Birding around St. Louis/Belleville, Illinois?

[semillama]

I'm going to a family reunion this weekend in Belleville, Illinois, and was wondering if anyone here could recommend some good places for birding. I probably will only have a day or even part of a day to bird, so accessibility is a prime concern. Any and all suggestions are much welcomed, and I'll return the favor for any one who wants to know where to go around Columbus, Ohio!

[semillama]

1. well, here's some vague pointers

didn't get much of an opportunity to bird watch.

BUT, find yourselves some wetlands if you go in the summer. Lots of wading birds.

I visited Cahokia National Historic Monument on July 4th, and while the main attraction are the mounds, a small wet pothole near the parking lot held a snowy egret and two Cattle Egrets, along with a kildeer and a meadowlark. The grounds are too well mowed for decent grassland birds, unfortunately, but I did manage to ID a Western Meadowlark, and Eastern Kingbirds and Bluebirds were common.

I'm told that just north of Cahokia is a great spot for birds, Horseshoe Lake State Park, where I wanted to go for little blue herons and eurasian tree sparrows, but I just ran out of time. maybe next time!

[amazona]

2. st louis birding locations

Have not birded the area myself but the Audubon Society should know. Scroll down a little, past the purple martin story and events, and start reading at "Locations," here you'll get to a list of directions to good bird-finding for St. Louis:

http://www.stlouisaudubon.org/Birding.htm

[XemaSab]

3. mmmmmmm.....

tree sparrows.........

[amazona]

4. Are the Tree Sparrows still there in St. Louis?

I got them in Honshu, they are everywhere there.

Would be a nice one to get on my U.S. list. I've driven through that area many times, may have to make more of an effort next time.

[XemaSab]

5. They're tough to find

but "gettable" in that area and nowhere else.

Now is the time, too. I already missed the mynah, and I'm worried about the sparrows.

[semillama]

6. Nowhere else in the US will you scrutinize House Sparrows

with as much intensity than in St. Louis, trying to find one damn ETS.

[XemaSab]

7. I hear ya

haven't had the pleasure, but I'm looking forward to it.

[wildflowergardener]

8. Sparrows

I am looking through old posts - won't answer your question about birding spots cause I'm sure your trip is long gone - though if anyone else does I've seen new birds I'd never seen before just biking on the Katy Trail near Defiance, but regarding tree sparrows - I am helping to improve the St. Louis population of Eurasian Tree Sparrows cause I have put smaller circles on all my birdhouses so only the Eurasian sparrows can get in, not the house sparrows - so I have several families now - new babies right outside my porch right now (I can hear them when I sit out there waiting for food from their mom.)

Anyhow they are in that birdhouse all year long so if anyone ever wants to see one and will be in the area, I can tell you where you will definately see at least a pair.

Meg