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Updated on Monday, March 15 at 06:50 PM ET
The most recently received Mail is at the top.


African Moustached Warbler,©Tony Disley

15 Mar IBET Harris' Sparrow [David Antieau ]
15 Mar IBET Harris Sparrow ["Nathan" ]
15 Mar IBET Skokie Lagoons Migrants [Mary lou Mellon ]
15 Mar IBET Pheasant on the Westside [Luis Muoz ]
15 Mar IBET Green River (No Sightings) ["ollie085" ]
15 Mar RE: IBET Harris Sparrow - ["Craig Taylor" ]
15 Mar Re: IBET NO SIGHTING: Lake Springfield Snow Geese [Jane Ward ]
15 Mar IBET Peregrine Falcon Photos Grundy/Will Co. ["rattlinantler" ]
15 Mar IBET Cantigny Wild Turkeys? NO SIGHTINGS ["Jen Day" ]
15 Mar IBET Harris Sparrow - [dawn smith ]
15 Mar IBET AM. white pelicans flying southwest over Randolph Co. ["Rhonda \(Monroe\) Rothrock" ]
15 Mar IBET Legion Park, Chicago on Sunday, and question about coyote 'decoys' []
15 Mar IBET Northwestern University 3/13 ["nelsopa" ]
14 Mar Re: IBET Clinton Lake with a Paridae Hybrid; De Witt Co; 03/12/10 ["B.G. Sloan" ]
14 Mar IBET North Pond Hooded Merganser [Steve Spitzer ]
15 Mar IBET North Park Village Eastern Bluebird & Brown Creeper ["Robert" ]
14 Mar IBET Harris's sparrow photo link [Dawn ]
14 Mar IBET Harris's sparrow [Dawn ]
14 Mar IBET Kankakee Region: 3/12-14/2010 [Jed Hertz ]
14 Mar IBET lake county lakefront 3/14 am [Beau Schaefer ]
14 Mar IBET Article on White Pelicans arriving in northern Illinois in April. [Christopher Cudworth ]
14 Mar IBET royal visit [Kevin Richmond ]
14 Mar IBET Thatcher Woods--Eastern Bluebirds [Puck ]
14 Mar IBET Rollins Savanna Meadowlarks Sunday pm ["Amy" ]
14 Mar IBET: Kendall County Sunday ["Darrell Shambaugh" ]
14 Mar IBET Sunday "Car Birding" Lake Co. -IP Grove, 45&Winchester Lake and Almond Marsh ["tvlewin AT sbcglobal.net" ]
14 Mar IBET North Pond,, Chicago ["chession07" ]
14 Mar IBET: northwest Winnebago Co. on Sunday ["Daniel & Barbara Williams" ]
14 Mar IBET Rosehill - Bluebirds and Woodcock ["michelledevlin" ]
14 Mar IBET Last week's Surf Scoter ["Dennis" ]
14 Mar IBET Shrike NPM/Snipe Rollins Sunday a.m. [Jim Solum ]
14 Mar IBET Snow Geese at Emiquon, Fulton County Thurs Mar 12 [Jane Ward ]
14 Mar Re: IBET Playing Robins; Migrating Robins 300+ []
14 Mar IBET European Goldfinches in Lake County [Peter Bullock ]
14 Mar IBET Canon Camera Folks might like this ad - ( No Sighting ) ["Kep" ]
14 Mar IBET Playing Robins ["grandparob11" ]
14 Mar IBET Des Plaines, Glenview area preserves on Saturday []
14 Mar IBET Huntley, McHenry County, Greater White-fronted and Cackling Goose, 3-13-09 ["samburckhardt" ]
14 Mar IBET Iceland Gull in Illinois? (No sightings) ["Amar" ]
14 Mar IBET Displaying American Woodcock at the Air Station Prairie 13Mar10 [Sulli Gibson ]
14 Mar IBET Montrose Horned Grebe and EC Dove ["Michal" ]
14 Mar IBET Re: North Pond Buffleheads ["Michal" ]
13 Mar IBET NO SIGHTING: Lake Springfield Snow Geese ["John CAVITT" ]
13 Mar IBET western lake county meanderings [Beau Schaefer ]
13 Mar IBET Whiteside Co. 13 Mar [douglas stotz ]
13 Mar IBET: DeKalb County birds ["Darrell Shambaugh" ]
13 Mar IBET NE Cook County 13Mar10 [Sulli Gibson ]
13 Mar IBET: Northern Shrike~Winnebago County ["John" ]
13 Mar IBET Fermi Lab and Montrose - March 13 [David Antieau ]
13 Mar Re: IBET test photo of Henslow's sparrow - NO SIGHTING [Christopher Cudworth ]
13 Mar IBET test photo of Henslow's sparrow - NO SIGHTING ["Dennis" ]
13 Mar RE: IBET Black Vulture in Winnebago County ["Craig Taylor" ]
13 Mar IBET Rosehill Cemetery Canvasback ["michelledevlin" ]
13 Mar IBET Black Vulture in Winnebago County ["Larry Balch" ]
13 Mar IBET bird webcams ["godnabb AT prodigy.net" ]
13 Mar IBET Central Kane County ["timbalassie" ]
13 Mar IBET North Pond Buffleheads []
13 Mar IBET barnacle goose (relayed sighting) [Dale Bowman ]
13 Mar IBET Various Stops In Kane Will & DuPage Counties ["YeanetteJ" ]
13 Mar IBET Evanston James Park - Sandhill Cranes ["mcvetas" ]
13 Mar IBET Clinton Lake with a Paridae Hybrid; De Witt Co; 03/12/10 ["prairie oak" ]
13 Mar IBET hawks today ["bissbirds AT juno.com" ]
13 Mar IBET Backyard Birds Bradley, IL ["seaglass3716" ]
12 Mar IBET North Pond adds a Greater scaup []
12 Mar IBET Lake County sightings/ice status [Jim Solum ]
12 Mar Re: IBET Whalon Lake (Will County) waterfowl ["mmadsen48" ]
12 Mar IBET Great Horned Owl on nest ["Steve" ]
12 Mar IBET Rosehill Cemetery and Chicago river - some FOY birds ["michelledevlin" ]
12 Mar IBET Bluebirds at Irons Oaks in Olympia Fields ["lmaeberry" ]
12 Mar Re: IBET Whalon Lake (Will County) waterfowl [Jeff Smith ]
12 Mar IBET hawks migrating today. ["bissbirds AT juno.com" ]
12 Mar IBET Female red winged Blackbird ["Janice" ]
12 Mar IBET Montrose (Chicago lakefront) - March 12 [David Antieau ]
12 Mar IBET no sighting: The Big Year-the movie, starting Steve Martin ["Rhonda \(Monroe\) Rothrock" ]
12 Mar IBET S. IL new arrivals ["Mcmullen, Keith A MVS" ]
12 Mar Re: IBET North Pond (Lincoln Park, Chgo) ["Michael L. Peters" ]

Subject: IBET Harris' Sparrow
From: David Antieau <dkantieau AT sbcglobal.net>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:50:17 -0700 (PDT)
Dear birders,

A big thanks to Dawn Smith (and her family) for allowing us to enter her yard 
and see this beautiful bird! 


I should have posted earlier, but I was somewhat undone when I found out that 
today's fiery crash, in Chicago, took the life of a young man I have known for 
many years. I found this out, by cell phone, about 15 minutes after seeing the 
Harris' Sparrow, so that took a lot of the joy out of the sighting for me. 


I waited in Dawn's yard 25 minutes before seeing the bird at about 10:45 a.m. 
It "appeared" high in the tree beyond the telephone pole on the northeast 
corner of Dawn's yard. It's possible it was there the entire time. The reason 
I say this is that when the bird moved just a few inches and turned its back on 
me, I had a hard time relocating it. It did this twice. Now this problem may 
be just a function of my color-blindedness, but maybe not. So, if Dawn keeps 
her invitation open, and you go to look for this bird and don't find it on the 
ground, it's possible that it's high in the same tree. With its back to you, 
it could take some work to find it. 


After I had been observing the sparrow for about ten minutes, on and off, it 
dropped down into the east side tree with feeder and I had good looks for about 
4 minutes before something scattered everything. I waited a couple more 
minutes, then left. I left the yard right about 11:00, so I must have just 
missed the next shift. 


I was surprised by the bird activity. 13 species. Next best was Fox Sparrow.

Good luck with this sparrow, and give yourself a little time.

For the birds,

Dave Antieau
dkantieau AT sbcglobal.net
Chicago, Cook County


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Harris Sparrow
From: "Nathan" <kidrobot.dunny AT gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:17:56 -0000
Sorry for not replying to Dawn's post. It just didn't seem to be working, so 
this is the same bird in her yard. 


Today, my mom and I went to go and try to see the Harris Sparrow around 4:15. 
We were successful and had some good views of it for about 30 secnds before it 
disappeared into another neighbor's yard. We then waited for about 15-20 
minutes, but it never came back. Thans, Dawn, for letting us see this amazing 
bird and to use your yard. Here is a link to the good photos that I managed to 
get: 


http://gallery.me.com/nathanrg/100129

Happily,

Nathan Goldberg
Cook County
Chicago
Subject: IBET Skokie Lagoons Migrants
From: Mary lou Mellon <marylou.mellon AT gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:52:42 -0500
Happy to report a couple of brown creepers and a golden-crowned kinglet at the 
meadow with the picnic shelter near Willow Road. 


Mary Lou Mellon
Northbrook, IL
Cook County
Subject: IBET Pheasant on the Westside
From: Luis Muoz <malango AT rcn.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:02:29 -0400
Ibeters,

Today there was a male Ringed-Necked Pheasant walking around Fillmore and 
Independence. It wasn't far from the train tracks. I'm assuming it's wandering 
around that corridor. 


It's been a while since I've seen one seen one on the westside of Chicago (mid 
to late '80s). Good birding all. 




Luis Muoz
malango AT rcn.com
Chicago

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Green River (No Sightings)
From: "ollie085" <ollie085 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:31:32 -0000
Tonight the ILDNR is having an open house at Green River State Wildlife Area to 
discuss the possibility of conducting prescribed fires this spring. The last 
year the ILDNR burnt the preserve, a peat fire burnt for two weeks, using 
millions of gallons of water to put it out. Neighbors had smoke problems and it 
caused a severe accident when someone made a U-turn in the smoke. The 
opposition will likely be well represented. If you are interested and support 
natural areas management, please try to attend. The meeting is from 6-8 pm 
TONIGHT at the check station on Game Road. 


Pete Oliver
Lee County
Subject: RE: IBET Harris Sparrow -
From: "Craig Taylor" <tnemec1 AT ameritech.net>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:13:13 -0500
The Harris Sparrow was present for Karen Manfield and 2 friends at about 11:15 
this AM. 


It returned for Tim Kuesel and I at around 12:15.

Craig A. Taylor
La Grange, Illinois
Cook County

"Behold the birds of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor 
gather into barns; yet 

your heavenly Father feedeth them. Matt. 6 : 26


-----Original Message-----
From: ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com]On Behalf
Of dawn smith
Sent: Monday, March 15, 2010 9:59 AM
To: ilbirds AT yahoogroups.com
Subject: IBET Harris Sparrow -





I am happy to share:


My address is 1879 N. Burling - close to halsted and armitage (one way south 
off armitage) The house 

is on the left and set back a bit: the address is on the fence. Many people 
drive past it on their 

first visit.


I will leave the north gate open - it's the best way to 'sneak up' on the 
birds. He's been hanging 

out along the east and south perimeter of the yard. Frankly, he's very easy to 
spot and the yard 

isn't that big. If he's there, you'll see him.


Good luck to all.


Dawn Smith






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links



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Subject: Re: IBET NO SIGHTING: Lake Springfield Snow Geese
From: Jane Ward <jward199 AT gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:14:45 -0500
That might explain where the Snow Geese were landing when Lake
Thompson at Emiquon was frozen over.

Here is an article about the geese with some good photos:
http://www.sj-r.com/carousel/x203403899/Rest-stop

In the article, Chris Young says "Snow geese have been making spring
appearances at Lake Springfield for some time now."

That is a lot of geese!

On 3/13/10, John CAVITT  wrote:
> Can anyone provide some history to the Snow Geese utilization of Lake
> Springfield?
>
> I saw this footage of the geese recently and was quite impressed.
>
> http://www.humzoo.com/videos/player/?vid=1503
>
> I currently live in Utah but don't recall such huge concentrations at the
> lake when I was back in Illinois ( - 1990).  I assume the ones that are
> stopping there in Spfld are likely migrating north to breed in James Bay,
> Canada (~1700 mile flight from their wintering grounds in Louisiana).
>
> I pulled out my old copy of Bohlen's Annotated Checklist of the Birds of
> Illinois and he makes no mention of them at Lake Springfield (other parts of
> the state and mainly in fall).  This was published in 1978.
>
> Thanks
>
> JFC
>
>
>
>
>
> John F. Cavitt PhD, Director
> Office of Undergraduate Research
> Professor of Zoology
>
> Mailing Address
> Dept. of Zoology
> Weber State University
> 2505 University Circle
> Ogden, UT 84408-2505
>
> (801) 626-6172
> (801) 626-8541
> Avian Ecology Lab
> (801) 626-8634
> cell:(801) 791-4438
> FAX: (801) 626-6861
> homepage: http://faculty.weber.edu/jcavitt
> http://departments.weber.edu/avianecologylab
>
>
>
>
>
> "A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and
> beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."
>
>
> Aldo Leopold
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>


-- 
Jane Ward
Lewistown, Illinois
http://walkwithmepart2.blogspot.com/
http://eaglenature.com/
Subject: IBET Peregrine Falcon Photos Grundy/Will Co.
From: "rattlinantler" <rattlinantler AT yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:15:46 -0000
This morning I photographed a Peregrine Falcon in Mazonia Fish & Wildlife Area. 
The peregrine did have a red leg band but I was unable to read it. I observed 
the Falcon for 30+ minutes perched in a dead tree and then it flew off over the 
Braidwood Cooling Lake. 


To view the photos...click here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rattlinantler/4435750784/


Don Blecha
Coal City
Grundy Co.
www.rattlinantler.com


Subject: IBET Cantigny Wild Turkeys? NO SIGHTINGS
From: "Jen Day" <royalskye06 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:15:17 -0000
I was just wondering if the Wild Turkeys can still be found at Cantigny Park?
Jennifer Day
Woodridge, IL
DuPage Co.
Subject: IBET Harris Sparrow -
From: dawn smith <mrssmith2 AT comcast.net>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:59:15 +0000 (UTC)


I am happy to share: 


My address is 1879 N. Burling - close to halsted and armitage (one way south 
off armitage) The house is on the left and set back a bit: the address is on 
the fence. Many people drive past it on their first visit. 



I will leave the north gate open - it's the best way to 'sneak up' on the 
birds. He's been hanging out along the east and south perimeter of the yard. 
Frankly, he's very easy to spot and the yard isn't that big. If he's there, 
you'll see him. 



Good luck to all. 


Dawn Smith 






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET AM. white pelicans flying southwest over Randolph Co.
From: "Rhonda \(Monroe\) Rothrock" <woodthrusheola8 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:55:39 -0700 (PDT)
Was nodding off in the back seat of the car (my hubby and mom were in the font 
seat) going north up Rt. 5, a couple miles north out of Rockwood, when a flock 
of white birds caught my attention.  It was about 200 Am. white pelicans 
flying southwest.  As we were only a few miles north of the Mississippi River, 
I suspect they were heading for the big river.  Have seen them in a bend of 
the Missisippi River about 10 miles south of Rockwood on different occasions.  


Rhonda Rothrock

Pomona, Jackson County, IL



“ooh, ooh, stepped in pooh”

phonetic/mnemonic of Swainson's warbler song as per Bob Behrstock and the late 
David Markley from 'On The Warblers of Texas'. 



      

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Legion Park, Chicago on Sunday, and question about coyote 'decoys'
From: casresearch AT comcast.net
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:47:13 +0000 (UTC)

On my way back from visiting a co-worker who is laid up for awhile after an 
injury, I stopped for a walk at Legion Park and vicinity in Chicago (North 
Shore Channel from Peterson to Foster and back again other side).  Always nice 
to re-visit this area, which I birded for many years when I lived in the city 
around North Park U. 




Highlights included: 



- two pairs (many others in the vicinity) of ROCK PIGEON, under the Peterson 
Avenue bridge, that were courting and mating.   One pair were touching bills 
when I first saw them, then walked in circles together for awhile and then 
mated, and then repeated the ritual a few other times. 




- one YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (heard a number of times, and saw once on my way 
back north on west side); probably one that over-wintered along the channel 




- female BELTED KINGFISHER 



- 3 COMMON GOLDENEYE (1 male, 2 female) 



- male AMERICAN KESTREL 



- RED-TAILED HAWK that stayed in the area east of the Northside College Prep 
High School and along the channel the entire time.   It was harassed by both 
(up to 5) American Crows and a number of Common Grackles off and on.   It 
perched on both the fence along the soccer field and in trees along the channel 
on the east side.   Able to get a number of photos. 




- on the lawn of the Northside College Prep High School soccer field there were 
about 15 'coyote decoys'.    This is the first time I've seen them there 
(other times I've birded there it wasn't soccer season).   I assume this is 
to try and lessen the number of geese on the fields leaving their droppings, 
making for 'safer soccer' and less mess.    There still were two geese and a 
couple of crows on the field regardless. 




Has anyone else seen businesses, schools or other spots use coyote decoys for 
this purpose before?    Swans I've seen but not coyotes.    Just 
wondering  ... 




If you are a member of Facebook, you can see a few photos of these somewhat 
silly looking coyotes at 


http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/album.php?aid=17960&id=100000142162219    


(or I can e-mail you a photo if you really want to see them!) 



Alan 



Alan Anderson, casresearch AT comcast.net , Des Plaines 








[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Northwestern University 3/13
From: "nelsopa" <nelsopa AT earlham.edu>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:30:35 -0000
Northwestern University 3/13

Hooded Mergansers, Common Mergansers, and a Great Black-backed Gull on the 
lagoon, and Horned Grebes on the lake, very close to the rip rap. Saw Wood 
Ducks here a week ago. 


Paul Nelson
Subject: Re: IBET Clinton Lake with a Paridae Hybrid; De Witt Co; 03/12/10
From: "B.G. Sloan" <bgsloan2 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:05:22 -0700 (PDT)
 
Here's another photo of the same sort of chickadee/titmouse hybrid that Matt 
Fraker photographed in central Illinois: 

 
http://www.wbu.com/chipperwoods/photos/hybridtt.htm (this one is from Indiana)
 
Bernie Sloan

--- On Fri, 3/12/10, prairie oak  wrote:


From: prairie oak 
Subject: IBET Clinton Lake with a Paridae Hybrid; De Witt Co; 03/12/10
To: ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com
Date: Friday, March 12, 2010, 9:45 PM


  



Sorry if this is a repost -- I had a little computer issue...

Greetings, everyone -- 

I posted a short field report with photos of a rare hybrid at:

http://www.ilbirds. com/index. php?topic= 33667.0

Thanks!

Matt Fraker
De Witt Co
03/12/10









      

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET North Pond Hooded Merganser
From: Steve Spitzer <steven0703 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:02:30 -0700 (PDT)
Hi Birders,

An interesting pose by the quirky North Pond Hooded Merganser

http://www.flickr.com/photos/happy_peasant/4433731958/

There are a few group shots of some of the other birds nearby if you care to 
look. with more coming. 


Besides all the North Pond Birds, Rosehill had a Canvasback and a Common 
Goldeneye this morning. 


Steve Spitzer
Chicago,Cook


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET North Park Village Eastern Bluebird & Brown Creeper
From: "Robert" <rkdx AT aol.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:23:14 -0000
An Eastern Bluebird landed on a tree branch right in front of me on the main 
loop near where it turns to go to the bridge. The Brown Creeper was running up 
the trees on the main loop near the bench in the woods. Brown Creepers are 
fairly common at North Park Village at this time of year. 


Feel free to visit, join & post to any of my Chicago nature photo groups on 
Flickr. 


http://www.flickr.com/groups/montrosepoint/

http://www.flickr.com/groups/northpond/

http://www.flickr.com/groups/southpond/

http://www.flickr.com/groups/weberspur
trail/

http://www.flickr.com/groups/chicagorailtrails/

Good birding

Robert Kramer,  aka: DrLenscap

http://www.flickr.com/photos/drlenscap/
Subject: IBET Harris's sparrow photo link
From: Dawn <mrssmith2 AT comcast.net>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:11:03 -0500
My friend, Bob Vogelzang, put up these photos of the Harris's sparrow that's 
been hanging around in my yard since Thursday. There are some great shots! I 
hope you enjoy them. 


http://www.flickr.com/photos/26527003 AT N06/sets/72157623622274006/


Now if I could just get him to put up the canvasback, wigeon, and merganser 
photos from today..... 



Dawn Smith
mrssmith2 AT comcast.net
chicago

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Harris's sparrow
From: Dawn <mrssmith2 AT comcast.net>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:05:16 -0500
The Harris's sparrow was still in my yard off and on all day. He's been around 
since Thursday. 


Dawn Smith
mrssmith2 AT comcast.net
Chicago, Illinois

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Kankakee Region: 3/12-14/2010
From: Jed Hertz <jhh_60910 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:39:42 -0700 (PDT)
Hi all,

The last three days I found 74 species in my survey area, including three FOY: 
oneTree Swallow at Willow Slough FWA, IN, two Eastern Phoebe at LeVasseur 
Park/Perry Farm(one giving "chip" call, the other "feebee"), and one Field 
Sparrow at mouth of Bourbonnais Creek Perry Farm. 


Also of interest, aMerlin powered by Sarah and I on our morning walk 
throughBeckman Park the other day - my 1st since Feb 5th, and three Eastern 
Towhee were heard at the entrance to Willow Slough FWA, Newton Co, IN on 
Saturday - my 1st since Jan 1st INWS CBC. 


BTW: Wild Turkey continueacrossthe river from Metro-Sewer in the open meadow 
area, as doestheRuby-crowned Kingletalong the Metro-sewerriver walk - 
singing this morning in the honeysuckle. 


Here'smy listwith earliest sightings and numbersshown:

Anatidae 17 
32 Canada Goose 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 
8 Wood Duck 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 
4 Gadwall 03/12/2010 IL, Whispering Willows Area, Kankakee Co 
12 American Wigeon 03/12/2010 IL, Whispering Willows Area, Kankakee Co 
11 Mallard 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 
4 Blue-winged Teal 03/12/2010 IL, Whispering Willows Area, Kankakee Co 
68 Northern Shoveler 03/12/2010 IL, Whispering Willows Area, Kankakee Co 
2 Northern Pintail 03/12/2010 IL, Whispering Willows Area, Kankakee Co 
24 Green-winged Teal 03/12/2010 IL, Whispering Willows Area, Kankakee Co 
6 Canvasback 03/13/2010 IN, Willow Slough FWA 
4 Redhead 03/12/2010 IL, Whispering Willows Area, Kankakee Co 
6 Ring-necked Duck 03/12/2010 IL, Whispering Willows Area, Kankakee Co 
7 Lesser Scaup 03/12/2010 IL, Whispering Willows Area, Kankakee Co 
2 Bufflehead 03/12/2010 IL, Whispering Willows Area, Kankakee Co 
6 Common Goldeneye 03/13/2010 IN, Willow Slough FWA 
8 Hooded Merganser 03/13/2010 IN, Willow Slough FWA 
3 Common Merganser 03/14/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 

Phasianidae 1 
1 Ring-necked Pheasant 03/12/2010 IL, Whispering Willows Area, Kankakee Co 

Melagrididae 1 
1 Wild Turkey 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 

Podicipedidae 1 
1 Pied-billed Grebe 03/13/2010 IN, Willow Slough FWA 

Ardeidae 1 
1 Great Blue Heron 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 

Cathartidae 1 
5 Turkey Vulture 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 

Accipitridae 6 
1 Bald Eagle 03/13/2010 IN, Willow Slough FWA 
1 Northern Harrier 03/14/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk 03/13/2010 IN, Willow Slough FWA 
1 Cooper's Hawk 03/12/2010 IL, Beckman Park, Kankakee, Kankakee Co 
1 Red-tailed Hawk 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 
1 Rough-legged Hawk 03/13/2010 IN, Willow Slough FWA 

Falconidae 1 
1 Merlin 03/12/2010 IL, Beckman Park, Kankakee, Kankakee Co 

Rallidae 1 
150 American Coot 03/13/2010 IN, Willow Slough FWA 

Gruidae 1 
4 Sandhill Crane 03/13/2010 IN, Willow Slough FWA 

Charadriidae 1 
3 Killdeer 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 

Laridae 1 
6 Ring-billed Gull 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 

Columbidae 2 
32 Rock Pigeon 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 
8 Mourning Dove 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 

Strigidae 1 
1 Great Horned Owl 03/14/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 

Cerylidae 1 
1 Belted Kingfisher 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 

Picidae 5 
1 Red-headed Woodpecker 03/13/2010 IN, Willow Slough FWA 
3 Red-bellied Woodpecker 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 
2 Downy Woodpecker 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 
1 Hairy Woodpecker 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 
2 Northern Flicker 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 

Tyrannidae 1 
2 Eastern Phoebe 03/14/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 

Corvidae 2 
3 Blue Jay 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 
3 American Crow 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 

Alaudidae 1 
3 Horned Lark 03/12/2010 IL, Whispering Willows Area, Kankakee Co 

Hirundinidae 1 
1 Tree Swallow 03/13/2010 IN, Willow Slough FWA 

Paridae 2 
2 Black-capped Chickadee 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 
1 Tufted Titmouse 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 

Sittidae 1 
3 White-breasted Nuthatch 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 


Certhiidae 1 
3 Brown Creeper 03/14/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 

Troglodytidae 1 
2 Carolina Wren 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 

Regulidae 1 
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 03/14/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 

Turdidae 2 
2 Eastern Bluebird 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 
4 American Robin 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 

Sturnidae 1 
14 European Starling 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 

Bombycillidae 1 
1 Cedar Waxwing 03/13/2010 IN, Willow Slough FWA 

Emberizidae 8 
3 Eastern Towhee 03/13/2010 IN, Willow Slough FWA 
1 American Tree Sparrow 03/12/2010 IL, Whispering Willows Area, Kankakee Co 
1 Field Sparrow 03/14/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 
2 Fox Sparrow 03/13/2010 IN, Willow Slough FWA 
4 Song Sparrow 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 
4 White-throated Sparrow 03/13/2010 IN, Willow Slough FWA 
14 Dark-eyed Junco 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 
32 Lapland Longspur 03/14/2010 IL, Whispering Willows Area, Kankakee Co 

Cardinalidae 1 
4 Northern Cardinal 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 

Icteridae 5 
8 Red-winged Blackbird 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 
2 Eastern Meadowlark 03/12/2010 IL, Whispering Willows Area, Kankakee Co 
3 Rusty Blackbird 03/12/2010 IL, Whispering Willows Area, Kankakee Co 
32 Common Grackle 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 
2 Brown-headed Cowbird 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 

Fringillidae 2 
3 House Finch 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 
3 American Goldfinch 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 

Passeridae 1 
18 House Sparrow 03/12/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co 


Jed Hertz
Kankakee, Kankakee Co, IL (60 mi South of Chicago)

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhertz/

Give "ebird" a try: http://ebird.org/content/ebird

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET lake county lakefront 3/14 am
From: Beau Schaefer <beauschaefer AT sbcglobal.net>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 20:14:50 -0500
 Sorry for the late post, but I've been gone the entire day until now. Had 3 
FOY birds this morning but the lake was fairly devoid of fowl save for some 
distant flyovers which were usually too tough for me to ID in the stiff wind. 
Highlights: 


Waukegan:
2 Hooded Mergansers
3 Bufflehead
11 Greater Scaup
1 Lesser Scaup
1 Common Merganser
10 Red-breasted mergansers
1 Glaucous Gull 1st cycle
3 Common Goldeneye

IBSP North:
3 FOY Eastern Meadowlarks

Spring Bluff FP:
2 Sandhill Cranes
2 Gadwall
8 FOY Green-winged Teal 
5 Greater Scaup
2 Common Goldeneye

NPM:
1 FOY Horned Grebe
1 fem. Ruddy Duck
13 Redhead
22 Greater Scaup
5 Gadwall
4 American Coot
2 Hooded Mergansers
3 Red-breasted Mergansers
10 Common Mergansers

Good Birding!
Beau Schaefer
round lake beach
lake county
beauschaefer AT sbcglobal.net


Subject: IBET Article on White Pelicans arriving in northern Illinois in April.
From: Christopher Cudworth <cudworthfix AT gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:45:14 -0500
Chicago Nature Examiner

http://tinyurl.com/yfe4mvs
*
*
*Hope you enjoy this article. Features my new painting (48" x 36") of white
pelicans.*
*
*
*Christopher Cudworth*
*Kane County  *


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET royal visit
From: Kevin Richmond <theeggman AT comcast.net>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:18:44 -0500
We were amused by the presence of a KING EIDER hen at Rice Lake  
Conservation Area (in Fulton Co.) this morning. It was out in the  
"middle" of the lake - east of the headquarters area. It did not do  
any feeding during the time that we were watching it.

Kevin Richmond
Morton, Illinois
Subject: IBET Thatcher Woods--Eastern Bluebirds
From: Puck <lildud20001 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 17:01:20 -0700 (PDT)
In Thatcher Woods north of Chicago Ave this afternoon I encountered a pair of 
male Eastern Bluebirds in the woods just south of the parking lot. 


Adrian Marquez
Oak Park
Cook County


      
Subject: IBET Rollins Savanna Meadowlarks Sunday pm
From: "Amy" <amy AT wolfstad.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:52:36 -0000
During a late afternoon walk at Rollins Savanna today my husband and I heard 
several (saw one) Eastern Meadowlarks singing. Lots of water/fluddles but we 
only had Mallards, Canada Geese & two Mute Swans for waterfowl. The main path 
in the northeast corner of the preserve was slightly flooded (max 1" deep); the 
'discovery trail' at the south side was deeply flooded. 


Amy Evenstad
Round Lake Beach, Lake County
Subject: IBET: Kendall County Sunday
From: "Darrell Shambaugh" <d.shambaugh AT mchsi.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 17:48:39 -0500
I birded a few places in Kendall County today. I found some first of the
year birds and some good Kendal County birds. 
 
An EASTERN MEADOWLARK was on the power wire on Sandy Bluff Road in the
pasture north of Maremech Forest Preserve.
 
I walked west on the road parralel to the railroad tracks at Hoover Forest
Preserve. I flushed a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, and saw a COOPER'S HAWK fly over.
On my return walk a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER was in the trees by the houses
south of the railroad tracks. This is the earliest (by 7 days) spring
sapsucker I've ever seen. 
 
There was nothing in the Minkler Road quarries. 
 
On Cherry Road about a half mile west (or maybe south) of its intersection
with Plainfield Road a GREAT HORNED OWL is sitting on a nest. This is the
third GH OWL nest I've found this year. Last year I might have found one!
 
There is a cemetery on Simmons Road that had a flock of geese including 4
CACKLING GEESE and 3 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED. There rwere also about 15
RING-BILLED GULLS and a half-dozen Killdeer there. 
 
On the next road north of there about 250 CANADA GEESE were in a flooded
field. About 10 NORTHERN SHOVELERS and 40 MALLARDS were with them. 
 
In Kane COunty, in the sub division north of Wolf's Crossing School, several
RING-NECKED DUCKS were in a pond. 
 
I checked the Route 30 Fox River bridge area for Blad Eagles but didn't see
any. 
 
Eldamain Marsh, on Eldamain Road north of Route 34 had a few RING-NECKED
DUCKS. 
 
I didn't want to get skunked by Bald Eagles today, so I went past Silver
Springs State Park again to look for the resident eagles. They weren't out
in the drizzle, but about 30 SANDHILL CRANES flew over, the first new
species I've seen at Silver Springs since October 2003 and my 222nd Kendall
County species. 
 
Darrell Shambaugh
Somonauk DeKalb County


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Sunday "Car Birding" Lake Co. -IP Grove, 45&Winchester Lake and Almond Marsh
From: "tvlewin AT sbcglobal.net" <tvlewin@sbcglobal.net>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:27:20 -0000
We took a ride today to three spots in Lake County where lakes were just
starting to have open areas of water with ice.  Starting at Almond
Marsh, the big news is one of the tripod platforms has a Great Blue
Heron taking up residence.  I saw six others that were in nests in the
remaining trees.  The ice at Almond Marsh is still covering most of the
water so there was not much else to look at.

At the pond at the SE Corner of 45 & Winchester, there is now a lot of
open water.   In addition to a lot of Herring Gulls, we saw Red-winged
Blackbirds (a sure sign of Spring) and the dominant geese were standing
on the coveted muskrat mounds for nesting.

Independence Grove was interesting, because 70% of the Lake is still
covered with ice.  In the one open area of water we saw 3 Redbreasted
Mergandsers diving for fish.  There were about 10 Common Goldeneyes
swimming (male/female) and a lot of Herring Gulls on the edge of the ice
.  There were muskrats on the ice running around and diving into holes.
I think as the ice continues to clear there will be a lot of action here
with all the fish in the lake. (Last April we saw Common Loons and
Horned Grebes fishing there)

Overall, it is still pretty chilly out there so we kept our adventures
close to the parking lots.  I am getting pretty psyched up for Spring
Birding!

Tom Lewin

Grayslake, IL

Subject: IBET North Pond,, Chicago
From: "chession07" <chession AT hessionassociates.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:13:12 -0000
The same waterfowl which showed up earlier this week still present at North 
Pond, Chicago in Lincoln Park as of 1 pm Sunday. Along with the overwintering 
Wood Ducks, male Wigeon, on/off Hooded Merganser, the "new arrivals" were on 
display: Bufflehead (2), Redhead (4), Canvasback (1), Ring Necked (2) and Scaup 
(1). A bit curious to see how the solitary Wigeon and Canvasback were sticking 
together. 


Chris Hession
Chicago, Cook County 
Subject: IBET: northwest Winnebago Co. on Sunday
From: "Daniel & Barbara Williams" <twotringas AT gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:05:10 -0500
Larry Balch, Barbara and I spent 4 hours in northwest Winnebago County this
morning.  Highlights included:  7 Trumpeter Swans at the Howard Farm on IL
70 between Rockford and Durand (1 had a yellow neck band with black letters,
which, I believe, is from the Wisconsin project);  over 600 White-fronted
Geese and 1 Ross's Goose at the same place (only 75 or so were hanging out
with the swans when we first arrived, but a Bald Eagle flew over in the
distant south and put hundreds of waterfowl and Sandhill Cranes into the
air--many of the White-fronts came toward us and landed with the swans--the
Ross's Goose and about half of the White-fronts went further east). Howard
Farm also had 17 Hooded Mergansers in a farm pond behind the white barn at
the red gate.

More White-fronted Geese (73) and several Cackling Geese were in a flooded
field at the very east end of Moody Road, which is east of the
Moody/Blodgett road intersection, west of Rockton;  that area including
Nygren Wetlands, also had 5 Black Ducks along Meridian Road north of IL 75,
35 Hooded Mergansers, Common Mergansers (21) and Red-breasted Merganser (1)
(all 3 species of mergs at Nygren Wetlands), and a smattering of puddle
ducks (Am. Wigeon, N. Pintail, N. Shoveler, Wood Ducks) here and there.

Dan Williams
Rockford


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Rosehill - Bluebirds and Woodcock
From: "michelledevlin" <michelledevlin AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:38:02 -0000
For the fifth time this week, my husband and I decided to take a walk at 
Rosehill Cemetery (needed peace and quiet after yesterdays festivites). We came 
across at least two Eastern Bluebirds and then a Blue Jay a minute later. A bit 
later, we decided to walk in different directions. He called me two minutes 
later to tell me he just saw a woodcock - this is what always happens. However, 
we were still pretty close to each other and it had flown in my direction - so 
for once, I was able to get some really good looks. Last year, on Sunday March 
15th we also saw bluebirds here - so I was kind of hoping we would be lucky and 
we were! 


Also, didn't see it today, but yesterday, there was a coyote. I think at least 
two live there. Some people put food out for them - we have really seen them a 
lot over the winter. 


Michelle Devlin
Chicago
Subject: IBET Last week's Surf Scoter
From: "Dennis" <avocet2236 AT comcast.net>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:08:21 -0600
This Pic was taken at Fullerton Ave. Beach last week at 10 am. I realize this 
is late. I'm still getting to know how to send Pics using Flickr. 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22260339 AT N05/4432698190/in/photostream/ 





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Shrike NPM/Snipe Rollins Sunday a.m.
From: Jim Solum <Solum11 AT msn.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:58:14 -0500
This morning along the entrance to North Point Marina, I was surprised to see 
the NORTHERN SHRIKE was still present! 

At Rollins Savanna I flushed a WILSON'S SNIPE in a small fluddle on the south 
end of the preserve. Also there, 2 male GREEN-WINGED TEAL. 

Good Birding!Jim SolumSolum AT msn.comGurneeLake County 		 	   		  

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Snow Geese at Emiquon, Fulton County Thurs Mar 12
From: Jane Ward <jward199 AT gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:00:07 -0500
On Thursday, with 68 degree weather, Thompson Lake was wide open.
Ducks and Coots were not as plentiful as they were just a few days
ago, and we weren't seeing many geese flying over. However, as we
approached the far southern end of the lake, we could see a long line
of white about a mile out on the water. We turned around at the
National Wildlife Refuge and stopped at the pull-off directly across
from the line of white. Before I could get out of the car, the Snow
Geese making up this long line started rising from the water. Scott
and I estimate about 50,000 geese in this flock. It was fun to watch
them rise and fall, rearranging themselves in the water, but not
leaving.

I updated my blog this morning:
http://walkwithmepart2.blogspot.com/2010/03/more-snow-geese.html

-- 
Jane Ward
Lewistown, Illinois
http://walkwithmepart2.blogspot.com/
http://eaglenature.com/
Subject: Re: IBET Playing Robins; Migrating Robins 300+
From: <astraight4 AT verizon.net>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 11:25:02 -0500
Nice - Saturday my yard was full of Robins, I counted up to 300+ and that 
was just looking out my back window.  The trees were full and the yard and 
the field in back was full. That was probably a low count and I didn't even 
go out front to see if those areas had any. This was late yesterday, perhaps 
looking for a roost for the night.

Anne Straight
Forreston, IL (Ogle County) 
Subject: IBET European Goldfinches in Lake County
From: Peter Bullock <pybullock AT gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:09:34 -0500
Had a pair of European Goldfinches at the feeder this morning.  They've been
reported around Waukegan, but these are the first I've ever seen. Peter
Bullock, Waukegan Lake County


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Canon Camera Folks might like this ad - ( No Sighting )
From: "Kep" <orink AT t6b.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:58:30 -0000
 Hi, all:

 While posting a comment about my Allerton Park Pileated Woodpecker video to a 
Pileated Woodpecker video shown at the burder link listed below, I noticed an 
ad in the right margin that might appeal to Canon Camera users in the IBET 
community. 

 
http://www.burdr.com/2010/02/pileated-woodpecker-calls-while-excavating-nest/#disqus_thread 


  The tiny url link is: http://preview.tinyurl.com/yk2vkx9

As Ever, Orin
Subject: IBET Playing Robins
From: "grandparob11" <grandparob11 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 05:18:22 -0000
I think sometimes I take Robins forgranted. Today I was reminded why these very 
common birds are so great! I took a wet and cold hike though Glacial Park in 
Ringwood Il. I saw Canada geese, Eastern bluebird, Red-winged Blackbirds, and I 
heard but didn't see Sandhill Cranes. Among the birds I spent time with today 
by far the American Robins were the best. I walked to the top of the glacial 
kames and was greeted by about 15+ Robins running around on the ground. This 
was the first time I've seen this many Robins just hanging out on the top of 
the kames (usually Tree Swallows out # any other birds during the summer). 
These Robins today were just running around through these sticks, it looked 
like they were playing hide and seek while looking for worms in the rain soaked 
ground. It was so much fun watching them. 


Link to photos below 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33747488 AT N05/

Robert Thompson 
Ringwood Il. 
McHenry County 
Subject: IBET Des Plaines, Glenview area preserves on Saturday
From: casresearch AT comcast.net
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:54:31 +0000 (UTC)

Enjoyed a bit of birding in the mist at a few Des Plaines, Glenview and 
Wheeling forest preserves this afternoon. 




- Belleau Lake FP (Busse Hwy north of Potter):   12 species; 12 Dark-eyed 
Junco 




- pond on Luther Lane by parking lot for Lutheran General Hospital, north of 
Dempster:   GREAT BLUE HERON feeding successfully 




- Big Bend FP (Dee/E.River Road south of Golf):   9 species 

     RING-NECKED DUCK (3M, 1F), COMMON MERGANSER (pair), RED-BREASTED 
MERGANSER (M), BELTED KINGFISHER (M) 




- Beck Lake FP (Central Road):   12 species;   adult RED-TAILED HAWK 
spooking a number of Ring-billed and Herring Gulls that were sitting on the 
ice; a number of pairs of Canada Geese on their 'nesting island'; flock of 11 
AMERICAN CROW 




- Dam #2 Woods (River Road south of Lake/Euclid):  8 species; female COMMON 
GOLDENEYE, chipping EASTERN PHOEBE 




Many dozens of robins on the lawns of the Mount Prospect business park 
(Business Park Drive), as well as at Oakton College. 




After taking our dog for a walk, noticed neighborhood pair of COOPER'S HAWKS 
sitting in treetop of our neighbor's maple; they had just spooked a large flock 
of grackles and starlings on lawn across cul-de-sac;   male was giving 'kik' 
call;  went in for my camera but when I returned they had flown off.   




Good birding, 



Alan 





Alan Anderson, casresearch AT comcast.net , Des Plaines, Cook Co. 




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Huntley, McHenry County, Greater White-fronted and Cackling Goose, 3-13-09
From: "samburckhardt" <rawsbb AT mac.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:39:06 -0000
Coming back from a great trip to Horicon Marsh, WI, we say a large flock of 
about 150 CANADA GEESE West of 47, just North of Huntley in McHenry County. In 
among them were 8 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and 1 CACKLING GOOSE. After 
seeing many SANDHILL CRANES and HORNED LARKS in Wisconsin, I was very happy to 
see my FOY Sandhills and Horned Larks in Illinois, together with an EASTERN 
MEADOWLARK. 


Sam Burckhardt
Chicago
Cook County

Subject: IBET Iceland Gull in Illinois? (No sightings)
From: "Amar" <amarayyash AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 03:15:15 -0000
I've started a discussion on the status of the nominate race of Iceland Gull 
(L. glaucoides) on IBF. Your comments are welcomed. 


http://www.ilbirds.com/index.php?topic=33703.new

Thanks,
Amar Ayyash
Frankfort IL
Will County
Subject: IBET Displaying American Woodcock at the Air Station Prairie 13Mar10
From: Sulli Gibson <sulli.gibson AT comcast.net>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 02:31:14 +0000 (UTC)
13 March 2010 


Dick Paulson and I observed 7 or 8 American Woodcocks displaying at the Air 
Station Prairie this evening. They were spread throughout the whole prairie. 
When we checked last weekend we found none. 



Sulli Gibson 
Northfield, IL 

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Montrose Horned Grebe and EC Dove
From: "Michal" <mifur2 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:11:58 -0000
Montrose was drizzly and very, very quiet this afternoon. The previously 
mentioned HORNED GREBE was still in the harbor. 

Magic Hedge produced only some Sparrows, Juncos and rather surprising EURASIAN 
COLLARED DOVE, which made up for a nice birding concolation prize ... 


Michal Furmanek
Des Plaines, Cook Co.
Subject: IBET Re: North Pond Buffleheads
From: "Michal" <mifur2 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:04:04 -0000
It looks like the list of waterfowl species in North Pond is growing every day. 
I was there today around 1 pm and found all those birds still there plus 1 male 
HOODED MERGANSER and 1 male COMMON GOLDENEYE present. 

There was also a large (by the city standards ;) flock of blackbirds with about 
90 Common Grackles and 30 Red-winged Blackbirds. 


Michal Furmanek
Des Plaines, Cook Co.



--- In ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com, NorekJ AT ... wrote:
>
> A couple of Buffleheads have joined the Canvasback, 4 Readheads, 2 
> Ringed-neck ducks, 1 Greater scaup, Wigeon, Am. Black ducks, Wood ducks etc. 
at 

> North Pond this morning at North Pond, about 8 am, 3/13/10.
>  
> Phyllis Petrilli (who kindly held my dogs while I used her binocs) had seen 
> the Horned grebe at Montrose earlier this morning.
>  
> North Pond is in Lincoln Park just north of the zoo across Fullerton Ave.  
> It is not very wide, scopes are not needed to really see the birds on the 
> water.
>  
> Joan Norek
> Chicago

Subject: IBET NO SIGHTING: Lake Springfield Snow Geese
From: "John CAVITT" <JCAVITT AT weber.edu>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:41:56 -0700
Can anyone provide some history to the Snow Geese utilization of Lake 
Springfield? 

 
I saw this footage of the geese recently and was quite impressed.  

http://www.humzoo.com/videos/player/?vid=1503
 
I currently live in Utah but don't recall such huge concentrations at the lake 
when I was back in Illinois ( - 1990). I assume the ones that are stopping 
there in Spfld are likely migrating north to breed in James Bay, Canada (~1700 
mile flight from their wintering grounds in Louisiana). 

 
I pulled out my old copy of Bohlen's Annotated Checklist of the Birds of 
Illinois and he makes no mention of them at Lake Springfield (other parts of 
the state and mainly in fall). This was published in 1978. 

 
Thanks
 
JFC
 
 
 
 
 
John F. Cavitt PhD, Director
Office of Undergraduate Research
Professor of Zoology

Mailing Address
Dept. of Zoology
Weber State University
2505 University Circle
Ogden, UT 84408-2505

(801) 626-6172
(801) 626-8541
Avian Ecology Lab 
(801) 626-8634
cell:(801) 791-4438
FAX: (801) 626-6861
homepage: http://faculty.weber.edu/jcavitt
http://departments.weber.edu/avianecologylab





"A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and
beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."


Aldo Leopold


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET western lake county meanderings
From: Beau Schaefer <beauschaefer AT sbcglobal.net>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:04:37 -0600
 I was able to finally get out after waiting for our garbage disposal to be 
replaced this morning. I headed first to Forest Ave. in Fox Lake where I saw a 
good number of COMMON MERGANSERS, 1 PIED-BILLED GREBE, a small group of about 
15 GREATER SCAUP, and 6 BUFFLEHEAD. There was a good amount of open water in 
Nippersink Lake but Mineola Bay and the east side of Fox Lake are still frozen. 
Then headed to W. Grand ave. where I was able to pick out, at some distance, 
more COMMON MERGANSER and a few COMMON GOLDENEYE, 2 more PIED-BILLED GREBES, 2 
GADWALL, and a raft of about 30 CANVASBACK nearer the center of Pistakee Lake. 
Next stop was COLSP where my wife and I saw 4 SANDHILL CRANES and a copulating 
pair of EASTERN RED-TAILED HAWKS. We attempted briefly to walk the Goldfinch 
trail but due to rain and a lot of ice on the trail, that attempt was aborted 
fairly quickly. 

 After lunch, I headed over to Rollins to see if I could find a Rusty 
Blackbird, but the only birds at Rollins were RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, COMMON 
GRACKLES, AMERICAN ROBINS, MOURNING DOVES, and flyover Mallards and Canada 
Geese. I only checked the north end of the preserve, but the main pond and all 
visible water, save for fluddles here and there, was frozen. I also checked 
Third Lake, Druce Lake, Highland Lake, and Round Lake; all of which were 
frozen. I'm starting to wonder how long it will be before open water returns on 
the smaller lakes. Hopefully by the end of this week there will be some open 
water for the waterfowl. I'm getting just a wee bit impatient to say the least. 


Good Birding!
Beau Schaefer
round lake beach
lake county
beauschaefer AT sbcglobal.net


Subject: IBET Whiteside Co. 13 Mar
From: douglas stotz <dfstotz AT gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:01:48 -0600
I went out to Whiteside Co. this morning.  It turned out to be a good choice
as I was west of the rain that dominated the Chicago area.  I swa a total of
60 species.  Most notable were geese.  6480 WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were the
highlight, but I had a total of 1600 CANADA, 42 SNOW, 24 CACKLING and 4
ROSS'S.  Most of the geese were around the town of Erie in fields both east
and west of town.  Although most water was frozen, I still managed 12
species of ducks, with Big Bend SFWA easily the best area.  Ihad two groups
of TRUMPETER SWANS; 9 along I-88 east of Lyndon Rd., and 7 in a flooded
field east of Erie. There were several thousand blackbirds.  Just south of
the Rock River on Erie Rd (take 5th south out of Erie), there was a
blackbird flock I estimated at 1300 birds.  It included about 400 RUSTY
BLACKBIRDS and 20ish BREWER'S.  The Brewer's stuck to grassy areas around
the road while the Rusties mostly hung around low-lying flooded areas out in
a field on the east side of the road.
      Other things of interest included 6 TURKEYS, 5 BALD EAGLES, a
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, 2 FOX SPAAROWS and a flock of LAPLAND LONGSPURS.

Doug Stotz

-- 
Douglas Stotz
Conservation Ecologist/Ornithologist
Environmental and Conservation Programs
Field Museum of Natural History
1400 S. Lake Shore Dr.
Chicago, IL 60605

Phone: (312)-665-7438
Fax:  (312)-665-7433
e-mail:  dstotz AT fieldmuseum.org


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET: DeKalb County birds
From: "Darrell Shambaugh" <d.shambaugh AT mchsi.com>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:19:43 -0600
I went out in the rain this afternoon. Not much going on. Jack Pizzo's
property north of Somonauk had several Killdeer and some American Tree
Sparrows. The only ducks were a couple Mallards. 
 
Shabbona Lake State Park had a few birds. Most of Shabbona Lake is still
frozen. In the unfrozen parts there were about 25 Common Mergansers, 2
Common Goldeneye, and 8 Hooded Mergansers. About 15 gulls were flying
around. Most were Ring-billed, but at least one Herring Gull was there. 
 
In the trees by the outhouse south of the parking lot by the bait shop two
Fox Sparrows were kicking around in the leaves. 
 
There is a Great Horned Owl on a nest in the pine trees at the corner of
Preserve Road and Leland Road. 
 
I stopped at the parking lot on Univerisity Road to check on the attack
cardinal. He was in the trees west of the parking area when I pulled up to
his usual tree. He sat there checking me out for about 2 minutes before he
came over and landed on my passenger side mirror. Then he sat in the tree
and sang for a few minutes. He came down and landed on the mirror on my side
for a second. I had the window open about 4 inches and I thought he was
going to come in, but he flew back up in the tree. A close call!
 
Darrell Shambaugh
Somonauk, DeKalb County


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET NE Cook County 13Mar10
From: Sulli Gibson <sulli.gibson AT comcast.net>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:58:02 +0000 (UTC)
13 March 2010 


Dick Paulson and I birded at a number of locations in Cook County this morning 
from about 6:55am until 9:15am. Our highlights are below: 



NORTHFIELD FIRE STATION FIELD (Winnetka Road) 
American Woodcock - 1 (flushed) 
American Tree Sparrow - 50+ 
Song Sparrow - 12 
White-throated Sparrow - 2 
Dark-eyed Junco - 6 


FORESTWAY DR (at pull-ofs, minimal amount of open water) 
Gadwall - 1 
Common Goldeneye - 6 
Red-breasted Merganser - 25 (courting) 
Common Merganser - 45 
Great Blue Heron - 1 
Eastern Bluebird - 1 
White-throated Sparrow - 1 


WAUKEGAN AND WILLOW RD RETENTION BASIN (4 Northern Shoveler seen on 9Mar10) 
(nothing of note seen) 


TECHNY BASIN CONSERVATION AREA 
Gadwall - 2 (male/female pair) 
Common Merganser - 1 (male) 
American Tree Sparrow - 4 
Song Sparrow - 6 
Dark-eyed Junco - 5 (1 singing) 


AIR STATION PRAIRIE 
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1 (immature) 


LAKE GLENVIEW (significant ice cover) 
American Tree Sparrow - 2 
Song Sparrow - 2 


Sulli Gibson 
Northfield, Illinois 

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET: Northern Shrike~Winnebago County
From: "John" <mesquakie8 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:57:01 -0000
On my way out to Sand Bluff Bird Observatory to help put up the nets for spring 
migration I finally saw a NORTHERN SHRIKE on Forest Preserve Road. I've been 
looking all winter for one of these guys and not until March 13th do I finally 
get to see one! Wow, it has been a tough winter for bird variety this year. 
Also my FOY EASTERN MEADOWLARK on Haas Road this morning, you've got to love 
"Spring of the year" call from these birds. 


John Longhenry
Rockford, IL
Subject: IBET Fermi Lab and Montrose - March 13
From: David Antieau <dkantieau AT sbcglobal.net>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:29:51 -0800 (PST)
Dear birders,

Highlights of birding that Fran Morel and I did at Montrose and Fermi, were all 
at Fermi, including: Great Horned Owl, American Woodcock (Fran only, while 
taking a little "break"), 

Eastern Bluebird, Rusty Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, and Yellow-rumped 
Warbler. 


Except for Rusty Blackbird, any number that is a multiple of 5 is probably an 
estimate. 


I checked "Giant" for Canada Goose, but I'm not sure if most of our geese fall 
in the giant or medium category. 


Location: FermiLab (DuPage Co.)
Observation date: 3/13/10
Number of species: 34

Canada Goose (Giant) 50
Mallard 100
Canvasback 2
Redhead 8
Ring-necked Duck 1
Lesser Scaup 6
Bufflehead 2
Common Merganser (North American) 200
Ruddy Duck 1
Great Blue Heron 1
Red-tailed Hawk (Eastern) 2
American Coot 1
Killdeer 2
Ring-billed Gull 40
Herring Gull (American) 1
Rock Pigeon 1
Mourning Dove 2
Great Horned Owl 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
American Crow 10
Horned Lark 3
Black-capped Chickadee 2
Eastern Bluebird 2
American Robin 50
European Starling 100
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
American Tree Sparrow 100
Song Sparrow 20
Dark-eyed Junco 2
Northern Cardinal 5
Red-winged Blackbird 250
Rusty Blackbird 15
Common Grackle 30
American Goldfinch 1

American Woodcock - Fran is species 35 for this location

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)



Location: Montrose Point, Lincoln Park (Chicago)
Observation date: 3/13/10
Notes: This is my first time doing e-bird. Many of these observations are 
estimates. 

Number of species: 18

Canada Goose (Giant) 15
Mallard 10
Greater Scaup 4
Common Goldeneye 10
Common Merganser 10
Red-breasted Merganser 5
Ring-billed Gull 100
Rock
 Pigeon 12
American Crow 15
Black-capped Chickadee 1
American Robin 30
European Starling 20
American Tree Sparrow 10
Song Sparrow 5
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 30
Common Grackle 10
House Sparrow 5

Also 1 American Coot that I left off my first e-bird list (19 total species).

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

For the birds,

Dave Antieau
dkantieau AT sbcglobal.net


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: Re: IBET test photo of Henslow's sparrow - NO SIGHTING
From: Christopher Cudworth <cudworthfix AT gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 14:17:31 -0600
Dennis: Good job. Works pretty tsi-lick! doesn't it?

cc

On Sat, Mar 13, 2010 at 1:15 PM, Dennis  wrote:

>
>
> Please be patient with me as I learn how to do this. I'm posting a link to
> a picture on flckr.
> Dennis Lane
>
> Here's the link.
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/22260339 AT N05/4430109872/
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>  
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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Subject: IBET test photo of Henslow's sparrow - NO SIGHTING
From: "Dennis" <avocet2236 AT comcast.net>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:15:01 -0600
Please be patient with me as I learn how to do this. I'm posting a link to a 
picture on flckr. 

Dennis Lane   

Here's the link.  
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22260339 AT N05/4430109872/




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: RE: IBET Black Vulture in Winnebago County
From: "Craig Taylor" <tnemec1 AT ameritech.net>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:52:05 -0600
Checking eBird, Black Vultures have been seen in Illinois January thru present 
in southern Illinois. 


1/22/10  Union Co.   17
1/22/10  Massac Co.  X
2/5/10  Pulaski Co.  2
2/5/10  Massac Co. 1
2/28/10  Massac Co.  3
3/5/10  Hardin Co. X
3/6/10  Pope Co.  X
3/7/10  Johnson Co.  2

Craig A. Taylor
La Grange, Illinois
Cook County

"Behold the birds of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor 
gather into barns; yet 

your heavenly Father feedeth them. Matt. 6 : 26



-----Original Message-----
From: ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com]On Behalf
Of Larry Balch
Sent: Saturday, March 13, 2010 11:05 AM
To: ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com
Subject: IBET Black Vulture in Winnebago County


Thursday afternoon, after the clouds broke up and the rain stopped, my wife and 
I were driving down 

Spring Creek Road in Rockford, where the speed limit is 45 mph. I pointed out 
to her a Turkey 

Vulture that was crossing over headed directly north. A few blocks later, as we 
approached Alpine, 

headed west, I spotted another vulture up ahead, just north of the road. Almost 
immediately, I noted 

and remarked to her in surprise that it was flying like a Black Vultureflap, 
glide, flap, glide. 

The bird was circling back toward the road, and I desperately wanted to get a 
better look at it. So, 

while negotiating the slight curve through the intersection, and trying not to 
get run over in the 

moderate traffic, I managed to slide open the moonroof (no birder should be 
without one!) just 

before the bird passed directly over the opening in the roof, perhaps 100-150 
feet above us. In the 

split second it was visible, I clearly saw the white in the primaries of both 
wings. Unfortunately, 

the fast-moving traffic and a lack of side streets prevented us from turning 
around to try to find 

the bird again.

I'm not sure when this species returns to southern Illinois, but Cornell Lab 
says it returns to 

Missouri in late February and early March. Some raptors were clearly moving 
that afternoon, as 

within 5-10 minutes we also saw a Red-tailed Hawk and a Red-shouldered Hawk 
moving over that urban 

neighborhood, and just before dusk, we saw a group of 6 Northern Harriers 
sitting together on the 

ground at Nygren Wetland Preserve just north of Rockford.

Larry Balch
Winnebago County



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Subject: IBET Rosehill Cemetery Canvasback
From: "michelledevlin" <michelledevlin AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:22:41 -0000
Saw one in Ravenswood pond which is now unthawed. Nothing else of much 
interest. 


Michelle Devlin
Chicago
Subject: IBET Black Vulture in Winnebago County
From: "Larry Balch" <lgbalch AT comcast.net>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:05:08 -0000
Thursday afternoon, after the clouds broke up and the rain stopped, my wife and 
I were driving down Spring Creek Road in Rockford, where the speed limit is 45 
mph. I pointed out to her a Turkey Vulture that was crossing over headed 
directly north. A few blocks later, as we approached Alpine, headed west, I 
spotted another vulture up ahead, just north of the road. Almost immediately, I 
noted and remarked to her in surprise that it was flying like a Black 
Vultureflap, glide, flap, glide. The bird was circling back toward the road, 
and I desperately wanted to get a better look at it. So, while negotiating the 
slight curve through the intersection, and trying not to get run over in the 
moderate traffic, I managed to slide open the moonroof (no birder should be 
without one!) just before the bird passed directly over the opening in the 
roof, perhaps 100-150 feet above us. In the split second it was visible, I 
clearly saw the white in the primaries of both wings. Unfortunately, the 
fast-moving traffic and a lack of side streets prevented us from turning around 
to try to find the bird again. 


I'm not sure when this species returns to southern Illinois, but Cornell Lab 
says it returns to Missouri in late February and early March. Some raptors were 
clearly moving that afternoon, as within 5-10 minutes we also saw a Red-tailed 
Hawk and a Red-shouldered Hawk moving over that urban neighborhood, and just 
before dusk, we saw a group of 6 Northern Harriers sitting together on the 
ground at Nygren Wetland Preserve just north of Rockford. 


Larry Balch
Winnebago County
Subject: IBET bird webcams
From: "godnabb AT prodigy.net" <godnabb@prodigy.net>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:58:21 -0000
FYI there are 2 cool webcams I have been watching-
one is an eagle nest in British Columbia : 
http://www.cbc.ca/bc/features/eaglecam/ 


and the other is a hummingbird nest (I think in CA):  http://phoebeallens.com/

I show them to my Biology students (High school) and my 5 1/2 yr old loves 
watching them too. Enjoy, 

Betsy G.
Subject: IBET Central Kane County
From: "timbalassie" <tbalassie AT sbcglobal.net>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:28:12 -0000
Stopped by two forest preserves yesterday.

Lone Grove:
American Crow
American Robin
American Tree Sparrow
Blue Jay
Brown Creeper
Chickadee
Common Grackle
Dark-eyed Junco
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Bluebird
Killdeer
Northern Cardinal
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-winged Blackbird
Rusty Blackbird
Song Sparrow
White-breasted Nuthatch

Then to Sauer Prairie:
American Black Duck
American Crow
American Robin
American Wigeon
Cackling Goose
Canada Goose
Greater White-fronted Goose
Eastern Meadowlark
Killdeer
Mallard Duck
Northern Pintail
Redhead
Red-winged Blackbird

Take a scope if you can; these birds don't like people...

Tim Balassie
Kane Co., IL
http://www.kanecountyaudubon.org/
Subject: IBET North Pond Buffleheads
From: NorekJ AT aol.com
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:55:23 EST
A couple of Buffleheads have joined the Canvasback, 4 Readheads, 2 
Ringed-neck ducks, 1 Greater scaup, Wigeon, Am. Black ducks, Wood ducks etc. at 

North Pond this morning at North Pond, about 8 am, 3/13/10.
 
Phyllis Petrilli (who kindly held my dogs while I used her binocs) had seen 
the Horned grebe at Montrose earlier this morning.
 
North Pond is in Lincoln Park just north of the zoo across Fullerton Ave.  
It is not very wide, scopes are not needed to really see the birds on the 
water.
 
Joan Norek
Chicago
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Intellectual Property
_www.noreklaw.com_ (http://www.noreklaw.com/) 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET barnacle goose (relayed sighting)
From: Dale Bowman <outdoordb AT sbcglobal.net>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 05:08:10 -0800 (PST)
A reader sent a note that he found a barnacle goose at Wolf Lake. I have his 
phone number if anybody wants that (e-mail separately at 
outdoordb AT sbcglobal.net). Otherwise, here is what James Wisniewski said 
yesterday. 


This afternoon at approximately 4:00 pm I observed a Barnacle Goose at Wolf 
Lake in Chicago. William Powers Conservation Area at 126th and Avenue O. It 
was banded on the right leg. Being that this is a north atlantic bird 
(Iceland, Greenland) this is far outside it's territory. After 30 seasons of 
waterfowl hunting this goose caught my eye and I just wanted to pass this find 
along to anyone that is interested. 


Dale Bowman
St. Anne, Kankakee County

http://blogs.suntimes.com/bowman
 http://suntimes.com/sports/outdoors/index.html


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Various Stops In Kane Will & DuPage Counties
From: "YeanetteJ" <btbwarbler AT comcast.net>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:14:46 -0000
Started the morning off right with many COMMON MERGANSERS
in the Orchard Valley Golf Course Lakes that surround 
our house.
Then off to Culver's FP for a splendid look at a pair of
EASTERN BLUEBIRDS. Numerous SONG SPARROWS serenaded the dogs 
and I as we took our morning hike. BROWN CREEPERS sang their
high-pitched notes as we walked past. The usual suspects were
busy about their business throughout the preserve.
After dropping off the pups it was off to pick up Lisa &
to let the Real Birding begin.

WHALON LAKE (Naperville, Will Co)
A special thanks to Mike Madsen for letting us know that 
Whalon was free of ice & full of great waterfowl!
Here is our list:
CANVASBACK
REDHEAD
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER
HOODED MERGANSER
COMMON MERGANSER
GREATER SCAUP
LESSER SCAUP
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK
MALLARD
GADWALL
NORTHERN SHOVELER
RING-NECKED DUCK
COMMON GOLDENEYE
BUFFLEHEAD
RUDDY DUCK
MUSCOVY DUCK
PIED-BILLED GREBE
AMERICAN COOT
CANADA GOOSE
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW
KILLDEER
RED-TAILED HAWK

Then we finished off the day at Fermi (DuPage Co)
Here is what we saw:
RUSTY BLACKBIRD
EASTERN MEADOWLARK
RING-NECKED PHEASANT
NORTHERN HARRIER
GREAT BLUE HERON
RED-TAILED HAWK
GREAT HORNED OWL
CANADA GOOSE
WOOD DUCK
MALLARD
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK
GADWALL
NORTHERN SHOVELER
COMMON MERGANSER
RING-NECKED DUCK
KILLDEER

Good Birding!
Yeanette Johnson
Western Aurora
Kane County
Subject: IBET Evanston James Park - Sandhill Cranes
From: "mcvetas" <mcvetas AT comcast.net>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:08:03 -0000
Good numbers of COMMON GRACKLE (13), RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (9), and AMERICAN 
ROBIN (68) continued to descend upon Evanston's James Park today with another 
impressive showing of 39 SONG SPARROW (down from 48 yesterday). 22 SANDHILL 
CRANES flew over in a SE direction. 


Matthew Cvetas
Evanston, IL
Cook County
Subject: IBET Clinton Lake with a Paridae Hybrid; De Witt Co; 03/12/10
From: "prairie oak" <frakerpovc AT aol.com>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 02:45:08 -0000
Sorry if this is a repost -- I had a little computer issue...

Greetings, everyone -- 

I posted a short field report with photos of a rare hybrid at:

http://www.ilbirds.com/index.php?topic=33667.0

Thanks!

Matt Fraker
De Witt Co
03/12/10


Subject: IBET hawks today
From: "bissbirds AT juno.com" <bissbirds@juno.com>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 02:15:30 GMT
This morning I ended up with a total of 36 Red-tails, 2 Coopers and 1 
Sharp-shinned in Lake Villa. I was surprised I didn't see any Eagles. 

Richard Biss
Lake Villa Lake County
bissbirds AT juno.com
____________________________________________________________
Hotel
Hotel pics, info and virtual tours.  Click here to book a hotel online.

http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/c?cp=YOI1b8UvOvPa0qvhmnTdkQAAJ1CWSGz09q2C3oGH9ck5uWf7AAYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATRAAAAAA= 


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Backyard Birds Bradley, IL
From: "seaglass3716" <seaglass3716 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:26:10 -0000
Hello Birders,

Bird activity has increased in my neighborhood with greater numbers and variety 
of birds. Today I saw the following 


Ring-Billed Gull
Mourning Doves
American Crow
American Robin
European Starling
Juncos
House Finches 
House Sparrows

I'm pretty sure I saw a Brewers Blackbird...This morning while having my coffee 
I looked out of the sliding glass door and saw what I thought was a Grackle on 
one of the feeders, but it didn't seem just right. I grabbed my binoculars and 
I realized he was not as big as the grackle, I then noticed the light eyes, 
yellow. He had shiny, glossy feathers,that appeared purplish and black, shiny 
black feet, shorter tail..If he was a Brewer's it's a lifer for me. He didn't 
stay long and flew away to a tree behind Lowe's in the field along Christine 
Dr. 


Good birding
Madelyn Washburn   Bradley, Il   Kankakee Cty.



Subject: IBET North Pond adds a Greater scaup
From: NorekJ AT aol.com
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:57:20 EST
A Greater scaup has joined the Canvasback, 4 Redheads, 2 Ringed-necked 
ducks, Hooded merganser, Am. Black duck, Wood ducks and Wigeon (presume there 
still, seen last night) at North Pond.  5:15 pm 3/12/10
 
North Pond is in Lincoln Park, just north of zoo across Fullerton Ave.
 
Joan Norek
Chicago
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Intellectual Property
_www.noreklaw.com_ (http://www.noreklaw.com/) 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Lake County sightings/ice status
From: Jim Solum <Solum11 AT msn.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:21:13 -0600
Yesterday afternoon I checked a few favorite sites around the county to check 
for open water and maybe Geese. At Independence Grove FP in Libertyville, a 
small-and I mean SMALL-spot of open water in the 95% frozen lake held about a 
dozen COMMON MERGANSER and a dozen COMMON GOLDENEYE. At the Industrial Park 
just south of Peterson on the east side of Rt 45, the pond is about 80% open 
and held three dozen Canadas and several MALLARD. This location has been a good 
roosting site for geese in the spring migration period. At Campbell Airport 
(aka Sportsman's Drive off of Allegheny in Grayslake), the fluddle on the north 
side of the road was open and held about 80-100 CANADA GEESE and single 
AMERICAN WIGEON. If anyone needs HORNED LARK, at least six or seven of them 
were busy "tinkling" their songs and crisscrossing the drive while I was there. 
A few other fuddles were open along Peterson Road to the south and east of here 
with anywhere from a dozen to 75 CANADA'S milling around. At Almond Marsh in 
Wildwood, although the pond was frozen, 7 GREAT BLUE HERON already took up 
residence in a few nests. Unfortunately, none of them took to the several 
man-made nest towers constructed this winter-YET! 

This afternoon at Middlefork Savannah in Lake Forest I had the following..1 
male BUFFLEHEAD2 HOODED MERGANSER58 MALLARD 1 AMERICAN BLACK DUCK6 AMERICAN 
TREE SPARROW1 NORTHERN FLICKER1 imm RED-HEADED WOODPECKER presumably one of the 
overwintering individualsscores of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, ROBIN and SONG 
SPARROW. One interesting note, the ROBIN with the speckled white splotches all 
over it's breast and wings was back this year!! I was a surprised to see it 
survived with that interesting color pattern!!! 

Good Birding!Jim Solumsolum11 AT msn.comGurneeLake County 		 	   		  

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: Re: IBET Whalon Lake (Will County) waterfowl
From: "mmadsen48" <mmadsen48 AT comcast.net>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:20:08 -0000
A male WOOD DUCK was on the river just south of the lake at Whalon Lake Forest 
Preserve this morning to add to the collection of waterfowl there this week. 
Also, there is a Muscovy Duck that is showing up regularly on the lake this 
week which may cause some confusion for some of the birders checking out the 
waterfowl. It is primarily black in color (and is almost certainly an escaped 
bird). 


Mike Madsen
mmadsen48 AT comcast.net
Woodridge, IL  (DuPage County)
Subject: IBET Great Horned Owl on nest
From: "Steve" <fishn51 AT comcast.net>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:57:47 -0000
 Today I observed a GHO on a nest with two little white fluffy down heads 
visible at times. The Owlets were barely able to hold their heads up. 

Steve Patterson
LaSalle County

http://www.flickr.com/photos/illini-images/
Subject: IBET Rosehill Cemetery and Chicago river - some FOY birds
From: "michelledevlin" <michelledevlin AT yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:50:42 -0000
Today, I walked along the river from Lawrence to a bit north of Foster and then 
to rosehill Cemetery and saw the following: 


Canada Goose
Mallard
Common Golde - first time in months I have seen at Rosehill
Common Goldeneye - 2 F on river
Bufflehead - 1m on river
Great Blue heron - 2 at Rosehill. First time I have seen two at a time in 
months 

Turkey Vulture - 2 circling at Rosehill.  FOY
Ring Billed Gulls
Herring Gulls
Rock Pigeons
Mourning Doves
Belted Kingfisher - 2 at river
Red Bellied Woodpecker - heard at Rosehill
Downy Woodpecker - 1 at Rosehill
Eastern Phoebe - FOY at Rosehill
Blue jay - at least one at Rosehill.  I did hear one a few days ago there.
American Crows
Black Capped chickadees-Rosehill
American Robins - probably hundreds all over
Starlings - same
Fox Sparrows at Rosehill
Song Sparrows at river and Rosehill
Dark eyed junco - saw them all over
Northern Cardinals are everywhere
Red Winged Blackbird - one at Rosehill
Common Grackles - all over the place
American Goldfinch - one at Rosehill
House Sparrows

Michelle Devlin
Chicago
Subject: IBET Bluebirds at Irons Oaks in Olympia Fields
From: "lmaeberry" <lboltjes AT hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:05:29 -0000
Saw 5 bluebirds at Irons Oaks under the high ropes course yesterday. The first 
robin of the season made an appearance today and several birds are singing 
their spring songs. 

Irons Oaks, Olympia Fields, IL 
www.ironsoaks.com
Subject: Re: IBET Whalon Lake (Will County) waterfowl
From: Jeff Smith <mrqmagoo13 AT gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:56:01 -0600
Other birds seen at Whalon this week include Green-winged Teal, a lone Black
Duck, and two fly-over Am. Pipits.

Jeff Smith
Woodribge, DuPage Co.

On Thu, Mar 11, 2010 at 5:15 PM, mmadsen48  wrote:

>
>
> Over the last two days I have observed the following 15 species of ducks at
> Whalon Lake Forest Preserve: Gadwall, American Widgeon, Mallard, Northern
> Shoveler, CANVASBACK, REDHEAD, Ring-necked Duck, GREATER SCAUP, Lesser
> Scaup, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser,
> RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, and Ruddy Duck. Other water birds that are present
> are Canada Goose, Pied-billed Grebe, and American Coot. Both Ring-billed
> Gull and Herring Gull have been there as well. Numerous Killdeer are
> constantly flying around and calling. The big lake is now essentially
> ice-free and the marsh is beginning to get small areas of open water.
>
> Mike Madsen
> mmadsen48 AT comcast.net
> Woodridge, IL (DuPage Co.)
>
> 
>


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Subject: IBET hawks migrating today.
From: "bissbirds AT juno.com" <bissbirds@juno.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:52:59 GMT
There are a lot of raptors migrating right now, at 9:45 am in Lake Villa. I 
could see 8-10 Red tails in the air at once. They are still coming. If anyone 
has a good hawk spot they like to go to, today may be a good day. 

Richard Biss
Lake Villa
bissbirds AT juno.com
Lake County
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Subject: IBET Female red winged Blackbird
From: "Janice" <prayn4pce AT yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:37:54 -0000
I say only a female red winged blackbird at Plum Grove Resorvoir in Palatine 
near Harper College. 

I also heard Kildeers around but couldn't find them.  

Janice Lech 
Arlington Heights, il
Cook County
Subject: IBET Montrose (Chicago lakefront) - March 12
From: David Antieau <dkantieau AT sbcglobal.net>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:48:45 -0800 (PST)
Dear birders,

I had less time today and covered the territory less thoroughly, but there were 
far fewer total birds than yesterday. My FOY birds were Northern Flicker and 
Eastern Meadowlark (both seen first by Bob Hughes). 


My list (22 species, down from yesterday's 31):


Horned Grebe 1

Canada Goose
Mallard

Greater Scaup 
Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

American Coot 2
Killdeer 1
Ring-billed Gull

Rock Dove

American Crow 
Northern Flicker
American Robin 

European Starling
American Tree Sparrow 

Song Sparrow 
Northern Cardinal

Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark - at least 2, possibly 3 in beach protected area

Common Grackle

House Sparrow


For the birds,

Dave Antieau
dkantieau AT sbcglobal.net
Chicago


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Subject: IBET no sighting: The Big Year-the movie, starting Steve Martin
From: "Rhonda \(Monroe\) Rothrock" <woodthrusheola8 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:46:33 -0800 (PST)
Birding Makes it Big.  Just got this from one our our Cinema faculty members:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i755f10fb8f89b626752ea54f059bdcd1?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thr%2Ffilm+%28The+Hollywood+Reporter+-+Film%29 


Steve Martin eyeing Big Year Role
By Alex Ben Block
March 10, 2010, 07:23 PM E













Steve Martin's big year is getting even bigger as 
the Oscar co-host is in negotiations to go bird-watching in
"The Big Year" alongside Jack Black and Owen Wilson.




The comedy for Fox 2000, which starts shooting in May in Canada,
will be helmed by David Frankel, director of "Marley & Me"
(which also starred Wilson) and "The Devil Wears Prada."




Based on a 1998 book "The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature and Fowl
Obsession," by Mark Obmascik, the script was adapted for the screen
by Howard Franklin. It is about three men who try to outdo each
other in a bird-watching competition to spot the rarest birds in
North America. The rivalry is an allegory for the challenges each
faces in his own life.




The movie is being produced by Karen Rosenfelt, Ben Stiller and
Stuart Cornfeld of Red Hour Films along with Curtis Hanson and
Carol Fenelon of Deuce Three Prods.




The project has long been in development at Fox 2000, and for a
while had Dustin Hoffman attached, among others. That role is now
being negotiated for Martin by Ed Limato of WME...




Rhonda Rothrock

Pomona, Jackson County, IL



“ooh, ooh, stepped in pooh”

phonetic/mnemonic of Swainson's warbler song as per Bob Behrstock and the late 
David Markley from 'On The Warblers of Texas'. 



      

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Subject: IBET S. IL new arrivals
From: "Mcmullen, Keith A MVS" <Keith.A.Mcmullen AT usace.army.mil>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:15:18 -0600
Greetings IBET friends:

Had some time between meetings yesterday and made a quick stop at the
Bellrose Unit of Cypress Creek NWR in Pulaski County. I was a little
disappointed in the water levels but there are still hundreds of GREEN-WINGED
TEAL, my first of the year BLUE-WINGED TEAL, NORTHERN SHOVELER, MALLARD,
GADWALL and a few RUDDY DUCK. Shorebirds were present, too!  There were 3
LESSER YELLOWLEGS and a GREATER YELLOWLEGS, plus a dozen KILLDEER. Suddenly
out of the EAST, a tight flock of 21 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER came zipping by.
They never did land but made several twisting, turning flights back and forth
over the area being utilized by the ducks and shorebirds. I noticed a large
flock of CROWS just to the EAST of the Refuge, approximately 50 total. I
assumed they were all AMERICAN CROWS. I rolled down the window and was
surprised to hear the nasal cah-ah calls of about 12 FISH CROWS!  

I also encountered CHIPPING SPARROWS, WILSON'S SNIPE and a solo TREE SWALLOW
at Mermet Lake and a PINE WARBLER at Pomona. 

I received a call from Mark Seiffert who reported a rather large flock of
PECTORAL SANDPIPERS in the Sante Fe Bottoms off of Route 161 SOUTH of Carlyle
(near Bartelso). I got there just before dark and finally located about 15
PECS. At approximately 6:12 pm (yes, it was almost too dark to see!) I was
able to coax the solo WESTERN MEADOWLARK into answering the CD!  There were
also 2 EASTERN MEADOWLARKS singing at the same time and a flock of AMERICAN
PIPITS flushed from the same area when I got out of the car.

Right now it appears that spring migration is on time!  We had a rather
lengthy winter with lingering cold temperatures and a larger amount of
snowfall in the southern part of the state than what we've encountered over
the last several seasons. With that in mind, it seemed that spring migration
might be a little tardy. However, realizing day length has more to do with it
than temperatures, the avian community is certainly wide awake and moving
north. The Mississippi River is already high and predictions of flooding in
many neighboring river counties is already being discussed. The snow melt
tacked onto local precipitation could make this a very wet spring.
Fortunately, most of the ag fields in the floodplain are NOT currently
flooded so there is not as much shorebird habitat available. Once we start
receiving additional rains and river levels continue to rise, I believe this
situation will change. Stay tuned!

Good birdings,

Keith McMullen
O'Fallon, IL
Warbler7 AT sbcglobal.net
Subject: Re: IBET North Pond (Lincoln Park, Chgo)
From: "Michael L. Peters" <michael.l.peters AT gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:14:05 -0600
Canvasback and Redhead still present at North Pond at 7:10 am Friday.
Chicago's Lincoln Park
Cook Co.
Michael Peters


Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 11, 2010, at 7:09 PM, NorekJ AT aol.com wrote:

> Saw the addition of that splendid Canvasback profile to North Pond's
> on-the-water collection also -- at 5:30. (magical week!)
>
> In addition, the current Hooded merganser appears to be the same
> peculiar-acting one earlier reported at Diversey harbor by others.
>
> For those not familiar with North Pond, it is not very wide so a  
> look at
> anything on the water is a really, really close look.
>
> Joan Norek
> Chicago
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Intellectual Property
> _www.noreklaw.com_ (http://www.noreklaw.com/)
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
> 


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