North Central Illinois Ornithological Society

I found a male Summer Tanager at Rockford Rotary Forest Preserve (5390 Rotary Road, Cherry Valley, IL 61063). Location: Take the newly paved road in till it ends and then continue left before you reach the first trail on the right. He was down this trail a few hundred feet or so.

Also of note was a male Eastern Towhee that called oddly in what appeared to be a distracting call while the female was in the open. I turned to look at the male and *poof* the female had returned to what I’m guessing was a nest.

Great fun for a short lunch time walk.

I have been going through camera withdrawal as my sister, Susie, has been in Virginia using it. Yesterday I was at Rockford Rotary Forest Preserve and heard a Hooded Warbler. It was along the main road not too far in but I never did see it. Each time I stopped, a billion mosquitoes tried to take up residence on my face.

There were also TONS of butterflies, most of which I don’t know the name of (I usually photograph them to figure them out later). There were several small ones that would group together and then explode out when I got too near them. Fun to watch.

Elsewhere, I heard a Henslow’s Sparrow at Blackhawk Springs (Perryville side) and also was scolded by a male Scarlet Tanager (can they be any redder?) but not much else of note.