Geoffrey Williamson

The Illinois Ornithological Records Committee (IORC) in late January concluded evaluations of 27 records of occurrence of rare birds in Illinois, and more recently concluded evaluation of another four records. Among these, IORC accepted 27 records while not accepting five. One record within the later group was accepted as pertaining to a species pair. Two of the accepted records are first state records for the species involved. The records involved are summarized below. For each record, we indicate the species or form, with number of individuals in parentheses if greater than one, followed by date or date range, location, and county. The record number is indicated in parentheses, followed by, for accepted records, names of the documenters. If multiple documenters are listed, those understood by IORC to have been the original finders of the bird(s) are listed first and separated from the others by a semicolon. IORC thanks all the documenters, for accepted and unaccepted records alike, for their submissions. All documentation is maintained in the IORC archives so that there is a permanent record of all these observations. Documentation, regardless of the Committee’s decision, is a valuable part of the record of bird life in Illinois.

Records Accepted

• White-winged Dove, 17 April 2017, Le Roy, McLean County (2017-039; Joe Phipps)
• White-winged Dove, 1 November 2017, Montrose Point in Chicago’s Lincoln Park, Cook County (2017-055; Fran Morel)
• Broad-billed Hummingbird, 11-13 September 2017, Sherman, Sangamon County (2017-037; Pam Stanko; H. David Bohlen)
• Parasitic Jaeger, 31 August 2017, Montrose Point in Chicago’s Lincoln Park, Cook County (2017-036; Luis Muñoz)
• Parasitic Jaeger, 15-17 September 2017, Lake Shelbyville, Moultrie County (2017-041; Travis Mahan; Ron Bradley)
• Pacific Loon, 13 November 2017, Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, Williamson County (2017-059; Don Mullison)
• Pacific Loon, 4-5 November 2017, Emiquon Preserve, Fulton County (2017-049; Michael Ingram; Andy Gilbert, Joseph Phipps)
• Neotropic Cormorant, 24 April to 6 June 2017, Lake Springfield, Sangamon County (2017-044; H. David Bohlen)
• Neotropic Cormorant, 1-24 July 2017, Roselle, DuPage County (2017-042; Andrew Aldrich, Urs Geiser, Craig Taylor, Jim Tezak)
• Neotropic Cormorant, 9-18 July 2017, North Aurora, Kane County (2017-038; Andrew Aldrich, Urs Geiser, Jason Newton, Jim Tezak)
• Neotropic Cormorant, 14 July 2017, Grand Tower, Jackson County (2017-046; Rhonda Rothrock)
• Neotropic Cormorant, 15 September 2017, Rainbow Beach in Chicago, Cook County (2017-047; Andrew Aldrich; Matthew Cvetas)
• Anhinga, 21 August 2017, Cache River State Wildlife Area, Johnson County (2017-062; Ryne Rutherford)
• Anhinga (2), 10 October 2017, Greene Valley Forest Preserve, DuPage County (2017-053; Bob Fisher)
• White-faced Ibis (6 to 9), 28 September to 29 October 2017, Glacial Park, McHenry County (2017-050; Donnie Dann, Cheryl Kreiman, Joe Lill, Marilyn Palmer, Yan-yi Peng, Dan Williams)
• White-faced Ibis (2), 13-14 October 2017, CIPS Lake, Jasper County (2017-061; C. Leroy Harrison)
• Black Vulture, 17 October 2017, Ft. Sheridan Forest Preserve, Lake County (2017-052; Karen Lund)
• Swallow-tailed Kite, 31 July 2017, Duckstamp Wetland near Mermet Lake, Massac County (2017-057; Emily Lain)
• Red-naped Sapsucker, 5-6 April 2012, Wadsworth Wetlands Forest Preserve, Lake County (2012-039; Paul Sweet)
• Prairie Falcon (2), 28 October 2016 to 29 January 2017, southwest of Arcola, Coles County and Douglas County (2016-102; Ron Bradley)
• Prairie Falcon (2), 12 November 2016 to 9 January 2017, Mt. Erie bottom, Wayne County (2016-103; C. Leroy Harrison)
• Prairie Falcon, 28 December 2016, Prairie Ridge State Natural Area, Jasper County (2016-104; C. Leroy Harrison)
• Prairie Falcon, 17 October 2017, Greene Valley Forest Preserve, DuPage County (2017-056; Jeff Smith)
• Say’s Phoebe, 19 September 2017, Lake Springfield, Sangamon County (2017-045; H. David Bohlen)
• Cassin’s Vireo, 3-5 May 1994, Jackson Park in Chicago, Cook County (1994-056; Paul Clyne)
• Mountain Bluebird, 7-12 April 2017, Fermilab, DuPage County (2017-040; Carolyn Fields, Linda Padera, Stan Zatarski)
• Hoary Redpoll, 22 November to 14 December 2017, Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, Cook County (2017-063; Matthew Cvetas)

Records Not Accepted

• Neotropic Cormorant, 29 September 2017, Carpentersville, Kane County (2017-048)
• Swallow-tailed Kite (2), 20 August 2016, New Douglas, Madison County (2016-063)
• Brown-headed Nuthatch, 9 September 2016, Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, Cook County (2016-073); accepted as Pygmy/Brown-headed Nuthatch
• Nashville Warbler (ridgwayi), 20 October 2015, Jarvis Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Chicago’s Lincoln Park, Cook County (2015-069)

The Illinois Ornithological Records Committee (IORC) recently concluded evaluations of 15 records of occurrence of rare birds in Illinois, accepting 11 and not accepting four. For each record, we indicate below the species or form, with number of individuals in parentheses if greater than one, followed by date or date range, location, and county. At the end, the record number is indicated in parentheses, followed by, for accepted records, names of the documenters. IORC thanks all the documenters, for accepted and unaccepted records alike, for their submissions. All documentation is maintained in the IORC archives so that there is a permanent record of all these observations. Documentation, regardless of the Committee’s decision, is a valuable part of the record of bird life in Illinois.

Records Accepted

• Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, 22 July 2017, Army Depot Road, Carroll County (2017-028; Dan Williams)
• Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, 7 August 2017, Zuma Creek flats, Rock Island County (2017-033; Steve Freed)
• White-winged Dove, 17 May 2016, Chicago, Cook County (2016-100; David Mroczkowski)
• White-winged Dove, 9 July to 26 August 2017, Kaneville, Kane County (2017-026; Marion Miller, Vince Moxon, Dan Williams)
• Ruff, 20-21 August 2017, Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge, Fulton County (2017-035; Matthew Cvetas, Bob Fisher)
• Little Gull, 20-21 April 2016, Lake Springfield, Sangamon County (2016-101; H. David Bohlen)
• Wood Stork, 6-20 July 2017, Rend Lake, Jefferson County (2017-024; C. Leroy Harrison, Dan Kassebaum, Dan Williams)
• Wood Stork, 5 August 2017, Sexton Creek wetlands, Alexander County (2017-032; Allen Gathman)
• Neotropic Cormorant, 28 March 2017, Pontiac, Livingston County (2017-009; Demetri Lafkas)
• Neotropic Cormorant; 4 August 2017, Lake Shelbyville, Moultrie County (2017-031; Ron Bradley)
• White Ibis, 9-20 July 2017, Grand Tower Township, Jackson County (2017-025; Whitney Gregge, Dan Kassebaum)

Records Not Accepted

• Black Rail, 10 May 2010, Worship Trail, Cook County (2010-031)
• Royal Tern, 8 May 2017, Channahon Township, Will County (2017-027)
• Great Blue Heron (white form), 12 July 2017, Savoy, Champaign County (2017-029)
• Say’s Phoebe, 7 August 2017, Cape Bend wetlands, Alexander County (2017-034)

The Illinois Ornithological Records Committee (IORC) recently concluded evaluation of 20 records of occurrence of rare birds in Illinois, accepting 18 and not accepting two. For each record, we indicate below the species or form, with number of individuals in parentheses if greater than one, followed by date or date range, location, and county. At the end, the record number is indicated in parentheses, followed by, for accepted records, names of the documenters. IORC thanks all the documenters, for accepted and unaccepted records alike, for their submissions. All documentation is maintained in the IORC archives so that there is a permanent record of all these observations. Documentation, regardless of the Committee’s decision, is a valuable part of the record of bird life in Illinois.

Records Accepted

• Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (3), 9 May 2017, Watershed Nature Center, Edwardsville, Madison County (2017-012; Evan Dvorchak, John Tomlinson)
• Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (3), 23 June 2017, northwest Alexander County (2017-023; Robert E. Fisher)
• White-winged Dove, 18 March 2017, Quincy, Adams County (2017-007; Pat Reyburn; Phil Reyburn)
• White-winged Dove, 4 June 2017, River Grove, Cook County (2017-014; Susan Szeszol)
• White-winged Dove, 19 June 2017, River Forest, Cook County (2017-022; Jill Anderson)
• Black Rail, 20-28 June 2017, Montrose Point in Chicago’s Lincoln Park, Cook County (2017-020; Karen Mansfield; Matthew Cvetas, Robert D. Hughes, Geoffrey A. Williamson)
• Black-headed Gull, 23 March 2017, Lake Springfield, Sangamon County (2017-008; H. David Bohlen; Colin Dobson)
• Neotropic Cormorant (2), 4 June to 26 July 2017, Almond Marsh Forest Preserve, Lake County (2017-015; Adam Sell; Oliver Burrus, Carolyn Fields, Vince Moxon)
• Neotropic Cormorant, 4-9 June 2017, Nygren Wetland Preserve, Winnebago County (2017-016; John Longhenry)
• Anhinga, 18 June 2017, Oakwood Bottoms, Jackson County (2017-018; Dan Kassebaum)
• Tricolored Heron, 20-22 June 2017, Illinois Beach State Park, Lake County (2017-021; Matthew Cvetas)
• Swallow-tailed Kite, 7 April 2017, east of Metropolis, Massac County (2017-010; Keith McMullen)
• Say’s Phoebe, 5 October 2013, Moraine View State Recreation Area, McLean County (2013-080; Benjamin Murphy)
• Townsend’s Solitaire, 3-5 December 2016, Sand Ridge State Forest, Mason County (2016-091; Colin Dobson, Andy Gilbert)
• Pine Grosbeak, 13 April 2017, Rockton, Winnebago County (2017-011; Martin Kehoe; Rolf Thienemann, Daniel T. Williams, Geoffrey A. Williamson)
• Golden-crowned Sparrow, 21 March to 4 April 2017, Letcher Basin, Woodford County (2017-006; Craig Taylor; Benjamin Murphy, Matt Wistrand)
• Western Tanager, 4 June 2017, Illinois Beach State Park, Lake County (2017-017; Carolyn Fields)
• Painted Bunting (2), 20 May to 31 July 2017, East St. Louis, St. Clair County (2017-019; Dan Kassebaum)

Records Not Accepted

• Semipalmated Plover, 7 March 2017, Northbrook, Cook County (2017-005)
• Ruff, 20 September 2016, Techny Basin, Glenview, Cook County (2016-075)

The American Ornithological Society (AOS) recently issued its 58th Supplement to its Check-list of North American Birds. Since the Illinois Ornithological Records Committee (IORC, a committee of the Illinois Ornithological Society) follows the AOS taxonomy in keeping the official Illinois State List of Birds, all relevant changes from the 58th supplement get reflected in the Illinois list. These changes are summarized below.

• Thayer’s Gull was lumped into Iceland Gull. Thayer’s Gull thus no longer appears on the Illinois list.
• The genus Chen was merged into Anser. Thus, Snow Goose and Ross’s Goose have a scientific name change, and they move ahead of Greater White-fronted Goose in the taxonomic sequence.
• The puddle duck genus Anas was split into a few separate genera, and the taxonomic sequence of the species was changed. Garganey, Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, and Northern Shoveler become part of Spatula; and Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, and American Wigeon become part of Mareca.
• The sequence for the Sandpiper family (Scolopacidae) changed, resulting in Whimbrel moving ahead of Eskimo Curlew, American Woodcock moving ahead of Wilson’s Snipe, and Lesser Yellowlegs and Greater Yellowlegs swapping positions.
• Northern Harrier was split into Hen Harrier (in the Old World) and Northern Harrier (in the New World). Our Northern Harrier retains its common name, but gets a new scientific name, Circus hudsonias.
• Northern Shrike is split into Northern Shrike (New World and northeast Asia) and Great Gray Shrike (Old World). Our Northern Shrike retains its common name but gets a new scientific name, Lanius borealis.
• The taxonomic sequence of the finch family (Fringillidae) changed.
• Our sparrows and towhees were split out of the Emberizid family into a family all their own: Passerellidae, the New World Sparrows. The position of this new family is different in the new sequence.
• The common name for Ammodramus leconteii changed from Le Conte’s Sparrow to LeConte’s Sparrow. This change was made to agree with how John Lawrence LeConte, after whom the sparrow is named, wrote his surname.
• The Yellow-breasted Chat is moved out of the wood-warblers and into its very own family, Icteriidae, the Yellow-breasted Chats. Don’t confuse this family with Icteridae, the Blackbirds, in front of which the Icteriidae is positioned in the new taxonomic sequence. The Yellow-breasted Chat is the only species in the new family.
• In addition to the Blackbird family being moved up in the taxonomic sequence, the order of the species within it also was changed.

The new taxonomic sequence, name changes both common and scientific, and the disappearance of Thayer’s Gull from the Illinois list are all reflected in an updated version of the Birds of Illinois.

The Illinois Ornithological Records Committee (IORC) recently concluded evaluation of 19 records of occurrence of rare birds in Illinois, accepting 14 and not accepting five. For each record, we indicate below the species or form, with number of individuals in parentheses if greater than one, followed by date or date range, location, and county. At the end, the record number is indicated in parentheses, followed by, for accepted records, names of the documenters. IORC thanks all the documenters, for accepted and unaccepted records alike, for their submissions. All documentation is maintained in the IORC archives so that there is a permanent record of all these observations. Documentation, regardless of the Committee’s decision, is a valuable part of the record of bird life in Illinois.

Records Accepted

• Mottled Duck, 25 November 2016, Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge, Mason County (2016-087; Mike Ingram)
• Neotropic Cormorant, 26 February 2017, Emiquon Preserve, Mason County (2017-003; Corey Lange; Davida Kalina)
• Ruff, 16 July 2016, El Paso Sewage Treatment Plant, Woodford County (2016-097; Ted Hartzler; Ben Murphy)
• California Gull, 30 November 2016 through 15 February 2017, on the Illinois River at Peoria, Peoria County and Tazewell County (2016-093; Mike Ingram; Colin Dobson)
• California Gull, 4-14 February 2017, along the Calumet River in Chicago, Cook County (2017-001; Andrew Aldrich; Jake Cvetas, Matthew Cvetas)
• California Gull, 23-25 February 2017, Channel Lake, Lake County (2017-004; Adam Sell)
• Barn Owl, 25 December 2016, Burnham Park, Chicago, Cook County (2016-099; Ethan Gyllenhaal).
• Say’s Phoebe, 9 November 2016, outside of Savanna, Carroll County (2016-096; Cindy Brown, Ethan Brown)
• Vermilion Flycatcher, 6 November 2016, Goose Lake Prairie State Park, Grundy County (2016-094; Tim Balassie)
• Mountain Bluebird, 9 November 2016 through 17 February 2017, south of Savanna, Carroll County (2016-088; Cindy Brown, Ethan Brown; Ed Anderson, Anne Straight, Dan Williams)
• Townsend’s Solitaire, 5 November 2016, Sag Quarries, Lemont, Cook County (2016-095; Mike Daley)
• Townsend’s Solitaire, 15 November 2016, Stockton, Jo Daviess County (2016-086; John P. Jankowski)
• Townsend’s Solitaire, 25 November 2016 through 2 January 2017, Rock Cut State Park, Winnebago County (2016-089; Barbara Williams, Dan Williams)
• Bohemian Waxwing, 1 January 2017, Shaw Woods, Lake Forest Openlands, Lake County (2017-002; Eric Lundquist; Emil Baumbach, Oliver Burrus)

Records Not Accepted

• Mottled Duck, 25 November 2016, Big Lake, Brown County (2016-090)
• Anhinga (7), 13 October 2010, Evergreen Lake, McLean County (2010-030)
• Anhinga, 13 October 2016, Greene Valley Forest Preserve, DuPage County (2016-077)
• Gyrfalcon, 6 November 2016, Greene Valley Forest Preserve, DuPage County (2016-081)
• Cave Swallow, 28 October 2016, Lake Springfield, Sangamon County (2016-092)

This update reports the 2017 membership of the Illinois Ornithological Records Committee (IORC), recent changes to the IORC Review List, and IORC’s decision regarding Illinois’s one record of Green Violetear in light of the taxonomic split of that species into Mexican Violetear and Lesser Violetear.

2017 Membership

For 2017, IORC welcomes Walter Marcisz as a newly elected member serving a three year term from 2017 to 2019. Walter’s well recognized skills in field identification are reflected in the detailed and careful documentations that he regularly includes with his seasonal observation summaries submitted to the seasonal report editors for IOS’s Meadowlark and the American Birding Association’s North American Birds publications. He also has years of service to eBird as a Regional Reviewer for Illinois.

Paul Sweet continues on IORC, being elected to a three year term, 2017-2019, following the expiration of his previous term of service at 2016’s end.

Stepping down from IORC is Greg Lambeth. Greg served a three year term from 2014 to 2016, and he was IORC’s Vice-Secretary during 2015 and 2016. Greg relocated to Idaho during 2016 so that his abilities in and knowledge of bird identification and distribution are being directed at a different part of the country. His valued contributions to and work with IORC will be missed.

The 2017 makeup of IORC is thus as follows.

• Josh Engel (Vice-Secretary)
• Matt Fraker
• Walter Marcisz
• Keith McMullen
• Doug Stotz
• Paul Sweet
• Geoff Williamson (Secretary)

Changes to the Review List

The “Review List” consists of all forms for which the IORC will review all records (possibly excepting records from specified areas for some forms). It includes species whose occurrence in the state is less than regular, but IORC may also include other forms as it sees fit, for instance species that involve identification difficulties.

At its 13 Feb 2017 Annual Meeting, IORC removed California Gull from the Review List and added Pacific Loon and Tricolored Heron.

Previously, California Gull in other than adult plumage was on the Review List, so that the change is now that IORC is not mandated to review all documentations of immature California Gulls. Documentation of California Gulls in any plumage that are submitted to IORC may still be reviewed, at IORC’s discretion; however, with the departure of California Gull from the review list, IORC will no longer actively solicit such documentation. This change was motivated by the regular stream during recent years of accepted documentations of immature California Gulls.

Pacific Loon was added because of the difficulties in making positive identification of this species under typical field conditions. Though Pacific Loon occurs regularly in the state, it does so only in small numbers, so that given the identification problems, IORC feels an accurate appraisal of its pattern of occurrence requires sufficient supporting details for any observation.

Tricolored Heron returns to the Review List after an absence of many years. Its previous removal from the Review List stemmed from a period during which many individuals occurred in Illinois in what became then a regular pattern. However, in the last decade the pattern has again changed to one of a virtual absence.

Mexican Violetear

IORC reviewed record 2009-033, accepted as Green Violetear, in order to assess whether it would be possible to make a determination of its identity to species as either Mexican Violetear or Lesser Violetear, given the recent “split” of the two species involved. After a reviewing specimens of both forms at the Field Museum of Natural History and discussing the identification criteria, IORC accepted the record as a Mexican Violetear based on the photographic evidence available in the archive.

Mexican Violetear, 10 Aug 2009, St. Clair County. Photo copyright Rich Scheibel.

The Illinois Ornithological Records Committee (IORC) recently concluded evaluation of 23 records of occurrence of rare birds in Illinois, accepting 20 and not accepting three. For each record, we indicate the species or form, with number of individuals in parentheses if greater than one, followed by date or date range, location, and county. At the end, the record number is indicated in parentheses, followed by, for accepted records, names of the documenters. IORC thanks all the documenters, for accepted and unaccepted records alike, for their submissions. All documentation is maintained in the IORC archives so that there is a permanent record of all these observations. Documentation, regardless of the Committee’s decision, is a valuable part of the record of bird life in Illinois.

Records Accepted

• Brant, 8 November – 11 December 2016, Chicago, Cook County (2016-082; Steve Huggins; Matthew Cvetas, Geoffrey A. Williamson)
• Common Ground-Dove, 23 October 2016, Lake Springfield, Sangamon County (2016-079; H. David Bohlen)
• White-winged Dove, 10 November 2016, Chicago, Cook County (2016-083; Matthew Cvetas). Originally discovered by Luis Muñoz.
• Common Ringed Plover, 13-14 September 2016, Iroquois County (2016-069; Gary Soper; Nick Block, Matt Fraker, Jed Hertz, John Kendall, Jeff Timmons). First state record.
• Ruff, 2 June 2016, Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge, Fulton County (2016-044; Colin Dobson)
• Parasitic Jaeger, 10 September 2016, on Lake Michigan off Chicago, Cook County (2016-070; Scott Judd, Geoffrey A. Williamson)
• Parasitic Jaeger, 24 September 2016, on Lake Michigan off Chicago, Cook County (2016-071; Jon Grainger, Geoffrey A. Williamson)
• Parasitic Jaeger, 24 September 2016, on Lake Michigan off Chicago, Cook County (2016-072; Jon Grainger, Geoffrey A. Williamson)
• California Gull, 19 September & 5 November 2016, Moline, Rock Island County (2016-074; Steve Freed, Jo Ann Whitmore)
• California Gull, 16 & 18 October 2016, Moline, Rock Island County (2016-078; Jim Forde, Steve Freed)
• Neotropic Cormorant, 30 April 2016, Lake Springfield, Sangamon County (2016-035; H. David Bohlen)
• Neotropic Cormorant, 9-27 September 2016, Chicago, Cook County (2016-068; Andrew Aldrich; Matthew Cvetas)
• Anhinga, 21 April 2013, Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge, Fulton County (2013-079; Colin Dobson)
• White Ibis, 7 September 2016, Alma, Marion County (2016-067; Richard Day)
• Roseate Spoonbill, 25 August & 22 September 2016, Scott Air Force Base and a nearby location, St. Clair County (2016-064; Brian Smith; Matt Schamberger, Sydney Oliveira)
• Swallow-tailed Kite, 29-31 August 2016, Champaign, Champaign County (2016-065; T.J. Blakeman; Carl Giometti)
• Gray Kingbird, 5 November 2016, Carlyle Lake, Clinton County (2016-080; Dan Kassebaum)
• Cave Swallow, 19 November 2016, Waukegan, Lake County (2016-084; Carl Giometti, Steve Huggins)
• Varied Thrush, 21 October 2014, Champaign, Champaign County (2014-058; Patricia Dickerson)
• Bohemian Waxwing, 26 December 1919, Waukegan, Lake County (1919-001; S.S. Gregory, Jr.)

Records Not Accepted

• California Quail, 3 September 2016, Sullivan, Moultrie County (2016-066)
• Neotropic Cormorant, 3-5 June 2016, Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge, Fulton County (2016-039)
• Ferruginous Hawk, 20 November 2016, Illinois Beach State Park, Lake County (2016-085)