Illinois Ornithological Society

IORC Update – 5-Dec-2015

Records Accepted

Magnificent Frigatebird, Lincoln Park, Chicago, Cook County, 8 Jul 2015 [Josh Engel]
Black Vulture, Woodford County, 10 Jun 2013 [Ted Hartzler]
Swallow-tailed Kite, Champaign, Champaign County, 24 Aug – 7 Sep 2015 [Wendi Lindsay; Matthew Cvetas, Conner England, David B. Johnson, Dan Williams]
Purple Gallinule, Dixon Waterfowl Refuge, Hennepin-Hopper Lakes, Putnam County, 5-6 Sep 2014 [Doug Stotz]
Long-tailed Jaeger, Horseshoe Lake State Park, Madison County, 15-19 Jul 2015 [Keith McMullen, Dan Williams]
Slaty-backed Gull, Lake County Fairgrounds and Winthrop Harbor’s North Point Marina, Lake County, 14-23 Feb 2014 [Amar Ayyash; Nolan Lameka, Geoff Williamson]
Royal Tern, Waukegan Beach, Lake County, 19-20 Aug 2015 [Annette McClellan]
White-winged Dove, Chicago, Cook County, 12 May 2015 [Chicago Bird Collision Monitors; Josh Engel]
Barn Owl, Havana, Mason County, 9 Aug 2014 [Kristen Walter]

Records Not Accepted

Barnacle Goose, Lake Bloomington, McLean County, 29 Jan – 11 Feb 2013 (not accepted on basis of origin)
Mottled Duck, Sangchris Lake State Park, Sangamon County, 29 Oct and 16 Nov 2013
Common Eider, Lincoln Park, Chicago, Cook County, 22 Feb 2014
Neotropic Cormorant (2), Anderson Lake, Fulton County, 13 Jul 2015
Anhinga, Morton Arboretum, DuPage County, 21 Sep 2013
Anhinga, Oswego, Kendall County, 22 Apr 2014
Anhinga, Greene Valley Forest Preserve, DuPage County, 6 Sep 2014
Broad-winged Hawk, McClaughery Springs Woods Forest Preserve, Cook County, 10 Mar 2012
Curlew Sandpiper, Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge, Mason County, 1 Sep 2014
Little Stint, near Havana, Fulton County, 9 Aug 2015
Black-headed Gull, Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge, Mason County, 4 Sep 2015
Arctic Tern, Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge, Mason County, 14 Jun 2014
Royal Tern, Oak Brook, DuPage County, 22 Aug 2015
Great-tailed Grackle (2), Montgomery County, 10 May 2015

Breeding Records Not Accepted

Le Conte’s Sparrow, Kankakee County, 29 Aug – 11 Sep 2013

One of IOS’s objectives is “To promote scientific research and education in order to improve knowledge and awareness of birds in Illinois”. The IOS Grants Program was initiated several years ago to support this objective with funding.

The 2015 IOS Grant Program received 10 grant requests. As a result of the generosity of several groups and individuals, 10 grants were awarded. In addition to IOS provided funds, thanks to the following groups and individuals for their generous support:

The DuPage Birding Club
The Lake-Cook Chapter of the Illinois Audubon Society
The Kane County Audubon Society
The Chicago Ornithological Society
Valyn P. Dall
Joan Norek
Marj Lundy and Jamie Godshalk
Marsha Steffen
Glenn Gabanski
Donald Dann
John C. and Carolyn Baker
Carl and Pen DauBach
Karen and Bob Fisher
Vickie Sroczynski and John Burke
Jeffrey Smith
John Heneghan
Jill Anderson
Urs Geiser
Steve Fluett
Marcia and Bob Shelby
Charles Wescott
Ted Wolff

Thanks to Jeff Walk and Steve Bailey for reviewing and rating all the requests.

Congratulations to the winners and watch for their project articles in future issues of The Meadowlark.

The following grants were awarded:

#	Amount	Name/Organization	Description
1.	$1,000	Alexander Winter Eastern Illinois University	Study the ecological and behavioral implications of Brown-headed Cowbird parasitism on Northern Cardinals. Sponsored by Illinois Ornithological Society.
2.	$980	Bryan Reiley U of I – Champaign	Study the benefits of restored habitats for declining shrubland birds – Specifically Bell’s Vireo and Willow Flycatcher. Sponsored by Karen and Bob Fisher, Vicky Sroczynski and John Burke.
3.	$1,000	Ben O’Neal and Heath Hagy Franklin College. Illinois Natural History Survey	Determine nest success, nest density, and nesting characteristics of marsh birds and other waterbirds at Emiquon Preserve to determine if reconnection to the Illinois River affects these parameters in the future. Sponsored by the Lake-Cook Chapter of the Illinois Audubon Society.
4.	$1,000	Phred Benham U of I – Champaign	Study local adaptation to spatially varying environments in widespread species to improve our understanding of how populations might respond to future climate change. Study will use Savannah Sparrow populations. Sponsored by the DuPage Birding Club.
5.	$1,000	Brett Dorak U of I – Champaign / Illinois Natural History Survey	Study Canada Geese wintering in the Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area. Describe their home ranges, time budgets, roost selection, response to harassment, and movements that may pose a threat to human health and safety.
6.	$1,000	Todd M. Jones U of I – Champaign	Evaluate possible associations between fledgling traits and survival in the Dickcissel with an automated telemetry system. Sponsored by the DuPage Birding Club.
7.	$1,000	Josh Engel	A bird monitoring pilot project will be undertaken during the 2015 growing season with the goal of developing an effective bird monitoring protocol for the Montrose Beach Dunes (MBD) site. Sponsored by Illinois Ornithological Society
8.	$1,000	Tim Lyons U of I – Champaign	Genetic consequences of habitat fragmentation on ring-necked pheasants at the Sibley Pheasant Habitat Area.
9.	$1,000	John R. O’Connell Southern Illinois University – Center for Ecology – Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab	A remote sensing approach to identifying wetland availability for waterfowl, shorebirds and secretive marsh birds in Illinois using satellite radar imaging. Sponsored by the DuPage Birding Club.
10.	$480	Emilie A. Ospina U of I – Champaign	Investigate the effects of predation on nest attentiveness as well as the effects of incubation temperature on immune system response and stress response in American Robin nestlings.

IORC Update – 10-Sep-2015

Records Accepted

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (2), Beardstown Marsh, Cass County, 7-13 Jul 2014 [Duane L. Brunk; Ted Hartzler]
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (9), Rochelle, Ogle County, 11-12 Aug 2014 [Karen Lund]
Barrow’s Goldeneye, Lake Springfield, Sangamon County, 14 Mar 2015 [H. David Bohlen]
Barrow’s Goldeneye, Carlyle Lake, Clinton County, 21-25 Mar 2015 [Dan Kassebaum]
White Ibis, Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve, Champaign County, 14 May 2011 [Rob Kanter]
White Ibis, Bailey Wetland, Richland County and Wayne County, 10-22 Jul 2014 [Leroy Harrison, Bob Shelby]
Black Vulture (2), Marion County, 8 Mar 2015 [Leroy Harrison]
Black Vulture, near Iola, Clay County, 6 May 2015 [Leroy Harrison]
Snowy Plover, Montrose Beach, Chicago, Cook County, 3-11 May 2015 [Matthew Cvetas, Paul Sweet, Geoff Williamson]
Ruff, Bailey Wetland, Richland County and Wayne County, 6 May 2015 [Leroy Harrison]
Parasitic Jaeger, Waukegan, Lake County, 28 Sep 2014 [Annette McClellan]
Little Gull, Waukegan, Lake County, 25 Apr 2015 [Adam Sell]
Little Gull, Waukegan, Lake County, 6 Jun 2015 [Patrick Ricketson]
Great Black-backed Gull, Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge, Mason County, 26 Sep 2014 [Sigurd Bjorklund]
Barn Owl, near El Paso, Woodford County, 2 Apr 2015 [Ted Hartzler]
Barn Owl, Romeoville, Will County, 10 Jan 2015 [Chicago Bird Collision Monitors; Josh Engel]
Gyrfalcon, north-central Coles County, 16 Jan 2015 [Ron Bradley]
Prairie Falcon, east of Buffalo, Sangamon County, 6 Jan 2015 [H. David Bohlen]
Say’s Phoebe, Miller Meadows Forest Preserve, Cook County, 31 Mar – 2 Apr 2015 [Karrin Burns; Geoff Williamson]
Fish Crow, Louisville, Clay County, 6 May 2015 [Leroy Harrison]
Violet-green Swallow, Northwestern University lakefill, Evanston, Cook County, 9 May 2015 [Josh Engel, Matthew Cvetas]
Bewick’s Wren, McLeansboro, Hamilton County, 20 May – 3 Jun 2015 [Leroy Harrison, Bob Shelby]
Townsend’s Solitaire, Waukegan Beach, Lake County, 14 Apr 2015 [Nat Carmichael]
Townsend’s Solitaire, near Schapville, Jo Daviess County, 15 Nov 2014 [Richard Mattas]
Townsend’s Solitaire, Chicago Botanic Gardens, Cook County, 13 Nov 2014 [Al Stokie]
Kirtland’s Warbler, Montrose Point, Chicago, 16-17 May 2015 [Matthew Cvetas, Geoff Williamson]
Black-throated Gray Warbler, Red Hills State Park, Lawrence County, 26 Apr 2015 [Leroy Harrison]
Gray-headed form of Dark-eyed Junco, Forreston, Ogle County, 26-27 Apr 2013 [Anne Straight; Steve Bailey]

Records Not Accepted

Parasitic Jaeger, Fulton County, 15 Sep 2013
Royal Tern, Fulton County, 4 Aug 2013
Broad-billed Hummingbird, La Salle County, 23 Aug – 21 Sep 2014

Meadowlark editorial on Passenger Pigeon

Here’s the latest letter from the editor featured in the recently mailed Volume 23 No. 1 issue of Meadowlark. To read more, please join IOS. Another issue is coming soon and will feature an article on the Gray Kingbird in Illinois.

Drawing of Passenger Pigeon left by Kevin Sierzega

Of Mourning Doves and Passenger Pigeons

By Sheryl DeVore

You, no doubt, noticed the gorgeous front and back cover of this issue, created by Kevin Sierzega, whose work has graced Meadowlark before.

We asked Kevin to do this drawing to commemorate the demise of the Passenger Pigeon, whose numbers once seemed to be so abundant that humans thought this species would last forever. Of course, we now know that extinction can happen to any species, no matter how numerous.

The 100th anniversary of the death of the last Passenger Pigeon occurred in 2014. The last of the species, Martha, died in captivity at the Cincinnati Zoo Sept. 1, 1914.

In 2014, much was done to call attention to this important milestone, including, of course, Joel Greenberg’s book, “A Feathered River Across the Sky: The Passenger Pigeon’s Flight to Extinction.”

We birders all know that at one time, Passenger Pigeons filled the Illinois skyline from horizon to horizon.

But now it’s 2015, the Passenger Pigeon is long gone, and we have a story in this issue about another species in the order Columbiformes, the Mourning Dove. The article, “Lead shot ingestion rate and effects in Mourning Doves,” by Stephanice C. Plautz, et. al, addresses the issue of how one of North America’s most numerous birds is being poisoned from spent lead shot. According to Plautz, more than 400 million individual Mourning Doves have been counted in the fall in the United States. “However, Mourning Dove populations may be declining,” she writes. Her story, which begins on page 2, explains why.

Can the Mourning Dove ever go the way of the Passenger Pigeon? It seems ludicrous. Certainly, we humans would never let something like what happened to the Passenger Pigeon in the 20^th century occur in the 21^st century. Right?

IORC Update – 14-Jun-2015

Records Accepted

Mottled Duck (2), Montrose Point, Chicago, Cook County, 30 May 2013 [Luis Muñoz]
Mottled Duck, Chautauqua NWR, Mason County, 29 Aug 2014 [Andrew Aldrich]
Neotropic Cormorant, Carlyle Lake, Clinton County, 13 Apr 2013 [Dan Kassebaum]
Glossy Ibis, Woodford County, 24 May 2013 [Ted Hartzler]
Black Vulture, Ft Sheridan FP, Lake County, 19 Oct 2014 [Adam Sell]
Black Rail, Shelby County, 14 Jul 2013 [Travis Mahan]
Pomarine Jaeger, Weldon Springs SP, DeWitt County, 22-23 Nov 2014 [Ron Bradley, Dan Williams]
California Gull (immature), Carlyle Lake, Clinton County, 6 Oct & 3 Nov 2013 [Dan Kassebaum]
Slaty-backed Gull, Illinois River at East Peoria, Peoria and Tazewell Counties, 11 Jan 2015 [Jim Mountjoy]
Slaty-backed Gull, Calumet Park, Chicago, Cook County, 7 Feb 2015 [Geoff Williamson]
Pacific-slope/Cordilleran Flycatcher, Chicago, Cook County, 11 Sep 2010 [Matt Baughman]
Townsend’s Solitaire, Lost Mount Unit of Upper Mississippi River NWR, Jo Daviess County, 19 Dec 2014 [Dan Williams]
Bullock’s Oriole, near Joppa, Massac County, 21 Nov 2014 [John Schwegman]

Records Not Accepted

Mexican Duck, Carlyle Lake, Clinton County, 23 Mar 2014
Eared Grebe, Lake Renwick, Will County, 4 May 2013
Reddish Egret, Crab Orchard NWR, Williamson County, 29 Jun 2013
Whooping Crane (2), near Ullin, Alexander and Pulaski County, 16 & 23 Nov 2013
Sprague’s Pipit, Bureau County, 5 May 2014
Sprague’s Pipit, Winthrop Harbor, Lake County, 27 Jul 2014

Spring birding weeknd: Great birds, friends and scenery

The IOS Spring Birding Weekend (May 15 – 17) was a terrific weekend of birding on the Mississippi River in northwest Illinois. The event was planned and organized by Urs Geiser using the Chestnut Mountain Resort for accommodations.

For the field trips we split into groups and birded Lost Mound Wildlife Refuge, Mississippi Palisades State Park, Spring Lake, Ayers Sand Prairie, Thompson Causeway and Lock & Dam 13. We birded the grounds of the Chestnut Mountain Resort and watched nighthawks from the back deck. We birded along roadsides and even checked for warblers in a pine stand at a trailer dump station. (It wouldn’t be a real birding trip without a dump or sewage pond would it?) Bugs? Not too many. Rain? A few showers. But mostly it was dry and birdy.

A preliminary tally puts us at 150 species of birds for the weekend including some real treats like Brewster’s Warbler, Cerulean Warblers, Kentucky Warbler, Yellow-throated Warblers, Blue Grosbeaks, Eastern Whip-poor-wills, a singing Winter Wren, and at least three endangered species including Loggerhead Shrike, Yellow-headed Blackbird and Common Gallinule. We were serenaded on and off all day to migrant and nesting warblers as well as Baltimore and Orchard Orioles and other species. We relished every look at the magnificent American White Pelicans gliding overhead and Bald Eagles soaring or perched in trees.

We particularly want to thank Urs Geiser for all the work of planning and organizing the weekend, The stewards of the Upper Mississippi River Refuge for escorting and leading our groups into the restricted portion of the Lost Mound Refuge, and Dan Williams, Matt Fraker, Bob Fisher and Urs Geiser for leading field trips.

Special thanks go to all the IOS members who attended and lent their sharp eyes and ears to the group effort as well as sharing their good humor and boundless curiosity and interest in all things natural history.

IORC Update – 14-Apr-2015

Records Accepted

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (9), Yorkville, Kendall County, 21-30 May 2014
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Lincoln Park in Chicago, Cook County, 21 Jun 2014
Cinnamon Teal, Spillway Marsh at Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Madison County, 8-9 Apr 2014
Harlequin Duck, Fox River in Elgin, Kane County, 9 Nov 2014 – 31 Jan 2015
Barrow’s Goldeneye, Kane County, 17 Jan – 28 Feb 2015
Neotropic Cormorant, Lake Springfield, Sangamon County, 12-23 Jun 2013
Neotropic Cormorant, Lake Springfield, Sangamon County, 19-29 Jul 2013
Tricolored Heron, Oakwood Bottoms, Jackson County, 27 May 2014
Roseate Spoonbill, Lake Springfield, Sangamon County, 29 Nov 2013
Swainson’s Hawk, Greene Valley Forest Preserve, DuPage County, 14 Oct 2013
Little Gull, Carlyle Lake, Clinton County, 3 Nov 2013
Little Gull (2), Carlyle, Clinton County, 8-11 Nov 2013
California Gull, Carlyle Lake, Clinton County, 27 Sep – 26 Oct 2014
Prairie Falcon, eastern LaSalle County, 14 Mar 2014
Prairie Falcon, Judson University, Kane County, 5 Oct 2014
Prairie Falcon (2), Coles County, 25 Oct 2014 – 8 Feb 2015
Mountain Bluebird, Lost Mound unit of Upper Mississippi River NWR, Jo Daviess County, 12 Dec 2012 – 23 Feb 2013
Curve-billed Thrasher, Montrose Point in Chicago, Cook County, 18 Jun – 1 Jul 2014
Bohemian Waxwing, Jackson Park in Chicago, Cook County, 15 Feb – 2 Mar 2015
Black-throated Gray Warbler, Judson University, Kane County, 5-6 May 2014
Cassin’s Sparrow, Chicago, Cook County, 8 Sep 2014
Lark Bunting, Montrose Point in Chicago, Cook County, 17 Oct 2014
Hoary Redpoll (2), William Powers Conservation Area in Chicago, Cook County, 6 Feb – 13 Mar 2015

Records Not Accepted

Swainson’s Warbler, Franklin Creek State Park, Lee County, 3 May 2014

IOS field notes compiler featured

Meadowlark editor Sheryl DeVore wrote an article about Field Notes compiler David B. Johnson and his 25 years of leading looney trips in Lake and McHenry Counties for the Chicago Tribune and News-Sun. Take a peek. Dave needs to be praised over and over for all the wonderful work he has done on behalf of birds and birding in Illinois over the years. Thank you Dave! We’re also thrilled that he’s starting to write more articles for Meadowlark. See you all at the annual spring weekend in May. Don’t forget to sign up!

IORC Update – 24-Mar-2015

Records Accepted

Eurasian Wigeon, Banner Marsh, Fulton County, 4-12 Apr 2014
Barrow’s Goldeneye, West Dundee, Kane County, 15-30 Mar 2014
Barrow’s Goldeneye, Independence Grove Forest Preserve, Lake County, 23 Mar 2014
Neotropic Cormorant, Carlyle Lake, Clinton County, 8 Sep 2012
Black Vulture (4), near Lake Springfield, Sangamon County, 21 Mar 2014
Black Vulture, Urbana, Champaign County, 7 May 2014
Snowy Plover, Emiquon Preserve, Fulton County, 6-7 Apr 2014
Little Gull, Dresden Cooling Pond, Grundy County, 26 Mar 2014
California Gull, Carlyle Lake, Clinton County, 29 Sep 2012
California Gull, Rend Lake, Franklin County and Carlyle Lake, Clinton County, 15 Dec 2013 – 19 Jan 2014
Ash-throated Flycatcher, Lincoln Land Community College, Sangamon County, 29-30 Sep 2014
Western Kingbird X Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, American Bottoms, Monroe County, 1 Jul 2014
Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Gunnar Anderson Forest Preserve, Kane County, 12 May 2014
Bewick’s Wren, Brown County, 28 May 2014
Sage Thrasher, Putnam County, 18 Dec 2014 – 3 Jan 2015
Bohemian Waxwing, Chicago Botanic Garden, Cook County, 6-9 Nov 2012
Bohemian Waxwing, Chicago Botanic Garden, Cook County, 22-27 Dec 2012
Townsend’s Warbler, Ewing Park, Bloomington, McLean County, 3 May 2014
Golden-crowned Sparrow, Wayne County, 19 Oct 2012
Western Tanager, Palos Heights, Cook County, 28 Apr – 5 May 2014
Painted Bunting (2), East St. Louis, St. Clair County, 16-20 June 2011

Rusty Blackbird Blitz, Year two

We’re gearing up for the second year of the Blitz. Nick Sly, IOS Coordinator for the Blitz, posted complete details here on the Illinois Birders Forum website. IOS is proud to be a sponsor of this important project here in Illinois. Mark your calendar and make your plans to get out there between March 1 and April 15…to count those Rustys!