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Updated on Monday, February 8 at 09:25 PM ET
The most recently received Mail is at the top.


Northern Potoo,©BirdQuest

09 Feb IBET Weekend Miscellany/Raptor Run; De Witt/Woodford Cos; 02/05 and 02/07/10 ["prairie oak" ]
08 Feb IBET Re: Vic's photos []
8 Feb Re: IBET More Nachusa Area Raptors - 02/07/2010 (Old Sighting) [Christopher Cudworth ]
8 Feb Re: IBET More Nachusa Area Raptors - 02/07/2010 (Old Sighting) []
8 Feb IBET FW: QC Audubon February program NO SIGHTINGS ["Walt Zuurdeeg" ]
08 Feb IBET North Avenue Turning Basin, Black Scoter, 2-8-10 AM ["samburckhardt" ]
8 Feb Re: IBET Fwd: Emiquon Science Meeting, March 4th [Jane Ward ]
8 Feb IBET: Pine Siskin - Genoa, DeKalb County [Karen Lund ]
8 Feb IBET West-central Il on Sunday [Michael Baum ]
8 Feb IBET Fwd: Emiquon Science Meeting, March 4th [Jane Ward ]
8 Feb IBET Superb Owl Sunday Results [Jeff Smith ]
08 Feb IBET Springbrook Prairie Northern Shrike and Naperville Sandhill Crane ["issuesman50" ]
08 Feb IBET shrike one ! ["Yellowstart5" ]
7 Feb IBET QC Audubon February program NO SIGHTINGS ["Walt Zuurdeeg" ]
7 Feb IBET: Northern Shrike west of Rockford ["Daniel & Barbara Williams" ]
7 Feb IBET SANDHILL CRANE & ROSS' GOOSE in Warsaw, Adams Co. [Michael Baum ]
07 Feb IBET More Nachusa Area Raptors - 02/07/2010 []
7 Feb IBET Crabtree Northern Shrike [Carolyn Fields ]
07 Feb IBET Long-tailed+Duck+-+NOT [Gary J Sibio ]
7 Feb IBET Catching Up - Prairie Falcon Saturday - NOT ["Craig Taylor" ]
7 Feb IBET Long-tailed Duck - NOT ["Craig Taylor" ]
7 Feb IBET Kankakee Area Sightings: Jan 2010 [Jed Hertz ]
6 Feb IBET Saturday Montrose - More Ducks [Steve Spitzer ]
6 Feb IBET Lee, Ogle and other birds for February 6 [David Antieau ]
6 Feb IBET Montrose Long-tailed Ducks [Steve Spitzer ]
06 Feb IBET Spears Woods FP, Palos - Pileated Woodpecker ["mcvetas" ]
06 Feb IBET Montrose to Northerly Isle []
6 Feb Re: IBET: 38 Greater White-fronted Geese in Ogle County [Beau Schaefer ]
06 Feb IBET Bald Eagles on Pistakee Lake ["joelorlinsky" ]
6 Feb Re: ibet: attack cardinal overwinters at Shabbona Lake ["B.G. Sloan" ]
06 Feb IBET Montrose Harbor - 2/6 a.m. ["bobdolgan" ]
6 Feb IBET Calumet area gulls (2-6-10) [Walter Marcisz ]
6 Feb ibet: attack cardinal overwinters at Shabbona Lake ["Darrell Shambaugh" ]
6 Feb IBET North Pond Am. Pipit, Bufflehead []
6 Feb IBET Correction: 38 Greater white-fronted Geese were in LEE not Ogle County []
6 Feb IBET: 38 Greater White-fronted Geese in Ogle County []
5 Feb IBET North Pond Friday -Bufflehead, Merganser and More [Steve Spitzer ]
5 Feb RE: IBET Adult & Juvenile Red-Tails? RECENT SIGHTINGS ["Darrell Shambaugh" ]
5 Feb IBET Peregrine Falcon in downtown Rockford ["Daniel & Barbara Williams" ]
05 Feb IBET Kankakee State Park Birding This AM ["happywanderer1946" ]
5 Feb Re: IBET Adult & Juvenile Red-Tails? RECENT SIGHTINGS [Brian ]
5 Feb IBET Montrose - slow [David Antieau ]
5 Feb IBET Adult & Juvenile Red-Tails? [Jeanette Repp ]
5 Feb IBET N. SAW-WHET OWLS, near Rend Lake ["Mcmullen, Keith A MVS" ]
5 Feb IBET LONGSPURS, SNOW BUNTINGS and Horned Larks: Boone, Stephenson, and Jo Daviess Cos. []
05 Feb IBET Lee County 02/04/11 ["ollie085" ]
04 Feb IBET Illinois birding regions (no sightings) ["calcariusp" ]
4 Feb IBET Great Black-backed Gull in Evanston [Josh Engel ]
04 Feb IBET Re: Northern Shrike- Glenview ["franmmmk" ]
04 Feb IBET Rusty Blackbird in yard, & question []
4 Feb Re: IBET McLean Co. Short-eared Owls []
4 Feb IBET McLean Co. Short-eared Owls [Matthew Winks ]
4 Feb IBET: Birding America date correction (no sightings) []
4 Feb IBET: Gull Frolic Feb. 20th Reminder [Brian Herriott ]
04 Feb IBET Illinois birding regions (no sightings) []
04 Feb IBET Nachusa Raptors - 1/31/2010 []
04 Feb IBET Lee County: Northern Goshawk ["mmadsen48" ]
3 Feb IBET Day of Week Correction [Steve Spitzer ]
3 Feb IBET Montrose To Belmont Monday Walk [Steve Spitzer ]
3 Feb Re: IBET Pink-sided Junco ["B.G. Sloan" ]
3 Feb IBET Kankakee/Will Co: Migration Begins [Jed Hertz ]
03 Feb Re: IBET Pink-sided Junco ["calcariusp" ]
3 Feb Re: IBET Pink-sided junco ["Michael L. P. Retter" ]
3 Feb IBET Pink-sided junco [Eric Lundquist ]
3 Feb IBET Tundra Swans [bob shelby ]
3 Feb IBET Rusty Blackbird Blitz reminder (NO SIGHTINGS) [Matt Mckim-Louder ]
3 Feb IBET inconspicuous owls ["Rhonda \(Monroe\) Rothrock" ]
3 Feb RE: IBET Family Owl Prowl (No Sightings) ["John Adams" ]
3 Feb Re: IBET Family Owl Prowl (No Sightings) ["Michael L. Peters" ]
03 Feb IBET Family Owl Prowl (No Sightings) ["Edward" ]
3 Feb IBET Illinois RBA - February 2, 2010 [Sulli Gibson ]
3 Feb IBET North Shore Channel (Touhy/Howard), Emily Oaks NC []
2 Feb IBET Goin' south [Michael Baum ]
2 Feb IBET eagles moving? [Kevin Richmond ]
1 Feb IBET Monday Montrose Report [Steve Spitzer ]
1 Feb IBET: Kane and Kendall counties, Monday afternoon ["Darrell Shambaugh" ]

Subject: IBET Weekend Miscellany/Raptor Run; De Witt/Woodford Cos; 02/05 and 02/07/10
From: "prairie oak" <frakerpovc AT aol.com>
Date: Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:25:33 -0000
Greetings, everyone -- 



I posted a Field Report with a couple of photos from this weekend at:



http://www.ilbirds.com/index.php?topic=32547.0



Thanks!



Matt Fraker

De Witt/Woodford Cos
02/05 and 02/ 07/10
Subject: IBET Re: Vic's photos
From: <astraight4 AT verizon.net>
Date: Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:43:13 -0600
Great photos.  This morning there were two NORTHERN HARRIERS working the 
Nachusa Grasslands.  Plenty of ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, RED-TAILS, KESTRELS, BALD 
EAGLE.  SNOW BUNTINGS, LAPLANDS AND HORNED LARKS on Lowden Rd. No Falcon. 
There is a game farm on Naylor road that has lots of Chukars in some pens. 
I didn't see any pheasants in these pens.  Last week I saw 8 or more 
pheasants at some grain bins on Carthage Roads.
Dave had mentioned a game farm somewhere down that way.

At Carnation Park, in Oregon there were a few COMMON GOLDENEYES, COMMON 
MERGANSERS.

At home, two FOX SPARROWS, some AM. TREE SPARROWS, and the RUSTY BLACKBIRD 
with the daily visitors.

Anne Straight
Forreston, IL (Ogle County) 
Subject: Re: IBET More Nachusa Area Raptors - 02/07/2010 (Old Sighting)
From: Christopher Cudworth <cudworthfix AT gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 15:40:44 -0600
Vic's photos are really interesting. Worth following the link!

That's one cool looking rough legged hawk.

Christopher Cudworth

On Mon, Feb 8, 2010 at 2:58 PM,  wrote:

>
>
> IBETERS,
>
> Very enjoyable photos.
>
> I once saw a Belted Kingfisher sitting on a "No Fishing" sign at the State
> Natural Area near Nachusa.
>
> Wish I had grabbed my camera when I stepped out of the car...
>
> Jim Hoyt :)
> Champaign Il
>
> ---- Original message ----
> >Date: Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:03:42 -0500
> >From: VBirdman AT aol.com 
> >Subject: IBET More Nachusa Area Raptors - 02/07/2010
> >To: ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com 
> >
> >
> >
> > Went out to the Nachusa Grasslands area again today
> > for about 3 hours. Did not spot the Prairie Falcon
> > but did see at least 7 Rough-legged Hawks, 6
> > Red-tailed Hawks, 2 American Kestrels and 5 Bald
> > Eagles.
> >
> > If interested, I posted some photos on Greg's IBF
> > site:
> > http://www.ilbirds.com/index.php?topic=32509.msg40814#msg40814
> >
> > Vic Berardi
> > Gurnee, IL (Lake County)
> > Email: VBirdman AT aol.com 
> > Raptor Blog: http://theraptorphile.blogspot.com/
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been
> > removed]
> >
> >
>  
>


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



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Subject: Re: IBET More Nachusa Area Raptors - 02/07/2010 (Old Sighting)
From: <jwhoyt AT illinois.edu>
Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 14:58:07 -0600 (CST)
IBETERS,

Very enjoyable photos.

I once saw a Belted Kingfisher sitting on a "No Fishing" sign at the State 
Natural Area near Nachusa. 


Wish I had grabbed my camera when I stepped out of the car...

Jim Hoyt :)
Champaign Il

---- Original message ----
>Date: Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:03:42 -0500
>From: VBirdman AT aol.com  
>Subject: IBET More Nachusa Area Raptors - 02/07/2010  
>To: ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com
>
>    
>
>   Went out to the Nachusa Grasslands area again today
>   for about 3 hours. Did not spot the Prairie Falcon
>   but did see at least 7 Rough-legged Hawks, 6
>   Red-tailed Hawks, 2 American Kestrels and 5 Bald
>   Eagles.
>
>   If interested, I posted some photos on Greg's IBF
>   site:
>   http://www.ilbirds.com/index.php?topic=32509.msg40814#msg40814
>
>   Vic Berardi
>   Gurnee, IL (Lake County)
>   Email: VBirdman AT aol.com
>   Raptor Blog: http://theraptorphile.blogspot.com/
>
>   [Non-text portions of this message have been
>   removed]
>
>   
Subject: IBET FW: QC Audubon February program NO SIGHTINGS
From: "Walt Zuurdeeg" <kaisersosa AT earthlink.net>
Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 13:06:39 -0600
That should be February 11 of course. Oops

Walt Zuurdeeg


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Walt Zuurdeeg 
To: ILbirds
Sent: 2/7/2010 10:47:58 PM 
Subject: QC Audubon February program NO SIGHTINGS


This Thursday, January 11, Linda Boardsen will show a film, "Opposable Chums: 
Guts & Glory at the World Series of Birding" by Jason Kessler at the QC Audubon 
Society membership meeting. The film features interviews with David Sibley, 
Kenn Kaufman and Peter Dunne. The meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. at the 
Butterworth Center, 1105 8th Street, Moline, Illinois. 


Walt Zuurdeeg
Quad City Audubon Society
www.quadcityaudubon.org

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET North Avenue Turning Basin, Black Scoter, 2-8-10 AM
From: "samburckhardt" <rawsbb AT mac.com>
Date: Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:43:24 -0000
A female-type BLACK SCOTER was among scaups resting on the North Branch of the 
Chicago River at the North Avenue Turning Basin. It is best viewed from the 
North Avenue bridge. Other ducks were both Greater and Lesser Scaups, 
Bufflehead, and Common Goldeneye. 


Sam Burckhardt
Chicago
Cook County
Subject: Re: IBET Fwd: Emiquon Science Meeting, March 4th
From: Jane Ward <jward199 AT gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 11:01:15 -0600
The link for more information doesn't work. I'm pasting the
information about the EMS below:

**********************
You are invited to…

Emiquon Science 2010: Restoration Ecology, Theory and Policy

Sponsored by:
The University of Illinois at Springfield’s newly named Alfred O. and
Barbara Cordwell Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon (formerly UIS’s
Emiquon Field Station)
In cooperation with:
The Nature Conservancy
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Dickson Mounds Museum

Keynote speaker: Dr. Joy B. Zedler
Dr. Zedler is a Professor of Botany and holds the Aldo Leopold Chair
in Restoration Ecology at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.  Dr.
Zedler is known internationally for her work in restoration ecology,
wetland ecology, re-establishment of rare plants, the interactions of
native and exotic species, and adaptive management.  Information about
the Zedler Lab for Wetland Plant Ecology is available at:
http://www.botany.wisc.edu/zedler/.

Call for presentations:
In addition to Dr. Zedler’s talk, we invite presentations from
scientists, students and managers involved with restoration ecology or
the Emiquon Preserve.  There will be two types of presentations at the
meeting: oral presentations and poster presentations.  This year, we
hope that each oral presenter will reference our theme: “Emiquon’s
contribution to restoration ecology, science theory and policy.”
Abstracts of 250 or fewer words are due 1 February 2010.  Abstracts
can be submitted at this Website: https://illinois.edu/sb/sec/8806145.

Deadline for abstracts: 1 February 2010

Meeting date: 	Thursday, 4 March 2010
Time: 	9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Place: 	Dickson Mounds Museum (directions available at
http://www.museum.state.il.us/ismsites/dickson/geninfo.html)

Registration Fee: 	
$10, check or cash only, please.  The registration fee will be
collected at the meeting.  Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Registration Website:
Please register at this website: https://illinois.edu/sb/sec/3913717.
There is limited seating in the Museum auditorium, so we can only seat
the first 120 people who register.

For further information, please contact:
Dr. Mike Lemke, Director of UIS’s Therkildsen Field Station at
Emiquon, will be on sabbatical from January to May of 2010. Please
direct questions about Emiquon Science 2010 to:

Dr. Hua Chen, hchen40 AT uis.edu;  Phone number: 217-206-8339
Interim Director, Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon
Biology Dept., Mailstop HSB 223
University of Illinois at Springfield
One University Plaza
Springfield, Illinois 62703

We hope that you can join us at Dickson Mounds Museum on Thursday, 4 March 
2010. 



On 2/8/10, Jane Ward  wrote:
> Emiquon Science 2010: Restoration Ecology, Theory and Policy
>
> Sponsored by:
> The University of Illinois at Springfield's newly named Alfred O. and
> Barbara Cordwell Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon
> The Nature Conservancy
> Dickson Mounds Museum
> US Fish and Wildlife Service
>
> Keynote speaker: Dr. Joy B. Zedler
> Information about the Zedler Lab for Wetland Plant Ecology is available
> at: http://www.botany.wisc.edu/zedler/.
>
> We could use your help alerting people to the conference. Please forward
> this message to colleagues who may be interested. Thanks!
>
> More details about the conference:
> https://edocs.uis.edu/kmill2/www/ESM2010invite
>
> Online registration:
> https://illinois.edu/sb/sec/3913717.
>
> We look forward to seeing you March 4th.
>
>
>
> --
> Jane Ward
> Lewistown, Illinois
> http://walkwithmepart2.blogspot.com/
> http://eaglenature.com
>


-- 
Jane Ward
Lewistown, Illinois
http://walkwithmepart2.blogspot.com/
www,eaglenature.com
Subject: IBET: Pine Siskin - Genoa, DeKalb County
From: Karen Lund <catbirder AT verizon.net>
Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 08:10:29 -0800 (PST)
This morning there was a lone pine siskin in the yard. I heard him before I 
finally found him on the safflower feeder. I haven't seen them since October 
when a few came through. 


Karen Lund
Genoa, DeKalb County
catbirder AT verizon.net


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET West-central Il on Sunday
From: Michael Baum <sixftwarbler AT gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 09:53:29 -0600
I started my day in Nauvoo, Hancock Co, where the Miss. River was frozen
except for two seams.  One was full of Canada geese.  The other was packed
with thousands of c. goldeneyes.  In the course of the half-hour I was there
scoping the area, the goldeneyes would get up 20-50 at a time every minute
or so and wing northward.  At the end of the half-hour the group seemed
undiminished!  There were a few canvasbacks mixed into this otherwise pure
flock.

Down at Warsaw the backwaters were open, and there were 100's of c.
mergansers here.  Bald eagles were present in small #s (I probably had 50 or
so over the course of the day).  At Quincy the river was slush.  I found
only a few goldeneyes and c. mergs in Adams Co.  Gulls were quite scarce on
the day.  A couple hundred ring-bills with a handful of herrings at Warsaw
was the only concentration I found.

I found the river border in Adams Co. extremely depressing.  Driving the
highway so. from Hancock into Adams I was right along the bluff which was
pretty enough, but to my west stretched several miles of pure corn stubble
which went on mile after mile as I proceeded south.  I travelled west to the
Mississippi levee on two roads, picking up a flock of 30 l. longspurs, but
there is exremely limited access to the river.  I drove south for several
miles hugging the river levee on my right, so that my view was corn and a
man-made 30 foot wall of dirt and nothing else.  At intervals private roads
went up over the levee leading to strings of shotgun shacks overlooking the
backwaters.  What it felt like I was being told here was, " Feel free to
enjoy the endless biological desert we have created but please keep out of
the natural area we have kept for our enjoyment.

This started as a birding report and has turned into a rant.  I am no enemy
to the concept of private property.  But as I spend my days trying to bird
Illinois and the days turn into years, I continue to marvel at how much has
been taken away from me.  So many miles of our rivers are owned by
corporations.  Look at the lakefront in Cook and Lake Co's.  Late in my day
I found myself in beautiful downtown Beardstown.  They have a long
continuous wall obscuring any view of the Illinois River through most of
this town!  How have we settled so docilely for so little?

So anyway, a rough-leg in Adams Co. was my only one all day.  I looked hard
in Pike, Brown, Morgan, and Cass.  Ten purple finches so. of Siloam Springs
were nice.  A flock of ten c. waxwings near the scenic Pike Co. landfill
were my first in sometime. I have had no p. siskins this fall or winter.  I
found a gold-crn. kinglet in the pines at Siloam but could not find red-b.
nuthatch.  I assume that 8 turkey vultures at 4 Pike Co. sites were
wintering birds?  I ended my day trying to locate short-eared owl in Cass
Co.  There's an amazing amount of habitat in this county- maybe too much?
In particular I drove roads so. of the Beardstown Marsh.  Plenty of
harriers, red-tails, and kestrels, but the owls were scarcer than a box of
rocs.  It was still delightful to see so many square miles not under the
plow.

Mike Baum


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Fwd: Emiquon Science Meeting, March 4th
From: Jane Ward <jward199 AT gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 09:36:38 -0600
Emiquon Science 2010: Restoration Ecology, Theory and Policy

Sponsored by:
The University of Illinois at Springfield's newly named Alfred O. and
Barbara Cordwell Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon
The Nature Conservancy
Dickson Mounds Museum
US Fish and Wildlife Service

Keynote speaker: Dr. Joy B. Zedler
Information about the Zedler Lab for Wetland Plant Ecology is available
at: http://www.botany.wisc.edu/zedler/.

We could use your help alerting people to the conference. Please forward
this message to colleagues who may be interested. Thanks!

More details about the conference:
https://edocs.uis.edu/kmill2/www/ESM2010invite

Online registration:
https://illinois.edu/sb/sec/3913717.

We look forward to seeing you March 4th.



-- 
Jane Ward
Lewistown, Illinois
http://walkwithmepart2.blogspot.com/
http://eaglenature.com
Subject: IBET Superb Owl Sunday Results
From: Jeff Smith <mrqmagoo13 AT gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 08:19:22 -0600
We had a sellout crowd for Sunday's trip with 16 birders in attendance.
Things started out slow as we were unable to get a Screech Owl to respond.
Perhaps a successful night of hunting got them to bed early. We only saw a
single Great Horned Owl on nest at Springbrook as we searched the
traditional Long-eared roost area. We then missed Barred Owl in Kane Co. but
had one calling on its own in Kendall Co. along with finding our only LEOW
of the day. After lunch we headed to Grundy Co. where we again tried for
Barred Owl. After most of us were back in our cars one apparently called. We
ended the day at Goose Lake Prairie. We spent an hour and a half on the deck
watching the Northern Harriers course the grassland. It wasn't until 5 p.m.
when the Short-eared Owls started flying. Most of our group had froze enough
body parts by then and had left. The remaining 5 had some good looks at 3
SEOWs. We had our share of raptors also. Many Red-tailed Hawks, 1
Sharp-shinned and 1 Cooper's Hawk at Springbrook, 2 Bald Eagles on the Fox
River, and a Kestrel along Rt 47, as well as the half dozen or so Harriers
at Goose Lake. One other notable bird was a Brown Thrasher at Hoover Park in
Kendall Co.

Jeff Smith
Woodridge, DuPage Co.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Springbrook Prairie Northern Shrike and Naperville Sandhill Crane
From: "issuesman50" <issuesman50 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:00:57 -0000
Well, it appears there must have been a movement of Northern Shrikes around 
northern Illinois this weekend. I will add a shike from Springbrook Prairie in 
Naperville, Dupage County on Sunday morning, February 7th. The shrike was in 
the central prairie south and west of the model airplane field. Even fond a 
freshly impaled mouse on a tree. 


I spotted the Sandhill Crane again in south Naperville, also on Sunday. This 
bird was standing only about 30 feet off of busy Washington Street just north 
of Ring Road in Weigland riverfront park. I was on my way to a meeting and was 
not able to stop and invetigate, but it seems odd that this crane was so close 
to the road. Recall that I reported seeing this bird in the same area a couple 
of weeks ago. 


Joe Suchecki
Naperville
Subject: IBET shrike one !
From: "Yellowstart5" <yellowstart5 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:16:00 -0000
hello ibetors--

on sunday, at 4:20 pm, the northern shrike, vacationing in the glenview "glen" 
prairie, made an appearance. i was able to see it as close as 40-50 feet. it 
inhabits an area north of the nature center located at harlem/lehigh and 
compass dr. 

the only other species there--in 40 minutes, was a cooper's hawk.


baseball is coming--jeffrey sanders--glenview--no. cook
Subject: IBET QC Audubon February program NO SIGHTINGS
From: "Walt Zuurdeeg" <kaisersosa AT earthlink.net>
Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 22:48:00 -0600
This Thursday, January 11, Linda Boardsen will show a film, "Opposable Chums: 
Guts & Glory at the World Series of Birding" by Jason Kessler at the QC Audubon 
Society membership meeting. The film features interviews with David Sibley, 
Kenn Kaufman and Peter Dunne. The meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. at the 
Butterworth Center, 1105 8th Street, Moline, Illinois. 


Walt Zuurdeeg
Quad City Audubon Society
www.quadcityaudubon.org

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET: Northern Shrike west of Rockford
From: "Daniel & Barbara Williams" <twotringas AT gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 21:19:38 -0600
I saw a Northern Shrike along Harrison Road, about 1/2 mile N of Auburn
Road, west of Rockford, this afternoon.  It was in the top of a scrubby tree
in the dog training area on the west side of Harrison Rd., just before you
reach the bridge over the north branch of Kent Creek.   There has been a
Northern Shrike on and off here since mid-December, but not in evidence for
3 weeks during periodic trips down that road.

Dan Williams
Rockford


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET SANDHILL CRANE & ROSS' GOOSE in Warsaw, Adams Co.
From: Michael Baum <sixftwarbler AT gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 20:21:46 -0600
I pulled off the highway into a Mississippi riverfront campground called
Goose Landing in Warsaw and noticed a bunch of waterfowl resting on the edge
200 feet away.  A naked-eye look told me there was a great blue heron among
them.  The binoculars told me it was a SANDHILL CRANE.  I'll take the
up-grade.  Nearby, a lone white goose rested among the Canadas.  The scope
showed it to be a ROSS' GOOSE, keeping company with several CACKLING GEESE
as well.  These birds were directly west of a beige shelter with a
flagpole.  What a delightful stop.

Mike Baum


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET More Nachusa Area Raptors - 02/07/2010
From: VBirdman AT aol.com
Date: Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:03:42 -0500
Went out to the Nachusa Grasslands area again today for about 3 hours. Did not 
spot the Prairie Falcon but did see at least 7 Rough-legged Hawks, 6 Red-tailed 
Hawks, 2 American Kestrels and 5 Bald Eagles. 



If interested, I posted some photos on Greg's IBF site:
http://www.ilbirds.com/index.php?topic=32509.msg40814#msg40814


Vic Berardi
Gurnee, IL (Lake County)
Email: VBirdman AT aol.com
Raptor Blog: http://theraptorphile.blogspot.com/



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Crabtree Northern Shrike
From: Carolyn Fields <c7echoes AT aol.com>
Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 17:36:03 -0800 (PST)
A NORTHERN SHRIKE was perched and hunting from the tops of the tallest trees 
along Phantom Prairie Trail at Crabtree Nature Center in Barrington this 
afternoon. The trails were icy and lumpy but had just enough snow of the right 
texture to provide decent traction and minimal slippage in cheap hiking boots. 
It was a beautiful afternoon and the sound of the creek where it flows under 
the trail gave us a major rush of spring fever. 


Carolyn Fields
Palatine
NW Cook County


      
Subject: IBET Long-tailed+Duck+-+NOT
From: Gary J Sibio <garysibio AT gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 07 Feb 2010 16:05:15 -0600
I just got back from Montrose and didn't see it either.

There was a very obnoxious woman up by the Hedge who was letting her dog 
run loose. She tried to tell me the police gave her permission to.

-- 
Gary J Sibio
To see my photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7688801 AT N08/
Blog: Insects of the Chicago Area http://insectsofthechicagoarea.blogspot.com/
Blog: Birds of the Chicago Area http://birdsofthechicagoarea.blogspot.com/
Subject: IBET Catching Up - Prairie Falcon Saturday - NOT
From: "Craig Taylor" <tnemec1 AT ameritech.net>
Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 15:10:58 -0600
I put it about 8 hours yesterday (vainly) in search of the Prairie
Falcon.

I did find the Greater White-fronted Geese Mike Baum told me about, but
did not relocate the Northern Shrike found by Eric Walters at Nachusa
Grasslands or the Wood Duck found by John Hockman at the goose spot on
Lost Nation Road just south of Kingdom..

There were a few raptors present.  As the area the falcon has been seen
in covers both Ogle and Lee counties, I will list counties.

1 Bald Eagle (Ogle) adult
1 Northern Harrier (Lee)
3 Red-Tailed Hawk (2 Ogle, 1 Lee)
10 Rough-legged Hawk (5 each in Lee and Ogle) including 2 dark morph
adults
1 Kestrel (Lee)

A farmhouse on Lowden Road, north of Flagg Road, had Titmice and a
Red-headed Woodpecker coming to feeders.

Patience may be a virtue, but it doesn't guarantee a Prairie Falcon.

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


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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Long-tailed Duck - NOT
From: "Craig Taylor" <tnemec1 AT ameritech.net>
Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 14:55:09 -0600
I ventured out to Montrose this afternoon hoping to relocate the
Long-tailed Duck.  Other birders there reported not seeing it, I was no
exception.

A treacherous walk out to the end of the fishhook revealed all 3
Mergansers, 2 Bufflehead, 4 Redhead, a couple of scaup, a few Mallards
and 20 or so Common Goldeneye.

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

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07:22:00


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Kankakee Area Sightings: Jan 2010
From: Jed Hertz <jhh_60910 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 05:55:15 -0800 (PST)
Hi all,

I thought it would be interesting tolook at some of the speciesaround this 
part of northern IL in January. Here's a list of myJanuary 2010 sightings 
(79)for mysurvey area (30 mi radius of Kankakee). 


BTW: My seven year averageis 80.71 sightings. My high countwas 85 seen in 
2008 and 2006. (Keep in mind, I haven't been trying to set any records for 
this count). 


Here'smy list of 79 species for Jan. 2010:(Earliest Date/Locationincluded):

Anatidae 18 
Greater White-fronted Goose 01/24/2010 IL, Justine Drive House, Kankakee  
Snow Goose 01/28/2010 IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington fide hunters 
Cackling Goose 01/24/2010 IL, Kankakee Area, Kankakee Co  
Canada Goose 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area 
Mute Swan 01/14/2010 IL, Wilmington Dam Area  
Gadwall 01/13/2010 IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington  
American Wigeon 01/29/2010 IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington fide 
Darrell Benoit 

American Black Duck 01/02/2010 IL, CBC ILKV  
Mallard 01/02/2010 IL, CBC ILKV  
Northern Pintail 01/29/2010 IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington pair 
Redhead 01/02/2010 IL, CBC ILKV  
Ring-necked Duck 01/27/2010 IN, NEWTON COUNTY  
Lesser Scaup 01/09/2010 IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington fide hunters. 

Bufflehead 01/13/2010 IL, Wilmington Dam Area  
Common Goldeneye 01/02/2010 IL, CBC ILKV  
Hooded Merganser 01/02/2010 IL, CBC ILKV  
Common Merganser 01/02/2010 IL, CBC ILKV  
Ruddy Duck 01/02/2010 IL, CBC ILKV 

Phasianidae 1 
Ring-necked Pheasant 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area 

Melagrididae 1 
Wild Turkey 01/26/2010 IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co along Rt 113 
across from Metro-sewer 


Odontophoridae 1 
Northern Bobwhite 01/27/2010 IN, NEWTON COUNTY 

Podicipedidae 1 
Pied-billed Grebe 01/09/2010 IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington 

Phalacrocoracidae 1 
Double-crested Cormorant 01/09/2010 IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington 

Ardeidae 1 
Great Blue Heron 01/02/2010 IL, CBC ILKV 

Accipitridae 8 
Bald Eagle 01/05/2010 IL, Kankakee Area, Kankakee Co ad 
Northern Harrier 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area imm + F + M 
Sharp-shinned Hawk 01/02/2010 IL, CBC ILKV  
Cooper's Hawk 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area imm + ? 
Northern Goshawk 01/28/2010 IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington 
Red-shouldered Hawk 01/24/2010 IL, Justine Drive House, Kankakee . 
Red-tailed Hawk 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area  
Rough-legged Hawk 01/27/2010 IN, NEWTON COUNTY 4 LM + DM 

Falconidae 2 
American Kestrel 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area  
Merlin 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area photo 

Rallidae 1 
American Coot 01/02/2010 IL, CBC ILKV 

Laridae 3 
Ring-billed Gull 01/02/2010 IL, CBC ILKV  
Herring Gull 01/02/2010 IL, CBC ILKV  
Lesser Black-backed Gull 01/06/2010 IL, Wilmington Dam Area 

Columbidae 3 
Rock Pigeon 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area  
Eurasian Collared-Dove 01/29/2010 IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington 
Mourning Dove 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area 

Strigidae 2 
Eastern Screech-Owl 01/02/2010 IL, CBC ILKV  
Great Horned Owl 01/13/2010 IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington 

Cerylidae 1 
Belted Kingfisher 01/02/2010 IL, CBC ILKV 

Picidae 5 
Red-bellied Woodpecker 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area  
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 01/22/2010 IL, Kankakee Area, Kankakee Co Male 
Downy Woodpecker 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area  
Hairy Woodpecker 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area  
Northern Flicker 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area 

Corvidae 2 
Blue Jay 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area  
American Crow 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area 

Alaudidae 1 
Horned Lark 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area 

Paridae 2 
Black-capped Chickadee 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area  
Tufted Titmouse 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area 

Sittidae 2 
Red-breasted Nuthatch 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area fide Leslie Bury 
White-breasted Nuthatch 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area 

Certhiidae 1 
Brown Creeper 01/02/2010 IL, CBC ILKV 

Troglodytidae 1 
Carolina Wren 01/02/2010 IL, CBC ILKV 

Turdidae 1 
American Robin 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area 

Mimidae 1 
Brown Thrasher 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area Honeysuckle thicket. 

Sturnidae 1 
European Starling 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area 

Emberizidae 9 
Eastern Towhee 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area female near Sunflower 
field 

American Tree Sparrow 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area Sunflower field 
Fox Sparrow 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area  
Song Sparrow 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area  
White-throated Sparrow 01/02/2010 IL, CBC ILKV  
White-crowned Sparrow 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area  
Dark-eyed Junco 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area  
Lapland Longspur 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area  
Snow Bunting 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area 

Cardinalidae 1 
Northern Cardinal 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area 

Icteridae 5 
Red-winged Blackbird 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area Sunflower field 
Eastern Meadowlark 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area  
Rusty Blackbird 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area photo 
Common Grackle 01/04/2010 IL, Western Kankakee County Hillside Manor 
Brown-headed Cowbird 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area Sunflower field 

Fringillidae 2 
House Finch 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area Sunflower field 
American Goldfinch 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area Sunflower field 

Passeridae 1 
House Sparrow 01/01/2010 IL, CBC INWS, IL Side Area  


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 Saturday Montrose - More Ducks
From: Steve Spitzer <steven0703 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 22:37:42 -0800 (PST)
Hi Birders

Post linked to has details/pictures of some of the other ducks seen at 
Montrose, as well as a short Old Squaw video and a few more shots of the male. 


http://www.ilbirds.com/index.php?topic=32490.0

Steve Spitzer
Chicago - Cook


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Lee, Ogle and other birds for February 6
From: David Antieau <dkantieau AT sbcglobal.net>
Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 17:39:32 -0800 (PST)



Dear birders,

Geoff & Chris Williamson and I drove around Lee and Ogle
Counties today, and picked up a few other birds along the way.

Highlights were the 38 Greater White-fronted Geese that
Chris reported earlier, one Red-Shouldered Hawk, 1 Bald Eagle, 36 Red-tailed
Hawks, and 5 European Collared Doves.

Breakdown by Counties: 

Lee
County (32)

Greater
White-fronted Goose: 38

Canada
Goose: 530

Ring-necked
Pheasant: 1 – most probably an escapee from a nearby game farm

Wild Turkey:
1

Bald Eagle: 1
– Green River Conservation Area

Cooper’s
Hawk: 1

Red-Shouldered
Hawk: 1 – Green River Conservation Area

Red-Tailed
Hawk: 27

Rough-legged
Hawk: 2

American
Kestrel: 3

Rock Dove:
55

Mourning
Dove: 17

Red-headed
Woodpecker: 1

Red-bellied
Woodpecker: 3

Downy
Woodpecker: 3

Hairy
Woodpecker: 1

Blue Jay: 13

American
Crow: 70

Horned Lark:
50

Black-capped
Chickadee: 3

White-breasted
Nuthatch: 1

American
Robin: 1

European
Starling: 1307

American
Tree Sparrow: 18

White-throated
Sparrow: 1

Dark-eyed
Junco: 16

Lapland
Longspur: 3

Northern
Cardinal: 11

Brown-headed
Cowbird: 82

House Finch:
37

American
Goldfinch: 4

House
Sparrow: 168


Ogle
County (8)

Red-tailed
Hawk: 5

Rough-legged
Hawk: 1

American
Kestrel: 1

Rock Dove:
108

American
Crow: 111

Horned Lark:
42

European
Starling: 250

House
Sparrow: 1

 

DeKalb
County (9)

Mallard: 4

Red-tailed
Hawk 1

Rock Dove: 4

Eurasian
Collared  Dove: 5 – Waterman

American
Crow: 8

Horned Lark:
5

European
Starling: 14

American
Tree Sparrow: 1

House
Sparrow: 1

 

Kane
County (4)

Canada
Goose: 117

Red-tailed
Hawk:1

European
Starling: 69

House
Sparrow: 1

 

DuPage
County (2)

Canada
Goose: 22

Red-tailed
Hawk: 2

 

Cook
County (1)

American
Kestrel: 1

 

We didn’t
pay too much attention while getting out of Chicago.  We had a couple of Gull 
species, high 

overhead, at one oasis on I-88.  34 total
species, counting the pheasant.

 

For the
birds,

 

Dave Antieau

dkantieau AT sbcglobal.net

Chicago,
Cook County



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Montrose Long-tailed Ducks
From: Steve Spitzer <steven0703 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 16:44:40 -0800 (PST)
Hi Birders,

A couple of shots of a pair of Long-tailed Ducks are at the link.

http://www.ilbirds.com/index.php?topic=32464.0

Steve Spitzer
Chicago - Cook


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Spears Woods FP, Palos - Pileated Woodpecker
From: "mcvetas" <mcvetas AT comcast.net>
Date: Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:41:53 -0000
I took my kids for a hike on the white trail through Spears Woods Forest 
Preserve in Palos, Cook County, today in hopes of finding PILEATED WOODPECKER. 
We started at 95th St. and headed north to the junction with the yellow trail 
before turning around. After refueling at McDonald's (a bribe never hurts), we 
hit the white trail again from the north. I had nearly given up hope when one 
flew directly over us as we made our way back to the car at 87th St. 


Matthew Cvetas
Evanston, IL
Cook County
Subject: IBET Montrose to Northerly Isle
From: birdhaxxor AT aim.com
Date: Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:37:39 -0500

Mom and I did a downtown lakefront trip today- mainly to see waterfowl. 

The fishook pier did have a fair number of ducks, but the howling winds, 
freezing lakespray, and 6-foot swells made viewing them a challenge. And 
although I did see one flyby LONG-TAILED DUCK, it was mostly common mergansers 
with a few goldeneyes mixed in. Other than that, there were 40-something crows, 
3 Greater scaup, 10 RB mergs, and 100's more mergansers and goldeneyes 
(especially near the mouth of the harbor). Some of the ducks were very close to 
shore. 


No sign of the Harlequin Duck at North Avenue Beach, but i did see a PEREGRINE 
flying among buildings on the way to Northerly Isle. 


At Northerly Isle, mom and I met up with Joan, Judy Pollock, and Bob Fisher, 
and several other bird monitors who had organized a trip w/ lunch at the field 
museum. Here, we saw 40 Greater Scaup, 1 Bufflehead, more goldeneye, and plenty 
of Red-Breasted Mergs. Bob thought he saw 2 possible BLACK SCOTERS out on the 
lake, but these were far away and most of us were too cold to attempt any ID's. 


-Happy birding! 
Ari Rice


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: Re: IBET: 38 Greater White-fronted Geese in Ogle County
From: Beau Schaefer <beauschaefer AT sbcglobal.net>
Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 14:42:33 -0600
I would just add to Chris' list that Fran Morel and I saw a small  
flock of about 30 SNOW BUNTINGS off of far eastern Stone Barn Rd.
Good Birding!
Beau Schaefer
beauschaefer AT sbcglobal.net
Round Lake Beach, IL
Lake Co

On Feb 6, 2010, at 11:26 AM, birdchris AT aol.com wrote:

> Geoff, Dave Antieau and I are birding around Naschu and encountered  
> a big flock of 38 Greater White-fronted Geese among a flock of  
> about 530 Canada Geese. The location is a pasture with a flowing  
> stream on Lost Nation Rd. just south of the tiny town of Kingdom.
>
> We're seeing Rough-legged and Red-tailed Hawks, Horned Larks, a  
> turkey, juncos, Tree Sparrows and other field birds. The only  
> falcons we've seen are Kestrels. No Prairie Falcon so far (11:20).
>
> Christine Williamson
> Chicago/Cook
> birdchris AT aol.com
>
> Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
> 





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



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Subject: IBET Bald Eagles on Pistakee Lake
From: "joelorlinsky" <orlinsky AT ameritech.net>
Date: Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:38:47 -0000
There has been a pair of Bald Eagles hanging around on Pistakee Lake. I was 
surprised to see them so active where there was no open water. After observing 
them for a while, I concluded that they are cleaning up after the ice fishermen 
who sometimes discard fish that they don't want by throwing them onto the ice. 

Subject: Re: ibet: attack cardinal overwinters at Shabbona Lake
From: "B.G. Sloan" <bgsloan2 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 12:16:07 -0800 (PST)
 
Darrell Shambaugh said: "I don't remember where I heard that cardinals migrate 
a few hundred miles south in the winter, but I think this cardinal is the same 
one that was there last spring and summer." 

 
BNA says the following about cardinal migration:
 
"Year-round resident throughout range. Nearly 90% of banded individuals that 
were found dead came from same 10-minute block of latitude and longitude where 
banded, and those found dead at greater distances show no directional pattern 
in movements. Reports of possible migration may be accounted for by dispersing 
juveniles; no known record of a breeding bird recovered at great distance in 
the following winter." 

 
So I guess cardinals are homebodies and pretty much stay in the same location 
year round. 

 
Bernie Sloan
Champaign County, IL
Monroe County, IN
My birding blog: http://bird-bs.blogspot.com 
Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/birdbs


--- On Sat, 2/6/10, Darrell Shambaugh  wrote:


From: Darrell Shambaugh 
Subject: ibet: attack cardinal overwinters at Shabbona Lake
To: "'IBET'" 
Cc: "'Mike and Kristen Andrews'" 
Date: Saturday, February 6, 2010, 1:18 PM


  



I checked Shabbona Lake this morning. There were very few birds in the state
park. A HOUSE FINCH was at the campgrounds boat launch. A few CROWS were by
the bait shop, and 6 CANADA GEESE flew over but didn't land. There is some
open water at the west end of the lake but it was birdless. 

The hunter parking area on University Road had the best birds. Nothing rare,
but at least there were some common birds, JUNCOS, BLUE JAYS, a NORTHERN
FLICKER, a DOWNY WOODPECKER, and the attack cardinal that was there last
spring and summer. While looking at some JUNCOS a CARDINAL flew up to a tree
on the other side of the parking lot, the same tree where a cardinal had a
territory last summer. I had parked by this tree twice and the cardinal
attacked my red SUV and landed on the rear view mirrors each time. Today as
soon as I parked by the tree, the cardinal immediately landed on the
passenger side rear view mirror. It fluttered its wings at me a couple times
and flew back to its tree, and then back to the mirror. It flew into the
tree above me and then landed on the drivers side mirror. By that time I had
my camera out, which scared the cardinal away. 

I don't remember where I heard that cardinals migrate a few hundred miles
south in the winter, but I think this cardinal is the same one that was
there last spring and summer. It is the only cardinal I've ever had attack
my car or land on the mirror and try to scare me away. 

Other birds seen in this hunter parking area were BLUE JAY, DOWNY
WOODPECKER, and NORTHERN FLICKER. 

I'll be back to visit the attack cardinal again. 

Darrell Shambaugh

Somonauk, DeKalb County

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









      

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Montrose Harbor - 2/6 a.m.
From: "bobdolgan" <bobdolgan AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 06 Feb 2010 19:47:55 -0000
There was a stiff north-northeast wind at Montrose Harbor this morning, and 
much of the west side of the harbor was ice-free. A nice concentration of ducks 
(~20) included common merganser, common goldeneye, lesser scaup, red-breasted 
merganser, and gulls included ring-bills and one first-year herring. There also 
were rafts of ducks near the harbor mouth and south along the revetment beside 
the golf course -- probably two dozen more mergs and goldeneyes, scaups (~10) 
and one male bufflehead. 


Bob Dolgan
Chicago
Subject: IBET Calumet area gulls (2-6-10)
From: Walter Marcisz <wmarcisz AT att.net>
Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 11:36:30 -0800 (PST)
An adult THAYER'S GULL flew overhead (heading east) while I was looking for 
sparrows at 130th & Ellis Ave. in Chicago around 11:00am on Saturday (2-6-10), 
and a 1st-cycle GLAUCOUS GULL was at nearby O'Brien Lock & Dam at about 
11:30am. 


During my visit from noon to 1:00pm, anadult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL 
wasresting on the ice of the Calumet River with some800 Herring Gulls, easily 
viewed from the end of Stony Island Avenue at the far south end of Deadstick 
Pond. 


Deadstick Pond is located at the SE corner of 122nd & Stony Island Ave. in 
Chicago (follow Stony Islandall the way south till it dead-ends at the Calumet 
River). 


Walter Marcisz
Chicago, Cook Co.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: ibet: attack cardinal overwinters at Shabbona Lake
From: "Darrell Shambaugh" <d.shambaugh AT mchsi.com>
Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 12:18:04 -0600
I checked Shabbona Lake this morning. There were very few birds in the state
park. A HOUSE FINCH was at the campgrounds boat launch. A few CROWS were by
the bait shop, and 6 CANADA GEESE flew over but didn't land. There is some
open water at the west end of the lake but it was birdless. 

 

The hunter parking area on University Road had the best birds. Nothing rare,
but at least there were some common birds, JUNCOS, BLUE JAYS, a NORTHERN
FLICKER, a DOWNY WOODPECKER, and the attack cardinal that was there last
spring and summer. While looking at some JUNCOS a CARDINAL flew up to a tree
on the other side of the parking lot, the same tree where a cardinal had a
territory last summer. I had parked by this tree twice and the cardinal
attacked my red SUV and landed on the rear view mirrors each time. Today as
soon as I parked by the tree, the cardinal immediately landed on the
passenger side rear view mirror. It fluttered its wings at me a couple times
and flew back to its tree, and then back to the mirror. It flew into the
tree above me and then landed on the drivers side mirror. By that time I had
my camera out, which scared the cardinal away. 

 

I don't remember where I heard that cardinals migrate a few hundred miles
south in the winter, but I think this cardinal is the same one that was
there last spring and summer. It is the only cardinal I've ever had attack
my car or land on the mirror and try to scare me away.  

 

Other birds seen in this hunter parking area were BLUE JAY, DOWNY
WOODPECKER, and NORTHERN FLICKER. 

 

I'll be back to visit the attack cardinal again. 

 

Darrell Shambaugh

Somonauk, DeKalb County

 

 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET North Pond Am. Pipit, Bufflehead
From: NorekJ AT aol.com
Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 12:40:57 EST
The Bufflehead (m) and Hooded mergansers (m/f) reported yesterday by Steve 
Spitzer are still on the pond.  The Wigeon remains.  Wood ducks.
 
American pipit in the surrounding lawn area along the northwest side of the 
pond.
 
Also seen - Cardinal, Downy woodpecker, Dark-eyed juncos, White-throated 
sparrow, digi-scopers (last seen focusing on the pipit).
 
North Pond is in Lincoln Park, just north of the zoo across Fullerton.
 
Joan Norek
Chicago
 
 
 

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



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Correction: 38 Greater white-fronted Geese were in LEE not Ogle County
From: birdchris AT aol.com
Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 17:35:56 +0000
Sorry, we keep criss-crossing the county line.

Chris Williamson
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Subject: IBET: 38 Greater White-fronted Geese in Ogle County
From: birdchris AT aol.com
Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 17:26:31 +0000
Geoff, Dave Antieau and I are birding around Naschu and encountered a big flock 
of 38 Greater White-fronted Geese among a flock of about 530 Canada Geese. The 
location is a pasture with a flowing stream on Lost Nation Rd. just south of 
the tiny town of Kingdom. 


We're seeing Rough-legged and Red-tailed Hawks, Horned Larks, a turkey, juncos, 
Tree Sparrows and other field birds. The only falcons we've seen are Kestrels. 
No Prairie Falcon so far (11:20). 


Christine Williamson
Chicago/Cook
birdchris AT aol.com 

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Subject: IBET North Pond Friday -Bufflehead, Merganser and More
From: Steve Spitzer <steven0703 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 22:49:49 -0800 (PST)
Hi Birders,

I visited North Pond today as the snow was starting. Neatest bird might have 
been the Bufflehead. I made a 30 second video of him. He had competition from 
a Hooded Merganser though. Details, pictures, video, all at the link. 


http://www.ilbirds.com/index.php?topic=32453.0

Steve Spitzer
Chicago, Cook


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: RE: IBET Adult & Juvenile Red-Tails? RECENT SIGHTINGS
From: "Darrell Shambaugh" <d.shambaugh AT mchsi.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 18:11:56 -0600
This pair sounds like a male and a female. Red-tailed Hawks have been
pairing up since the first of the year. I find it unusual to see only one
Red-tail. There is almost always another one lurking nearby. 

 

In raptors, the female is larger than the male. In Bald Eagles, females can
be 20% larger than males. It is hard to tell if a single hawk is male of
female, but when two are together the large one is the female. 

 

Darrell Shambaugh

Somonauk, DeKalb County 

 

  _____  


  
Driving up I-355 through Addison (DuPage Co.,) I saw a couple Red-Tails on a
light post. Nothing odd about that, except that they were close together,
and based on size and coloring, I wondered if it was an adult and 1st year
young from this last season. Is it possible that they'd be together this
long?

Jeanette
Schaumburg, Cook Co.

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

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





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Peregrine Falcon in downtown Rockford
From: "Daniel & Barbara Williams" <twotringas AT gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 15:03:53 -0600
A Peregrine Falcon is being seen with some regularity in downtown Rockford.
It frequents the Faust Landmark, a high rise apartment building, and a
telecommunications tower across the street from the Faust Landmark.  These
structures are located near the intersection of E. State Street and 3rd
Street, which is about 4 blocks E of the State Street bridge over the Rock
River.

Late afternoon is the best time to look.  The bird frequently perches on the
tower before going in the direction of the Landmark, presumably to roost for
the night.  Yesterday afternoon, it was plucking a prey item on top of the
communications tower around 4:00 p.m.

Dan Williams
Rockford


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Kankakee State Park Birding This AM
From: "happywanderer1946" <bfrens1 AT ameritech.net>
Date: Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:29:27 -0000
Had a great time.  Saw:

2 Cardinals
1 Nuthatch
3 Downy Woodpecker
1 Red tailed hawk
Approx 150 Canada Geese
Dozen Chicadee
15 Bufflehead - males and females mixed
18 Common mergansers - male and female
10 gold finch
15 Dark eyed juncos

Subject: Re: IBET Adult & Juvenile Red-Tails? RECENT SIGHTINGS
From: Brian <chicagostretch2002 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 10:45:28 -0800 (PST)
I don't have an answer to that although I have seen larger and smaller raptors 
working large fields together where food is plentiful, in the past.  I would 
like to add that there is a lot of hawk activity near the I355 Boughton Road 
toll plaza as well. I consistently see smaller birds chasing hawks or seeing 
them gliding along on the Woodward Avenue side (east of 355) looking for food 
as I am driving to and from work. It's almost a daily occurance and last week I 
saw what I am pretty sure was a Turkey Vulture heading north along I355 near 
International Parkway, just south of Boughton exits. Looking for 
raptors?....They seem to find that area a comfortable spot. 


Brian
Chicago, Illinois (Cook County)




________________________________
From: Jeanette Repp 
To: IBET 
Sent: Fri, February 5, 2010 11:00:44 AM
Subject: IBET Adult & Juvenile Red-Tails?

  
Driving up I-355 through Addison (DuPage Co.,) I saw a couple Red-Tails on a
light post. Nothing odd about that, except that they were close together,
and based on size and coloring, I wondered if it was an adult and 1st year
young from this last season. Is it possible that they'd be together this
long?

Jeanette
Schaumburg, Cook Co.

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





      

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Montrose - slow
From: David Antieau <dkantieau AT sbcglobal.net>
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 09:03:25 -0800 (PST)
Dear birders,

There wasn't too much action in the hour I was at Montrose this morning. My 
best bird was a Cooper's Hawk, flying near the Ravenswood el at Irving Park (on 
the way home). 


I didn't take my scope out of the car, so I didn't see very many ducks from the 
beginning of the breakwall or the beach. Probably more than 20 Red-breasted 
Mergansers, smaller numbers of the others, especially the scaup (4 or 5). 


Species list from Montrose:
Canada Goose
Mallard
Common Goldeneye
Greater Scaup
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
American Crow - 33+
European Starling
American Tree Sparrow - 22+ - all chittering away in the trees on the east side 
of the 

 point. It was quite a lovely sound.
House Finch - 2
Northern Cardinal - at least 9
House Sparrow

For the birds,

Dave Antieau
dkantieau AT sbcglobal.net
Chicago


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Adult & Juvenile Red-Tails?
From: Jeanette Repp <jzlrepp AT gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 11:00:44 -0600
Driving up I-355 through Addison (DuPage Co.,) I saw a couple Red-Tails on a
light post. Nothing odd about that, except that they were close together,
and based on size and coloring, I wondered if it was an adult and 1st year
young from this last season. Is it possible that they'd be together this
long?

         Jeanette
         Schaumburg, Cook Co.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET N. SAW-WHET OWLS, near Rend Lake
From: "Mcmullen, Keith A MVS" <Keith.A.Mcmullen AT usace.army.mil>
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 08:49:53 -0600
Greetings Birding Friends,

I shouldn't have to tell you that spring is around the corner despite the
gloomy 7-day forecast which includes snow, sleet, freezing rain and cold
temperatures. Just last weekend I noted several RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS on
territory and many of you have noticed large flocks of geese and ducks making
movements which are likely the beginnings of their treks northward.

The main purpose of my message is to report for Leonard Stanley,  5 NORTHERN
SAW-WHET OWLS he heard calling last evening from several spots at or near
Rend Lake in Franklin and Jefferson County, Illinois. Obviously, I won't
divulge exact locations so as to protect these birds from disturbance. For
those new to IBET or for beginning birders, most owls have roosting locations
that are fairly well-hidden and protected from predators, including humans.
Once we, birders, divulge these locations and sometimes hundreds "flock" to
that location, the roosting owl can and will become disturbed and vacate such
a roost. It's really within the best interest to not share exact roost
locations. (PLEASE, I didn't intend to begin a owl roost discussion forum.
We've been there and done that!).

The good news is this. Apparentely SAW-WHETS are becoming very vocal at this
time so you may be able to find your own in a favorite woods near you!  Check
areas with smaller pines and cedars that are pretty thick. Chances are slim
if you have 1 lone cedar in a woodlot. However, if you notice a woodlot with
dozens of cedars or small pines packed in together, you just might have a
SAW-WHET roosting there. 

All of these birds Leonard reports responded to a tape. He mentioned all of
them were fairly quick to respond as well and none of the birds revealed
their exact locations.

Good owling!

Keith McMullen
O'Fallon, IL
warbler7 AT sbcglobal.net


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET LONGSPURS, SNOW BUNTINGS and Horned Larks: Boone, Stephenson, and Jo Daviess Cos.
From: djohnsoda AT comcast.net
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 14:24:01 +0000 (UTC)


5 Feb 2009 



Yesterday, Bailey (my dog) and I headed to Boone Co. to look for Snow Buntings 
and Lapland 


Longspurs at Dan William's previously mentioned location in far SE Boone 

Co.  I was not disappointed--I found 25 Snow Buntings and 105 Lapland 
Longspurs 


on Shattuck Road just north of Engllson Rd. about 1/8 of a mile which is also N 
of Davis School Rd; 


most of the buntings and longspurs were in corn stubble on either side of 
Shattuck Rd. 


38 Horned Larks were also in this area and back towards Pinegar Rd and Hill Rd. 




On the Stephenson and JoDaviess county line there was a flock of 38 Lapland 
Longspurs 


and 15 Horned Larks on N. County Divide Rd. between Main and and Howardsville 
Rd. 


The longspurs were on either sides of the Rd in light corn stubble often coming 
to the roadside grit 


and wind blown corn spills. 



In Jo Daviess Co.  on S. Willow Road just S of Rte. 20 there was a flock of 
100 Snow 


Buntings mixed in with 50 Horned Larks.  Farther south off Willow Rd and 
Black Hawk Rd, SE corner, 


there was a flock of 75 Horned Larks on a manure spread and two Bald Eagles, 
one adult eagle sitting on the manure 


pile! (a first for me!).  


Best gas was $2.59 at Stockton.  No Dairy Queens just two runs at Starbucks 
drive-thrus (no lattes--just straight up black!). 



Good Birding! 



David B. Johnson 

NE IL 

djohnsoda AT comcast.net 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Lee County 02/04/11
From: "ollie085" <ollie085 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 05 Feb 2010 01:26:40 -0000
I took a car ride out to Green River SWA and Nachusa late this afternoon. It 
was my first father/son birding trip....he's only four months. Sticking to the 
car and roads I saw a few good birds without much effort. At Green River I was 
greeted by a hunting female Northern Harrier just east of the main entrance. 
She made an attempt at a prey item but came up empty. I then relocated the 
Red-shouldered Hawk mentioned earlier this week north of the big marsh along 
the pine trees. It was too cold to make an attempt at the Long-eareds, plus I 
didn't want to wake my boy. 

I made it to Nachusa after sundown but it was showtime for Short-eared owls. 
Three of them were fluttering together southwest of the yellow barn, basically 
around the big snag on the ridge. I had never observed either a Short-eared or 
a Red-shouldered so it was a short but productive jaunt. 


Pete Oliver
Dixon, Lee County
Subject: IBET Illinois birding regions (no sightings)
From: "calcariusp" <sdbailey AT mail.inhs.uiuc.edu>
Date: Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:50:07 -0000
Dave Bohlen (1978) used Gaults (1922) state delineation as well (although in 
combination with Smith and Parmalee (1955)), as did authors of several other 
Illinois bird works. The regional dividing lines in Bohlens 1978 work (An 
annotated check-list of the birds of Illinois)are drawn along mostly political 
boundaries, and are along county lines (but also follow isothermal lines 
closely). As someone who has traveled the north/south length of Illinois many, 
many times along I-57 from Champaign to Lake County, and Champaign to Union 
County, there are often times many changes in weather (especially noticeable in 
winter), both when I get to the Kankakee area and Effingham area (both counties 
along these state divisions). Rain often turns to ice around Kankakee (with 
snow often farther north), and snow often turning to ice or rain in Effingham 
(with rain and warmer temps farher south past Effingham). 


  
Birds and bird communities also change quite a bit in these two regions north 
and south of central Illinois, with a marked drop-off in numbers of more 
southern breeders like Barred Owls, Orchard Orioles, Kentucky Warblers and 
White-eyed Vireos once you get to the Kankakee area, and marked increases of 
these same species (and others like Blue Grosbeaks, Summer Tanagers, 
Blue-winged Warblers, etc.) once you get to Effingham and farther south. There 
are similar wintering bird differences in these general areas as well. 


Traveling the state as much as I have, such things may be more noticeable to 
me. There is a common joke in central and southern Illinois that basically 
goes, anything south of I-80 is southern Illinois to some northern Illinois 
folks...with my addition that includes central Illinois tends to totally 
disappear! ;-) Good birding! 



Steve Bailey
Mundelein (Lake Co.)
formally Champaign Co
sdbailey AT mail.inhs.uiuc.edu





<>

There are two systems for delineation of the state's birding regions:
1) the four-region system used by Vern Kleen for his Spring Bird Count 
tallying, and 

2) the three-region system first used by Benjamin T. Gault in 1922, 
which has been the basis for many subsequent comparisons.

Listers Corner has, historically, used the Gault system. A map showing the 
regions can be found on the IOS website in the Listers Corner section. 


I don't pretend that Gault's division of regions is beyond criticism, 
but it has afforded a point of comparison dating back almost 90 years. (even 
though I've always wondered why Kankakee wasn't put in the north!) 


The Listers Corner update is coming soon; there were a lot of 
last-minute additions and corrections.

Joe Lill
Chicago, Cook County
Subject: IBET Great Black-backed Gull in Evanston
From: Josh Engel <jengel5230 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 2010 15:10:56 -0800 (PST)
An adult Great Black-backed Gull was harassing the ducks and other gulls in the 
lake this afternoon off the northeast point of the Northwestern University 
Lakefill in Evanston. There were a decent number of ducks in the lake, but 
besides Common Goldeneye and Common and Red-breasted Mergansers there was only 
a single female Bufflehead. A coyote walked by me as I was scanning the lake. 


To reach this spot, turn east on Lincoln from Sheridan Road and follow it 
around to the lakefront parking lot. 


Josh Engel
Evanston, Cook Co.
jengel5230 AT yahoo.com

Tour Leader, Tropical Birding
www.tropicalbirding.com



      
Subject: IBET Re: Northern Shrike- Glenview
From: "franmmmk" <franmmmk AT gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:44:24 -0000
I was driving home from Crystal Lake today and stopped for my 3rd or 4th 
attempt this winter at a drive-by shrike. Today, I was successful....at 3:50 
pm, the Northern Shrike was perched in this field. 


Fran
Evanston, Cook Co.

--- In ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com, "Leonard, John P."  wrote:
>
> 
> An adult NORTHERN SHRIKE was again seen perched on top of various dogwoods
> at the Air Station Prairie, LeHigh and Compass Rd in Glenview, 11 AM
> 1/31/10. This is likely the same bird that has been present in this area
> since November.
> 
> 
> John Leonard
> Glenview, IL
> Cook County
>

Subject: IBET Rusty Blackbird in yard, & question
From: <astraight4 AT verizon.net>
Date: Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:23:31 -0600
There have been around 26 or so Cowbirds in the yard the last few weeks. 
Today I got home around 3p.m. (after trying to find the Prairie Falcon - no 
sighting) I looked out in the back yard and said that is one big Cowbird. 
Put my scope on it, and it was a RUSTY BLACKBIRD.  It had a yellow eye, 
sharp bill, buffy eyebrow, some buff below the throat area, and had brown 
edges to the tertails and wing coverts.  I didn't get the rump, but looked 
more like a female.  So I guess I need to pay more attention to those 
blackbirds.

Question:  Are the Meadowlarks being reported on the CBC's as Eastern, 
assumed?  The one we had was from a distance, no vocal, so I reported it as 
species.  I have heard from a few experts that the facial pattern can be 
difficult and with the birds not vocal at this time of the yard, what is the 
protocol?

Did anyone see the recent report from the University of Michigan that 
indicates that native grassland is being converted at an alarming rate and 
sensitive wildlife is declining significantly in areas with high plantings 
of corn? 87 million acres of corn was planted in 2009, up 1 million from 
2008.  This was analyzed increased corn production in Iowa, Minnesota, North 
Dakota and South Dakota.

Anne Straight
Forreston, IL (Ogle County) 
Subject: Re: IBET McLean Co. Short-eared Owls
From: <jwhoyt AT illinois.edu>
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 2010 15:16:14 -0600 (CST)
Mathew,

That is good news!

I once saw a pair of Short Eared Owls while hunting pheasants with a friend on 
some CRP land near Bellflower along Route 130. 


They were the most memorable part of the trip. :)

Jim Hoyt 
Champaign 


---- Original message ----
>Date: Thu, 4 Feb 2010 11:39:11 -0600
>From: Matthew Winks   
>Subject: IBET McLean Co. Short-eared Owls  
>To: IBET 
>
>    
>
>   Hi all,
>
>   The presence of Short-eared Owls was discovered at
>   the Saybrook Habitat Area last week by Given Harper
>   and Angelo Capparella. Several local birders
>   gathered at dusk on Monday (2/1/10) and watched at
>   least six (possibly more) Short-ears sporting
>   around. The Saybrook Habitat Area in eastern McLean
>   County was purchased jointly by Pheasants Forever
>   and IDNR for grassland restoration and pheasant
>   hunting. The key sections of this area are a 320
>   acre and a 160 acre tract bounded by Illinois Route
>   9 to the south; 1500 N to between 3700 E and 3800 E.
>   The best vantage point to view the owls seems to be
>   from a small gravel parking lot on 1500 N. I've made
>   a map for anybody interested.
>
> 
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&client=firefox-a&channel=s&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Colfax,+IL&gl=us&ei=oQNrS-vDHseWtgePy_WCBg&ved=0CAsQ8gEwAA&msa=0&ll=40.50636,-88.534355&spn=0.030281,0.084543&z=14&msid=115910564470275447199.00047ec9abecd2e0a24e7 

>
>   I would like to add a report of a possible Prairie
>   Falcon seen in the area last week. Ted Hartzler
>   spotted a large falcon near 3300 E and 1700 N which
>   appeared two-toned underneath; having dark underwing
>   coverts with contrasting paler flight feathers. A
>   few local birders, including myself, have attempted
>   to relocate the falcon with no luck however. When
>   Ted last saw the bird, he said it was gaining
>   serious altitude and drifting far to the south.
>
>   Matthew Winks
>   El Paso, IL
>
>   __________________________________________________________
>   Hotmail: Trusted email with powerful SPAM
>   protection.
>   http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469227/direct/01/
>
>   [Non-text portions of this message have been
>   removed]
>
>   
Subject: IBET McLean Co. Short-eared Owls
From: Matthew Winks <fluidfive AT hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 2010 11:39:11 -0600





Hi all,

The presence of Short-eared Owls was discovered at the Saybrook Habitat Area 
last week by Given Harper and Angelo Capparella. Several local birders gathered 
at dusk on Monday (2/1/10) and watched at least six (possibly more) Short-ears 
sporting around. The Saybrook Habitat Area in eastern McLean County was 
purchased jointly by Pheasants Forever and IDNR for grassland restoration and 
pheasant hunting. The key sections of this area are a 320 acre and a 160 acre 
tract bounded by Illinois Route 9 to the south; 1500 N to between 3700 E and 
3800 E. The best vantage point to view the owls seems to be from a small gravel 
parking lot on 1500 N. I've made a map for anybody interested. 



http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&client=firefox-a&channel=s&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Colfax,+IL&gl=us&ei=oQNrS-vDHseWtgePy_WCBg&ved=0CAsQ8gEwAA&msa=0&ll=40.50636,-88.534355&spn=0.030281,0.084543&z=14&msid=115910564470275447199.00047ec9abecd2e0a24e7 


I would like to add a report of a possible Prairie Falcon seen in the area last 
week. Ted Hartzler spotted a large falcon near 3300 E and 1700 N which appeared 
two-toned underneath; having dark underwing coverts with contrasting paler 
flight feathers. A few local birders, including myself, have attempted to 
relocate the falcon with no luck however. When Ted last saw the bird, he said 
it was gaining serious altitude and drifting far to the south. 


Matthew Winks
El Paso, IL






 		 	   		  
_________________________________________________________________
Hotmail: Trusted email with powerful SPAM protection.
http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469227/direct/01/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET: Birding America date correction (no sightings)
From: trptjoe AT aol.com
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 2010 10:56:23 EST
In our recent IBET posts, both Alan Anderson and I ended our posts with a 
footer publicizing Birding America: but with the WRONG date! Fine Board 
members we are...

Birding America VIII is on Saturday, March 6, 2010; see 
www.chicagoaudubon.org for details, but here's the lineup:

Symposium Schedule:
8:15 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.  Registration and Refreshments.
Keynote Address: 
9:00 a.m.  Roger Tory Peterson—No Person Left Behind.  Presented by Joe 
Lill.
Near Chicago Birding Areas:
10:00 a.m.  Birds at Carlyle Lake.  Presented by Keith McMullen.
11:00 a.m.  Birding the Frozen North (Wisconsin).  Presented by Steve 
Betchkal
1:00 p.m.   North Pond / Lincoln Park.  Presented by Geoffrey A. 
Williamson.
2:00 p.m.   North Point Marina and Spring Bluff Forest Preserve, Lake 
County.
Presented by Eric Walters.
Skill-Building Workshops:
10:00 a.m.  Shorebird Identification.  Presented by Walter Marcisz.
11:00 a.m.  Secret Lives of Illinois’ Breeding Birds.  Presented by Steve 
Bailey.
1:00 p.m.  Navigating Chicago’s High-Rises.  Presented by Dave Willard.
2:00 p.m.  Bird Conservation Opportunities in the Chicago Region.  
Presented by Judy Pollock, Donnie Dann, and Steve Flexman.
International Birding Trips:
10:00 a.m.  Birds of Southern Arizona.  Presented by Clair and Bev Postmus.
11:00 a.m.  Birds of Kenya.  Presented by Paul Gitau.
1:00 p.m.   Veracruz, Mexico Hawk Migration.  Presented by Jorge Barrios.  
2:00 p.m.   Birds of Florida’s Sanibel Island Area.  Presented by Clair 
and 

Bev Postmus.
3:00 p.m.  Closing Presentation:  
Birds on the Wind: The Miracle of Migration.  Presented by Kevin Karlson.

Joe Lill
Chicago, Cook County
Chicago Audubon Society



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET: Gull Frolic Feb. 20th Reminder
From: Brian Herriott <wrybill AT sbcglobal.net>
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 2010 06:59:53 -0800 (PST)
Saturday, February 20, 8:00 AM
9th Annual IOS Gull Frolic 

Guest Speaker 9:30 and 11:30 AM: Mr. Alvaro Jaramillo - Slaty-backed Gull
Identification


Bring your binoculars, scope and cold weather gear. Experts will be available 
to help ID and answer 

questions. $10 registration fee includes continental breakfast, lunch,
including Sea Gull Stew, vegetarian chili, drinks and more. Coffee, tea and hot
chocolate will be available all day. This fee will help defray facility
expenses. Any
surplus will go to the IOS Grant Program to benefit Illinois birds and birding. 


The featured speaker, sponsored by the Chicago Ornithological Society, will be
Mr. Alvaro Jaramillo, a Field Guides Chile specialist guide, who lives in Half
Moon Bay, Calif. His progam will be on Slaty-backed Gull identification. Lunch
will be served immediately following the 2nd presentation. 

To reach the Winthrop Harbor Yacht Club take the I-94 toll
road north toward Milwaukee. Exit at Route 173. Turn right (east) and go to 
Sheridan Road (Rt. 137). Turn left and proceed to 7th Street. Turn right on 7th 

Street and follow the North Point Marina signs to the yacht club. DO NOT SPEED
on 7th Street! It is actively patrolled by the Winthrop Harbor police.

More info will be posted at http://www.illinoisbirds.org as we get
closer to the date.
Sponsored by many local bird clubs, organizations and
individuals. Hosted by the Illinois
Ornithological Society.

Cheers,
Brian Herriott
Evanston, IL
Cook County
Illinois Ornithological Society

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Illinois birding regions (no sightings)
From: trptjoe AT aol.com
Date: Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:27:02 -0500
<>

There are two systems for delineation of the state's birding regions:
1) the four-region system used by Vern Kleen for his Spring Bird Count 
tallying, and
2) the three-region system first used by Benjamin T. Gault in 1922, 
which has been the basis for many subsequent comparisons.

Listers Corner has, historically, used the Gault system. A map showing 
the regions can be found on the IOS website in the Listers Corner 
section.

I don't pretend that Gault's division of regions is beyond criticism, 
but it has afforded a point of comparison dating back almost 90 years. 
(even though I've always wondered why Kankakee wasn't put in the north!)

The Listers Corner update is coming soon; there were a lot of 
last-minute additions and corrections.

Joe Lill
Chicago, Cook County

Save the date:  March 7th, Birding America VIII, North Park University, 
Chicago www.chicagoaudubon.org
  
Subject: IBET Nachusa Raptors - 1/31/2010
From: VBirdman AT aol.com
Date: Thu, 04 Feb 2010 08:18:54 -0500
My wife Ann and I were out at Nachusa Grasslands for a few hours this past 
Sunday. Didn't see the Prairie Falcon but did see several raptors, including 
several Rough-legged Hawks, Bald Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks and American 
Kestrels. If interested I put up a few photos of a young Bald Eagle and an 
adult male Rough-legged Hawk on Greg's site: 



http://www.ilbirds.com/index.php?topic=32373.msg40613#msg40613



Vic Berardi
Gurnee, IL (Lake County)
Email: VBirdman AT aol.com
Raptor Blog: http://theraptorphile.blogspot.com/


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Lee County: Northern Goshawk
From: "mmadsen48" <mmadsen48 AT comcast.net>
Date: Thu, 04 Feb 2010 06:06:36 -0000
The first bird of the day turned out to be the highlight of a day of birding in 
Lee and Ogle counties with Andy Sigler on Wednesday. An immature NORTHERN 
GOSHAWK was perched near Maytown Road along the southern boundary of the Green 
River Conservation Area in Lee County. It was across the road from a farmhouse 
with pens filled with pheasants in their back yard. At least 3 LONG-EARED OWLS 
were present in the Conservation Area (could have been more but we didn't want 
to flush them). 


A long search for the Prairie Falcon that has been seen in and near the Nachusa 
Grasslands had the same result as all my searches for this species in Illinois 
- zilch! 


A beautiful sunset (complete with howling coyote pack) was followed by the 
appearance of a hunting SHORT-EARED OWL in the Nachusa Grasslands. A short time 
later, a GREAT HORNED OWL was checking us out from a perch over our heads and 
was promptly harassed by two more Short-eared Owls. Other Great Horned Owls 
serenaded us from nearby in the fading light. Later we were able to locate an 
EASTERN SCREECH OWL nearby and then we drove a few miles north to the 
Lowden-Miller Forest area where we heard BARRED OWLS and several more Screech 
Owls to complete a five species owl day. 


Mike Madsen
mmadsen48 AT comcast.net
Woodridge, IL  (DuPage County)
Subject: IBET Day of Week Correction
From: Steve Spitzer <steven0703 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2010 20:04:09 -0800 (PST)
I meant Wednesday Walk, by the way. Those days, they all look alike I guess.

Steve Spitzer


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Montrose To Belmont Monday Walk
From: Steve Spitzer <steven0703 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2010 19:54:02 -0800 (PST)
Hi Birders,

I walked the lakefront this afternoon No unusual birds, but all three 
Mergansers were seen, along with a photogenic Goldeneye and a Scuap that I used 
to test my new FZ35 camera. 


http://www.ilbirds.com/index.php?topic=32374.0

Details at the link.

Steve Spitzer
Chicago, Cook


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: Re: IBET Pink-sided Junco
From: "B.G. Sloan" <bgsloan2 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2010 17:30:23 -0800 (PST)
 
Steve Bailey said "The range in variation in the most common junco in Illinois 
(Slate-colored) varies greatly between individuals, and nowhere was this more 
noticeable to me as when I used to band hundreds of birds each year, many years 
ago...I was somewhat amazed at the varying amounts of brown wash there was in 
the otherwise gray plumage of the dorsal areas of the juncos, not to mention 
the varying amounts of pinkish/brownish wash in the flanks and sides." 

 
I did some furniture re-arranging this fall, moving my home office from the 
second floor to the first floor. My writing desk faces north and looks out on 
my bird feeders through a big floor-to-ceiling window. At my left elbow is a 
good-sized west-facing window. This winter I put bird feed out on the ground 
outside each of these windows for juncos and winter sparrows. 

 
I've watched LOTS of juncos this winter...I'll have as many as 75 
juncos outside these windows at one time. And, like Steve, I'm really amazed 
at the color variations of juncos. I've seen pinkish/brownish wash in the 
flanks and sides of quite a few. I've seen some that look kinda "Oregon-ish". 
But I doubt that any of them were true Pink-sided or Oregon juncos. Let's hear 
it for junco diversity. :-) 

 
I had an interesting experience early this fall. I was out with some birders 
and someone came up to me with their camera and asked me to ID a bird photo. I 
was like "Uh, it's a junco". They noted how it didn't have "typical" junco 
field marks. I said "then let's call it 'junco-esque'". It definitely was a 
Dark-eyed Junco... 

 

Bernie Sloan
Champaign County, IL
Monroe County, IN
My birding blog: http://bird-bs.blogspot.com 
Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/birdbsBirds playing electric guitar: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89Kz8Nxb-Bg 


--- On Wed, 2/3/10, calcariusp  wrote:


From: calcariusp 
Subject: Re: IBET Pink-sided Junco
To: ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, February 3, 2010, 5:48 PM


  



My post does not reflect on Eric's recent Pink-sided Junco sighting, but is 
more in agreement with Michael in that folks should take caution in identifying 
ANY junco other than "Slate-colored" Junco's…even the "Oregon" subspecies. I 
have to admit that other than juncos at my feeders, I don't often scrutinize 
junco flocks for rare subspecific individuals. With that said, many years ago, 
I did find and identify a "Pink-sided" Junco (even got some poor pictures!) at 
Lake Shelbyville…in June! Luckily, I had just started working for Dr. Scott 
Robinson at the time (one of few exceptional ornithologists that I know who are 
avid birders and listers). As Scott still did not know me well, he went to look 
for it the next day (I suspect as he had doubts that I had ID'ed it correctly), 
and luckily he found it! Bohlen (1989) lists it as only one of two "good" sight 
records in his Birds of Illinois book. Of course, there have likely been 
several more sightings 

 since then, but this does show the subspecies rarity.

My thought is that I think even the "Oregon" Junco may very well be identified 
way too easily (& often) by a lot of birders, as I seldom even see this 
subspecies. They are relatively often reported on the Christmas Bird Counts I 
help on, and I've noted 2-3 individuals reported at the same time and place by 
some folks, and have always wondered how well these individuals were actually 
seen. The range in variation in the most common junco in Illinois 
(Slate-colored) varies greatly between individuals, and nowhere was this more 
noticeable to me as when I used to band hundreds of birds each year, many years 
ago. Most of my banding was done in late-fall and winter, so a good percentage 
of the birds I caught were "Slate-colored" Juncos, and I was somewhat amazed at 
the varying amounts of brown wash there was in the otherwise gray plumage of 
the dorsal areas of the juncos, not to mention the varying amounts of 
pinkish/brownish wash in the flanks and sides. Even 

 the gray of many birds approached more of a charcoal gray to blackish, 
although these may have been immature males. It was much easier to 
differentiate the gray and white adult males. 


I have always been a lot more hesitant to call any junco an "Oregon" without a 
pretty good look. It was interesting to read one of the links in Michael's 
post, in which comments by Ted Floyd (Chief editor of Birding magazine) show 
just how rare "Oregon" juncos are at the Powdermill Banding Station in 
Pennsylvania (granted it is a fair distance farther east). He says that the 
"Oregon" race is EXCEEDINGLY rare in the banding records there, but I bet if 
you checked the published sight records from that area of the U.S., published 
records would not show the race to be that rare. 


Just something to think about the next time you are getting ready to call one 
of those birds underneath your feeder an "Oregon" or "Pink-sided" Junco. With 
that said, would someone please find a "White-winged" Junco in Lake County 
while they're looking for an "Oregon"! I'd probably come and take a look at it. 
Good birding! 


Steve Bailey
Mundelein (Lake Co)
sdbailey AT mail. inhs.uiuc. edu

>Hello, all.
>
>I'm very glad to hear that Eric is scrutinizing the juncos at his >feeders. 
Many birders simply say "Dark-eyed Junco" and leave it at >that, but they miss 
out on the fun and challenge of going further. >Anyone who sees any junco they 
think is not Slate-colored, Oregon, >or a hybrid thereof should be encouraged 
to properly document and >photograph the bird. It would be accidental in 
Illinois, and its >true status unclear/unknown. 

>
>Caution and careful study are warranted, especially, when >identifying any 
junco as Pink-sided (mearnsi) in Illinois. Hybrid >Slate-colored X Oregon 
juncos (also know as Cassiar Juncos 

>[=cismontanus] ) are not rare in Illinois, and females can look very >similar 
to Pink-sideds. Here is a junco I photographed in 2003 at >Starved Rock that I 
thought might be a Pink-sided: 

>
>http://www.flickr. com/photos/ mlretter/ 928749760/ in/set->72157601057052980/
>
>Expert consensus, however, was that this was a female cismontanus. >Not many 
people know, let alone are familiar with, this taxon, so it >consequently 
perplexes people on a regular basis. Notice how is >lacks the paler blue-gray 
head and the starkly contrasting black >lores of this Pink-sided Junco: 

>
>http://www.schmoker .org/BirdPics/ Photos/Sparrows/ PSJU_2.jpg
>
>Here are some additional junco ID resources:
>
>http://www.oceanwan derers.com/ JuncoID.html
>http://www.schmoker .org/BirdPics/ DEJU.html
>http://www.roysepho tos.com/DarkEyed Junco3.html
>
>Good birding,
>
>Michael L. P. Retter









      

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Kankakee/Will Co: Migration Begins
From: Jed Hertz <jhh_60910 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2010 16:15:47 -0800 (PST)
Hi all,
 
I'm going to miss winter - love how the cold congregates the birds - but it 
seems some species are on the move: 14900 Canada Goose plus 
other waterfowl moving north the other day, a small flock of Cedar Waxwing 
yesterday, last seen 12/14/09 here, and two Hermit Thrush perched for photos 
yesterday, last seen 11/18/09 (almost none existent in Kankakee area this 
winter).  

 
Also of note: Mute Swan (juvenile) with all black bill - see photo.
 
BTW: The Rare Bird reported Northern Goshawk was sighted in Will Co at the 
Braidwood Cooling Lake, not Kankakee Co.  Also, Kankakee Co is part of the 
northern zone as shown on Vernon Kleen's Spring Bird Count map, not the central 
zone as has been mentioned recently by others.  (I lived in Champaign Co 4 
yrs, I know the difference). 

 
BTW2: I've added a few "classified ads" you might find amusing.  (sent by my 
sister). 

 
Here's a run-down on 50 recently sighted species in my area:
 
Anatidae 12 
Greater White-fronted Goose IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington   
Cackling Goose IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington   
Canada Goose IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington  
Mute Swan IL, Kankakee River SP + Davis Crk Area immature; photo 
American Wigeon IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington M 
American Black Duck IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington   
Mallard IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington est; pair "bobbing heads." 
Northern Pintail IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington   
Redhead IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington M 
Common Goldeneye IL, Kankakee Dam Area & Bird Park Quarry   
Hooded Merganser IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington   
Common Merganser IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington   
 
Phasianidae 1 
Ring-necked Pheasant IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington   
 
Melagrididae 1 
Wild Turkey IL, LeVasseur Park-Perry Farm, Kankakee Co Rt 113 
 
Podicipedidae 1 
Pied-billed Grebe IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington   
 
Phalacrocoracidae 1 
Double-crested Cormorant IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington   
 
Ardeidae 1 
Great Blue Heron IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington   
 
Accipitridae 2 
Bald Eagle IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington ad 
Red-tailed Hawk IL, Kankakee River SP + Davis Crk Area   
 
Falconidae 1 
American Kestrel IL, Kankakee Area, Kankakee Co f 
 
Rallidae 1 
American Coot IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington   
 
Laridae 2 
Ring-billed Gull IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington   
Herring Gull IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington   
 
Columbidae 2 
Rock Pigeon IL, Kankakee Dam Area & Bird Park Quarry   
Mourning Dove IL, Kankakee Area, Kankakee Co   
 
Picidae 5 
Red-headed Woodpecker IL, Kankakee River SP + Davis Crk Area   
Red-bellied Woodpecker IL, Justine Drive House, Kankakee M 
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker IL, Kankakee Area, Kankakee Co   
Downy Woodpecker IL, Justine Drive House, Kankakee F 
Hairy Woodpecker IL, Kankakee River SP + Davis Crk Area   
 
Corvidae 2 
Blue Jay IL, Justine Drive House, Kankakee   
American Crow IL, Justine Drive House, Kankakee   
 
Paridae 2 
Black-capped Chickadee IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington   
Tufted Titmouse IL, Justine Drive House, Kankakee   
 
Sittidae 1 
White-breasted Nuthatch IL, Justine Drive House, Kankakee   
 
Certhiidae 1 
Brown Creeper IL, Kankakee Area, Kankakee Co   
 
Troglodytidae 1 
Carolina Wren IL, Justine Drive House, Kankakee   
 
Turdidae 1 
Hermit Thrush IL, Kankakee Area, Kankakee Co photo 
 
Sturnidae 1 
European Starling IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington   
 
Bombycillidae 1 
Cedar Waxwing IL, Kankakee Area, Kankakee Co   
 
Emberizidae 4 
American Tree Sparrow IL, Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA, S. Wilmington   
Fox Sparrow IL, Kankakee River SP + Davis Crk Area   
White-throated Sparrow IL, Kankakee Area, Kankakee Co   
Dark-eyed Junco IL, Justine Drive House, Kankakee   
 
Cardinalidae 1 
Northern Cardinal IL, Justine Drive House, Kankakee   
 
Icteridae 2 
Common Grackle IL, Kankakee Area, Kankakee Co   
Brown-headed Cowbird IL, Kankakee Area, Kankakee Co   
 
Fringillidae 2 
House Finch IL, Justine Drive House, Kankakee   
American Goldfinch IL, Justine Drive House, Kankakee   
 
Passeridae 1 
House Sparrow IL, Justine Drive House, Kankakee   
 
These classifieds actually ran in a Minneapolis newspapers – a few smiles for 
your day.... 

  
             
 FREE YORKSHIRE TERRIER . 
 8-years old. Hateful little bastard.
 Bites! 
  
             
   FREE PUPPIES:         
   1/2 Cocker Spaniel, 
   1/2 sneaky neighbor's dog. 
  


 FREE PUPPIES.. 
 Mother, AKC German Shepherd. 
 Father, Super Dog..able to leap 
  tall fences in a single bound. 
  
       
FOUND DIRTY WHITE DOG. 
 Looks like a rat. Been out awhile. 
 Better be a big reward. 
  
             
 COWS, CALVES: NEVER BRED. 
  Also 1 gay bull for sale. 
  
     
 NORDIC TRACK 
 $300 Hardly used, call Chubby. 
  
             
  GEORGIA PEACHES 
  California grown - 89 cents/lb. 
  
           
 JOINING NUDIST COLONY! 
 Must sell washer and dryer $300.
 
  
             
 WEDDING DRESS FOR SALE . 
 Worn once by mistake. Call Stephanie. 
  
       
                        
FOR SALE BY OWNER: 
Complete set of Encyclopedia Britannica, 45 volumes. Excellent condition.
 $1,000 or best offer.  No longer needed, Got married last month. Wife
 knows everything.


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: Re: IBET Pink-sided Junco
From: "calcariusp" <sdbailey AT mail.inhs.uiuc.edu>
Date: Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:48:17 -0000
My post does not reflect on Eric's recent Pink-sided Junco sighting, but is 
more in agreement with Michael in that folks should take caution in identifying 
ANY junco other than "Slate-colored" Junco'seven the "Oregon" subspecies. I 
have to admit that other than juncos at my feeders, I don't often scrutinize 
junco flocks for rare subspecific individuals. With that said, many years ago, 
I did find and identify a "Pink-sided" Junco (even got some poor pictures!) at 
Lake Shelbyvillein June! Luckily, I had just started working for Dr. Scott 
Robinson at the time (one of few exceptional ornithologists that I know who are 
avid birders and listers). As Scott still did not know me well, he went to look 
for it the next day (I suspect as he had doubts that I had ID'ed it correctly), 
and luckily he found it! Bohlen (1989) lists it as only one of two "good" sight 
records in his Birds of Illinois book. Of course, there have likely been 
several more sightings since then, but this does show the subspecies rarity. 


 My thought is that I think even the "Oregon" Junco may very well be identified 
way too easily (& often) by a lot of birders, as I seldom even see this 
subspecies. They are relatively often reported on the Christmas Bird Counts I 
help on, and I've noted 2-3 individuals reported at the same time and place by 
some folks, and have always wondered how well these individuals were actually 
seen. The range in variation in the most common junco in Illinois 
(Slate-colored) varies greatly between individuals, and nowhere was this more 
noticeable to me as when I used to band hundreds of birds each year, many years 
ago. Most of my banding was done in late-fall and winter, so a good percentage 
of the birds I caught were "Slate-colored" Juncos, and I was somewhat amazed at 
the varying amounts of brown wash there was in the otherwise gray plumage of 
the dorsal areas of the juncos, not to mention the varying amounts of 
pinkish/brownish wash in the flanks and sides. Even the gray of many birds 
approached more of a charcoal gray to blackish, although these may have been 
immature males. It was much easier to differentiate the gray and white adult 
males. 


 I have always been a lot more hesitant to call any junco an "Oregon" without a 
pretty good look. It was interesting to read one of the links in Michael's 
post, in which comments by Ted Floyd (Chief editor of Birding magazine) show 
just how rare "Oregon" juncos are at the Powdermill Banding Station in 
Pennsylvania (granted it is a fair distance farther east). He says that the 
"Oregon" race is EXCEEDINGLY rare in the banding records there, but I bet if 
you checked the published sight records from that area of the U.S., published 
records would not show the race to be that rare. 


 Just something to think about the next time you are getting ready to call one 
of those birds underneath your feeder an "Oregon" or "Pink-sided" Junco. With 
that said, would someone please find a "White-winged" Junco in Lake County 
while they're looking for an "Oregon"! I'd probably come and take a look at it. 
Good birding! 



Steve Bailey
Mundelein (Lake Co)
sdbailey AT mail.inhs.uiuc.edu



>Hello, all.
>
>I'm very glad to hear that Eric is scrutinizing the juncos at his >feeders. 
Many birders simply say "Dark-eyed Junco" and leave it at >that, but they miss 
out on the fun and challenge of going further. >Anyone who sees any junco they 
think is not Slate-colored, Oregon, >or a hybrid thereof should be encouraged 
to properly document and >photograph the bird. It would be accidental in 
Illinois, and its >true status unclear/unknown. 

>
>Caution and careful study are warranted, especially, when >identifying any 
junco as Pink-sided (mearnsi) in Illinois. Hybrid >Slate-colored X Oregon 
juncos (also know as Cassiar Juncos 

>[=cismontanus]) are not rare in Illinois, and females can look very >similar 
to Pink-sideds. Here is a junco I photographed in 2003 at >Starved Rock that I 
thought might be a Pink-sided: 

>
>http://www.flickr.com/photos/mlretter/928749760/in/set->72157601057052980/
>
>Expert consensus, however, was that this was a female cismontanus. >Not many 
people know, let alone are familiar with, this taxon, so it >consequently 
perplexes people on a regular basis. Notice how is >lacks the paler blue-gray 
head and the starkly contrasting black >lores of this Pink-sided Junco: 

>
>http://www.schmoker.org/BirdPics/Photos/Sparrows/PSJU_2.jpg
>
>Here are some additional junco ID resources:
>
>http://www.oceanwanderers.com/JuncoID.html
>http://www.schmoker.org/BirdPics/DEJU.html
>http://www.roysephotos.com/DarkEyedJunco3.html
>
>Good birding,
>
>Michael L. P. Retter

Subject: Re: IBET Pink-sided junco
From: "Michael L. P. Retter" <mlretter AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2010 10:22:12 -0800 (PST)
Hello, all.

I'm very glad to hear that Eric is scrutinizing the juncos at his feeders. Many 
birders simply say "Dark-eyed Junco" and leave it at that, but they miss out on 
the fun and challenge of going further. Anyone who sees any junco they think is 
not Slate-colored, Oregon, or a hybrid thereof should be encouraged to properly 
document and photograph the bird. It would be accidental in Illinois, and its 
true status unclear/unknown. 


Caution and careful study are warranted, especially, when identifying any junco 
as Pink-sided (mearnsi) in Illinois. Hybrid Slate-colored X Oregon juncos (also 
know as Cassiar Juncos [=cismontanus]) are not rare in Illinois, and females 
can look very similar to Pink-sideds. Here is a junco I photographed in 2003 at 
Starved Rock that I thought might be a Pink-sided: 


http://www.flickr.com/photos/mlretter/928749760/in/set-72157601057052980/

Expert consensus, however, was that this was a female cismontanus. Not many 
people know, let alone are familiar with, this taxon, so it consequently 
perplexes people on a regular basis. Notice how is lacks the paler blue-gray 
head and the starkly contrasting black lores of this Pink-sided Junco: 


http://www.schmoker.org/BirdPics/Photos/Sparrows/PSJU_2.jpg

Here are some additional junco ID resources:

http://www.oceanwanderers.com/JuncoID.html
http://www.schmoker.org/BirdPics/DEJU.html
http://www.roysephotos.com/DarkEyedJunco3.html

Good birding,

Michael L. P. Retter
---------------------------------
W. Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co., IN
mlretter AT yahoo.com
home:  765.838.3152
cell:  309.824.7317
http://xenospiza.com/

Tour Leader, Tropical Birding
http://www.tropicalbirding.com/
-----------------------------------

--- On Wed, 2/3/10, Eric Lundquist  wrote:

From: Eric Lundquist 
Subject: IBET Pink-sided junco
To: "IL-Birds" 
Date: Wednesday, February 3, 2010, 11:00 AM















 
 



  


    
      
      
      Everyone-



I had a nice Pink-sided Junco at the feeders this morning in Mundelein, IL.



Regards,



Eric

 Eric Lundquist

Mundelein, IL

brewbird1 [at] yahoo dot com 





    
     

    
    


 



  











      
Subject: IBET Pink-sided junco
From: Eric Lundquist <brewbird1 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2010 09:00:22 -0800 (PST)
Everyone-

I had a nice Pink-sided Junco at the feeders this morning in Mundelein, IL.

Regards,

Eric
Eric Lundquist
Mundelein, IL
brewbird1 [at] yahoo dot com 


      
Subject: IBET Tundra Swans
From: bob shelby <bobshelby_1956 AT hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2010 10:46:28 -0600
Leroy Harrison and I observed 4 Tundra Swans at East Fork Lake in Richland 
County this morning. They have been around since Tuesday morning. 


Bob Shelby

West Salem, Edwards Co.

bobshelby_1956 AT hotmail.com
 		 	   		  
_________________________________________________________________
Hotmail: Trusted email with powerful SPAM protection.
http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469227/direct/01/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Rusty Blackbird Blitz reminder (NO SIGHTINGS)
From: Matt Mckim-Louder <mmckimlouder AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2010 08:46:18 -0800 (PST)
Rusty Blackbird Blitz January 30- February 15

Just a reminder for those who wish to participate in the Blitz, even if you 
don't find any Rusty Blackbirds in appropriate habitat, please enter your 
report into the eBird.org website or send me your information. We still have 
another week and a half to survey Rusty habitats..... 


With a few scattered sightings across Illinois in January, I hope surveyors 
have a successful upcoming count week. 

Illinois eBird Rusty sightings in January 2010:
http://tinyurl.com/yfzdj78

A small recent discussion on Rusty Blackbird locations in southern Illinois can 
be found at: 

http://www.ilbirds.com/index.php?topic=31560.0

Matt Mckim-Louder
Graduate Student
Champaign, Illinois



      

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET inconspicuous owls
From: "Rhonda \(Monroe\) Rothrock" <woodthrusheola8 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2010 06:58:04 -0800 (PST)
On the way home from work I passed 2 separate barred owls inconspicuously 
perched along a country road. These experiences never cease to make me smile 
because seeing an owl is always a treat and wondering of how many folks passed 
without noticing them is interesting. As is wondering how many others I passed 
without noticing. 


One of the two owls was perched on a 'no trespassing" sign making the owl 
appear to be on guard. 


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'. 



      
Subject: RE: IBET Family Owl Prowl (No Sightings)
From: "John Adams" <jadams6893 AT sbcglobal.net>
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2010 09:02:01 -0600
Become a fan of the Chicago Audubon Society on Facebook.  They will post the
results there.

 

From: ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
Michael L. Peters
Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 8:24 AM
To: Edward
Cc: ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: IBET Family Owl Prowl (No Sightings)

 

  

Edward,
Please be sure to post the results of the Owl Prowl, sounds like a lot of
fun. Good luck.
Michael Peters

On Wed, Feb 3, 2010 at 1:44 AM, Edward  > wrote:

>
>
> For those of you who'd like to share the joys of birding with you whole
> family, there will be a family Owl Prowl at the North Park Village Nature
> Center (5801 N. Pulaski)this Friday, February 5 from 6-8pm. It starts with
a
> breif talk about owls and is followed by a walk through the moon lit
> preserve to search for Great Horned and Eastern Screech owls.
>
> All ages welcome!
>
> Edward Warden
> Cook County
>
>
>
>

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



 

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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: Re: IBET Family Owl Prowl (No Sightings)
From: "Michael L. Peters" <michael.l.peters AT gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2010 08:24:16 -0600
Edward,
Please be sure to post the results of the Owl Prowl, sounds like a lot of
fun. Good luck.
Michael Peters

On Wed, Feb 3, 2010 at 1:44 AM, Edward  wrote:

>
>
> For those of you who'd like to share the joys of birding with you whole
> family, there will be a family Owl Prowl at the North Park Village Nature
> Center (5801 N. Pulaski)this Friday, February 5 from 6-8pm. It starts with a
> breif talk about owls and is followed by a walk through the moon lit
> preserve to search for Great Horned and Eastern Screech owls.
>
> All ages welcome!
>
> Edward Warden
> Cook County
>
>
>
>


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Subject: IBET Family Owl Prowl (No Sightings)
From: "Edward" <ewarden AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:44:18 -0000
For those of you who'd like to share the joys of birding with you whole family, 
there will be a family Owl Prowl at the North Park Village Nature Center (5801 
N. Pulaski)this Friday, February 5 from 6-8pm. It starts with a breif talk 
about owls and is followed by a walk through the moon lit preserve to search 
for Great Horned and Eastern Screech owls. 


All ages welcome!

Edward Warden
Cook County
Subject: IBET Illinois RBA - February 2, 2010
From: Sulli Gibson <sulli.gibson AT comcast.net>
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2010 04:30:53 +0000 (UTC)

- RBA 
* Illinois 
* Statewide 
* February 2, 2010 
* ILST1002.02 


- Species Mentioned (Caps denote a review list species): 


Long-tailed Duck 
Thayer's Gull 
Iceland Gull 
Lesser Black-backed Gull 
Glaucous Gull 
Northern Goshawk 
PRAIRIE FALCON 
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 


This is the Rare Bird Report for February 2, 2010. 
Compiler: Sulli Gibson. Email: sulli.gibson AT comcast.net 

Species in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS ARE REVIEW LIST SPECIES. Details of these 
sightings are desired by the Illinois Ornithological Records Committee. Careful 
observation, not ornithological expertise, is the only requirement for 
submitting data. For details and pointers, see: 

http://www.illinoisbirds.org/iorc.html 

Rare Bird Alert Archives: 
http://www.illinoisbirds.org/illinois_rare_bird_alert_archives.html 


Long-tailed Duck: Clinton Co (South) - 1 at at the West Access Marina viewed 
from the end of the jetty on 1/30/10 (Dan Kassebaum, Mark Seiffert, et al.). 



Thayer's Gull: Clinton Co (South) - 1 2nd winter at the West Access Marina 
viewed from the end of the jetty on 1/30/10 and 1/31/10 (Dan Kassebaum, Mark 
Seiffert, et al.). 



Iceland Gull: Clinton Co (South) - 1 adult at the West Access Marina viewed 
from the end of the jetty on 1/30/10 (Dan Kassebaum, Mark Seiffert, et al.). 



Lesser Black-backed Gull: Clinton Co (South) - 1 adult at the West Access 
Marina viewed from the end of the jetty on 1/30/10 (Dan Kassebaum, Mark 
Seiffert, et al.). 



Glaucous Gull: Tazewell Co (Central) - 1 2nd winter at RiverFront Park behind 
Wal-Mart in East Peoria on 1/30/10 (Matthew Winks). Clinton Co (South) - 1 at 
the West Access Marina viewed from the end of the jetty on 1/30/10 (Dan 
Kassebaum, Mark Seiffert, et al.). 



Northern Goshawk: Kankakee Co (Central) - 1 immature at Mazonia/Braidwood State 
Fish and Wildlife Area on 1/29/10 (Jed Hertz). 



PRAIRIE FALCON: Lee Co (North) - 1 has been seen many times around Nachusa 
Grasslands and is likely on winter territory. However, it has often been 
difficult to locate. The bird was last spotted 3/4 miles South of the main 
buildings at Nachusa Grasslands on 1/30/10 (Bob Erickson, Andy Sigler). 



Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Kendall Co (North) - 1 has been coming to a suet feeder 
on private property in Oswego for more than month now. It was last seen on 
1/31/10 (Mary Robbins). 



- End transcript 


Sulli Gibson 
Illinois Ornithological Society 
Rare Bird Alert 
www.illinoisbirds.org 









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Subject: IBET North Shore Channel (Touhy/Howard), Emily Oaks NC
From: casresearch AT comcast.net
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2010 04:23:25 +0000 (UTC)


While out and about today in the city, made a couple of very short stops for 
birding, without too much to report: 




- North Shore Channel at Touhy Avenue bridge:   YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (1) 
northeast side, and a BELTED KINGFISHER 




- North Shore Channel at MWRD discharge area north of Howard:   31 AMERICAN 
ROBIN   




(only ducks I saw at both the above were Mallard) 



- Emily Oaks Nature Center, Skokie (north of Knox, east of Cicero):     45+ 
Robins, 2 RED-TAILED HAWK 




Alan Anderson, casresearch AT comcast.net , Des Plaines 







Save the date:  March 7th, Birding America VIII, North Park University, 
Chicago www.chicagoaudubon.org 




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Subject: IBET Goin' south
From: Michael Baum <sixftwarbler AT gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Feb 2010 19:26:41 -0600
Andy Sigler and I headed south one more time on Monday.  Part of my agenda
was to bird Richland Co, my last zero list in the state.  Open water was at
a premium on this wintry day, but GREATER SCAUP at East Fork Lake in
Richland Co. was nice.  It was in the company of lesser scaup, bufflehead,
ring-necked duck, c. goldeneye, and coot.

Birds from the north included purple finch in Effingham Co, a nice flock of
lapland longspurs in Richland Co, and red-breasted nuthatch and
golden-crowned kinglet at Bird Haven (also Richland).  A dark-phase
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK in Clay Co. invaded Richland's air space after ten
minutes' coaxing.  In our three January visits to so. Illinois we failed to
find this species.  A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE in Clay was a most welcome FOY for
us both.

Late in the day large flocks of snow geese were winging north in Jasper and
Cumberland Co's while a number of modest flights of Canada geese were also
noted.  Best gas was $2.39 at the Flying J in Effingham.  No groundhogs were
harmed in the creating of this message

Mike Baum


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Subject: IBET eagles moving?
From: Kevin Richmond <theeggman AT comcast.net>
Date: Tue, 2 Feb 2010 12:01:46 -0600
Encountered an adult GOLDEN EAGLE on the way home from work late  
yesterday afternoon about halfway between East Peoria and Morton (in  
Tazewell Co.). It was flap-flying north at a steady pace and gave the  
impression that it was migrating. An adult BALD EAGLE was doing the  
same thing over East Peoria late this morning. Perhaps spring is not  
as far away as it seems :)

Kevin Richmond
Morton, Illinois

Subject: IBET Monday Montrose Report
From: Steve Spitzer <steven0703 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 2010 20:53:32 -0800 (PST)
Hi Birders,

The most interesting birds I saw at Montrose today might have been the three 
Red-winged Blackbirds. Details and pictures at the link. 


http://www.ilbirds.com/index.php?topic=32326.0

Steve Spitzer
Chicago, Cook


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Subject: IBET: Kane and Kendall counties, Monday afternoon
From: "Darrell Shambaugh" <d.shambaugh AT mchsi.com>
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 2010 20:08:03 -0600
There was an adult BALD EAGLE at the North Aurora Police Station about noon
today. Another one was at the Route 30 Fox River bridge in Boulder Hill. 

 

There are LOTS of CANADA GEESE in the Fox River along Route 25 between
Batavia and Oswego, at least 10000, maybe closer to 20,000. There are a
smattering of COMMON GOLDENEYE, COMMON MERGANSERS, and MALLARDS too. Between
Montgomery and Oswego I found 11 GREAT BLUE HERONS. 

 

Red Oak Nature Center in North Aurora had a HAIRY WOODPECKER near the
feeders at the nature center. 

 

 

Darrell Shambaugh

Somonauk, DeKalb County  



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