    
  • Chigger
    
  • Chimney swift also see Swifts
    
  • Chuck-will's-widow
    
  • Chorus frogs
    • Species
      • Illinois Chorus frog
        
      • Western Chorus frog
  • Cicadas
    • Species
      • Annual cicada
        
      • Periodic cicada
  • Cloudless Sulphur butterfly
    
  • Colors, Autumn
    
  • Common milkweed
    
  • Compass Plant
    
  • Cottonwood
    
  • Coyote
    
  • Crab Orchard Lake
    
  • Cricket frog

  D
  • Dabbling ducks also see Ducks
    • Fall migration
      
    • Species
      • Gadwall
        
      • Mallard
        
      • Pintail
  • Dandelion
    
  • Deer see White-tailed deer
    
  • Desmodium (Beggar's Lice)
    
  • Dittany
    
  • Diving ducks also see Ducks
    • At refuges on on big reservoirs
      
    • Fall migration
      
    • Species
      • Canvasback
        
      • Lesser scaup
        
      • Redhead
  • Dogwoods see Flowering dogwood
    
  • Dragonflies see Green darner
    
  • Ducks
    • Groups and Species
      • Canvasback
        
      • Dabbling ducks
        
      • Diving ducks
        
      • Gadwall
        
      • Lesser scaup
        
      • Mallard
        
      • Pintail
        
      • Redhead
        
      • Wood duck
      Migration
      • Autumn
        • Dabbling ducks
          
        • Diving ducks
      • Spring
        

    E

    • Eagles see Bald eagle and Raptors
      
    • Earthworm
      
    • Eastern Screech owl also see Screech owls and Raptors
      • In winter roosts
        
      • Listen for them
    • Elderberry
      
    • Elms
      Equinox
      • Autumnal [Fall] Equinox (September 23)
        
      • Vernal [Spring] Equinox (March 20)
    F
    • Fall colors see Autumnal colors
      
    • Fall [Autumnal] Equinox (September 23)
      
    • Fence lizard also see Lizards
      • Hatch
      • Hunting and basking in the sun
    • Fireflies
      • Flashing
        
      • Peak this week
    • Flowering dogwood
      • Blooming
        
      • Flowering peak
        
      • Peak of autumn color
    • Flowers see Wildflowers and Weeds
      
    • Flying squirrel
      
    • Flycatchers
      
    • Fox Squirrel
      Second breeding season
      • Begins
        
      • Young of second brood appear
        
      Winter breeding season
      • Begins
        
      • First litter out
    • Foxes see Red fox
      
    • Frogs
      • Groups and Species
        • Bullfrog
          
        • Chorus frogs
          
        • Cricket frog
          
        • Gopher frog
          
        • Gray Tree frog
          
        • Illinois Chorus frog
          
        • Spring peeper
          
        • Western Chorus frog
    • Frost see Hoar frost (Rabbit Ice)
      
    • Frost aster

    G

    • Gadwall
      
    • Giant City State Park
      
    • Giant Swallowtail butterfly
      • May be seen
        
      • Second brood flying
    • Glowworm
      
    • Goldenrod
      • Species
        • Canada goldenrod
          
        • Tall goldenrod
          
    • Goldfinch
      • Fledglings follow parents
        
      • Eating wild thistle seeds
    • Gopher frog
      
    • Gray-headed coneflower
      
    • Gray squirrel
      First breeding season
      • First Breeding season begins
        
      • Young squirrels are out of the nest
      Second breeding season
      • Peak of second breeding season
        
      • Young squirrels of second brood appear
    • Gray Tree frog
      Calling
      • April 5
      • June 2
      • June 27
    • Great Blue heron also see Herons
      
    • Great Horned owl also see Raptors
      
      • Hooting
      • On nests incubating
    • Grebe
      
    • Green Darner
      
    • Green-fringed orchid
      
    • Groundhog Day (February 2)
      
    • Gulls
      • Peak of gull concentration
      • Look for gulls at refuges on big reservoirs

    H

    • Harbinger of Spring
      Blooming
      • February 9 (Earliest Illinois date for flowering)
      • March 1
    • Harriers also see Birds-Groups and Species
      
    • Hawks also see Broad-winged hawk
      and Raptors
      
      • Use utility poles for hunting perches
        
      • Migrating
    • Herons also see Great Blue heron
      
    • Hoar frost (Rabbit ice)
      
    • Horned lark
      
    • Hummingbirds also see Ruby-throated hummingbird
      • Immatures join adults at birdfeeders
        Look for hummingbirds
        • June 26 (on Mimosa)
          
        • July 10 (on Trumpet creepers)
        Migration
        • Arrive
          
        • Have departed

    I

    • Illinois Chorus frog
      Listen for them
      • In Alexander County
      • Along the Mississippi
    • Indian Grass
      
    • Indigo Bunting
      
    • Insects
      • Groups and Species
        • Annual cicada
          
        • Brown Recluse spider
          
        • Butterflies
          
        • Cicadas
          
        • Cloudless Sulphur butterfly
          
        • Dragonflies see Green Darner
          
        • Fireflies
          
        • Chiggers
          
        • Cicadas
          
        • Fall Web worm
        • Giant Swallowtail butterfly
          
        • Green Darner
          
        • Katydid
          
        • Monarch butterfly
          
        • Mourning Cloak butterfly
          
        • Periodic cicada
          
        • Praying mantis
          
        • Tent caterpillar
          
        • Ticks
          
        • Walking stick
          
        • Web worms see Fall Web worm
          
        • Yellow jacket

    J

    • Junco

    K

    • Katydid
      
    • Killdeer

    L

    • Ladies Tresses
      
    • Lakes
      • Carlyle
        
      • Crab Orchard
        
      • Rend
    • Larks see Horned lark
      
    • LaRue Pine Hills also see Snake migrations
      
    • Lesser Scaup also see Diving ducks--At refuges on on big reservoirs
      
    • Lizards also see Fence lizard
      
    • Loons
      
    • Louisiana waterthrush (warbler) also see Warblers

    M

    • Mallard
      
    • Maples
      
    • May showers
      
    • Meadow mushroom
      
    • Migrant rails
      
    • Migrations
      • Birds see Birds-Migrations
        
      • Butterflies
        • Cloudless Sulphur butterfly
          
        • Monarch butterfly
          
      • Salamanders
        
      • Snakes
        • April 22
          
        • October 5
    • Milkweed
      • Species
        • Butterflyweed
          
        • Common milkweed
          
        • Swamp milkweed
          
        • Whorled milkweed
    • Mimosa
      
    • Mississippi River
      • Listen for Illinois Chorus Frog
        
      • White pelican migration
    • Missouri ironweed
      
    • Mist flower
      
    • Monarch butterfly
      • Increasing
        
      • Migration
    • Morels
      
    • Mourning Cloak butterfly
      
    • Mushrooms
      • Groups and Species
        • Bolete
          
        • Chantrelle
          
        • Meadow
          
        • Morels

  N

  • Neotropical songbirds also see Birds-Groups and Species, and Songbirds
    Northward Migration (chronological order)
    
    • Most breeding N.S. arrive and begin setting up territories
    • Majority return from Central and South America
      
    • Continue northwards to breeding grounds
      
    Southward Migration (chronological order)
    
    • Make stopover in Southern Illinois on their way to Central and South America
      
    • Most have left Illinois for southern climes
  • Nighthawk
    • Arrive from South America
      
    • Flocks of up to 100

  O

  • Orchids
    • Green-fringed orchid
      
    • Ladies Tresses
      
    • Purple fringeless orchid
      
    • Puttyroot orchid
      
    • Rattlesnake plantain
      
    • Showy orchis
      
    • Three birds orchid
      
    • Twayblade orchid
  • Owls also see Raptors
    • Eastern Screech owl also see Screech owls
      
    • Great Horned owl
      
    • Screech owls also see Eastern Screech owl
      
    • Short-eared Owl

P

• Periodic cicada
  
• Phoebe
  • Arrive from southern states and Mexico
  • Building nests
• Pine Hills see LaRue Pine Hills
  
• Pine warbler
  
• Pintail
  
• Poplars see Tulip Poplar
  
• Prairie flowers also see Wildflowers and Weeds--Groups and Species
  
• Praying mantis
  
• Purple coneflower
  
• Purple fringeless orchid
  
• Purple gerardia
  
• Purple martin
  • Arrive
    
  • Staging
    
  • Depart
• Puttyroot orchid
  • Blooming
    
  • Look for leaves [in winter]

Q

R

• Rabbit ice (Hoar frost)
  
• Raptors
  • Groups and Species
    • Bald eagle
      
    • Broad-winged hawk
      
    • Eastern Screech owl
      
    • Great Horned owl
      
    • Hawks
      Owls
      
    • Screech owls
      Short-eared Owl
      
    • Turkey vultures
• Rattlesnake plantain
  
• Red bats
  • Foraging at dusk
    
  • Nursing their young
    
  • Watch for Red bats on warm evenings [January]
• Red fox
  
• Redbud
  
• Redhead also see Diving ducks
  
• Reedgrass
  
• Rend Lake
  
• Rhododendrons
  
• Robin
  • Migration
    • Autumn
      
    • Spring
• Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  
• Ruby-throated hummingbird also see Hummingbirds
  
• Rushes

• Salamanders
  
• Sassafras
  
• Screech owls also see Raptors
  • Eastern Screech owl
• Sedges
  
• Seagulls see Gulls
  
• Seeds also see Common milkweed seeds
  
• Shorebirds also see Birds-Groups and Species
  
  Migration
  • Autumn
    
  • Spring
• Short-eared Owl also see Raptors
  
• Showy orchis
  
• Skunks also see Striped Skunks
  
• Snakes
  • Emerge from hibernation
  • Venemous snakes emerge from dens
  • Migration
    • Autumn
    • Spring
• Solstice
  • Summer (June 21)
    
  • Winter (December 21)
• Songbirds also see Birds-Groups and Species, and Neotropical songbirds
  
  • Nesting season in full force
    Migration
    • Autumn
      
    • Spring
• Sparrows see White-throated Sparrow
  
• Spicebush
  
• Spider Lily
  
• Spiders also see Brown Recluse spider
  
• Spring [Vernal] Equinox March 20
  
• Spring peeper
  • In full chorus
  • Listen for spring peepers
• Squirrels
  • Species
    • Flying squirrel
      
    • Fox squirrel
      
    • Gray squirrel
• Striped Skunks also see Skunks
  
• Summer Solstice (June 21)
  
• Sumac also see Winged Sumac
  
• Sunflowers see Tickseed Sunflower
  
• Swallows
  • Species
    • Barn Swallow
      
    • Tree swallow
      
• Swallowtail Butterfly see Giant Swallowtail Butterfly
  
• Swamp milkweed
  
• Swifts also see Chimney swift
  
• Sycamores

T

• Tall goldenrod
  
• Tent caterpillar
  
• Three Birds orchid
  
• Ticks
  • Are present
  • Declining
• Tickseed sunflower
  
• Toads see American toad
  
• Trees
  • Autumn colors peaking
    
  • Most trees have leafed out
    
  • Groups and Species
    • Bittersweet
      
    • Black Gum
      
    • Black Walnut
      
    • Cottonwood
      
    • Elms
      
    • Flowering dogwood
      
    • Maples
      
    • Mimosa
      
    • Redbud
      
    • Rhododendrons
      
    • Sassafras
      
    • Sumac also see Winged Sumac
      
    • Sycamores
      
    • Tulip Poplar
      
    • Wild Cherry
      
    • Winged Sumac also see Sumac
• Tree swallow
  
• Trumpet Creeper
  • Blooming
    
  • Hummingbirds feeding
• Tulip Poplar
  • Blooming
    
  • Leaves yellowing
• Turkey vultures
  
• Turkey
  • Listen for turkeys gobbling March 19; April 16
• Turtles also see Box turtle
  
• Twayblade orchid

U

V

• Vernal [Spring] Equinox (March 20)
  
• Vines
  • Species
    • Trumpet Creeper
      
    • Virginia Creeper
• Virginia Creeper
  
• Vultures see Turkey vulture

W

• Walking stick
  
• Warblers
  • Species
    • Louisiana waterthrush (warbler)
      
    • Pine warbler
      
• Waterfowl also see Ducks, Shorebirds, and Birds-Groups and Species
  
  • Peak of northward migration
  • Peak of wintering waterfowl
• Web worms see Fall Web worm
  
• Western Chorus frog
  
• Whip-poor-will
  
  • Migration
    • March
      
    • April
      
    • October
• White pelican
  
• White-tailed deer
  • Dropping antlers
  • In velvet June 8; September 3
  • Rutting begins
• White-throated sparrow
  
• Whorled milkweed
  
• Wild Cherry
  
• Wildflowers and Weeds
  • Early wildflowers blooming
    
  • Groups and Species
    • Asters see Frost aster
      
    • Baptisio
      
    • Beebalm
      
    • Beggar's Lice (Desmodium)
      
    • Big Bluestem
      
    • Blazing Star
      
    • Brown-eyed Susans
      
    • Butterflyweed
      
    • Canada goldenrod
      
    • Chicory
      
    • Common milkweed
      
    • Compass Plant
      
    • Dandelion
      
    • Desmodium (Beggar's Lice)
      
    • Dittany
      
    • Frost aster
      
    • Goldenrod
      
    • Gray-headed coneflower
      
    • Green-fringed orchid
      
    • Harbinger of Spring
      
    • Indian grass
      
    • Ladies Tresses
      
    • Milkweed
      
    • Missouri ironweed
      
    • Mist flower
      
    • Orchids
      
    • Prairie flowers
      
    • Purple coneflower
      
    • Purple fringeless orchid
      
    • Purple gerardia
      
    • Puttyroot orchid
      
    • Rattlesnake plantain
      
    • Showy orchis
      
    • Spider lily
      
    • Swamp milkweed
      
    • Tall goldenrod
      
    • Three Birds orchid
      
    • Tickseed sunflower
      
    • Twayblade orchid
      
    • Whorled milkweed
      
    • Woodland wildflowers
      
    • Yucca
• Winged Sumac
  
• Winter Raptors see Raptors
  
• Winter Solstice (December 21)
  
• Woodchuck
  • Begin breaking hibernation
    
  • Look for young woodchucks
    
  • Most woodchucks hibernating by this time
• Woodcock
  • Males courting females
  • Migration
    • Fall
      • Migrating south
    • Spring
      • First woodcocks
      • Peak of migration
• Wood duck also see Duck migration (spring)
  
• Woodland wildflowers
  
• Worms see Earthworm
  

  X

  Y

  • Yellow-bellied sapsucker
    
  • Yellow jacket July 24; September 28
    
  • Yucca

  Z