Category Archives: Mason County

Sand Ridge State Forest

Sand Ridge is a large expanse (over 7,000 acres) of mixed oak woods, savanna and planted pines.  The habitats offer exceptional birding year-round.

Breeding species include Pileated Woodpecker, Broad-winged Hawk, Barred Owl, Whip-poor-will, Wood Thrush, Orchard Oriole, White-eyed Vireo, Northern Mockingbird, Blue Grosbeak. Pine warbler has bred in the pines near the parking lot west of Cactus Drive and south of Co Rd 2500N (teal-blue marker, below). Along Co Rd 2500N west of the Fish Hatchery entrance, listen for Prairie Warbler. For many years, Sand Ridge had been reliable for Chuck-will’s-widow, but none have been found in recent years. Still, it is worth listening for if you are there on a spring or summer evening.

The Virginia pines near the intersection of Co Rd 2300N (Goofy Ridge Rd) and Co Rd 2300E often has Red Crossbills and White-winged Crossbills during migrations and winter. Evening Grosbeak, Common Redpoll, Pine Siskin and Red-breasted Nuthatch have been found here also.

The Jake Wolf Fish Hatchery, north of Co Rd 2500N east of Cactus Drive (2600E) is a good place to check for herons and egrets.

At the intersection of Cactus Drive and 2300N is the campground. From here, Cactus Drive continues south and becomes Forest City Rd. Staying to the right takes you onto Bishop Road, which is a quiet, sandy road through woodland and savanna. Red-headed Woodpecker, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Kentucky Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Summer Tanager, Blue Grosbeak, and all of the expected species breed here. In winter, huge flocks of American Robins can be found here. Other wintering species include Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Hermit Thrush and Fox Sparrow.


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Chautauqua NWR

Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge is well known to Illinois birders for waterfowl and shorebird concentrations. The water in the various pools is regulated, and if dropped at the right time of year the habitat can be outstanding for shorebirds. Even if the water levels are fairly high, there are usually mudflats in the SW corner of the upper pool (north of the crossdike). There is a small island and usually mudflats in the NE corner, viewable from the dike at Goofy Ridge. There are parking lots and trail access at the east end of each dike.

In season, and when proper habitat is present, this can be the best place in Illinois to find large shorebirds such as American Avocet, Marbled Godwit, Hudsonian Godwit. Red-necked Phalarope and Wilson’s Phalarope have been found here in numbers some years. Very rare vagrants that have been seen here include Ruff, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and Curlew Sandpiper. Gulls also concentrate here, and Franklin’s, Sabines, Little, Lesser Black-backed have been recorded at Chautauqua. The south pool can have tens of thousands of waterfowl during migrations and is one of the best places in the state to see large numbers of Greater White-fronted Goose, Cackling Goose and Northern Pintail.

The area around the headquarters can be very good for migrating land birds, and there is an observation tower where you can get a good view of the south pool. The woods around the Goofy Ridge access can also be very good during migrations. Breeding birds here include Red-headed Woodpecker, Eastern Screech Owl, White-eyed Vireo, Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Eurasian Tree Sparrow.


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