Most areas held water this past fall into early winter. Today, that water is ice but at-least the birds can utilize the habitat now that it's frozen.
Year after year we've been in a wet pattern. Water is great but man-O'-man if we don't get rain every day It's been every two to three days.
We really need a few years with some dryer weather. Not too dry, but a few springs (in particular) were the hens can nest without having a "do-over nest" due to too much rain.
Much of our existing habitat in Illinois today is lower land. Land that's too wet to farm or develop. This leaves marginal nesting cover for birds. Cover that floods way too easily with heavy rains. Hopefully by spring we'll be in a dryer pattern for a bit. We'll see.
Anyway, sorry for the rant. lol
Nick