North Central Illinois Ornithological Society

Here are the results from the Rock Cut Christmas Bird Count [12/28/11] (CBC #112). I was delayed tallying them do to the CBC website being upgraded.

The big highlights were a GOLDEN EAGLE and a ROSS’S GOOSE. We also tallied 7 more species than our high year (the first year of the count). Notable misses were the “roadside snow birds”: Lapland Longspurs, Snow Buntings, and Horned Larks because we had no snow!

Thanks to all that participated!

No. Species
1 American Black Duck 2
2 American Coot 2
3 American Crow 111
4 American Goldfinch 58
5 American Kestrel 4
6 American Robin 69
7 American Tree Sparrow 135
8 Bald Eagle 5
9 Barred Owl 2
10 Belted Kingfisher 3
11 Black-capped Chickadee 247
12 Blue Jay 38
13 Brown Creeper 20
14 Bufflehead 2
15 Cackling Goose 101
16 Canada Goose 5712
17 Canvasback 1
18 Cedar Waxwing 346
19 Common Goldeneye 8
20 Cooper’s Hawk 1
21 Dark-eyed Junco 237
22 Downy Woodpecker 76
23 Eastern Bluebird 13
24 European Starling 403
25 Golden Eagle 1
26 Great Blue Heron 1
27 Great Horned Owl 4
28 Hairy Woodpecker 9
29 Hermit Thrush 3
30 Herring Gull 68
31 House Finch 64
32 House Sparrow 151
33 Mallard 260
34 Mourning Dove 46
35 Northern Cardinal 129
36 Northern Flicker 16
37 Northern Shrike 2
38 Pileated Woodpecker 1
39 Pine Siskin 3
40 Purple Finch 1
41 Red-bellied Woodpecker 35
42 Red-breasted Nuthatch 9
43 Red-tailed Hawk 17
44 Ring-billed Gull 17
45 Ring-necked Pheasant 1
46 Rock Pigeon 109
47 Ross’s Goose 1
48 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3
49 Song Sparrow 1
50 Tufted Titmouse 9
51 White-breasted Nuthatch 56
52 Wild Turkey 26
53 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
54 Yellow-rumped Warbler 19
CW Lesser Black-backed Gull
GRAND TOTAL 8659

Compiled by Eddie Callaway

Every year is different, and it’s interesting to see how bird numbers vary from year to year. I would not have guessed that by Dec. 31, 2011 we would have had no snow cover and only moderate episodes of freezing temperatures. The count day was foggy all morning but the temperature was normal, there was no rain and the wind held off until late in the day.

We found a total of 19,257 individual birds, which is well within the normal range. The species total of 68 is good, but not record-breaking. We had 34 counters participating in the field, plus 4 feeder watchers. Only 3 parties went out early to look for owls.

We missed finding any Pheasants, Swamp Sparrows or Meadowlarks. The conditions seemed promising for finding Killdeer and Snipe, but none were reported. Pileated Woodpecker eluded us and we completely missed Longspurs and Snow Buntings, probably due to the lack of snow. Horned Larks showed up in very small numbers probably also due to the lack of snow. Where were the Wild Turkeys? Only 4 were seen! Raptors in general were probably less active and harder to see due to the fog so their numbers are down.

Highlights included an American Pipit, new for the count. Single individuals of Saw-whet Owl, Harrier, Winter Wren, Common Redpoll and a Grackle at a feeder boosted our totals and brightened the day for some folks. The Eurasian Collared-doves found in Holcomb, near the southern limit of the count circle, were new for the count, although they were seen during the count week last year.

Waterfowl still had access to lots of open water so we found some ducks (Red-breasted Merganser, Canvasback, Pintail, Snow Goose, Tundra Swan and Gadwall) and a lot of Cackling Geese that would normally have been pushed out by the ice. The open water allowed the Bald Eagles to spread out giving us only 10 eagles.

This was the 22nd year of the Kishwaukee count. You can see the results of this count, and all of the others, at the National Audubon Society’s website at http://www.audubon.org/bird/cbc.

The dates for the Rockford and Kishwaukee counts in Dec 2011 will be the 15th and the 22nd. I hope you can join us.

Thanks to all who helped out for your time and effort.

Barbara Williams

Kishwaukee Christmas Bird Count Results
31 Dec 2011

2             Snow Goose
138        Cackling Goose
7353     Canada Goose
1             Tundra Swan
4            Gadwall
20          American Black Duck
1616      Mallard
5            Northern Pintail
1            Canvasback
6            Common Goldeneye
19          Common Merganser
1 Red-breasted Merganser
4            Wild Turkey
3           Great Blue Heron
10         Bald Eagle (8 ad, 2 imm)
1            Northern Harrier
1            Sharp-shinned Hawk
8           Cooper’s Hawk
32         Red-tailed Hawk
1            Rough-legged Hawk
16          American Kestrel
59          Ring-billed Gull
16          Herring Gull
773       Rock Pigeon
9            Eurasian Collared-Dove
168       Mourning Dove
4            Eastern Screech- Owl
8           Great Horned Owl
6           Barred Owl
1            Northern Saw-whet Owl
13          Belted Kingfisher
2            Red-headed Woodpecker
72          Red-bellied Woodpecker
2            Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
129        Downy Woodpecker
34          Hairy Woodpecker
29          Northern Flicker
102       Blue Jay
1722     American Crow
28         Horned Lark
541       Black-capped Chickadee
71         Tufted Titmouse
1            Red-breasted Nuthatch
191       White-breasted Nuthatch
64         Brown Creeper
4           Carolina Wren
1           Winter Wren
6          Golden-crowned Kinglet
20        Eastern Bluebird
14        American Robin
2311    European Starling
1          American Pipit
98       Cedar Waxwing
21        Yellow-rumped Warbler
207     American Tree Sparrow
17        Song Sparrow
13        White-throated Sparrow
4          White-crowned Sparrow
1252    Dark-eyed Junco
374      Northern Cardinal
1           Common Grackle
12         Brown-headed Cowbird
3           Purple Finch
283     House Finch
1           Common Redpoll
91         Pine Siskin
269       American Goldfinch
967       House Sparrow

In spite of the widespread grumbling about the paucity of birds for the Kishwaukee CBC yesterday, the species total for the count is climbing steadily. Although it was quite foggy in the morning, we were fortunate that there was no precipitation and the wind held off until late in the day.

My off-the-cuff prediction on the day’s birding is that when all the teams have reported we will find that the species total will be high and the number of individuals will be low. I may have to eat those words, but all the water was open which meant that the waterbirds were scattered but late-lingerers had not been pushed out by ice. Similarly, the lack of snow cover meant that the land birds were spread out but the lingerers were still around. Some species, like American Tree Sparrows, were in short supply, possibly because most of them are still farther north. We haven’t had any really harsh weather, and neither have the areas north of us. Semi-hardy birds are quite well represented so far on the reports that I have received – Golden-crowned Kinglet, Y. B. Sapsucker, Flicker, Carolina & Winter Wren, Harrier, Cowbird, Grackle, Yellow-rumped Warbler and the like.

Raptor numbers seem low, so far, probably due to the fog.

Documentation is in progress for the first Am. Pipit ever found on the count!

I’ll post in more detail when I recieve the rest of the reports. Thanks to all who volunteered and participated!

Happy New Year to All!

Barbara Williams

The Rockford CBC was conducted on Saturday, December 17. 35 field observers participated in 15-18 parties, with 11 more at feeders. There were 73 species recorded, which is about 5 over the 10 year average and 25,412 total individuals. I have not yet posted to the Audubon CBC site because they have not completed their work to upgrade the site with the new data entry program. Keith McMullen described the problems he had yesterday on IBET.

Highlights of the Rockford count were, of course, 8 Red Crossbills, 3 White-winged Crossbills, a record number of Pine Siskins, and 1 Evening Grosbeak! We also had a few more species of waterfowl than average, such as Mute Swan (3), Ring-necked Duck, Gadwall, Ruddy Duck and Am. Coot, a Ross’ Goose. 6 Sandhill Cranes at Nygren Wetland Preserve were a new species to the count (count week previously). The moderate late fall temperatures kept some of the still water open, accounting for the waterfowl, plus a light snowfall overnight Friday and into Saturday morning moved some of the field birds toward the roadside and feeders. Good numbers of Horned Larks were counted, plus 444 Lapland Longspurs (345 in one flock) and a handful of Snow Buntings. Single Rusty and Brewer’s Blackbirds were highlights.

Lowlights were ZERO Ring-necked Pheasants!! Last year the count recorded 27, which was a low number, but ZERO? Habitat loss is almost certainly the primary blame for the plummeting decline of this species around here. Fence lines and hedgerows are disappearing rapidly for expanded agriculture planting, and CRP grassland contracts are expiring and not being renewed. So, the predators have a larger advantage on taking the remaining birds. Other misses were Golden-crowned Kinglet, Carolina Wren (last winter was tough on them) Field, Fox and Savannah Sparrows, and Red-winged Blackbird.

No Eurasian Collared-doves were recorded (still not seen on a Rockford CBC) although there is a flock of them in Ogle County just S of the Winnebago County line, but not near NW Winnebago County, where the count circle lies. Kishwaukee CBC ought to get them this year. No unusual owls or gulls were seen.

In contrast to 2010-11, the crop of fruits on Hackberry Trees was much reduced, so Cedar Waxwing and American Robin numbers were substantially lower than last year, but E. Bluebirds set a new count high with 38.

Yesterday, Barbara, Kevin Kaltenbach and I were teamed up on the White Pines CBC. All teams recorded a total of 63 species.

Our team recorded 6 E. Screech-owls, a Merlin, 2 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 2 Cooper’s Hawks, 3 Great Horned Owls, 2 NOrthern Shrikes, 7 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 2 Ruby Crowned Kinglets, 14 Brown Creepers, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 2 Carolina Wrens, 1 Red-headed Woodpecker, 3 Pileated Woodpeckers, lots of E. Bluebirds, and the expected 2 species of gulls.

OK everyone, the Rockford CBC takes place on Saturday, December 17. For those who have signed up, I have your names and will be emailing the team captains their team members and contact numbers, plus the territory map and other forms. Because we don’t assemble in the morning, anyone reading this who has not signed up, but who wishes to participate, should contact me at twotringas@gmail.com asap and I will find a team for you.

A couple of cautionary reminders:

1) The archery deer season is still taking place. Please take precautions and wear blaze orange clothing, particularly if you are on private land, or close to private land.

2) Always get landowner permission, in advance, before you enter private land. Do not trespass, even if the property is not posted against same.

3) Remember, purple posts are now evidence of posting against entry, although they should still have “no trespassing” signes with them for a while until people get used to the new “signage.”

4) Check the weather. If you are in doubt, call your team captain. He/she will be calling you in advance to arrange a meeting time/place on 12/17. The current long range weather forecast for December 17 is partly sunny/sunny with a high in the low 30s and overnight low in the low 20s. Except for projected icy rain a few days before the count, the ground may be clear of snow on count day.

5) For counters doing the Rockford and Kishwaukee Counts, Barbara and I will attempt to mail out both of our counts to team captains in the same envelope, assuming that you are captains of territories in both counts, of course.

Thank you for your help!

Dan

Here is an early reminder to please check you calendars for upcoming Rockford area CBCs. Please plan to participate in as many of the CBCs as you can. Every one of them needs the help. They are listed by date of occurrence.

Friday, December 16, 2011 Green Island/Lost Mound (IA/IL) Includes the Lost Mound unit of the Upper Mississippi NWR on the IL side.

Saturday, December 17, 2011 Rockford CBC.

Sunday, December 18, 2011 White Pines CBC (maybe the name is now changed to Nachusa CBC). Eastern Ogle Co. including White Pines, Lowden,
Nachusa Grasslands, Lowden-Miller SF.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011 Rock Cut CBC (and into Boone Co. along the Kishwaukee River)

Saturday, December 31, 2011 Kiswhaukee CBC (includes northern Ogle Co. along the Rock River and part of the Kishwaukee River valley)

If you are more adventurous, and have time to travel, the northern MN CBCs compiled by Martin Kehoe always need help, and the birds are really cool! Contact Martin if you are willing to drive 200 miles NW of Duluth and count in remote forest as well as around town. You might see Great Gray and Hawk Owls!

We had better weather conditions for a hawkwatch this time and better results. Clear skies with NW winds at about 15 miles per hour brought out 3 Turkey Vultures, 8 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 6 Cooper’s Hawks and 10 Red-tailed Hawks. 13 observers joined us through the course of the morning.
That still isn’t very many hawks for a sunny, breezy day during hawk migration but every day is different and we’ll take what we get. We don’t have any geologic features that help to concentrate the birds at the Rock Cut site so we will never have the numbers of birds that are seen at Hawk Ridge in Duluth or at Illinois Beach State Park. However, the site overlooking Olson Lake at Rock Cut can produce some pretty good hawk days, and it is worth spending some time there if you get the chance and the weather is conducive to hawk flights.

Every other year, Barbara and I travel to northern Minnesota to participate in two CBCs, Baudette (BA) and Beltrami Island (BI). These are compiled by Martin Kehoe. 3 trips ago, we added Roseau (RO) to the list, all together doing 3 in a row. We really enjoy northern forest birding in winter, even though there aren’t a lot of species, but the ones that are there either don’t occur in IL, or don’t occur very often. You can judge for yourself.

This year, we departed on Dec. 31 and headed for Roseau, 678 miles from our house in Rockford. All 3 counts are close to the international border with Canada. The Roseau circle comes within a mile of the border with Manitoba on MN 310. We left Rockford around 0715 and arrived there by 1830, just ahead of a snow storm coming in from the Dakotas. The travel highlight birds of the day were 3 Hawk Owls in the Big Bog along MN 72 south of Baudette.

From December 31 to January 5, the birds we saw included: Ruffed and Sharp-tailed Grouse (multiples on several days), Sharp-shinned Hawk (!) (RO new count species), Rough-legged Hawk (RO), Snowy Owl (1-BA count week on 1/4), Great Gray Owl (1-BA), N. Hawk Owl (10-including the 3 on 12/31 and on both BA and BI counts), Am. 3-toed Woodpecker (2-BI on 1/3), Black-backed Woodpecker (2 BI on 1/3, 1-BA on 1/2), N. Shrike (2-BA, 1-BI, and 2 en route), Black-billed Magpie (daily), Gray Jay (4-BA, 10-BI), Boreal Chickadee (7-BI), American Robin (1-RO–we have to document this bird!), Bohemian Waxwing (205-RO), Snow Bunting (daily, with a high of 229-RO), Lapland Longspur (1-RO with Snow Buntings), White-winged Crossbills (several days), Common Redpoll (daily), Hoary Redpoll (1-BI, probably 3 more, but we didn’t see enough detail on those to document them adequately), Pine Grosbeak (daily) and Evening Grosbeak (56-BA). A complete list of birds for each count can be found on the National Audubon CBC website.

We did not see Goshawk, Spruce Grouse or Red Crossbill, but probably would have been able to find them but for the fact that we were out counting and not just birding. Some Spruce Grouse were appearing daily at our friend’s cabin until 2 days before the Baudette count, when a snow storm hit and they disappeared.

Not all years are this rewarding in terms of species seen, of course. But, even the less-productive years can produce exciting species, like the time we found 2 Gyrfalcons (1 gray, 1 brown) within an hour of each other (outside of the count circle) after a morning during which we struggled to find 33 individual birds (not species) on the Beltrami Island count in temps that had a high of -20 or so with winds gusting to 25 mph. Odd way to have fun, isn’t it? This year’s weather was relatively normal by comparison. Only 1 night with temperatures below -20 F, and several days with temps ranging between -7 F and +7 F.

We find that we see and find more birds by walking rather than driving the roads in the state forest (Beltrami Island State Forest, SW of Baudette in Lake of the Woods County). Another good road in Lake of the Woods Co. is the Pitt Grade, which runs N-S through spruce-tamarack bog and forest beginning SW of Baudette. Navigating these roads can be a challenge if they aren’t plowed, as the Pitt Grade was not on 1/2. We had snow up to the undercarriage of the Subaru. By mushing through the snow, we found the GGO, but I don’t recommend this drive unless the road has been plowed. There isn’t a place to turn around except at intersections, and those are 4-8 miles apart! Then, if plowed, there can be tight squeezes with logging trucks (the road usually gets plowed to allow them access to various wood lots for logging contracts).

Baudette is 200 miles NW of Duluth, and is situated on the north side of an enormous spruce-tamarack bog (The Big Bog) that spreads through Beltrami, Lake of the Woods and Koochiching Counties. Often there are species here that may not be around Duluth and the area is very underbirded. If you are interested in birding northern MN for winter specialties, I suggest that you avoid the CBCs and go in January. Check the NW MN hotline, entered on the MN listserve weekly.

The long stretch of cold weather combined with solid snow cover for the month preceding the count probably reduced our numbers of many species. Once again, there was not much open water so the number and variety of water birds was down. Birds of prey were generally found in low numbers.
We found a total of 59 species and 27,216 individual birds. The species count is lower than normal and the total number of individuals doesn’t look so good when you realize that 12,000 of them are starlings.
We had 27 counters participating in the field, plus 4 feeder watchers. Only 2 parties went out early to look for owls and the results show with extremely low owl numbers.
We missed finding any White-crowned Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Hermit Thrush or Common Redpoll. A single Red-breasted Nuthatch was only found later, during the count week. Another count week species was a group of nine Eurasian Collared-doves found by the grain elevator in Holcomb, near the southern limit of the count circle. Highlights included new count records set for the second year in a row for Eastern Bluebird with 20 and Snow Bunting with 503. American Tree Sparrows doubled their numbers from last year’s count. The bird of the day, and a new species for the count, was an immature Golden Eagle found flying south across Condon and Edson Roads in the early morning.

This was the 21st year of the Kishwaukee count. You can see the results of this count, and all of the others, at the National Audubon Society’s website at http://www.audubon.org/bird/cbc. The dates for the Rockford and Kishwaukee counts in Dec 2011 will be the 17th and the 31st. I hope you can join us.

My thanks to all who participated for your time and effort.

Barbara Williams