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.