Lake Carlyle Pelagic + Birding Hotspots

September 16-17th @ 6:30am

Saturday Birding Hotspots and Pelagic boat trip on Lake Carlyle – 6:30am-6:30pm
Sunday Birding Hotspots (optional) – 6:30am

Carlyle Lake is the state’s largest inland body of water, and has a bird list that rivals many state hotspots.

IOS is pleased to announce that after a number of years, we’ll be running the Carlyle Pelagic + Weekend Birding trip again – this September 16-17! With local Carlyle and Southern Illinois birding experts Dan Kassebaum, Mark Seiffert, and Keith McMullen as guides along with Red Hill Birding’s Nathan Goldberg, this trip will surely be a lot of fun for all.

Carlyle Lake is the state’s largest inland body of water, and has a bird list that rivals many state hotspots (even those in Chicago).

Birders will convene early Saturday morning (6:30am), and will spend the first half of the day exploring hotspots including Eldon Hazlet State Park and Whitetail Access, where we’ll search for numbers of passerine migrants (warblers, vireos, flycatchers, etc.), some southern Illinois specialties (i.e. Fish Crow), as well as a nice assortment of shorebirds. Following lunch, we’ll board pontoon boats in the afternoon from 2-6 PM and explore the southern half of the lake looking for highly sought after pelagic species like SABINE’S GULL (the main draw of this trip), any species of JAEGER, Red and/or Red-necked PHALAROPES, and gulls including Franklin’s and Laughing. We never know what we might find, but with multiple boats on the water, we’ll be sure to cover as much ground as possible.

Sunday morning (6:30am) we’ll bird the migrant hotspots around the lake again, ending by mid-day so people can head back home.

Register Here

Registration Info:
$50 for Illinois Ornithological Society members, you must click “Enter Promo Code” and enter your registered email address with IOS in that box to get the discounted tickets.

$60 for non-IOS members.

Included with registration: Guides for the entire day Saturday, pontoon boat pelagic on Lake Carlyle, optional morning outing Sunday for those that want to do a little more birding before heading out.

This field trip is limited to 26 participants.

Details:

• Meeting Location: McDonald’s parking lot in Carlyle, IL (18010 William Rd, Carlyle, IL)
• Meeting Time: 6:30am both Saturday and Sunday (optional)

• Full itineraries will be provided to everyone prior to the weekend via email, which will include locations of trips, leaders, and contact info for leaders.

Hotel Accommodations and Food are NOT INCLUDED. There are a variety of accommodations in communities along I-57, I-70, and east towards St. Louis, MO.

Food can be brought along or picked up in town during a lunch break.

Email nathangoldberg29@gmail.com with any questions.