Up until major freezing begins this fall, probably the best viewing of waterfowl and bald eagles in the Midwest is at Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge in Mason County, Illinois. The reason the viewing is so good is because of several factors. First, the best viewing can be done from several easily accessible observation decks located along a short nature trail near the refuge headquarters. These decks are far enough away from any roads so that traffic noise does not interfere with quiet listening, even of faint bird calls from far away. This allows the observer to combine sounds with sight for a much more meaningful experience.
Secondly, the observation decks are in a remote, natural setting of forest, overlooking wetlands and open water, and they all offer a full open-sky view of the refuge; the two bluff-top decks give the best views. This allows for excellent viewing of ducks in flight, from close-up to distant views, giving ample opportunities for comparing similar species in flight for subtle differences. When the ducks fly past, it is not unusual to hear individual wing beats as well as contact calls. Also, the decks face the northwest, so sun interference with viewing is usually minimal.
But it is the interaction between the various waterfowl species and bald eagles that really makes this site at this time of year special. For an example of what one may experience at Chautauqua Refuge, in terms of eagle-waterfowl interactions, I am offering readers a free Download Of Chapter 7, “Timeless Scenes along the Illinois River,” from my book Side Channels: A Collection of Nature Writing and Memoir.
I last visited Chautauqua Refuge on November 25, 2012, and the sightings were spectacular: thousands upon thousands of individual waterfowl of at least 14 species and 20 to 30 bald eagles from first-year plumage to adult, all sighted within the first fifteen minutes. Later I saw hundreds of snow geese and about 20 American white pelicans.
My favorite sighting of the day, though, was watching a group of about 50 greater white-fronted geese slowly and methodically decreasing in altitude from a great height, gliding down a wide, spiraling flight path over the refuge’s open waters, and then gently landing alongside a large resting group of the same species. The nearby eagles watched these intricate flight maneuvers with great interest, looking for a weakened or hurt individual no doubt.
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Chautauqua Refuge is only 160 miles southwest of Chicago or 130 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. In nearby Havana, there are two mom-and-pop-type motels (The Red Lion Motor Lodge, Sycamore Motor Lodge) and plenty of restaurants, including family style, fast food, fine food, and bar and grill. Interested birders may wish to visit the refuge’s web site for more information.