Make plans to stop by Dickson Mounds Museum to catch an exhibit on the migratory water birds of Illinois. The annual spring and fall Sky pilgrimage of migratory water birds along the Illinois River Valley is the subject of an exhibit Dan ce at Dickson Mounds Museum. Story By Julie Barr of decreased movement, bird migration of Illinois . The exhibition features pho - never ends. One species may arrive in Illi - tographs, maps, historic accounts and Photos By Michael Jeffords nois in mid-February, but another not until observations from more than 100 years of May. Similarly, fall departure may range biological field work. Displays trace the his - hey’re heading back. from late July to late November. tory of birds, how their bodies are con - Familiar V-formations of This never-ending choreography of structed for flight, and how they navigate geese and nondescript, water bird migration is the subject of an using cues from magnetic receptors in their black clouds of songbirds fill exhibit at Dickson Mounds Museum, Sky eyes and the locations of the sun, moon T the skies. Where have all Dance: A Look at the Migratory Water Birds and constellations. Also on display are 100- these birds been and where are they going? plus bird specimens from the Illinois State It’s estimated some five hundred billion Museum’s Wade Bird Collection and selec - ky Dance: A Look at Migratory Water birds, comprising more than 9,000 species, SBirds of Illinois will be on view through tions from the collections of the Forbes Bio - inhabit the earth. Of them, 70 species of International Migratory Bird Week (May 9- logical Research Station at Havana. water birds make lengthy annual pilgrim - 15). Dickson Mounds Museum is located Sky Dance: A Look at the Migratory off Illinois Routes 78/97, 5 miles west of ages to Illinois each fall and spring, seeking Havana and 5 miles east of Lewistown. Water Birds of Illinois was inspired by the places to rest, refuel and sometimes nest in The museum is free. Call (309) 547-3721 writings of conservationist Aldo Leopold the state’s wetlands, including the habitat- for program information. and by the life’s work of two distinguished The museum is adjacent to Emiquon rich Illinois River Valley. Illinois ornithologists, Frank C. Bellrose and National Wildlife Refuge and near Chau - With the exception of only a month or two tauqua National Wildlife Refuge, both offer - Steven P. Havera, both formerly of the Illi - ing outstanding bird-watching throughout nois Natural History Survey’s Forbes Bio - (Photo by Kelvin Sampson, Dickson Mounds Museum.) the year. Dickson Mounds, the U.S. Fish logical Research Station. and Wildlife Service, The Nature Conser - vancy and the Emiquon Audubon Society have teamed up to offer a series of birding events in conjunction with the exhibition. Julie Barr is the public programs coordinator Programs range from lectures on identifying and principle educator at Dickson Mounds birds and bird-watching field trips to bird Museum. She develops, coordinates and films and a bird art and poetry contest. Fur - presents a variety of interpretive programs ther information about these programs can on archaeology, Native American culture, be obtained from the museum’s website: natural history and folk culture. www.museum.state.il.us/ismsites/dickson. March 2005 Outdoor Illinois / 9.