APPLE RIVER, Ill. — On May 7, 2022 Terrence Ingram will conduct his sixth Spring Big Bird Day. He started this annual bird count in 2016 to document the loss of birds to the agricultural sprays and the devastation that these sprays have been causing to our bird life in the area, as well as the damage to our insect and plant life, which is the lifeblood for the birds. Each year he has been seeing fewer and fewer birds, both in numbers and varieties. 

Members of the public are invited to join Mr. Ingram at 8384 North Broadway Road, south of Apple River, who will be counting birds from dawn until dusk. If planning to join, call 815-594-2592 in advance. 

To help the Eagle Nature Foundation raise money for their efforts to save the bald eagle, Ingram is asking for pledges to ENF for how many species of birds he can identify on that day. After the count those people responding will receive a report as to how many bird species were seen on that date.

Ingram’s Big Bird Days do not just document the loss of bird life in his area. The lack of any migrating birds indicates that those birds, which are nesting further north, are having problems as well. Without insect eating birds to help control insect populations, some of these insects could become a problem in the near future. Mosquitoes, gnats, locusts, and flies might be the first to get out of control.