26 TNH Bo: +AsU DUB, ON: BAL heii 
Natural Bird Haven Near Shawneetown 
North of the quaint and interesting old town of Shawnee- 
town, now the oldest town in the state of Illinois, lies a string 
of small lakes. It was my pleasure while camping there this 
Summer to discover a natural bird haven, in fact we found more 
different kinds of birds in this small area than in any other 
place of which we know. We camped at “Big Lake” which is 
the largest of these lakes and is just two and one half miles 
north of Shawneetown. About one hundred yards west of a row 
of cottages built here this summer, lies a thickly wooded area of 
not more than twenty acres through which runs a slough, and it 
was here that I spent the whole of my last afternoon, enjoying 
the bird life. Several varieties of warblers flitted along the 
slough and filled the air with their music. To a nearby bush 
came a Cardinal and trilled his beautiful song, some Purple 
Grackles came and quarrelled their way on. High in a tree the 





Veery sang his song in queer conversational style. Bright 
patches of blue, (the Indigo Bunting,) flitted here and there. 
From under a brush pile hopped the Yellow-breasted Chat, and 
a tiny Ruby-throated Humming-bird perched himself saucily on 
a limb near by. We were able to identify eighteen different birds 
and there were several more which baffled us. 
How long the conditions so favorable to the extensive bird 
life found here will remain undisturbed we do not know. A 
company bought the lake and adjoining land this Summer and 
have erected a hotel and cottages and have cut quite a lot of the 
fine cypress tree for building purposes. We took occasion to 
