North Central Illinois Ornithological Society

There was a nice dark morph Rough-legged Hawk between the airport and the airport quarry ponds today. Also, a quick run out Kelley Road to Seward produced several large mixed flocks of Lapland Longspurs, Snow Buntings and Horned Larks.

Sam and Patty Oliveri report that they have 5 Fox Sparrows, 1 White-crowned Sparrow, 2 Red-winged Blackbirds and 1 Savannah Sparrow (good photo) at their feeder today. 1 Chipping Sparrow and the Eastern Towhee are still coming to the Brown feeder. Feeders are the places to search for birds tomorrow! If Martin Kehoe records the birds he saw at feeders the other day, like the Grackle, this could start to add up to something.

Barbara and I still have a sapsucker, several robins,2 White-throated Sparrows, a few siskins and 3 Golden-crowned Kinglets hanging around our place.

If, for some reason, someone out there is reading this post who has feeders within the count circle (basically the northwest quadrant of Winnebago Co. but not including the towns of Pecatonica, Winnebago or Durand, please contact me to let me know where you live and what birds were at your feeder (species and numbers of each). If you read somewhere that there is a $5 fee for participants, that does NOT apply to feeder watchers. Thanks.

I started the count period with 16 species at my feeder. Purple Finches and a Red Breasted Nuthatch were nice additions to my checklist for the Rockford CBC. A drive to my birding area along the Pecatonica River allowed the addition of Canada Goose, Starling and Mallard Duck. A few minutes into my walk and I was in one of the areas that Bluebirds and Yellow-rumped Warblers had been frequenting. The area was devoid of birds but I could hear notes from a trumpet. With high anxiety I was whipping my head around trying to find what I knew had to be Trumpeter Swans. I hear them from the large beaver ponds near my cabin in northern Minnesota each spring. In a few seconds 3 Trumpeter Swans came over the trees heading ENE and toward Rockton, IL. Their calls continued as they disappeared from view.

With my heart rate back to normal the search for other count period birds continued. A Kingfisher was calling and flying from spring to spring. The woods were alive with birds and when I came to a place with a lot of Flickers I also found the Yellow-rumped Warblers. I was counting them in a mixed group of birds when I spotted a White-throated Sparrow. By the time I found there to be 6 warblers a few Bluebirds had arrived in the area. A Pileated called from accross the river and some Turkeys were running around over there too. There were some open water sections on the river and one of these held 5 Common Mergansers and some more Canada Geese. Robins were calling and Song and Swamp Sparrows darted around the grass clumps in the fields.
A Great blue Heron sat near some open water in a slough.

I visited a few feeders after my walk and found a Gracle at one and a White-crowned Sparrow at another. A drive around a few roads turned up several flocks of Snow Buntings, 1 Black Duck and a pheasant. I headed home well pleased with a 9 to 4 birding day. 41 species is more than our CBC group tallies on most count days.

A drainage ditch crosses Love Ridge Road about 3/4 mile north of Marengo Road. Just south of there I found a Northern Shrike at about 8:30 this morning.

I spent the last four days trying to keep warm while walking around the Pecatonica River bottoms. With the wintry conditions I was surprised about the number of Bluebirds flittering about. Robins were less abundant but still out there. Yellow-rumped Warblers were not seen until it calmed down on Sunday afternoon. Three were feeding on large clusters of Poison Ivy berries. Flickers and Bluebirds were abundant in that area also. Three Bald Eagles overhead at the same time were impressive. Pileated Woodpeckers were calling but keeping a low profile most of the time. Hardy Great Blue Herons and Belted Kingfishers were fishing where the springs kept the water open.

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?

At abt 1500hrs. 11/6/08, made a quick trip through Blackhawk Park. Never have I seen such a concentration! Could not begin to count, for they were scattered through the high side of the park. And such a sound! Tomorrow’s lift-off could be quite a spectacle….

To all that may not have heard about the planned closing of 11 state parks in Illinois, please check out the site Save Our State Parks, read and hopefully sign the petition.

You can also call the Governor’s Office and let him know that you want to keep these parks open!
Chicago Office: 312.814.2121
Capitol Office: 217.782.6830

The parks that are planned to be closed are: Castle Rock State Park and Lowden State Park in Oregon; Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park in Sheffield; Illini State Park in Marseilles; Channahon Parkway State Park in Morris; Hidden Springs State Forest in Strasburg; Kickapoo State Park in Oakwood; Moraine State Park in Leroy; Weldon Springs State Park in Clinton; and Wolf Creek State Park in Windsor.

4 Snow Geese (white) and 1 possible Ross’s Goose were at Baumann Park this morning. The Snow’s flew off in a westerly direction, separately from the large group of Canada’s that were also on the lake. The Ross’s flew with the Canada’s. If they are foraging locally, it’s possible they may spend another night or two “resting” in Cherry Valley.

The title says it all. Winter Wrens have appeared in our brushpiles. Every fall I decide that they are my very favorite bird.