The Illinois
Ornithological Society

Illinois Rare Bird Alert

RBA
State: Illinois
Coverage: Statewide
Date: October 31, 2009

Species Mentioned (Caps denote a review list species):

  • Snow Goose
  • Cackling Goose
  • Tundra Swan
  • Surf Scoter
  • White-winged Scoter
  • Black Scoter
  • Red-necked Grebe
  • Eared Grebe
  • Western Grebe
  • Snowy Egret
  • PLEGADIS IBIS
  • Northern Goshawk
  • LITTLE GULL
  • California Gull
  • Thayer's Gull
  • Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • Black Tern
  • Short-eared Owl
  • Northern Shrike
  • SPRAGUE'S PIPIT
  • Black-throated Blue Warbler
  • Harris's Sparrow

This is the Illinois Rare Bird Report for October 31, 2009.
Compiler: Sulli Gibson.

NOTE: Species in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS ARE REVIEW LIST SPECIES. Details of these sightings are desired by the Illinois Ornithological Records Committee. Careful observation, not ornithological expertise, is the only qualification for submitting data. For details and pointers see the Illinois Ornithological Records Committee page on this Web site. Species requiring documentation can be found on the review list on the Illinois Ornithological Records Committee page. For status information about Illinois birds, see the Birds of Illinois page on this Web site.

Begin transcript -

Snow Goose: Cook Co (North) - 2 just NE of the intersection of 151st Street and Will Cook Road on 10/25/09 (Wes Serafin).

Cackling Goose: Lake Co (North) - 2 at the Illinois Beach State Park Hawk Watch on 10/31/09 (Vic Berardi, Steve Huggins, et al.). The Hawk Watch is conducted from the Sand Prairie Day Use Area Pavilion in the North Unit of Illinois Beach State Park.

Tundra Swan: Lake Co (North) - 84 at the Illinois Beach State Park Hawk Watch on 10/31/09 (Vic Berardi, Steve Huggins, et al.). The Hawk Watch is conducted from the Sand Prairie Day Use Area Pavilion in the North Unit of Illinois Beach State Park.

Surf Scoter: Lake Co (North) - 3 viewed from the Illinois Beach Resort in the South Unit of Illinois Beach State Park on 10/31/09 (Dave Johnson).

Black Scoter: Lake Co (North) - 8 viewed from the Illinois Beach Resort in the South Unit of Illinois Beach State Park on 10/31/09 (Dave Johnson). 3 were seen at the same location on 10/28/09 (Tom Lally).

White-winged Scoter: Lake Co (North) - 1 viewed from the Illinois Beach Resort in the South Unit of Illinois Beach State Park on 10/31/09 (Dave Johnson).

Red-necked Grebe: McLean Co (Central) - 1 at White Oak Park in Bloomington on 10/28/09 (Matthew Winks). It was not relocated the next day.

Eared Grebe: McLean Co (Central) - 2 at White Oak Park in Bloomington on 10/28/09 (Matthew Winks). They were not relocated the next day.

Western Grebe: Bond/Clinton/Fayette Co (South) - 1 at Carlyle Lake viewed from Point 18 on 10/25/09 (Dan Kassebaum et al.).

Snowy Egret: Lake Co (North) - 1 at Rollins Savannah on 10/26/09 (Jeff Sundberg).

PLEGADIS IBIS: Lake Co (North) - 1 at the South Unit of Illinois Beach State Park on 10/31/09 (Al Stokie). Fulton Co (Central) - 2 at the South end of Thompson Lake on 10/25/09 (Jim Mountjoy). They were viewed from Highway 97.

Northern Goshawk: Lake Co (North) - 1 juvenile at the Illinois Beach State Park Hawk Watch on 10/31/09 (Vic Berardi, Steve Huggins, et al.). The Hawk Watch is conducted from the Sand Prairie Day Use Area Pavilion in the North Unit of Illinois Beach State Park.

LITTLE GULL: Bond/Clinton/Fayette Co (South) - 1 adult at the Saddledam at Carlyle Lake on 10/31/09 (Dan Kassebaum). This is located on the SE corner between the Lake Access area (handicap Fisherman parking lot) and Dam East Access (Green Meadows).

California Gull: Lake Co (North) - 1 adult at Stateline Beach on 10/28/09 (Tom Lally).

Thayer's Gull: Lake Co (North) - 2 adults at Stateline Beach on 10/31/09 (Bob Hughes). 5 adults were observed at the same location on 10/28/09 (Tom Lally).

Lesser Black-backed Gull: Lake Co (North) - 3 adults at Stateline Beach on 10/31/09 (Bob Hughes). 4 were seen at the same location on 10/28/09 (Tom Lally). 2 adults and 1 3rd cycle at the South Unit of Illinois Beach State Park on 10/31/09 (Bob Hughes).

Black Tern: Lake Co (North) - 1 at the North end of North Point Marina in Winthrop Harbor.

Short-eared Owl: Cook Co (North) - 1 at Montrose Point on 10/31/09 (Alex Bloss, Matthew Cvetas). 1 at the South Unit of Illinois Beach State Park on 10/26/09 (Jim Solum et. al.). Lake Co (North) - 2 at Rollins Savannah on 10/25/09 (Jeff Sundberg).

Northern Shrike: Lake Co (North) - 1 has been seen many days of the past week from the Sand Prairie Day Use Area Pavilion. The pavilion is located in the North Unit of Illinois Beach State Park. This is a local bird and will likely spend the whole winter at this location.

SPRAGUE'S PIPIT: DuPage Co (North) - 1 was found at the landfill of Greene Valley Forest Preserve on 10/28/09 (Bob Fisher). On 10/29/09 the bird was relocated and photographed (Jeff Smith). It was not relocated on 10/31/09.

Black-throated Blue Warbler: Cook Co (North) - 1 male at Jackson Park on 10/28/09 (Paul Clyne). It was seen in the woods at the North end of Bobolink Meadow.

Harris's Sparrow: Kankakee Co (Central) - 1 at Perry Farm Prairie on 10/29/09 (Jed Hertz). Cook Co (North) - 1 at the West side of Northerly Island on 10/27/09 (Karen Mansfield). 1 at Promontory Point/Burnham Park in Hyde Park on 10/27/09 (Ben Winger). DuPage Co (North) - 2 at Fermilab on 10/26/09 (Bob Fisher et al.). They were seen at the shrubland area between Lake Law and the AE Sea. 1 was relocated through at least 10/29/09 (Jeff Haake). 1 at James Park in Evanston on 10/26/09 (Matthew Cvetas).

- End transcript

Sulli Gibson
Illinois Ornithological Society

Illinois Rare Bird Alert

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