Armed with GPS units, teams, will “race” by attempting to complete a series of challenges located on the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. Teams will be given a set of coordinates for a specific location which they will find using a handheld GPS unit.  Once at that location, teams must work together to complete a task. When that task is successfully completed, teams will receive the next set of coordinates for the next location. Those who finish all tasks and arrive at the finish first, win!

Sound like fun? You may bring your own GPS unit or borrow one for the day. The event will begin at the Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center located at 7071 Riverview Rd, Thomson, IL 61285. Prior to the race, we will hold an introductory GPS course at 9:00 a.m. to learn how to use the unit. The race will then begin at 10:00 a.m. and conclude around 1:00 pm.

Registration is required for the race! A team is comprised of a minimum of 2 people and a maximum of 6. Teams will be driving and walking to get to their designations.

Registration deadline is August 11th. Call 815-273-2732 ext. 116 or email pam_steinhaus@fws.gov to register or receive more information. There is no cost to enter and is open to all ages.

Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is sponsoring free smartphone photography workshops for all ages that are new to the smartphone technology. Workshops will be held at the Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center on  July 13, 23; August 27 and September 24, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.  Participants will learn basic photography principles, useful camera accessories and photo-editing apps to create unique and amazing photographs. Pick a date and join us for this fun workshop.

We are adding an additional class on Wednesday, August 24 from 9 – Noon.

Each participant will need to bring a fully charged smartphone and charger. Space is limited to 10; please contact Pam Steinhaus at 815-273-2732, ext 116 for further information and to register for the workshop.  The Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center is located at 7071 Riverview Road, Thomson, IL.

Migration is in full swing. This is a perfect time to get a glimpse of those migrates as they travel to their perspective breeding grounds.  Join experienced birders as we travel through largest sand prairie in Illinois. You will learn about some of the history of the former Savanna Army Depot, current habitat management and get a chance to see various species of birds. The van will leave from the Lost Mound Office promptly at 4:00 pm and will return at 7:00 pm. Participants are to meet at 3:45 pm Tours are free, but seating is limited. Contact the refuge office at 815-273-2732 to register.

Stewards of the Upper Mississippi River Refuge and the US Fish and Wildlife Service are hosting Refuge Golf Cart Tours that travel through the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.  The tours are free and open to all ages.  Trips are the 1st & 3rd Thursday and the 3rd Saturday of every month from May through September. The Golf Cart will leave promptly at 8 a.m. from the Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center located at 7071 Riverview Rd, Thomson, IL and will return at 10 a.m.  Participants are asked to arrive at 7:45 am. Registration is required and seating is limited.

Monthly Bird Walks are held year round on the 2^nd Saturday of each month from 9 – 11 a.m. Participants will meet at the Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center at 8:45 a.m. and carpool to various locations on the refuge.

Registration is required for all activities. Please call the refuge office at 815-273-2732 to make your reservation or email at stewardsumrr@gmail.com. Please check the calendar of events for other activities.

Even though it feels more like Spring, the 2016 Clinton Bald Eagle Watch is right around the corner.

Check out the flyer below for more information.

Join Bob Walton and the Stewards of the Upper Mississippi River Refuge as we travel into the night to listen for the hoots, wails, and shrieks of owls on Saturday, November 21 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. We will meet at Thomson Causeway Amphitheatre for a short “pre-owlin” program and then head into the darkness for a little prowling. Bob will converse with the owls, with a chance of drawing them closer for a good view.

The Thomson Causeway is located on the west side of Thomson, IL.  Once you reach Thomson, go west on Main Street and south onto Lewis Ave. Travel this road until you reach the campground and take the first right.  The amphitheater is located near the shower house. GPS address is 41 56.952 N  90 07.014 W.

For more information or to register for the program, contact the refuge office at 815-273-2732. Registration is suggested but not required.  Listen to WCCI, 100.3 FM for any cancellations. You can also register by sending an email to stewardsumrr@gmail.com.  Be sure to check out www.stewardsumrr.org for upcoming events.

Organize a team and come and participate in the 4th Annual Amazing Refuge Race.  It’s free and fun for the entire family.

The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge has announced the 2015 applications for the special deer hunt at Lost Mound are available. Two managed deer hunts, one for youth (ages 10-15) and one for adults with disabilities (16 and older), are conducted within designated Closed Areas of Lost Mound. All hunters must be accompanied by an adult able-bodied attendant that is capable of tracking and retrieving a deer.

The application period extends from July 1 – July 31 and is open to residents and non-residents. All applications will be entered into a random drawing for the 40 hunt sites on August 5 at 10:00AM, which will be held at the Refuge Office, 7071 Riverview Road, Thomson IL. The drawing is open to the public and applicants do not have to be present.

All hunters, attendants and any accompanying individuals must attend a mandatory safety orientation with two sessions being held: Saturday, October 3, 9:00AM-3:00PM to be held at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 318 Chicago Ave., Savanna IL; and Friday, November 13, 9:00AM-3:00PM at Manny’s Pizza, 211 Main Street, Savanna IL followed by a visit to the hunt area.

The youth hunt will be held on October 10-11 which coincides with the Illinois Youth Either Sex Deer Hunt. A Jo Daviess County Deer Permit must be obtained and brought to the orientation. All youth must show certification of completion of a state approved hunter safety course.

The hunt for adults with disabilities will be held on November 14-15 which is the Saturday-Sunday prior to the Illinois Firearms Deer First Season. A minimum P2a Illinois disability classification (or similar disability certification from non-resident states) is required. A Jo Daviess County Deer Permit is not needed in order to apply for this hunt, as this permit is provided by the Refuge.

Application and regulations can be downloaded from the following website. www.fws.gov/refuge/upper_mississippi_river or picked up at the refuge office located at 7071 Riverview Road, Thomson IL. For further questions please contact the Refuge office at 815-273-2732.

We will be hosting a Mayfly Watch Workshop on June 20^th, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. This workshop will teach you everything that you need to know about becoming a successful Citizen Scientist, how to use Nature’s Notebook and how to identify what you will be looking for.  This workshop is intended for all age groups.  Workshop will be held at the Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center, 7071 Riverview Rd, Thomson, IL 61285.  For more information and to pre-register call 815-273-2732.

We are seeking observers along the Mississippi River to track the timing of the seasonal event of Mayfly emergence.  Every year, mayflies emerge from the Mississippi River, and the result can be extraordinary! Large emergences can number in the millions – enough to be picked up by weather radar. Mayflies are an important food source for fish, especially during the summer emergence but also throughout the year when they are in their larval form.

The US Fish & Wildlife Service is interested in tracking the timing of seasonal events like these. Our hope is that our neighbors of the river, armed with their mayfly identification, will learn to notice the seasonal changes that occur on the river during the summer.