NCIOS - North Central Illinois Ornithological Society

OK, spring migration is finally beginning to arrive with substance in northern IL. Barbara and I drove from Pecatonica to Ridott this morning. We were blocked at two points by flooded roads. Maize Road, just east of the Blair-Goeke-Maize Road intersection, is under water. No signs are posted because, I suppose, the people using that road are driving pick up trucks. I recommend that you detour unless you have high clearance.

The other closed road is the one that runs west out of the south edge of Ridott. At least they marked it.

The Pecatonica River valley is really flooded. Most numerous bird is American Coot–there are hundreds of them all over the place. Lots of ducks, too, but spread out. Largest variety in one spot was along Rock City Road between Ridott and the bridge over the Pecatonica River. Also a lot of Pied-billed Grebes, and one Great Egret at Pec Wetlands FP. Swamp Sparrows are in every brush pile and thicket along Blair Road.

This afternoon, Barbara and I hiked the loop trail around Anna Page Park. The woods was full of Hermit Thrushes (18), lots of both species of kinglets, a number of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, lots of Yellow-rumped Warblers, and our first Winter Wren of the season.

Chipping Sparrows are beginning to arrive in flocks. Several were singing around our neighborhood this morning, adn a small flock was seen in Stephenson County along the roadside.

Dan

If anyone wants to keep up-to-date on bird sightings in DeKalb County, I recommend getting on their birding email list (I just joined recently). Send an email to Mike Andrews (webird [at] tbc.net) {replace the [at] with @}

There are over 100 birders on this email list and being connected with DeKalb birders is good for our bird club (and for finding cool birds!).

Rock Cut State Park on Saturday: 10 Common Loons, 12 Great Blue Herons, dozen Ruddy Ducks and a mix of others. We were only there for 45 minutes or so before the snow/rain got too annoying.

Yard update: we have 3 Hermit Thrushes, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, and Ruby-crowned Kinglet in the yard.

Besides the usual assortment of waterfowl to be seen along Moody Road, this afternoon there were also Greater Yellowlegs, numbers of Vesper and Savannah Sparrows, a male Lapland Longspur in alternate (breeding) plumage, and a Brewer’s Blackbird.

Upon returning home, I found my yard’s first Yellow-rumped Warbler of the year.

I spent some time cruising Tullock’s Woods today with an eye tuned for the Swallow-tailed Kite reported yesterday. I was disappointed but not surprised to see nothing of note. However, I did find a very early Chimney Swift and a very high altitude Red-shouldered Hawk (presumably a migrant) in the same binocular field over the Burpee Museum.

Calling all area birders!! We are looking for information on 14 species of birds that are of special conservation concern yet found in our area. These birds are:

1. Bell’s Vireo
2. Bobolink
3. Dickcissel
4. Henslow’s Sparrow
5. Red-headed Woodpecker
6. Sedge Wren
7. Blue-winged Warbler
8. Cerulean Warbler
9. Golden-winged Warbler
10. Hooded Warbler
11. Kentucky Warbler
12. Prothonotary Warbler
13. Whip-poor-will
14. Wood Thrush

We have created an easy-to-use sheet (PDF) you can download and print to fill out records of these birds. Alternatively, you can email Eddie Callaway (birdfreak@birdfreak.com) your sightings {date, location, species, count} and they will be recorded.

The goal is to get data of these birds in Winnebago, Boone, Stephenson, Ogle, and DeKalb counties with the focus on Winnebago.

So please get the Conservation Project Form and get ready for migration!!

Updates will be made periodically about how the project is going. A completed report will be presented at the NCIOS meeting in October.

By knowing where these birds are in our area, we can hopefully influence increased habitat for these wonderful yet declining birds.

At 11:00 a.m. this morning{4-9} there were 12 Common Loons on Pierce Lake- Red- Breasted Mergansers-Ruddy Ducks-Ring-Necked Ducks- Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker- Pilated Woodpecker-B Kingfisher- 2 Osprey.

In DeKalb County at the corner of Baseline Road and Malta Road I heard two or more Western Meadowlarks singing. I have heard them all week long on my way to school.

On Baseline Rd. (north of Malta Rd.) is a small pull-off that you can park and hear them singing in the corn. There are Robins, Killdeer, and Song Sparrows as well. I saw two Horned Larks there last week.

I heard Western Meadowlarks nearby last year. I don’t know how common they are around here.

Barbara and I walked the long loop around Sugar River Alder on Sunday. Both Field and Vesper Sparrows were on territory and singing. Several pairs of Vespers were chasing and courting.

Dottie and I started on north Meridian Rd where we saw various ducks and a few sandhill cranes. First for us this year were Green-Winged and Blue-Winged Teal. At Rock Cut we saw most of the already sighted ducks and we saw our first Common Loon for the year. For the second time this spring we have seen an immature Bald Eagle from the Lyon’s Club dock. At Lake Sule in Rochelle among the many ducks there, we saw another Loon and 2 dozen Ruddy ducks. More firsts for this year were Redhead and Canvasback ducks and Red-Breasted Merganser.
Today, Sunday, at Blackhawk Springs we got really good looks at Golden-crowned Kinglets and Yellow-bellied sapsuckers.

We {me (Jennie) my Dad (Ron), brother (Eddie), sister (Susie), and son (Dakota)} went to Deer Run Forest Preserve today and found five Hermit Thrushes! We saw Field and Song Sparrow, Tree Swallows, Eastern Meadowlarks, and a couple of Sandhill Cranes. We also spotted an Osprey flying overhead.

A lot of the area had been flooded, but we could still walk all around. We also went to Kishwaukee River Gorge South Forest Preserve and watched 8 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers and a few Eastern Phoebes. One Ruby-crowned Kinglet was singing it’s neat song.