5295 N 1000th St
Newton,IL 62448
USA
Leader: Sigrid Schmidt
**THIS IS EVENT IS NOW FULL. Contact Sigrid if you are interested in getting on the waiting list.**
The prairie chicken blind capacity is 12 people. To register for this event, please contact Sigrid Schmidt and mail a check made to COS for $20.00 (non-refundable!) to the address below and include your name, address and phone number. This fee covers expenses for our guide and serves as a donation to protecting the prairie chicken habitat.
Contact: Sigrid Schmidt sigschmidt@gmail.com
2558 W. Cullom Ave, Chicago, IL 60618
You may also pay the registration fee by clicking the PayPal button below:
Children are discouraged from attending, as once the group enters the blind, we cannot make noise or go to the restroom.
Hotel reservations in the Effingham area are strongly recommended for the Friday night before and Saturday night.
Agenda:
Saturday: Dr. Jeff Walk of The Nature Conservancy will give a tour of the Newton-Prairie Ridge area. We’ll get a glimpse “over the fence” of the Prairie Chickens to satisfy us prior to the “Sunday Morning Show” on the lek. Target species include Smith’s Longspur, Am. Golden Plover, Short-eared Owl, Red-headed woodpecker, N. Harrier, Loggerhead Shrike, Tufted Titmouse, N. Mockingbird, lingering waterfowl, early migrants, random shorebirds and hopefully the earliest Upland Sandpipers.
Sunday: Prairie Chickens on the lek.
We will meet very early (3:30-3:45am) to drive approx. 45-60 minutes to Prairie Ridge. We need to be settled in the blinds an hour before sunrise to see the Prairie Chickens display on the lek. Once we’re in the blind, we cannot leave until the chickens have dispersed. We will be done watching them by 8:30am.
