The NCIOS field trip to Starved Rock SP and the IL Waterway Visitor Center in Utica had 8 hardy participants who braved the windy day and showed up for the trip. The gull flock is just beginning to reassemble there after all of the flooding and open water since December 27. The very cold temperatures over the past week has frozen all of the water above the dam. There were approximately 150 Herring Gulls. In the flock was an adult Thayer’s Gull that gave everyone excellent looks as it flew right over the deck of the visitor center and out over the lock. It was a life bird for several people. The only other gull species was Ring-billed, but just 1 bird.
There were approximately 150 Common Mergansers, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, many Common Goldeneyes and a Redhead. There were 43 Bald Eagles around the lock and dam, and a couple of Rough-legged Hawks and a few kestrels along I-39 on the way back.
The feeders at the Starved Rock Visitor Center had White-throated, White-crowned and Fox Sparrows, plus 5 Pine Siskins and 3 species of blackbirds.