The Illinois
Ornithological Society

Illinois Rare Bird Alert

RBA
State: Illinois
Coverage: Statewide
Date: November 8, 2009

Species Mentioned (Caps denote a review list species):

  • Pacific Loon
  • PLEGADIS IBIS
  • JAEGER SPECIES
  • BARN OWL
  • CAVE SWALLOW
  • Greater White-fronted Goose
  • Snow Goose
  • Cackling Goose
  • Tundra Swan
  • Surf Scoter
  • Black Scoter
  • Long-tailed Duck
  • Red-throated Loon
  • Red-necked Grebe
  • Western Grebe
  • Northern Goshawk
  • Golden Eagle
  • Yellow Rail
  • Thayer's Gull
  • Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • Pileated Woodpecker
  • Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

This is the Illinois Rare Bird Report for November 8, 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 -

Pacific Loon: Bond/Clinton/Fayette Co (South) - 1 viewed from the Handicap Fisherman's Parking Lot (now called East Lake Access) on 11/7/09 (Mark Seiffert, et al.). This is the first lake access east of the dam..

PLEGADIS IBIS: Fulton Co (Central) - 1 relocated at the south end of Thompson Lake at the Emiquon Preserve (Jim Mountjoy) on 11/7/09. It flew to the small island with roosting American White Pelicans and preened.

JAEGER SPECIES: Fulton Co (Central) - 1 unidentified jaeger was seen at a rectangular pond at the Emiquon Preserve on 11/7/09 (Ethan, Aaron Gyllenhaal). The pond is located where County Road 9 turns north into Dickson Mound Road. It was not relocated later in the day but could be anywhere in the Emiquon Preserve/Thompson Lake.

BARN OWL: Lake Co (North) - 1 flushed out of a Fir in the Magic Pines of Waukegan Beach (west of the bathhouse) on 11/1/09 (Eric Walters). It flew to the north and was never seen again.

CAVE SWALLOW: Champaign Co (Central) - 1 probable flying low over the lake at Riverbend Forest Preserve on 11/1/09 (Greg Lambeth).

Greater White-fronted Goose: DuPage Co (North) - 55+ at the Buffalo Pasture of Fermilab on 11/8/09 (Urs Geiser).

Snow Goose: Lake Co (North) - 1 at Butler Lake on the campus of Libertyville High School on 11/5/09 (Beau Schaefer).

Cackling Goose: DuPage Co (North) - Unspecified number at the Buffalo Pasture of Fermilab on 11/8/09 (Urs Geiser). Lake Co (North) - 1 at the Illinois Beach State Park Hawk Watch on 11/5/09 (Joan Bruchman, Jim Kriss, 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: Cook Co (North) - 20 flying east over an Evanston yard on 11/2/09 (Matthew Cvetas).

Surf Scoter: Lake Co (North) - 1 with the scaup flock by the mouth of the Dead River of the South Unit of Illinois Beach State Park on 11/3/09 (Donnie Dann, et al.).

Black Scoter: 4 at Shabbona Lake in the stickups along the lake's east shore above the dam (Starved Rock Audubon Society, et al.). Lake Co (North) - 1 with the scaup flock by the mouth of the Dead River of the South Unit of Illinois Beach State Park on 11/3/09 (Donnie Dann, et al.).

Long-tailed Duck: Cook Co (North) - 1 female along the shoreline north of Foster Avenue on 11/2/09 (Steve Spitzer).

Red-throated Loon: Bond/Clinton/Fayette Co (South) - 1 seen from Point 18/Hickory Hollow in South Shores State Park (Carlyle Lake) on 11/8/09 (David Becher, Mark Seiffert, et al.).

Red-necked Grebe:Fulton Co (Central) - 1 in the bay across the lake from the boat launch on 11/8/09 (Starved Rock Audubon Society, et al.). The best viewing for the grebe was from the north side of the lake on the peninsula east of the campground boat launch.

Western Grebe: Bond/Clinton/Fayette Co (South) - 1 seen from Point 18/Hickory Hollow in South Shores State Park (Carlyle Lake) on 11/8/09 (David Becher, Mark Seiffert, et al.).

Northern Goshawk: Lake Co (North) - 1 at the Illinois Beach State Park Hawk Watch on 11/6/09 (Joan Bruchman, Jim Kriss, et al.). 1 at the Illinois Beach State Park Hawk Watch on 11/3/09 (Al Kostyniak, Paul Sweet, et al.). The Hawk Watch is conducted from the Sand Prairie Day Use Area Pavilion in the North Unit of Illinois Beach State Park.

Golden Eagle: Lake Co (North) - 1 at the Illinois Beach State Park Hawk Watch on 11/3/09 (Al Kostyniak, Paul Sweet, et al.). The Hawk Watch is conducted from the Sand Prairie Day Use Area Pavilion in the North Unit of Illinois Beach State Park.

Yellow Rail: Jasper Co (South) - 1 flushed from the Brood Fields in Prairie Ridge State Natural Area on 11/4/09 (Bob Shelby). It was not relocated.

Thayer's Gull: Lake Co (North) - 1 adult at Stateline Beach on 11/3/09 (Joan Bruchman, et al.).

Lesser Black-backed Gull: Lake Co (North) - 2 at Stateline Beach on 11/3/09 (Joan Bruchman, et al.).

Pileated Woodpecker: Cook Co (North) - 2 at Spears Woods on 11/7/09 (Karen Mansfield). 1 female was seen at the Red Trail and 1 male was seen at the parking lot.

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher: Jasper Co (South) - 1 seen flying west across Route 130 near County Road 50 on 11/5/09 (Leroy Harrison, Bob Shelby). It was not relocated.

- End transcript

Sulli Gibson
Illinois Ornithological Society

Illinois Rare Bird Alert

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