Rare Bird Alert

Gyrfalcon: Lee (North) – Elizabeth Milne-Anschutz photographed a Gyrfalcon zipping by Sinnissippi Park in Sterling on December 19th.

Barnacle Goose: McLean (Central) – Todd Bugg reported a Barnacle Goose at the Towanda Borrow Pit on December 16th. Barnacle Goose is not officially on the state list.

Townsend’s Solitaire: North (Jo Daviess) – On December 16th, Steve Bailey reported multiple Townsend’s Solitaires at the Lost Mound Unit of the Upper Mississippi River NWFR in Jo Daviess County.

Hoary Redpoll: Cook (North) – Carl Giometti photographed a Hoary Redpoll at Park #566 in Chicago on December 2nd.

Black Vulture: Woodford (Central) – On November 29th, Matt Fraker reported a Black Vulture roosting near Congerville.

Hoary Redpoll: Cook (North) – Alan Stokie found a Hoary Redpoll at Chicago Botanic Gardens in Glencoe on November 22nd.

Bullock’s Oriole: Cook (North) – Sulli Gibson photographed a possible Bullock’s Oriole on November 22nd in Glencoe.

Glossy/White-faced Ibis: Calhoun (South) – On 17-Nov, John Biddick reported five immature Glossy/White-faced Ibis at Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge–Swan Lake.

Glossy/White-faced Ibis: McHenry (North) – Up to nine dark ibis were present at Glacial Park Conservation Area in McHenry County for several weeks in October. Only one, perhaps two individuals have been positively identified as White-faced Ibis.

Glossy/White-faced Ibis: Cook (North) – On October 21st, Josh Engel found a juvenile dark ibis at Hegewisch Marsh in Chicago, Cook County.

Black Vulture: McHenry (North) – On October 19th, two Black Vultures were photographed by Suzanne Bidgood at Glacial Park Conservation Area in McHenry County.

Black Vulture: Lake (North) – On October 17th, a Black Vulture flew over the Ft. Sheridan hawk watch and was photographed by Karen Lund.

Neotropic Cormorant: Cook (North) – On September 15th, Andrew Aldrich reported that a Neotropic Cormorant had returned to the breakwall at Rainbow Beach in Chicago, nearly one year to the date.

Magnificent Frigatebird: Will (North) – Also on September 15th, Melinda Chapman spotted an immature Magnificent Frigatebird flying over the Des Plaines River along the Centennial Bike Trail in Romeoville.

Broad-billed Hummingbird: Sangamon (Central) – Pam Stanko photographed the state’s third Broad-billed Hummingbird at her feeder in Springfield on September 11th. The bird left shortly after it was banded by Vern Kleen.

Tricolored Heron: Lake (North) – On September 6th, an adult Tricolored Heron flew over Krzysztof Kurylowicz at Middlefork Savannah in Lake Forest.

Magnificent Frigatebird: Lake (North) – A probable Magnificent Frigatebird was caught on video by Dian Chapman near Channel Lake on August 21st.

Anhinga: Jackson (South) – Kelly McKay and Danny Akers spotted two Anhingas near Grand Tower Island, where one or more have been on and off since June.

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: Rock Island (North) – On August 7th, Steve Freed reported a Black-bellied Whistling-Duck in the Zuma Creek Flats area of Rock Island County just southeast of the I-80 and I-88 interchange.

Wood Stork: Alexander (South) – A Wood Stork was photographed in flight at Sexton Creek Wetlands in Alexander County on August 5th.

Neotropic Cormorant: Moultrie (Central) – Ron Bradley photographed a Neotropic Cormorant at Bruce West Access of Lake Shelbyville, Moultrie County on August 4th.

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: Carroll (North) – On July 22nd, Ethan and Cindy Brown have found a Black-bellied Whistling-Duck along Army Depot Rd. near the entrance to the Lost Mound Unit of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge in Carroll County.

Ruff: Mason (Central) – On July 18th, Colin Dobson found a Ruff at the pool south of Chain Lake, at Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area in Mason County.

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: Carroll (North) – On 22-Jul-2017, Ethan and Cindy Brown found a Black-bellied Whistling-Duck along Army Depot Rd. near the entrance to the Lost Mound Unit of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge in Carroll County.

Ruff: Mason (Central) – On 18-Jul-2017, Colin Dobson found a Ruff at the pool south of Chain Lake, at Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area in Mason County.

Anhinga: Jackson (South) – On 10-Jul-2017, while looking unsuccessfully for the White Ibis, Craig Taylor photographed an Anhinga flying over Highway 3 in Jackson County. This bird has been in the area since the spring.

White Ibis: Jackson (South) – On 9-Jul-2017, Don Mullison discovered an immature White Ibis along Highway 3 south of Grand Tower.

Neotropic Cormorant: Kane (North) – Continuing a strong showing for this species this summer, Steve Bayer photographed a Neotropic Cormorant just above North Aurora Dam in Kane County on 9-Jul-2017.

White-winged Dove: Kane (North) – Also on 9-Jul-2017, Jay Sturner photographed a White-winged Dove at Dunteman Turf Farms in Kaneville, Kane County.

Wood Stork: Jefferson (South) – On 6-Jul-2017, Bob Gulledge reported a Wood Stork at Rend Lake near the Nason Observation Tower in Jefferson County.

Neotropic Cormorant: DuPage (North) – Add DuPage to the list of counties reporting Neotropic Cormorant this year. One was photographed at Fulmer Pond on 3-July-2017.

Tricolored Heron: Lake (North) – On 20-Jun-2017, a Tricolored Heron was photographed at the mouth of the Dead River at Illinois Beach State Park, South Unit.

White-winged Dove: Cook (North) – White-winged Dove made a brief appearance at a feeder in Cook County on 19-Jun-2017.

White-winged Dove: Cook (North) – A White-winged Dove visited the feeders of Susan Szeszol’s River Grove home on 5-Jun-2017. Surprisingly, this is the second occurrence of this species at her home in the last ten months.

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: Peoria (Central) – Bill Kulschbach captured images of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks on the Illinois River at Bartonville, Peoria County, and sharedthem on the Illinois River Waterfowl Facebook group.

Neotropic Cormorant: Lake (North) – Also on 4-Jun-2017, Adam Sell discovered a Neotropic Cormorant at Almond Marsh in Lake County. The next morning there were two!

Western Tanager: Lake (North) – This spring’s third Western Tanager was photographed by Chuck and Carolyn Fields on 4-Jun-2017 at the North Unit of Illinois Beach State Park in Lake County.

Western Tanager: LaSalle (North) – A Western Tanager was photographed on 21-May-2017 in LaSalle County by Joe Young. The tanager was visible from the road, but on private land north of the confluence of Indian Creek and the Fox River.

Ruff: Putnam (North) – A female Ruff or Reeve was in scope view of Bob and Karen Fisher at the Dixon Waterfowl Refuge at Hennepin & Hopper Lakes in Putnam County on May 14th.

Western Tanager: Cook (North) – A Western Tanager was photographed by Jennifer McHenry Green on 11-May-2017 at a feeder in Lemont, Cook County.

Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks: Madison (South) – As of May 9th, four Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks continued at the Watershed Nature Center in Edwardsville, Madison County. These ducks have been present since late April.

Anhinga: Knox (Central) – Mike Baum reported an Anhinga, migrating over his in Oak Run, Knox County, on April 25th. What a yard bird!

Neotropic Comorant: Fulton (Central) – On April 23rd, Andy Gilbert photographed a Neotropic Cormorant at the visitor’s center of Emiquon Preserve.

Anhinga: Massac (South) – On April 15th, Keith Mcmullen reported seeing an ANHINGA over Ft. Massac State Park in Massac County.

Pine Grosbeak: Winnebago (North) – A PINE GROSBEAK was seen at the feeder of Vonnie and Martin Kehoe on April 13th in Rockton, Winnebago County.

Mountain Bluebird: DuPage (North) – A MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD was discovered at Fermilab in DuPage County on April 7th by Jason Frey, flitting around on tree tops, south of AE Sea, between the yellow gate and shrubby area to the west.

Swallow-tailed Kite: Massac (South) – On April 8th, Keith Mcmullen reported seeing a SWALLOW-TAILED KITE just east of Metropolis in Massac County.

Neotropic Cormorant: Livingston (Central) – Demetri Lafkas photographed a Neotropic Cormorant at the ponds just north of Pontiac, Livingston County on March 29th.

White-winged Dove: Adams (Central) – Phil and Pat Reyburn had a White-winged Dove visit their feeders in Quincy, Adams County on March 28th.

Black-headed Gull: Sangamon (Central) – H. David Bohlen observed an adult Black-headed Gull in alternate plumage on March 23rd from Lincoln Greens Golf Course at Lake Springfield, Sangamon County.

Golden-crowned Sparrow: Woodford (Central) – On March 21st, Andy Sigler and Craig Taylor reported a 1st year Golden-crowned Sparrow on a gravel road that runs along the northern boundary of Letcher Basin, a ParkLands Foundation property, in Woodford County.