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Updated on Thursday, March 18 at 04:30 AM ET
The most recently received Mail is at the top.


Stellers Eider,©Jan Wilczur

18 Mar IBET Two Pileated Woodpeckers at Spears Woods on Wednesday Morning, 2010-03-17 ["Kep" ]
17 Mar IBET BC NIGHT-HERONS [Keith Mcmullen ]
17 Mar IBET Urbana Park District's "Woodcock Walk" ["B.G. Sloan" ]
18 Mar IBET Mating Peregrine's @ St. Micheals Church ["Profiles Of Nature" ]
18 Mar IBET Woodford Co. Pelicans ["Pete_Fenner" ]
17 Mar IBET North Pond bird walk results, 17 March 2010 ["Geoffrey A. Williamson" ]
17 Mar IBET CORRECTION IOS Nelson Lake trip 3/28 (NO SIGHTINGS) ["Michael L. P. Retter" ]
17 Mar IBET Canvasbacks at Femilab [ari shavit ]
18 Mar IBET Nelson Lake Marsh Kane County ["YeanetteJ" ]
17 Mar IBET IOS Nelson Lake Field Trip 3/20 (NO SIGHTINGS) ["Michael L. P. Retter" ]
18 Mar IBET Big Bend State FWA today - Goldeneye, Canadian Geese, Wigeons & Wood Ducks ["mom4birds67" ]
17 Mar IBET Baker's Lake today and some older sightings [Carolyn Fields ]
17 Mar IBET California Gulls [Kevin Richmond ]
17 Mar IBET: Eastern Phoebe at Big Rock Forest Preserve Wednesday ["Darrell Shambaugh" ]
17 Mar IBET Fraker Farm Miscellany (actually more of a ramble); Woodford Co; 03/15/10 ["prairie oak" ]
17 Mar Re: IBET: Chipping Sparrow - Marengo Ridge (Marengo, McHenry County) [Marna Towne ]
17 Mar IBET Sandhills at Crabtree Nature Preserve ["Carolyn" ]
17 Mar IBET Re: Great Blue Herons are Back! ["greg_neise" ]
17 Mar IBET Uptown Peregrine Falcon []
17 Mar IBET ENSBC Program Meeting Tuesday - History of Bird Photography ["John Hockman" ]
17 Mar IBET harris's yes [Dawn ]
17 Mar IBET: Chipping Sparrow - Marengo Ridge (Marengo, McHenry County) [Karen Lund ]
17 Mar IBET Any Harris's Sparrow updates (no sightings) ["Eric" ]
17 Mar RE: IBET Great Blue Herons are Back! ["Wes Serafin" ]
17 Mar IBET Great Blue Herons are Back! [Jeanette Repp ]
17 Mar IBET Chicago Bird Collision Monitors Training Sessions NO SIGHTINGS [Mary lou Mellon ]
17 Mar IBET Independence Grove this morning [Rena Cohen ]
17 Mar IBET Red Room Blog on spring, birds and the meaning of it all (And one sightings note) [Christopher Cudworth ]
17 Mar IBET 1 Lone Wood Duck (at the least) - Page Park, Lee County this am ["mom4birds67" ]
17 Mar RE: IBET Re: Harris's Sparrow at Dawn Smith's 4 pm and a question about its call [Sebastian Patti ]
17 Mar Re: IBET Re: Harris's Sparrow at Dawn Smith's 4 pm and a question about its call []
17 Mar IBET Harris's Sparrow Photos ["Profiles Of Nature" ]
16 Mar IBET American Woodcocks in Urbana's Meadowbrook Park ["B.G. Sloan" ]
16 Mar IBET Woodcocks - Highland Park [Rena Cohen ]
17 Mar IBET Re: Harris's Sparrow song ["Larry Balch" ]
16 Mar IBET Harris' sparrow, etc, at 6 p.m. ["Matthews, Meg" ]
16 Mar IBET Urbana's Meadowbrook Park beaver dam has been breached ["B.G. Sloan" ]
16 Mar IBET Harris's sparrow, cook county [Mark Bowman ]
17 Mar Re: IBET: Digiscoping ["franmmmk" ]
16 Mar Re: IBET Re: Harris's Sparrow at Dawn Smith's 4 pm and a question about its call (no sightings) [douglas stotz ]
16 Mar IBET lake/mchenry co meanderings [Beau Schaefer ]
17 Mar IBET Re: Harris's Sparrow at Dawn Smith's 4 pm (no sighting) ["mcvetas" ]
16 Mar ibet: Dekalb County birds, Tuesday ["Darrell Shambaugh" ]
16 Mar IBET North Pond - more Scaup []
17 Mar IBET Re: Harris's Sparrow at Dawn Smith's 4 pm and a question about its call ["cyndi_lubecke" ]
16 Mar IBET Whoopers at Nygren []
16 Mar Re: IBET: Digiscoping ["greg_neise" ]
16 Mar IBET Sandhills over Warrenville [Don Lopat ]
16 Mar IBET Whispering Willows Bourbonnais Park District ["seaglass3716" ]
16 Mar IBET: Digiscoping [KAREN FORCUM ]
16 Mar IBET Harris, song, fox, whitethroat, and chipping still present [Dawn ]
16 Mar IBET Burnham Harbor ["Matthews, Meg" ]
16 Mar IBET List information: no sightings ["q4birds" ]
16 Mar IBET Lake Arlington/Arlington Hts. ~ Redpolls ["pjbruchman" ]
16 Mar IBET Male White-winged Scoter-Waukegan Harbor ["NOLAN" ]
16 Mar IBET Re: sandhill crane sighting ["kelvin" ]
16 Mar IBET sandhill crane sighting ["rmnpynp" ]
16 Mar IBET Sandhills and one whooper ["jerhi" ]
16 Mar IBET COS field trip reminder - please join us [Sigrid Schmidt ]
16 Mar IBET Sandhills on the ground in Kendall Co. ["kjos34" ]
16 Mar IBET Quad Cities area observations - 13-14 march ["tperrier13" ]
15 Mar IBET Eastern Phoebe - Carroll County []
15 Mar Re: IBET Harris's Sparrow [Paul Clyne ]
15 Mar IBET Harris's Sparrow [Dawn ]
15 Mar IBET Harris Sparrow 5:30 pm []
16 Mar IBET Whalon lake F.P. Naperville ["steve_f41" ]
15 Mar IBET Harris' Sparrow [David Antieau ]
15 Mar IBET Harris Sparrow ["Nathan" ]
15 Mar IBET Skokie Lagoons Migrants [Mary lou Mellon ]
15 Mar IBET Pheasant on the Westside [Luis Muñoz ]
15 Mar IBET Green River (No Sightings) ["ollie085" ]
15 Mar RE: IBET Harris Sparrow - ["Craig Taylor" ]
15 Mar Re: IBET NO SIGHTING: Lake Springfield Snow Geese [Jane Ward ]
15 Mar IBET Peregrine Falcon Photos Grundy/Will Co. ["rattlinantler" ]
15 Mar IBET Cantigny Wild Turkeys? NO SIGHTINGS ["Jen Day" ]
15 Mar IBET Harris Sparrow - [dawn smith ]

Subject: IBET Two Pileated Woodpeckers at Spears Woods on Wednesday Morning, 2010-03-17
From: "Kep" <orink AT t6b.com>
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:02:12 -0000
 Sorry for the late post, I was doing astronomy stuff after my Pileated trek in 
the morning. On Wednesday morning, I left GP at 0530hrs and got to 87th St & 
Rte 45 about 0720 hrs. I left early to miss traffic and get an early start but 
I didn't realize the FP doesn't open the parking areas to early-birders. 
Luckily, I had cased the area last week and noticed the 3 car pull-off parking 
spot at the northern terminus of the Old County Lane trail on 87th Street. 


 Following Karen's posts, I picked up the yellow trail aign after walking south 
about 12 minutes toward 95th street. Turning east and passing Boomerang Slough, 
I again headed south at the junction with the red trail and headed for Hogwash 
Slough. Since the big trees were all on the east side of the trail, I headed 
east into the woods after 200 yards. After proceeding east about 150 yards, I 
found a big, downed tree to sit on and started listening and watching. 
Red-Belly WPs were all around and noisily carrying-on. I heard no Pileateds, 
but after 20 minutes, I saw furtive, large-bird, white wing flashes in the 
trees to the south. 


 After 75 yards I encountered a creek that seemed to go between Hogwash Slough 
to my West and Buttonbush Slough... which was still out of sight and well south 
and east from my location. There were two PWPs quietly going about their 
business high up in the trees. At that point, I started looking for nest/roost 
holes. It was 1017 AM, I found over ten PWP-sized holes, 35 to 45 feet high,in 
dead trees within a 25 yard radius. The two PWPs had come into my view from 
east of the creek, hung around for about 15 minutes, and then seemed to split 
up, one heading westerly and one heading north toward the Boomerang Slough 
trail junction. 


 I thought I heard some occasional tapping and Kak calls from further east - 
toward Rte 45, but did not investigate. I remained by the creek for over an 
hour before heading toward 95th street along the yellow trail and walking west 
to the Old Contry Lane trail entrance on 95th street and then back to my car on 
87th. Thus, today, I did not see how the creek connected to Hogwash Slough. 


 From the creek to the yellow trail was about 150 yards to the West. Had I 
walked in on the yellow trail from 95th street, I would only have walked north 
along the yellow trail to within about 50 yards of Hogwash Slough before 
turning east and finding the creek. 

 
 I saw no red-headed WP all day, but last week, I had walked toward Cranberry 
Slough on the yellow trail from 95th Street. About 25 yards before crossing the 
slough, I walked west from the trail into the Country Lane woods and thence 
back to the parking lot area. I saw 6 red-headed woodpeckers in that section. 


Orin Keplinger, Garden Prairie in Boone County 
Subject: IBET BC NIGHT-HERONS
From: Keith Mcmullen <warbler7 AT sbcglobal.net>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:36:12 -0700 (PDT)
Hi Gang:
 
I saw 2 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS on the west side of Horseshoe Lake in 
Madison County this evening. With the colder than usual temps and increased 
precipitation amounts this past winter, this areas BLACK-CROWN'S moved south, 
so I would call these 2 spring arrivals. 

 
Let's hope that after this predicted cold and possibly snowy weekend will be 
the end of it and beginning next week the migration takes off, no pun intended! 

 
I checked hotlines from FL, AL, TN, KY and AR and migration is VERY slow in 
those areas as well. So, it's not just us expecting things to get going. 

 
Good birdings,
 
Keith McMullen
O'Fallon, IL
warbler7 AT sbcglobal.net

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Urbana Park District's "Woodcock Walk"
From: "B.G. Sloan" <bgsloan2 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:34:26 -0700 (PDT)
 
I attended the Urbana Park District's "Woodcock Walk" this evening in 
Meadowbrook Park. There was a good turnout for this event, co-sponsored by the 
Champaign County Audubon Society (CCAS). 


There were at least 25-30 people present for the walk. There were also a 
few other groups of people operating independently, also looking for woodcocks, 
including one group with a powerful flashlight that illuminated a flying 
woodcock at least one time. 

 
At one point early in the evening I broke ranks with the UPD/CCAS group and 
went with my gut instinct, heading towards the southeast corner of Meadowbrook 
Park...the area that worked for me on Tuesday night. I wasn't disappointed. 


I ran into two nice young women who indicated they'd had good luck, so I stuck 
with them. There were woodcocks displaying all around us. While the birds had 
started their "peent" calls a little earlier than on Tuesday night, 
interestingly enough the birds started their display flights at the exact same 
time tonight (7:28PM) as last night. 

 
And I had a personal life birding first tonight! I actually SAW a woodcock on 
the ground doing its "peent" call!! This happened on several occasions this 
evening. The first time, the bird was only about 50 feet away on a wide mowed 
path, and there was still enough light for a really good view through my new 
Nikon ATB binoculars. Very interesting sight (and kinda comical)! I've 
forgotten the names of the two young women there, but many thanks for pointing 
this bird out to me. 


All in all, I had a very good birding night tonight...

Bernie Sloan
Champaign County, IL
Monroe County, IN
My birding blog: http://bird-bs.blogspot.com  
Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/birdbs



      
Subject: IBET Mating Peregrine's @ St. Micheals Church
From: "Profiles Of Nature" <jerrygoldner AT yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:59:56 -0000
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23099282 AT N06/?saved=1

Jerry Goldner
Evanston
http://www.profilesofnature.com/snowyowl.html
Subject: IBET Woodford Co. Pelicans
From: "Pete_Fenner" <phf AT mchsi.com>
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2010 03:26:08 -0000
Flocks of American White Pelicans have been seen both yesterday and today 
riding thermals flying over Germantown Hills in Woodford Co. Pete Fenner 

East Peoria, IL
Subject: IBET North Pond bird walk results, 17 March 2010
From: "Geoffrey A. Williamson" <geoffrey.williamson AT comcast.net>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 23:01:18 -0500
Below is the bird list from the COS (www.chicagobirder.org) North 
Pond Bird Walk around North Pond in Chicago's Lincoln Park today 
(Wednesday, 17 March 2010).  A bunch of the ducks that people have 
been mentioning the last week were present on the pond, most notably 
the male CANVASBACK.  We spotted two pairs of AMERICAN CROWS 
constructing nests, and WOOD DUCKS were examining the trees for nest 
sites. There were 26 species present, all told.

The most interesting bird, however, was a DARK-EYED JUNCO.  I think 
this is of the "Cassiar Junco" type.  I put some photos on the web at 
http://home.comcast.net/~geoffrey.williamson/daejun.html and also 
started an IBF topic at 
http://www.ilbirds.com/index.php?topic=33871.0 (the same photos are 
at both sites).  Comments would be appreciated.

The North Pond Bird Walks are now on the weekly schedule; we'll meet 
at 7:00am on the casting pier at the south end of North Pond each 
Wednesday from now through mid-June.  More details on the schedule, 
the birds, and other things are at 
http://home.comcast.net/~geoffrey.williamson/northpond.html.

Good birding,
Geoff


North Pond, 17 March 2010
-----------------------------------------------------
Canada Goose 54
Wood Duck 17
Mallard 68
American Black Duck 3
Canvasback 1
Redhead 4
Lesser Scaup 4

Double-crested Cormorant 3

American Kestrel 1
Peregrine Falcon 2

Ring-billed Gull 73

Rock Pigeon 58

Downy Woodpecker 5
Northern Flicker 1

American Crow 24

Black-capped Chickadee 3

American Robin 5

European Starling 25

American Tree Sparrow 4
Song Sparrow 11
White-throated Sparrow 2
Dark-eyed Junco 4

Northern Cardinal 4

Red-winged Blackbird 30
Common Grackle 20

House Sparrow 41



Geoffrey A. Williamson
geoffrey.williamson AT comcast.net
Subject: IBET CORRECTION IOS Nelson Lake trip 3/28 (NO SIGHTINGS)
From: "Michael L. P. Retter" <mlretter AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:27:18 -0700 (PDT)
The correct date is 28 March, not 20 March as indicated in the prior subject 
line. Apologies for the confusion. 


Michael L. P. Retter
---------------------------------
W. Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co., IN
mlretter AT yahoo.com
home:  765.838.3152
cell:  309.824.7317
http://xenospiza.com/

Tour Leader, Tropical Birding
http://www.tropicalbirding.com/
-----------------------------------


--- On Wed, 3/17/10, Michael L. P. Retter  wrote:

> From: Michael L. P. Retter 
> Subject: IOS Nelson Lake Field Trip 3/20 (NO SIGHTINGS)
> To: "IBET" , "mclean" 
> Date: Wednesday, March 17, 2010, 9:01 PM
> This is a reminder that Scott Cohrs
> will be leading an Illinois Ornithological Society field
> trip on Sunday 28 March to Nelson Lake in NE IL's Kane Co.
> As with all IOS trips, attendance costs $5 for members and
> $25 for non-members. This is a family-friendly field trip,
> and families with children are encouraged to attend. 
> 
> For the past 10 years, American White Pelicans have been
> stopping at Nelson Lake in Kane County during their
> migration north. Over 200 of these birds have been seen at
> one time at this 150 acre marsh. Other target species for
> this outing are waterfowl, Sandhill Cranes and early
> passerines. Expect over 10 species of ducks. This is a great
> outing for younger participants, with a large viewing
> platform, spotting scopes, and target birds that are large
> and readily visible.
> 
> Questions? call Scott Cohrs at 847-651-9891.
> 
> Check out other upcoming IOS trips at
> www.illinoisbirds.org
> 
> Good birding,
> Michael Retter
> IOS Field Trip Chairperson
> currently Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico
> 
> 
> Michael L. P. Retter
> ---------------------------------
> W. Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co., IN
> mlretter AT yahoo.com
> home:  765.838.3152
> cell:  309.824.7317
> http://xenospiza.com/
> 
> Tour Leader, Tropical Birding
> http://www.tropicalbirding.com/
> -----------------------------------
> 
> 
>       
> 
> -- 
> List the county in the subject line for sightings.
> Sign your posts with first and last name.
> To post to this group, send email to CILB AT googlegroups.com
> For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/CILB
> 


      
Subject: IBET Canvasbacks at Femilab
From: ari shavit <arinok4 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:20:58 -0700 (PDT)
I had about 9 Canvasbacks at fermilab this morning.I got a few pictures  but 
not very close.i also joined flkr to help link my photos,hope it works this 
time    ari shavit  Dekalb  county http://www.flickr.com/photos/48495663 AT N07/ 




      

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Nelson Lake Marsh Kane County
From: "YeanetteJ" <btbwarbler AT comcast.net>
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2010 02:11:27 -0000
A nice mix of waterfowl was seen at the marsh today.
Here is my list:

CANVASBACK
REDHEAD
AMERICAN WIGEON
GREEN-WINGED TEAL
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK
GADWALL
RING-NECKED DUCK
LESSER SCAUP
BUFFLEHEAD
COMMON GOLDENEYE
COMMON MERGANSER
RUDDY DUCK
MALLARD
CANADA GOOSE
AMERICAN COOT

The only additional duck I added to the list at
Fermi & Pella Ponds (DuPage Co)
was NORTHERN SHOVELER.

What a beautiful day to be out Birding!!!
Yeanette Johnson
Western Aurora, Kane County

Subject: IBET IOS Nelson Lake Field Trip 3/20 (NO SIGHTINGS)
From: "Michael L. P. Retter" <mlretter AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:01:31 -0700 (PDT)
This is a reminder that Scott Cohrs will be leading an Illinois Ornithological 
Society field trip on Sunday 28 March to Nelson Lake in NE IL's Kane Co. As 
with all IOS trips, attendance costs $5 for members and $25 for non-members. 
This is a family-friendly field trip, and families with children are encouraged 
to attend. 


For the past 10 years, American White Pelicans have been stopping at Nelson 
Lake in Kane County during their migration north. Over 200 of these birds have 
been seen at one time at this 150 acre marsh. Other target species for this 
outing are waterfowl, Sandhill Cranes and early passerines. Expect over 10 
species of ducks. This is a great outing for younger participants, with a large 
viewing platform, spotting scopes, and target birds that are large and readily 
visible. 


Questions? call Scott Cohrs at 847-651-9891.

Check out other upcoming IOS trips at www.illinoisbirds.org

Good birding,
Michael Retter
IOS Field Trip Chairperson
currently Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico


Michael L. P. Retter
---------------------------------
W. Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co., IN
mlretter AT yahoo.com
home:  765.838.3152
cell:  309.824.7317
http://xenospiza.com/

Tour Leader, Tropical Birding
http://www.tropicalbirding.com/
-----------------------------------


      
Subject: IBET Big Bend State FWA today - Goldeneye, Canadian Geese, Wigeons & Wood Ducks
From: "mom4birds67" <mom4birds67 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2010 01:29:18 -0000
My son & I ventured out to Big Bend State FWA (Whiteside County)earlier today 
and saw: 


Goldeneye (2)
Canadian Geese (30+?)
Wigeon (10?)
Wood ducks (4)
Red winged blackbirds (10+)

Along with garter snakes, muskrats, frogs, and snails. 12 cats at nearby 
resident's home, 4 deer in a distant field. 


All in all a pretty neat experience, as we have never been there before.

Laura Ross
Ogle County
Subject: IBET Baker's Lake today and some older sightings
From: Carolyn Fields <c7echoes AT aol.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:28:14 -0700 (PDT)
This morning at Baker's Lake in Barrington there were 12 GREAT BLUE HERONS on 
the island rookery, nest building, displaying, copulating, etc. on the top 
level structures. DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS are also occupying much of the top 
and second story, and hopefully the egrets will arrive soon to take their 
places on the ground floor. 


Most of the lake was still frozen, but I enjoyed the spectacle of 600+ Herring 
and Ring-billed Gulls gorging themselves on the bounty of small fish carcasses 
all over the ice. 


Lake Zurich was still mostly ice and slush.

On March 4 as we drove south through Illinois, there were 2 BLACK VULTURES 
soaring over I-24 about 5 mi. north of Metropolis, and on our way back north on 
March 14 there was a BLACK VULTURE perched in a tree next to the road in the 
same area. 


On 3-14 we also took a quick trip along some of the roads around Rend Lake and 
saw a couple dozen beautiful BONAPARTE'S GULLS, 3 COMMON LOONS, a LESSER 
BLACK-BACKED GULL on one of the boat ramps at the Harbor Oaks Picnic area, some 
CANVASBACKS, REDHEADS, LESSER SCAUP, BUFFLEHEAD, and HOODED MERGANSERS. 


Carolyn Fields
Palatine
NW Cook County


      
Subject: IBET California Gulls
From: Kevin Richmond <theeggman AT comcast.net>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:18:11 -0500
Two CALIFORNIA GULLS (one first-year and one second-year) have  
(sporadically) been on the outer dock at Eastport Marina in East  
Peoria (in Tazewell Co.) for the past eight days.

Kevin Richmond
Morton, Illinois
Subject: IBET: Eastern Phoebe at Big Rock Forest Preserve Wednesday
From: "Darrell Shambaugh" <d.shambaugh AT mchsi.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:49:40 -0500
There was an EASTERN PHOEBE at Big Rock Forest Preserve in Kane County this
afternoon. I heard a SANDHILL CRANE or two calling several times but I never
saw them. 
 
Darrell Shambaugh
Somonauk, DeKalb County


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Fraker Farm Miscellany (actually more of a ramble); Woodford Co; 03/15/10
From: "prairie oak" <frakerpovc AT aol.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 23:41:17 -0000
Greetings, everyone -- 
 
Doesn't life get crazy sometimes? It creeps up on you -- you think that you're 
just doing what you do, and then you get a smack to your "restart" button that 
slaps you out of indifference and into that sharp awareness of awakening to 
what you have been missing by letting "the routine" take over your life. 

 
I have always viciously protected myself from takeover by "routine". But 
"routine" can be a stealthy little bugger, and getting infiltrated despite 
vicious defense is always a possibility. 

 
On Monday, I set out to find Smith's Longspurs in Woodford County. I had yet to 
cover 5 miles when I received a voicemail from an agitated Winks notifying me 
that someone was moronically complaining on ID Frontiers about accessing my 
post concerning the Chickadee x Titmouse hybrid that I shared with that 
listserve (the problem had nothing to do with my post -- it was on his end). 
Winks was humorously asking to defend me, which Neise ultimately did in a much 
more diplomatic way than I or Winks probably would have. But I allowed this 
whole scene to stop my Smith's hunt (by my own fault) to hit a computer and 
worry about pedestrian things. 

 
On that afternoon of the 15th, I finally walked the Farm. I went without 
camera, without list (GASP) -- just my binocs and my canine criminal companion, 
"Tucher". This walk was a preset to the restart. On my wander, I dozed in the 
Oak Timber; I saw that a pair of Canada Geese had taken residence upon the pond 
(and were defending it mightily from other geese pairs flying over); I noted 
that the Red-tailed Hawks that have nested in the same place for at least 8 
years on Denman Creek moved their nest this year -- the old site is an empty 
Cottonwood crotch with some remnant smaller timbers, while a beautiful new nest 
sits several trees to the east; I heard that a Phoebe had arrived; I noted all 
that needs to be done -- acres burned, exotics killed, wetlands built (we 
should be starting a 40 acre wetland restoration any time now), second growth 
cherry and elm trees cut to allow elder generation prairie oaks room to thrive 
and find their lower branches while a barren understory recovers -- and a 
realization that life might not hold the years necessary to do what needs to be 
done out here. 

 
My family came out to the Farm this night and we stayed out here for the first 
time in way too long. I knew this when at 5 AM I went out on the upper deck and 
I saw stars I use to see nightly -- the ones that cannot be seen from town. I 
went back out at 6am to hear at least four Woodcocks displaying. At 7 am, the 
clear morning gave a dominant blue hue to the east with a hard orange horizon 
that gave topography to the ground hugging mists and the fresh chill in the 
air. I took in the morning chorus, mentally boxchecking all of the songs. I was 
met with a blend of further Woodcock activity; gobbling Wild Turkeys; Song 
Sparrow, Goldfinch, Downy Woodpecker, Flicker, Mourning Dove, Mallard, Tufted 
Titmice, Chickadee, Cardinal, Eastern Meadowlark, Robin. It was an intravenous 
injection of March -- a reminder of when this element was a part of every day 
mindlessly. 

 
Don't get me wrong -- life fairly demands that "routine" gets its fair due. And 
that takes sacrifice which is met with the reward of pride in your work, wealth 
of family, feeling of accomplishment. 

 
My hopefully humble advice is to just keep your eye on "routine". When it's 
getting its fair due, it's in front of you, obeying your will. If you can't see 
it in front of you, then you might look over your shoulder to see who is doing 
the obeying, and start searching for that "restart" button... 

 
Matt Fraker
Woodford Co
03/16/10
Subject: Re: IBET: Chipping Sparrow - Marengo Ridge (Marengo, McHenry County)
From: Marna Towne <marna.towne AT mac.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:43:54 -0500
Heard Chipping sparrows today in Rock Falls too!


Marna Towne
marna.towne AT mac.com



On Mar 17, 2010, at 1:42 PM, Karen Lund wrote:

> A lunchtime walk yielded a chipping sparrow and 4 butterflies -  
> mourning cloak, american lady and 2 anglewings. I did not get a  
> good enough view to determine if the anglewings were commas or  
> question marks; but then punctuation has never been my strong suit.  
> The trails are very wet and muddy; the mud is ankle deep in some  
> areas.
>
> Karen Lund
> Genoa, DeKalb County
> catbirder AT verizon.net
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
> 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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Subject: IBET Sandhills at Crabtree Nature Preserve
From: "Carolyn" <demicent AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:06:42 -0000
Saw a pair of Sandhill Cranes on Tuesday March 16th around 11 am flying back 
and forth, calling loudly, landing and taking off on Sulky Pond. Also Eastern 
Bluebirds, a flock of Common Mergansers on the big lake, several Canada Geese 
and possibly a Cackling Goose. Also was surprised to see what looked like an 
immature Bald Eagle, which was verified by one of the staff I met in the woods. 


Crabtree is west of Barrington Road and north of Palatine Road in the 
Barrington area. 



Carolyn
Schaumburg, IL
Subject: IBET Re: Great Blue Herons are Back!
From: "greg_neise" <gregneise AT ilbirds.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:32:26 -0000
Jeff and I also had a Great Blue Heron back on a nest a couple of weeks ago in 
the small rookery north of Cap Road and east of Lost Nation Road, which is west 
of Nachusa Grasslands. 


-greg neise
Berwyn, IL

--- In ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com, "Wes Serafin"  wrote:
>
> They are also back at the rookery on Rt83 and the Desplaines river. They are
> just east of the bridge.
> 
>  
> 
> Wes Serafin
> 
> Orland Pk
> 
> SW Cook County
> 
>  
> 
> From: ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
> Jeanette Repp
> Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2010 11:52 AM
> To: IBET
> Subject: IBET Great Blue Herons are Back!
> 
>  
> 
>   
> 
> Busse Woods, rookery near I-90 in Arlington Hts./Elk Grove. Cook Co. Saw my
> first 3 on Monday! Spring is definitely on the way!!!
> 
> Jeanette
> Schaumburg, Cook
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Subject: IBET Uptown Peregrine Falcon
From: trptjoe AT aol.com
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:45:03 -0400
I meant to send this to IBET earlier today, in response to Eric's 
Harris's request, but I've deleted the Harris's reference  (that no 
birder had the sparrow between 9:30-12:15 this morning}. Oop, I gues I 
didn't delete it...
A Peregrine Falcon was back at the hack box at the back of the Uptown 
Theater (Lawrence & Magnolia, Chicago).

Joe Lill
Chicago, Cook County 
Subject: IBET ENSBC Program Meeting Tuesday - History of Bird Photography
From: "John Hockman" <j.w.hockman AT sbcglobal.net>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:02:25 -0500
The next program meeting of the Evanston North Shore Bird Club will be held 
at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 23, at the Evanston Ecology Center, 2024 
McCormick Boulevard, corner of Bridge Street, in Evanston.

Bird club president Dr. Tim Wallace is a superb bird photographer who has 
assembled a large collection of books that illustrates how bird photography 
has evolved over the years.  He will show amazing shots taken by the early 
practitioners and tell the equally amazing stories that are associated with 
the images.


John Hockman
Riverwoods, IL
Lake County
j.w.hockman AT sbcglobal.net

ENSBC Web Site: www.ensbc.org
Subject: IBET harris's yes
From: Dawn <mrssmith2 AT comcast.net>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:00:26 -0500
Jerry Goldner brought some mojo magic and the Harris's is here now....





On Mar 17, 2010, at 1:17 PM, Eric wrote:

> Has anyone tried for Dawn's Harris's Sparrow today? (Wednesday)
> 
> We're thinking about an after-school visit.
> 
> Eric Gyllenhaal
> Oak Park, Cook County
> 
> 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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Subject: IBET: Chipping Sparrow - Marengo Ridge (Marengo, McHenry County)
From: Karen Lund <catbirder AT verizon.net>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:42:09 -0700 (PDT)
A lunchtime walk yielded a chipping sparrow and 4 butterflies - mourning cloak, 
american lady and 2 anglewings. I did not get a good enough view to determine 
if the anglewings were commas or question marks; but then punctuation has never 
been my strong suit. The trails are very wet and muddy; the mud is ankle deep 
in some areas. 


Karen Lund
Genoa, DeKalb County
catbirder AT verizon.net


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Any Harris's Sparrow updates (no sightings)
From: "Eric" <GyllenFish AT aol.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:17:59 -0000
Has anyone tried for Dawn's Harris's Sparrow today? (Wednesday)

We're thinking about an after-school visit.

Eric Gyllenhaal
Oak Park, Cook County
Subject: RE: IBET Great Blue Herons are Back!
From: "Wes Serafin" <w.serafin AT comcast.net>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:51:49 -0500
They are also back at the rookery on Rt83 and the Desplaines river. They are
just east of the bridge.

 

Wes Serafin

Orland Pk

SW Cook County

 

From: ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
Jeanette Repp
Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2010 11:52 AM
To: IBET
Subject: IBET Great Blue Herons are Back!

 

  

Busse Woods, rookery near I-90 in Arlington Hts./Elk Grove. Cook Co. Saw my
first 3 on Monday! Spring is definitely on the way!!!

Jeanette
Schaumburg, Cook

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Great Blue Herons are Back!
From: Jeanette Repp <jzlrepp AT gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:52:07 -0500
Busse Woods, rookery near I-90 in Arlington Hts./Elk Grove. Cook Co. Saw my
first 3 on Monday! Spring is definitely on the way!!!

         Jeanette
         Schaumburg, Cook


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Chicago Bird Collision Monitors Training Sessions NO SIGHTINGS
From: Mary lou Mellon <marylou.mellon AT gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:46:26 -0500
Chicago Bird Collision Monitors (CBCM) is a non-profit volunteer project within 
the Chicago Audubon Society. CBCM has been rescuing stunned and injured 
migratory birds in the Chicago area for more than seven years. 


As CBCM prepares for spring migration, we invite you to join our efforts as a 
rescue volunteer. Attend one of the upcoming training sessions on Monday, March 
22; Tuesday, April 13; or Monday, April 26, at Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum 
www.naturemuseum.org. There is parking on Cannon Drive. At the museum, simply 
indicate that you are there for the CBCM class (no need to pay the museum entry 
fee). 


Visit the CBCM website at http://www.birdmonitors.net/intro.html or call 773 
988 1867 for more information. 


With more helping hands, more birds can be saved. 

Mary Lou Mellon
Northbrook, IL
Chicago Bird Collision Monitors

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Independence Grove this morning
From: Rena Cohen <rena1729 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 08:06:21 -0700 (PDT)
The water at Independence Grove in Libertyville is still almost completely 
frozen but there were a few ducks there at 7:45 am this morning, with more 
flying in occasionally in the 15 minutes I was there: 

 
Common Goldeneye (21)
Lesser Scaup (2)
Common Merganser (3)
Hooded Merganser (1 male)
 
Rena Cohen
Highland Park
Lake county


      

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Red Room Blog on spring, birds and the meaning of it all (And one sightings note)
From: Christopher Cudworth <cudworthfix AT gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:58:11 -0500
http://www.redroom.com/blog/chriscud/of-cranes-and-pelicans

Christopher Cudworth
Batavia, Kane County

Yesterday at noon on the Fox River repeated bands of sandhill cranes were
migrating, following the course of the river north. They were all very high
in the air on a day marked with bright sunshine and cirrus clouds. Over a 20
minute period I counted 5 bands of these birds moving north.

In our neighborhood, the Kek kek kek of Cooper's hawks has returned. Have
yet to see which yard they will set up shop.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET 1 Lone Wood Duck (at the least) - Page Park, Lee County this am
From: "mom4birds67" <mom4birds67 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:44:07 -0000
Driving through a very foggy park this am and saw what looked like smaller 
water fowl in the foggy water bank. 


Got a closer look and could make out a wood duck in the midst of the mallards. 

May have been more, but wih fog I could only see this one. 

Laura Ross
Subject: RE: IBET Re: Harris's Sparrow at Dawn Smith's 4 pm and a question about its call
From: Sebastian Patti <sebastianpatti AT hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 07:55:11 -0500
In Kansas, where a pretty large "chunk" of the population winters, HASPs 
commonly sing in the early spring time . . . in this regard they're just like 
the other Zonotrichia spp. 

 
Pretty song, too . . . 

sebastianpatti AT hotmail.com 
Sebastian T. Patti 
(Lincoln Park) 
Chicago, ILLINOIS 60614-3354 
PHONE: 312/793-5397 (o) 773/248-0570 (h) 
FAX: 312/793-2611 (o) 773/248-0264 (h)
CELL:  773/304-7488

 


To: clubecemail AT yahoo.com
CC: ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com
From: djohnsoda AT comcast.net
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:12:10 +0000
Subject: Re: IBET Re: Harris's Sparrow at Dawn Smith's 4 pm and a question 
about its call 


  




Fellow Ibeters, 

The Rollins Savannah Harris's Sparrow I found during the Lake County Spring 
Bird Count sang 


quite a bit during its stay by the Washington Rd parking lot--this was early 
May. 


I found it by hearing its song on the Spring Bird Count. 

Best, 

David B. Johnson 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "cyndi_lubecke"  
To: ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 7:13:25 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central 
Subject: IBET Re: Harris's Sparrow at Dawn Smith's 4 pm and a question about 
its call 


  

Dawn, thanks again for making your property available. I was there this 
afternoon with Jerry Goldner, a photographer. We hadn't see "your bird" when 
you asked us, but at about 4 pm it made an appearance. It flew in from the 
north, enjoyed your feeders for 3 to 5 minutes and flew off to the north. We 
had great looks and Jerry got wonderful shots. I read that you are going to 
keep your gate open, which is wonderful. If it reaches full breeding plumage, 
let us know. I'd love to see that. 


I have a question for you and others with more experience with this species 
than I have. Several minutes before the bird flew in, I heard one, loud, clear 
whistle from the north. I commented to Jerry that it sounded like the calls I 
listened to on tape, but it also sounded like someone's brakes squeeking. There 
were White-throated Sparrows around, but I hadn't heard them calling. Plus, in 
my limited experience, they tend to call softly in migration, not loudly like 
this whistle. I read somewhere that Harris's generally don't call except on 
their breeding territory. So my question is, what are the chances that we heard 
this bird call? 


Thanks. 

Cyndi Lubecke 
Prospect Heights, IL 
Cook County 

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




 		 	   		  

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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Subject: Re: IBET Re: Harris's Sparrow at Dawn Smith's 4 pm and a question about its call
From: djohnsoda AT comcast.net
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:12:10 +0000 (UTC)

Fellow Ibeters, 



The Rollins Savannah Harris's Sparrow I found during the Lake County Spring 
Bird Count sang 


quite a bit during its stay by the Washington Rd parking lot--this was early 
May. 




I found it by hearing its song on the Spring Bird Count. 



Best, 



David B. Johnson 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "cyndi_lubecke"  
To: ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 7:13:25 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central 
Subject: IBET Re: Harris's Sparrow at Dawn Smith's 4 pm and a question about 
its call 


  




Dawn, thanks again for making your property available. I was there this 
afternoon with Jerry Goldner, a photographer. We hadn't see "your bird" when 
you asked us, but at about 4 pm it made an appearance. It flew in from the 
north, enjoyed your feeders for 3 to 5 minutes and flew off to the north. We 
had great looks and Jerry got wonderful shots. I read that you are going to 
keep your gate open, which is wonderful. If it reaches full breeding plumage, 
let us know. I'd love to see that. 


I have a question for you and others with more experience with this species 
than I have. Several minutes before the bird flew in, I heard one, loud, clear 
whistle from the north. I commented to Jerry that it sounded like the calls I 
listened to on tape, but it also sounded like someone's brakes squeeking. There 
were White-throated Sparrows around, but I hadn't heard them calling. Plus, in 
my limited experience, they tend to call softly in migration, not loudly like 
this whistle. I read somewhere that Harris's generally don't call except on 
their breeding territory. So my question is, what are the chances that we heard 
this bird call? 


Thanks. 

Cyndi Lubecke 
Prospect Heights, IL 
Cook County 




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Harris's Sparrow Photos
From: "Profiles Of Nature" <jerrygoldner AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:59:10 -0000
Dawn thanks so much for your generosity and Cyndi for your spotting!

FYI the mating red-tailed hawks are watching the sunset atop the Baha'i Temple 
across from the Wilmette Harbor. 


On the second page you can view a images of the Snowy Owl near Horicon. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23099282 AT N06/

Jerry Goldner
Evanston
www.profilesofnature.com
Subject: IBET American Woodcocks in Urbana's Meadowbrook Park
From: "B.G. Sloan" <bgsloan2 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:12:05 -0700 (PDT)
Are you interested in watching/hearing American Woodcocks displaying in their 
mating rituals? You might want to try Urbana's Meadowbrook Park. I found some 
woodcocks there last night. 

 
The Champaign County Audubon Society (CCAS) is sponsoring a "woodcock walk" 
this evening, March 17, from 7:00PM-8:00PM, at Meadowbrook Park (gather at the 
Race Street parking lot). 

 
But if you can't make the CCAS event tonight, here are some guidelines for 
viewing/hearing woodcocks in Urbana's Meadowbrook Park, based on my experience 
yesterday evening, Tuesday, March 16: 

 
* I parked in the Race Street parking lot at about 6:35PM. Still lots of light 
and lots of people out and about. I slowly walked the Meadowbrook sidewalks and 
trails heading to the east, towards the Prairie Play area. 

 
* After I got to Prairie Play I headed south along Meadowbrook's eastern 
sidewalk. I spent quite a bit of time listening for woodcocks on the prairie 
viewing platform next to that sidewalk. I heard the first "peent" call of a 
woodcock from the viewing platform at 7:23PM, with several other woodcocks 
peenting after that. 

 
* I went back to the sidewalk and continued to the south. The woodcocks' 
display flights started at 7:28PM. This was a very cool vantage point for the 
display flights. Maybe 100-150 feet south of the viewing platform, on the 
sidewalk. There was still some light left in the western sky, so it was 
possible to watch the woodcocks begin their display flights, silhouetted 
against the pale baby-blue sky. For a few short minutes there was enough 
background light to discern the blur of the woodcocks' wings as they climbed up 
into the sky, looking for love. 


* After about 10-15 minutes, the woodcocks stopped their display flights. They 
continued to peent for a while, and were quiet when I left at 8:00PM. 


If you're interested, I think your best bet would be to be in the southeast 
corner of Meadowbrook Park at about 7:20PM. Be patient. Listen carefully. And, 
yeah, bring a flashlight...it gets really dark back there! If you're not 
playing close attention you may trip over a deer or a coyote. :-) 


Bernie Sloan
Champaign County, IL
Monroe County, IN
My birding blog: http://bird-bs.blogspot.com  
Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/birdbs




      
Subject: IBET Woodcocks - Highland Park
From: Rena Cohen <rena1729 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:48:02 -0700 (PDT)
There were at least two peenting/displaying AMERICAN WOODCOCKS at Heller Nature 
Center in Highland Park this evening, heard and (for some) seen around 7:15 pm 
by nearly 50 attendees at the Lake/Cook Chapter IAS meeting on the Illinois 
Swainson's Hawk Project. 

 
This is a FOY sighting reported at Heller, where the woodcocks are in regular 
residence every spring and easily heard/seen during courting hours in the field 
just north of the nature center building, directly adjacent to the parking lot. 
Heller is located at 2821 Ridge in Highland Park, 1/4 mile north of Route 22 
and 3/4 mile west of Route 41. 

 
Rena Cohen
Highland Park
Lake County


      

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Re: Harris's Sparrow song
From: "Larry Balch" <lgbalch AT comcast.net>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:38:55 -0000
On the spring count two years ago, I saw and heard a Harris's Sparrow singing 
at Severson Dells Nature Center in Winnebago County. 


Larry Balch
Winnebago County
Subject: IBET Harris' sparrow, etc, at 6 p.m.
From: "Matthews, Meg" <mmatthews AT sheddaquarium.org>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:25:56 -0500
I followed the advice of previous posters and waited out the Harris' sparrow 
for a good 20 minutes in Dawn's yard (THANK YOU for opening your home to us!). 
My patience paid off with a 15 minute view of the Harris, as well as the 
white-throated, song and fox sparrows. Not sure if the chipping sparrow was 
there, but I was too focused on the Harris. A life bird for me, and a great way 
to start birding in my new state. 


Meg Matthews
Sustainability Coordinator
Shedd Aquarium


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Urbana's Meadowbrook Park beaver dam has been breached
From: "B.G. Sloan" <bgsloan2 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:15:14 -0700 (PDT)
Meadowbrook Park's latest beaver dam was written up in a November 11 article in 
the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette article. 

 
In the article, an Urbana Park District rep said: "It's a dimension of wildlife 
viewing that visitors can enjoy. As they go out, I hope they will pay attention 
to the animal life that is present because the beaver is there. Frogs and ducks 
and wading birds have been attracted to the improved aquatic habitat that the 
beaver dam has created...The beaver is a keystone species, and in a lot of 
ways, the dam is improving the quality of the creek." 


I was in Meadowbrook Park this evening and noticed that the water level was 
down in McCullough Creek. Actually, the smell first drew my attention. It was 
kinda like the smell of a tidal flat when the tide is out. I made my way to the 
dam and saw that the dam had been breached in the middle. Running through this 
breach in the dam was a turquoise-colored PVC pipe. The downstream end of the 
pipe is elevated, and there was a steady upwelling of water. The water level 
behind the dam was maybe 2-3 feet lower than it had been the last time I was 
there. Lots of exposed mud along the banks. 


I'm thinking the new water level behind the dam won't be enough to support the 
beavers. It also made me wonder where the beavers are in their reproductive 
cycle...is this the time of year when beaver kits might be vulnerable? 


I realize that there were some concerns about these beavers and stormwater 
drainage in SE Urbana. Those were tricky issues that had to be negotiated 
between the city of Urbana and the UPD. The November 11 News-Gazette mentioned 
this. Just wondering exactly what provoked this breach of the Meadowbrook dam? 


Bernie Sloan
Champaign County, IL
Monroe County, IN
My birding blog: http://bird-bs.blogspot.com  
Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/birdbs



      
Subject: IBET Harris's sparrow, cook county
From: Mark Bowman <mark.bowman1858 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:01:31 -0700 (PDT)
Was at Dawns house today and saw the sparrow. Definitely worth seeing !!!! 
Thanks Dawn. I do have a pic to share, wish it were a little sharper but it 
hopefully will give the urge to go see it, especially if you have never seen 
one. Met Sam Burkhardt [hope I spelled that right Sam] who was there watching 
the bird with us. 


http://www.flickr.com/photos/35384747 AT N03/4439941434/in/pool-ilbirds

Montrose was birdy with grackles, song sparrows and starlings but nothing 
special yet. North pond had what was reported already today. 


     Mark Bowman, Kane County


      

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: Re: IBET: Digiscoping
From: "franmmmk" <franmmmk AT gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 02:52:55 -0000
Olympus is about to release a point and shoot:

sp800uz

30x Optical (which is the equivelant of an 800 mm lens, I believe)
14 megapixels, so plenty of pixels to crop
2 gigabite hard drive internal memory
HD video capability
$350

not bad, and probably easier to handle than a scope and camera

Fran
Evanston

--- In ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com, KAREN FORCUM  wrote:
>
> We are trying to get set up to digiscope before we take a trip to Alaska.   
> We have a DCA Zoom adapter to go on our Swarovski scope.  
> What we need is some recommendations of which camera to choose to go with the 
set up. 

> We are not wanting to spend a fortune because we are far from professional 
photographers. 

> It was recommended to us that we use a fixed 50mm lens and we are having 
difficulty trying to decide what to get. 

> Any help will be much appreciated.  
> 
> 
> Have a birder good day,
> Karen Forcum
> Mode, IL
> tkforcum AT ...
>

Subject: Re: IBET Re: Harris's Sparrow at Dawn Smith's 4 pm and a question about its call (no sightings)
From: douglas stotz <dfstotz AT gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:47:25 -0500
I have never heard Harris' Sparrows in Illinois, but when I was a teenager
in Colorado, where Harris Sparrow is regular but not common on the plains, I
would occasionally hear Harris Sparrows sing in winter or on spring
migration.  I don't really have the sense that they sang less than
White-throateds do at a particular time of the year correcting for their
relative abundance. So my guess would be that you did hear it sing, based on
what you are describing.

Doug Stotz

On Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 7:13 PM, cyndi_lubecke wrote:

>
>
> Dawn, thanks again for making your property available. I was there this
> afternoon with Jerry Goldner, a photographer. We hadn't see "your bird" when
> you asked us, but at about 4 pm it made an appearance. It flew in from the
> north, enjoyed your feeders for 3 to 5 minutes and flew off to the north. We
> had great looks and Jerry got wonderful shots. I read that you are going to
> keep your gate open, which is wonderful. If it reaches full breeding
> plumage, let us know. I'd love to see that.
>
> I have a question for you and others with more experience with this species
> than I have. Several minutes before the bird flew in, I heard one, loud,
> clear whistle from the north. I commented to Jerry that it sounded like the
> calls I listened to on tape, but it also sounded like someone's brakes
> squeeking. There were White-throated Sparrows around, but I hadn't heard
> them calling. Plus, in my limited experience, they tend to call softly in
> migration, not loudly like this whistle. I read somewhere that Harris's
> generally don't call except on their breeding territory. So my question is,
> what are the chances that we heard this bird call?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Cyndi Lubecke
> Prospect Heights, IL
> Cook County
>
>  
>



-- 
Douglas Stotz
Conservation Ecologist/Ornithologist
Environmental and Conservation Programs
Field Museum of Natural History
1400 S. Lake Shore Dr.
Chicago, IL 60605

Phone: (312)-665-7438
Fax:  (312)-665-7433
e-mail:  dstotz AT fieldmuseum.org


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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Subject: IBET lake/mchenry co meanderings
From: Beau Schaefer <beauschaefer AT sbcglobal.net>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:37:41 -0500
 What a great day to be out! Since my family was gone, I thought I would check 
a few places out this afternoon/evening. At Bald Knob in Johnsburg there was 
quite a bit of action. About 80% of the birds were COMMON GOLDENEYE but also 
present were 12 RING-NECKED DUCK, 17 REDHEAD, 3 RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, 1 
AMERICAN WIGEON, and 8 CANVASBACK. At Grant Woods North, I saw a small group of 
5 TURKEY VULTURES soaring overhead. After dinner I headed out to Rollins 
Savanna. The ponds are beginning to melt and there is a bit of open water near 
the edges. There was a fair amount of flyover waterfowl, mostly Canadas and 
Mallards, but I did hear a whining WOOD DUCK fly by as it was getting dark as 
well as a couple of SANDHILL CRANES. My main reason for going there, however, 
was to check for woodcocks. I heard 3 peenting AMERICAN WOODCOCKS and 2 display 
flight calls between 7:20 and 7:40pm. along the north path of the main trail. 


Good Birding!
Beau Schaefer
round lake beach
lake county
beauschaefer AT sbcglobal.net


Subject: IBET Re: Harris's Sparrow at Dawn Smith's 4 pm (no sighting)
From: "mcvetas" <mcvetas AT comcast.net>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 01:33:35 -0000
Whether the bird called or not, I can't say. However, I would bet this bird 
wintered in the area. Harris's Sparrows typically arrive in the Chicago area in 
late April/early May. 


Matthew Cvetas
Evanston, IL
Cook County
Subject: ibet: Dekalb County birds, Tuesday
From: "Darrell Shambaugh" <d.shambaugh AT mchsi.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:56:05 -0500
Tuesday afternoon the south end of Afton Forest Preserve had some migrant
waterfowl.
 
Northern Shoveler
Green-winged Teal
Wood Duck
 
Other birds at Afton included 
 
Killdeer
Dark-eyed Junco
American Tree Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
 
The best bird of the day were two Tundra Swans in a wet hole in a field on
Crego Road about a half mile north of Perry Road. This fluddle also had a
Canvasback and an American Widgeon. 
 
Darrell SHambaugh
Somonauk, DeKalb County


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET North Pond - more Scaup
From: NorekJ AT aol.com
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:18:18 EDT
More Scaup (possibly G & L) have joined the Canvasback (m), Redheads 
(3m/1f), Bufflehead (m), Wigeon (m), Am. Black duck, Hooded merganser (m), Wood 

ducks (lots), etc. on North Pond.
 
North Pond is in Lincoln Park, just north of the zoo across Fullerton.
 
(COS's North Pond walk, led by Geoff Williamson, will start from the 
casting pier - south end of pond - walking counter-clockwise, at 7 am 
tomorrow.) 

 
Joan Norek
Chicago
_norekj AT aol.com_ (mailto:norekj AT aol.com)  


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Re: Harris's Sparrow at Dawn Smith's 4 pm and a question about its call
From: "cyndi_lubecke" <clubecemail AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:13:25 -0000
Dawn, thanks again for making your property available. I was there this 
afternoon with Jerry Goldner, a photographer. We hadn't see "your bird" when 
you asked us, but at about 4 pm it made an appearance. It flew in from the 
north, enjoyed your feeders for 3 to 5 minutes and flew off to the north. We 
had great looks and Jerry got wonderful shots. I read that you are going to 
keep your gate open, which is wonderful. If it reaches full breeding plumage, 
let us know. I'd love to see that. 


I have a question for you and others with more experience with this species 
than I have. Several minutes before the bird flew in, I heard one, loud, clear 
whistle from the north. I commented to Jerry that it sounded like the calls I 
listened to on tape, but it also sounded like someone's brakes squeeking. There 
were White-throated Sparrows around, but I hadn't heard them calling. Plus, in 
my limited experience, they tend to call softly in migration, not loudly like 
this whistle. I read somewhere that Harris's generally don't call except on 
their breeding territory. So my question is, what are the chances that we heard 
this bird call? 


Thanks.

Cyndi Lubecke
Prospect Heights, IL
Cook County

Subject: IBET Whoopers at Nygren
From: <astraight4 AT verizon.net>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:07:39 -0500
I saw on the Wisbirdn that the Whooping Cranes  were seen at Nygren 
Wetlands, Rockton IL yesterday.

Anne Straight
Forreston, IL (Ogle County) 
Subject: Re: IBET: Digiscoping
From: "greg_neise" <gregneise AT ilbirds.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 23:19:54 -0000
There is a Yahoo Digscoping Group (similar to IBET):

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/digiscopingbirds/

You have to be a member to particpate and read the posts...but when I bought me 
scope and camera, the people there were very helpful. 


Cheers,

-greg neise

Illinois Birders' Forum
1225 Oak Park Ave
Berwyn, IL 60402

Greg Neise
708-484-5613
gregneise AT ilbirds.com 
www.ilbirds.com


--- In ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com, KAREN FORCUM  wrote:
>
> We are trying to get set up to digiscope before we take a trip to Alaska.   
> We have a DCA Zoom adapter to go on our Swarovski scope.  
> What we need is some recommendations of which camera to choose to go with the 
set up. 

> We are not wanting to spend a fortune because we are far from professional 
photographers. 

> It was recommended to us that we use a fixed 50mm lens and we are having 
difficulty trying to decide what to get. 

> Any help will be much appreciated.  
> 
> 
> Have a birder good day,
> Karen Forcum
> Mode, IL
> tkforcum AT ...
>

Subject: IBET Sandhills over Warrenville
From: Don Lopat <donlopat AT att.net>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:33:05 -0700 (PDT)
To all:

At approx. 5:15pm we saw 5 Sandhills flying directly west over our house, they 
were fling pretty high. 


Don Lopat
Warrenville/DuPage

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Whispering Willows Bourbonnais Park District
From: "seaglass3716" <seaglass3716 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:14:47 -0000
Hello birders,

The Willows had a lot to offer today. The area around the ponds was full of 
busy birds. 


Canada Geese  75+
Mallard  2
Wood Duck  2
Ring Necked Duck  3 (2 male, 1 female)
Great Blue Heron  1
Killdeer  4
Red-Tailed Hawk  1
Eastern Phoebe  2
American Crow  9
Brown Creeper  2
American Robin  8
Red-Winged Blackbird   flock of 150+
Common Grackle   8
House Sparrow  2
Northern Cardinal  4
Swamp Sparrow  1
American Tree Sparrow  3
Song Sparrow  1

Madelyn Washburn  Bradley, IL   Kankakee Cty.
Subject: IBET: Digiscoping
From: KAREN FORCUM <tkforcum AT hughes.net>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:03:50 +0000 (GMT)
We are trying to get set up to digiscope before we take a trip to Alaska.   
We have a DCA Zoom adapter to go on our Swarovski scope.  
What we need is some recommendations of which camera to choose to go with the 
set up. 

We are not wanting to spend a fortune because we are far from professional 
photographers. 

It was recommended to us that we use a fixed 50mm lens and we are having 
difficulty trying to decide what to get. 

Any help will be much appreciated.  


Have a birder good day,
Karen Forcum
Mode, IL
tkforcum AT hughes.net
Subject: IBET Harris, song, fox, whitethroat, and chipping still present
From: Dawn <mrssmith2 AT comcast.net>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:47:16 -0500
Still getting requests for access to my yard and am delighted to comply.

 Gate will remain open for as long as the HASP remains.  

My own pleasure of getting a 'lifer' compels me to help anyone who wants a go 
at him. 


I will notify via IBET before the gate is closed.  

Good Luck,

Dawn Smith

PS All the immediate neighbors have been notified that anyone with binoculars 
has my permission for access. As one might expect, some of my neighbors are a 
little touchy after the nasty article about Burling/Orchard/Howe homes appeared 
in the Chicago Tribune Sunday Magazine some time ago. 





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Burnham Harbor
From: "Matthews, Meg" <mmatthews AT sheddaquarium.org>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:06:00 -0500
Took a stroll around Northerly Island and Burnham Harbor during a late
lunch. Spotted five or six Redheads, one male and three female
Red-breasted Mergansers, a couple of Common Goldeneyes and many Greater
Scaup (scaups?).

 

Not a lot else going on, especially at Northerly.

 

 

Meg Matthews

Sustainability Coordinator

Shedd Aquarium

312-692-3365

mmatthews at sheddaquarium dot org

 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET List information: no sightings
From: "q4birds" <q4birds AT yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:09:21 -0000
Hi all,

I know lots of people never go to the web page:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ILbirds/

 but there are certain advantages:

#1. If you look at the bottom of the page it will tell you how many post there 
have been, monthly from our start with yahoo on April 16, 2003. Click on the 
number and you can read all the posts for that month. 


#2 You can set your account to nomail and never worry about a full mailbox 
again because you can read all the messages on line. 


#3 You can also get info on:

"How do I change my email address?" 

Log in. At the top of this page, click "Edit Membership" above the words 
"ILbirds · IBET". Scroll down to "Email Address" and click "Add new email 
address." After you add your new address, you'll need to check your email at 
that address for a message from "Yahoo! Member Services". Follow the directions 
within. Then return to the "Email Address" section of the "Edit Membership" 
page. Choose the email address to which you would like IBET messages sent. 


"I'm going on vacation. How do I temporarily stop getting messages?"

Log in. At the top of this page, click on "Edit Membership" just above the 
words "ILbirds · IBET". Scroll down to the "Message Delivery section and choose 
"No email". When you return, change your email setting back to what you prefer. 
Even when on "No email" you can still post and read others' posts here on the 
webpage. 


Enough for now, I'm going for a walk.

Sue Friscia
listowner
Subject: IBET Lake Arlington/Arlington Hts. ~ Redpolls
From: "pjbruchman" <pjbruchman AT comcast.net>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:26:14 -0000
As I was opening the blinds of my second floor bedroom at 8:30 this morning, I 
noticed what I first thought were 2 very white HOUSE SPARROWS at the top of a 
tree in my backyard. My first reaction was, "boy, those sparrows are white!" It 
took only a second to realize that I was looking at 2 very white REDPOLLS! The 
red cap was unmistakable along with the black chin. I hurried to get my camera 
but by the time I got back to the window a COMMON GRACKLE was in their place. 


The birds were so light I wonder if they were HOARY. 

I did rush out to visit all the thistle feeders in the neighborhood but did not 
find them. There are also some birch trees around the lake that I checked as 
well. 


My house is just west of the PURPLE MARTIN houses on the south side of the 
lake. I'm at the Cherry Hill Dr. entrance to the lake path. 


Joan Bruchman
Arlington Hts.
NW Cook County


Subject: IBET Male White-winged Scoter-Waukegan Harbor
From: "NOLAN" <nal1212 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:36:18 -0000
At 9:00AM today on the Government Pier (Green Lighthouse) in Waukegan Harbor I 
took some photos of a male White-winged Scoter, swimming to the north of the 
pier.The bird was dozing from 9:00AM to 10:00 AM when it woke up and started 
feeding. To my amazement instead of swimming away from me it came towards me so 
I got a few close-ups. Earlier in the morning at the Yacht Club at North Point 
Marina a raptor flew into a tree near the Club. I believe it is a Merlin, but 
if someone disagrees please let me know. 


  Photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/nal1212/2010MaleWhiteWingedScoter# .

Nolan Lameka 
Cook County
Subject: IBET Re: sandhill crane sighting
From: "kelvin" <kelverl AT yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:24:28 -0000
Sanhills have been flying over Woodridge since 9 AM. They give us quite a 
chorus. 


--- In ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com, "rmnpynp"  wrote:
>
> Approximately 30 Sandhill cranes flew over Oakbrook Terrace at 12:45pm this 
afternoon headed northwest. 

> 
> Ted Fisk
> Naperville Will
>

Subject: IBET sandhill crane sighting
From: "rmnpynp" <rmnpynp AT yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:11:56 -0000
Approximately 30 Sandhill cranes flew over Oakbrook Terrace at 12:45pm this 
afternoon headed northwest. 


Ted Fisk
Naperville Will
Subject: IBET Sandhills and one whooper
From: "jerhi" <jerr36 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:32:20 -0000
Noon today observed several hundred sandhills and one whooper flying northwest 
through Homer Glen. 

Subject: IBET COS field trip reminder - please join us
From: Sigrid Schmidt <sigschmidt AT gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:03:58 -0500
*Sun. March 28, 2010 8:00 a.m.*

*Palos Sloughs for waterfowl and spring migrants*

Leaders: Amar Ayyash amarayyash AT hotmail.com and Wes Serafin
w.serafin AT comcast.net



This part of southwestern Cook County often provides a great opportunity to
view a wide assortment of early spring waterfowl. Amar and Wes live near
Palos and are extremely familiar with the area. The lakes and ponds should
be teeming with ducks and other water birds of many species. In addition,
Sandhill cranes may be passing over if there is a southerly wind. Migrant
songbirds may also be passing through.  Dress appropriately for the weather
and bring scopes and walkie-talkies.  Meet at McGinnis Slough.



Directions: From I-55, exit south onto U.S. Rte. 45/LaGrange Road. Head
straight south to the McGinnis Slough parking lot on the west side of
LaGrange Road (at about 13600 to 13700 south).



 Birders - If you received this twice, I apologize.


Sigrid Schmidt

--


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Sandhills on the ground in Kendall Co.
From: "kjos34" <kellyjoslin AT sbcglobal.net>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:47:31 -0000
For the past couple of days, I have seen a small flock of sandhills flying low 
over eastern Oswego. This morning, there were about 24 sandhills standing in a 
fluddle south of Wooley Rd. about 1/4 mile west of Roth Rd. They were about 120 
yards off the road and close to the infamous sludge dump field. 


Kelly Joslin
Oswego, Kendall Co.
Subject: IBET Quad Cities area observations - 13-14 march
From: "tperrier13" <tperrier AT voila.fr>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:23:55 -0000
Hi all,

I'm a french birder that spent the last WE by the Mississippi river to look for 
bald eagles after a 2-day work seminar in Chicago. 

Below is a summary of my sightings.

* L&D 14 - Le Claire, IO - 13 March
- No eagles - ice on river completely melt. 
- 2 groups of 60 and 15 pelicans seen in flight
- 2 buffleheads in flight

* Between L&D 14 and 15 on Iowa side - 13 March
- >3 bald eagles seen (2 in Eagle Creek)
- 1 Tree swallow heading north on the Mississippi
- + 1 couple of Killdeers, Song sparrows singing, pelicans, goldeneye, common 
mergansers, and others common species 


* Davenport, IO - Boat club (in front of The Boat House restaurant)
- >200 lesser scaups on the Mississipppi with 2 canvasbacks and a few 
mergansers 


* Rock Island, IL.  Pond in front arsenal entrance - 13 March
- >5 bald eagles flying over or resting in the trees by the pond
- pelicans
- 1 hairy woodpecker

* Rock Island, IL - Sunset Park - 13 & 14 March
The marina was still partially iced and attracted a large concentrations of 
eagles and gulls. 

- >11 bald eagles resting and fishing in the area. GREAT!!!
- up to 101 pelicans resting for the night Saturday
- 1 glaucous (1st Winter), 1 "iceland type" (1st winter) and 1 
lesser-black-backed gulls among the herring and the ring-billed (photos 
available). 

+ blue jay, Tree sparrow, WB nuthatch, cardinal, RW blackbird, etc.

* Fields north of Geneseo, IL along road 82 
- Thousands of greater white fronted geese feeding in the flooded corn fields
* Fields north of Geneseo, IL 1/2 mile North along Ropp road
- Thousands of snow geese feeding in the flooded corn fields
+ a good variety of ducks: 3 couples of wood ducks, > 5 Ring-necked duck, 
Pintails, Gadwalls, hundreds of mallards, shoveler 


They were in flight when I drived by. It was superb!!
Precise locations below: 

http://maps.google.fr/maps/ms?hl=fr&ie=UTF8&msa=0&ll=41.560555,-90.156641&spn=0.033974,0.077162&t=h&z=14&msid=101000617566381561530.000481e81e74bf1941f4a 


* Erie, IL (a few miles north to previous site)
- 17 sandhill cranes in flight just before reaching Tollroad 88 to go back to 
O'Hare! 



I really spent 2 superb days in your area (and country) and was a bit sad to 
have to take the plane back to France... 


If you have any questions or want photos of these sightings, please feel free 
to contact me at thomas.perrier AT gmail DOT com 



Thomas PERRIER
10 avenue Pasteur
F-13760 Saint-Cannat
France

Subject: IBET Eastern Phoebe - Carroll County
From: <astraight4 AT verizon.net>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:20:48 -0500
Had my first EASTERN PHOEBE  today at Thomson Causeway - Carroll  County. 
Also my first WESTERN MEADOWLARKS today at Lost Mound Unit of the Upper 
Miss. Both the Eastern and Westerns were singing there.  Several TURKEY 
VULTURES on Route 84 today and some SANDHILL CRANES in fields.

Tonight had AM. WOODCOCKS peenting at the Elkhorn Preserve near Forreston 
around 7:30p.m.

Anne Straight
Forreston, IL (Ogle County) 
Subject: Re: IBET Harris's Sparrow
From: Paul Clyne <paulclyne2000 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:31:52 -0700 (PDT)
The treatment of possessive forms ending in -s, -z, and -x (as in Harris's 
versus Harris' Sparrow) has always been a matter of stylistics.  There's not a 
right or wrong here, but it is good to be consistent. 


The standard spelling in the American Ornithologists' Union's Check-lists was 
to include the -s following an apostrophe (Harris's) in such names until the 
fifth (1957) edition, when the possessive -s got dropped after -s, -z, and -x 
(thus, Harris').  The -s's were reinstated with the 7th (1998) edition (back 
to Harris's).  I think the primary motivation was to simplify the rules of 
name formation:  "add apostrophe -s after proper names" is a lot easier to 
keep track of than "add apostrophe -s after proper names unless the name ends 
in -s, -z, or -x." 


The AOU continues to treat PLURAL possessives without a following -s; thus, the 
organization remains the American Ornithologists' Union. 


Paul Clyne
Chicago

paulclyne2000 AT yahoo.com

--- On Mon, 3/15/10, Dawn  wrote:

From: Dawn 
Subject: IBET Harris's Sparrow
To: "IBET" 
Date: Monday, March 15, 2010, 8:19 PM















 
 



  


    
      
      
 I was delighted so many successfully spotted the Harris's Sparrow today. He 
seems to come and go. When he's there, he's hard to miss. 




I will leave the gate open again tomorrow for anyone else who wishes to try 
their luck. You may come as early as you feel inclined. 




BTW, why is it " Harris's " and not " Harris' " ? I feel my high school english 
teacher frowning as I seem to remember singular possessive of words ending s,z 
or x omitting the 's'. 




Best of luck,



Dawn Smith

mrssmith2 AT comcast. net

chicago



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





    
     

    
    


 



  









      
Subject: IBET Harris's Sparrow
From: Dawn <mrssmith2 AT comcast.net>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:19:36 -0500
I was delighted so many successfully spotted the Harris's Sparrow today. He 
seems to come and go. When he's there, he's hard to miss. 


I will leave the gate open again tomorrow for anyone else who wishes to try 
their luck. You may come as early as you feel inclined. 


BTW, why is it " Harris's " and not " Harris' " ? I feel my high school english 
teacher frowning as I seem to remember singular possessive of words ending s,z 
or x omitting the 's'. 


Best of luck,

   Dawn Smith
mrssmith2 AT comcast.net
chicago

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Harris Sparrow 5:30 pm
From: NorekJ AT aol.com
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:57:22 EDT
The Harris sparrow was seen (good long looks) in Dawn Smith's garden area 
by several around 5:15-5:30 pm.
 
After focusing around the feeders (and enjoying the other birds) 10-15 
minutes, it was spotted by another birder high in the tree immediately south 
(presuming you are on the elevated area where you enter).
 
It then flew to the northeast tree Dave described in his post, and stayed 
there.  Was able to easily see it from multiple angles.  It was still posing 
in that tree when I left the others still watching.
 
Thank you Dawn and what a great bird collection you have out there.
 
Joan Norek
Chicago
 
 
 
 
 
 

Intellectual Property
_www.noreklaw.com_ (http://www.noreklaw.com/) 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Whalon lake F.P. Naperville
From: "steve_f41" <steve_f41 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:47:22 -0000
Lots of tree and song sparrows were in the marsh area along the East branch 
river,this was at the North side by the stone quarry. 

This was Sunday ; Of safety interest, I watched two 30 ft. dead trees blow over 
with the strong winds - no major effect on the sparrows moving out to the more 
windy grass area to feed. 

 Also Sat. the 6th . while on the South side watching a red tail being scolded 
at its electric tower nest , I saw many geese and ducks flying South , I could 
not see the lake from my location , and ? why the sudden movement, then a 
mature Bald eagle was following the flying raft of water fowl, all very low to 
the ground. The lake was mostly frozen this day. 

Just joined ibet     Steve Fluett
Subject: IBET Harris' Sparrow
From: David Antieau <dkantieau AT sbcglobal.net>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:50:17 -0700 (PDT)
Dear birders,

A big thanks to Dawn Smith (and her family) for allowing us to enter her yard 
and see this beautiful bird! 


I should have posted earlier, but I was somewhat undone when I found out that 
today's fiery crash, in Chicago, took the life of a young man I have known for 
many years.  I found this out, by cell phone, about 15 minutes after seeing the 
Harris' Sparrow, so that took a lot of the joy out of the sighting for me. 


I waited in Dawn's yard 25 minutes before seeing the bird at about 10:45 a.m.  
It "appeared" high in the tree beyond the telephone pole on the northeast 
corner of Dawn's yard.  It's possible it was there the entire time.  The reason 
I say this is that when the bird moved just a few inches and turned its back on 
me, I had a hard time relocating it.  It did this twice.  Now this problem may 
be just a function of my color-blindedness, but maybe not.  So, if Dawn keeps 
her invitation open, and you go to look for this bird and don't find it on the 
ground, it's possible that it's high in the same tree.  With its back to you, 
it could take some work to find it. 


After I had been observing the sparrow for about ten minutes, on and off, it 
dropped down into the east side tree with feeder and I had good looks for about 
4 minutes before something scattered everything.  I waited a couple more 
minutes, then left.  I left the yard right about 11:00, so I must have just 
missed the next shift. 


I was surprised by the bird activity.  13 species.  Next best was Fox Sparrow.

Good luck with this sparrow, and give yourself a little time.

For the birds,

Dave Antieau
dkantieau AT sbcglobal.net
Chicago, Cook County


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Harris Sparrow
From: "Nathan" <kidrobot.dunny AT gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:17:56 -0000
Sorry for not replying to Dawn's post. It just didn't seem to be working, so 
this is the same bird in her yard. 


Today, my mom and I went to go and try to see the Harris Sparrow around 4:15. 
We were successful and had some good views of it for about 30 secnds before it 
disappeared into another neighbor's yard. We then waited for about 15-20 
minutes, but it never came back. Thans, Dawn, for letting us see this amazing 
bird and to use your yard. Here is a link to the good photos that I managed to 
get: 


http://gallery.me.com/nathanrg/100129

Happily,

Nathan Goldberg
Cook County
Chicago
Subject: IBET Skokie Lagoons Migrants
From: Mary lou Mellon <marylou.mellon AT gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:52:42 -0500
Happy to report a couple of brown creepers and a golden-crowned kinglet at the 
meadow with the picnic shelter near Willow Road. 


Mary Lou Mellon
Northbrook, IL
Cook County
Subject: IBET Pheasant on the Westside
From: Luis Muñoz <malango AT rcn.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:02:29 -0400
Ibeters,

Today there was a male Ringed-Necked Pheasant walking around Fillmore and 
Independence. It wasn't far from the train tracks. I'm assuming it's wandering 
around that corridor. 


It's been a while since I've seen one seen one on the westside of Chicago (mid 
to late '80s). Good birding all. 




Luis Muñoz
malango AT rcn.com
Chicago

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBET Green River (No Sightings)
From: "ollie085" <ollie085 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:31:32 -0000
Tonight the ILDNR is having an open house at Green River State Wildlife Area to 
discuss the possibility of conducting prescribed fires this spring. The last 
year the ILDNR burnt the preserve, a peat fire burnt for two weeks, using 
millions of gallons of water to put it out. Neighbors had smoke problems and it 
caused a severe accident when someone made a U-turn in the smoke. The 
opposition will likely be well represented. If you are interested and support 
natural areas management, please try to attend. The meeting is from 6-8 pm 
TONIGHT at the check station on Game Road. 


Pete Oliver
Lee County
Subject: RE: IBET Harris Sparrow -
From: "Craig Taylor" <tnemec1 AT ameritech.net>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:13:13 -0500
The Harris Sparrow was present for Karen Manfield and 2 friends at about 11:15 
this AM. 


It returned for Tim Kuesel and I at around 12:15.

Craig A. Taylor
La Grange, Illinois
Cook County

"Behold the birds of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor 
gather into barns; yet 

your heavenly Father feedeth them. Matt. 6 : 26


-----Original Message-----
From: ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:ILbirds AT yahoogroups.com]On Behalf
Of dawn smith
Sent: Monday, March 15, 2010 9:59 AM
To: ilbirds AT yahoogroups.com
Subject: IBET Harris Sparrow -





I am happy to share:


My address is 1879 N. Burling - close to halsted and armitage (one way south 
off armitage) The house 

is on the left and set back a bit: the address is on the fence. Many people 
drive past it on their 

first visit.


I will leave the north gate open - it's the best way to 'sneak up' on the 
birds. He's been hanging 

out along the east and south perimeter of the yard. Frankly, he's very easy to 
spot and the yard 

isn't that big. If he's there, you'll see him.


Good luck to all.


Dawn Smith






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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Subject: Re: IBET NO SIGHTING: Lake Springfield Snow Geese
From: Jane Ward <jward199 AT gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:14:45 -0500
That might explain where the Snow Geese were landing when Lake
Thompson at Emiquon was frozen over.

Here is an article about the geese with some good photos:
http://www.sj-r.com/carousel/x203403899/Rest-stop

In the article, Chris Young says "Snow geese have been making spring
appearances at Lake Springfield for some time now."

That is a lot of geese!

On 3/13/10, John CAVITT  wrote:
> Can anyone provide some history to the Snow Geese utilization of Lake
> Springfield?
>
> I saw this footage of the geese recently and was quite impressed.
>
> http://www.humzoo.com/videos/player/?vid=1503
>
> I currently live in Utah but don't recall such huge concentrations at the
> lake when I was back in Illinois ( - 1990).  I assume the ones that are
> stopping there in Spfld are likely migrating north to breed in James Bay,
> Canada (~1700 mile flight from their wintering grounds in Louisiana).
>
> I pulled out my old copy of Bohlen's Annotated Checklist of the Birds of
> Illinois and he makes no mention of them at Lake Springfield (other parts of
> the state and mainly in fall).  This was published in 1978.
>
> Thanks
>
> JFC
>
>
>
>
>
> John F. Cavitt PhD, Director
> Office of Undergraduate Research
> Professor of Zoology
>
> Mailing Address
> Dept. of Zoology
> Weber State University
> 2505 University Circle
> Ogden, UT 84408-2505
>
> (801) 626-6172
> (801) 626-8541
> Avian Ecology Lab
> (801) 626-8634
> cell:(801) 791-4438
> FAX: (801) 626-6861
> homepage: http://faculty.weber.edu/jcavitt
> http://departments.weber.edu/avianecologylab
>
>
>
>
>
> "A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and
> beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."
>
>
> Aldo Leopold
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>


-- 
Jane Ward
Lewistown, Illinois
http://walkwithmepart2.blogspot.com/
http://eaglenature.com/
Subject: IBET Peregrine Falcon Photos Grundy/Will Co.
From: "rattlinantler" <rattlinantler AT yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:15:46 -0000
This morning I photographed a Peregrine Falcon in Mazonia Fish & Wildlife Area. 
The peregrine did have a red leg band but I was unable to read it. I observed 
the Falcon for 30+ minutes perched in a dead tree and then it flew off over the 
Braidwood Cooling Lake. 


To view the photos...click here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rattlinantler/4435750784/


Don Blecha
Coal City
Grundy Co.
www.rattlinantler.com


Subject: IBET Cantigny Wild Turkeys? NO SIGHTINGS
From: "Jen Day" <royalskye06 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:15:17 -0000
I was just wondering if the Wild Turkeys can still be found at Cantigny Park?
Jennifer Day
Woodridge, IL
DuPage Co.
Subject: IBET Harris Sparrow -
From: dawn smith <mrssmith2 AT comcast.net>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:59:15 +0000 (UTC)


I am happy to share: 


My address is 1879 N. Burling - close to halsted and armitage (one way south 
off armitage) The house is on the left and set back a bit: the address is on 
the fence. Many people drive past it on their first visit. 



I will leave the north gate open - it's the best way to 'sneak up' on the 
birds. He's been hanging out along the east and south perimeter of the yard. 
Frankly, he's very easy to spot and the yard isn't that big. If he's there, 
you'll see him. 



Good luck to all. 


Dawn Smith 






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]