Flight!

One of the best parts of our camping trip was the birding! There were so many birds! The pelicans and shorebirds were amazing! We camped close to two national Wildlife Refuges. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, hats with ornamental bird feathers.

This is the same period when the idea of public lands and preservation was developing. Yellowstone was established in 1872 as the first national park. Most Americans thought of “public land” in a consumptive way – what resources could be taken, for example. Yellowstone was protected for its geologic and thermal features, but the wildlife of the park were also considered worth protecting. In fact, the original Park Rangers were in the military and they protected wildlife from poaching. The idea of National Wildlife Refuges came out of the desire of bird lovers to protect birds from plume hunters and the desire of sportsmen to protect habitat for game animals. Pelican Island was the first National Wildlife Refuge and it was established by President Roosevelt in 1903. Many of these lands are managed for wading birds – by adjusting the water levels. We visited Chataqua and Emiquon National Wildlife Refuges along the Illinois River. Here are some of my favorite shots: