RBA
State: Illinois
Coverage: Statewide
Date: December 27, 2009
Species Mentioned (Caps denote a review list species):
- Harlequin Duck
- White-winged Scoter
- Black Scoter
- Northern Goshawk
- Purple Sandpiper
- Thayer's Gull
- Glaucous Gull
- American Pipit
- Ovenbird
- Spotted Towhee
- Eastern Towhee
- Grasshopper Sparrow
This is the Illinois Rare Bird Report for December 27, 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.
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Harlequin Duck: Cook Co (North) - 1 has returned to the traditional location of North Avenue Beach. It was discovered more than a week ago. The bird has not been as reliable as in past years though. Try scoping from the chess pavilion or the fish hook breakwater/pier. It was last seen on 12/27/09 (Matthew Cvetas).
White-winged Scoter: Rock Island Co (North) - 1 adult on the Mississippi River just downstream from Lock and Dam 14 viewed from the Interstate 80 bridge on 12/27/09 (Steve Freed).
Black Scoter: Cook Co (North) - 1 has been seen inside the fish hook pier at Montrose Point for over a week. It was last seen on 12/26/09 (Bob Hughes).
Northern Goshawk: Jasper County (South) - 1 at Sam Parr State Fish and Wildlife Area on 12/21/09 (Steve Bailey, Newton Lake CBC)
Purple Sandpiper: Cook Co (North) - 1 at Montrose Beach on 12/22/09 (Steve Spitzer).
Thayer's Gull: Rock Island Co (North) - 1 adult at Butterworth Park in Moline on 12/27/09 (Steve Freed).
Glaucous Gull: Clinton Gull (South) - 1 at a personal location on 12/26/09 (Mark Seiffert).
American Pipit: Cook Co (North) - At least 20 have been feeding on the algae at Montrose Beach for weeks now. Only 5 or 6 were seen on 12/26/09 (Bob Hughes). 2 were seen at North Avenue Beach and Belmont Harbor as well (Matthew Cvetas). Lake Co (North) - 1 feeding on an algae mat at Lake Forest Beach on 12/26/09 (Sulli Gibson, Christine Williamson, Geoff Williamson).
Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Lee County (North) - 1 at Lost Nation Golf Course on 12/20/09 (Eric Walters, White Pines CBC).
Ovenbird: Cook Co (North) - 1 has been coming to feeders at Chevalier Woods in Harwood Heights for more than a week. It was last seen on 12/27/09 (Alan Anderson). The feeders are on one of the North/South paths from the North side of the second parking area in from East River Road.
Spotted Towhee: Cook Co (North) - 1 was found in the NW corner of John J. Duffy Forest Preserve near the pond on 12/20/09 (Greg Neise). It was relocated at the same location and also a little further West on 12/21/09 (Eric, Ethan, and Aaron Gyllenhaal). It has not been looked for since.
Eastern Towhee: Lake Co (North) - 1 adult at feeders in Lake Bluff on 12/22/09 (Fay Groh).
Grasshopper Sparrow: Cook Co (North) - 1 at Montrose Point on 12/23/09 (Steve Spitzer). It was very likely relocated through the 12/25/09.
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Sulli Gibson
Illinois Ornithological Society
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