North Central Illinois Ornithological Society

Barbara and I found a winter plumage Long-tailed Duck at the Rockford airport quarry this morning around 11:30 a.m. The duck is in the south quarry pond behind the locked gates, so the only place to try to view it is along Kishwaukee Road to the west. A telescope will be necessary. The duck seemed to spend most of its time in line with the dark cut bank on the southwest part of the quarry pond, and from there would swim toward the middle of the pond. It is easy for it to get lost behind the larger Mallards. Also at the ponds were Common Mergansers, Common Goldeneye, and about 12 Black Ducks. Several adult Bald Eagles were about. When we got home, Jeff Donaldson told us that he had received a call that an immature Golden Eagle had been seen in that vicinity on Monday, Dec. 1.

An adult Peregrine Falcon (subspecies anatum) was perched in a tree along the Rock River at Blackhawk Park about 11:00 a.m. Herring Gulls were flying by in small numbers.

At about 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday,12/3, Mary Kisamore saw a Snowy Owl while she was driving north on N. Main St. in the area of Winnebago County Animal Shelter, & Bergners Distribution Center. The owl flew across the road directly in front of her, flying east toward the Industrial Park.

Was not relocated today.

Message via email and phone conversation

Mary also saw a large flock of Snow Buntings and some Lapland Longspurs around Cunningham Road and Pecatonica Road.

I also saw longspurs, buntings, and Horned Larks on Edson Road by the dump.

- Eddie Callaway

17 Pine Siskins at our feeder near Anna Page Park this afternoon.
I’ve heard that there was a Snowy Owl sighted on North Main St. near the Bergner’s warehouse yesterday. Does anyone know anything more about this?

A couple of Yellow-rumped Warblers and six Flickers have been coming to our bird bath in the last few days. This morning there was a Pine Siskin on our thistle feeder. A small flock of Snow Buntings (about 10) was on Cunningham Road just east of the town of Winnebago today.

Two Snowy Owls were sighted in DeKalb County over the Thanksgiving weekend. One was north of Sycamore and the other was on the SE edge of Dekalb. The Dekalb bird was last reported yesterday (sunday) afternoon around 1:45 p.m. The Sycamore owl was not seen yesterday. For detailed locations, check birdingonthe.net webpage and go to the IL reports.