IORC Update, 30 January 2022: Records Reviewed

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The Illinois Ornithological Records Committee (IORC) recently concluded evaluations of 58 records of the occurrence of rare birds in Illinois. IORC accepted 47 of these records and did not accept another 11.

The records involved are summarized below. For each record, we indicate the species or form, with number of individuals in parentheses if greater than one, followed by date or date range, location, and county. The record number is indicated in parentheses, followed by, for accepted records, names of the documenters. If multiple documenters are listed, those understood by IORC to have been the original finders of the bird(s) are listed first and separated from the others by a semicolon. IORC thanks all the documenters, for accepted and unaccepted records alike, for their submissions. All documentation is maintained in the IORC archives so that there is a permanent record of all these observations. Documentation, regardless of the Committee’s decision, is a valuable part of the record of bird life in Illinois.

Illinois’s second Mexican Violetear was present for several days in Mundelein, Lake County. Photo by Junko Yokota.

Records Accepted

  • Eurasian Wigeon, 18 November 2021, Newton Lake, Jasper County (2021-059; C. Leroy Harrison, Bob Shelby).
  • Mexican Violetear, 20-24 August 2021, Mundelein, Lake County (2021-051; Jason Cristino; David B. Johnson, Ryan Jones, Karen Lund, Annette McClellan, William McClellan, Greg Neise, Dan Williams, Geoffrey A. Williamson, Junko Yokota).
  • Limpkin, 10-14 July 2021, Chain-o-Lakes State Park, Lake County (2021-047; Al Nichols; Oliver Burrus, Craig Taylor).
  • Limpkin, 16-28 August 2021, Dixon Waterfowl Refuge, Putnam County (2021-050; Scott Harp; Craig Taylor).
  • Ruff, 19 May 1984, Mississippi River levees, Monroe County (1984-025; Bill Rowe).
  • Purple Sandpiper, 12-13 November 2021, Waukegan, Lake County (2021-061; Henry Meade).
  • Parasitic Jaeger, 18 September 2021, Carlyle Lake, Clinton County (2021-076; Colin Dobson, Steve Zehner).
  • Long-tailed Jaeger, 11 September 2021, Eldon Hazlet State Park, Clinton County (2021-072; Travis Mahan).
  • Little Gull, 25-31 October 2020, Lake Shelbyville, Shelby County (2020-127; Travis Mahan).
  • Little Gull, 26 October 2020, Heidecke Lake, Grundy County (2020-128; Matt Misewicz).
  • Little Gull, 27-28 October 2020, Saganashkee Slough, Cook County (2020-129; Ben Sanders; Nathan Goldberg).
  • Little Gull, 20 March 2021, Lake Township, Clinton County (2021-045; Dan Kassebaum).
  • Little Gull, 9 September 2021, Rend Lake, Jefferson County (2021-071; Aaron Gyllenhaal).
  • Royal Tern, 18 July 2021, Waukegan, Lake County (2021-077; Annette McClellan, William McClellan).
  • Royal Tern, 11-13 August 2021, Carlyle Lake, Clinton County (2021-048; C. Leroy Harrison).
  • Pacific Loon (2), 31 October to 1 November 2020, Carlyle Lake, Clinton County (2020-119; Dan Kassebaum; Trevor Slovick).
  • Pacific Loon, 1-19 November 2020, Downs Township, McLean County (2020-130; Shanin Abreu, Matthew Winks; Joan Campbell, Jake Cvetas, Matthew Cvetas, Colin Dobson, Bonnie Graham, Niklas Klauss, Jayne Leone, Michael McKinley, Matt Misewicz, Pirmin Nietlisbach, Vicky Sroczynski, Andrea Tolzmann, Peter Tolzmann, Simon Tolzmann, Mary Zehner, Steve Zehner).
  • Wood Stork, 19 July to 11 August 2021, Mermet Lake, Massac County (2021-090; Andrew S. Aldrich, Jack Bechtel, Ryan Jones).
  • Brown Pelican, 23 May 2020, Harrisburg Lake, Saline County (2020-132; David Horning).
  • White Ibis (2), 5 & 26 September 2021, Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area, Mason County (2021-080; Colin Dobson).
  • White Ibis, 15 October 2021, Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, St. Clair County (2021-081; John C. Sullivan).
  • White-faced Ibis, 28-29 August 2021, Whalon Lake Forest Preserve, Will County (2021-082; Kirk LaGory; Jayne Leone, Michael McNamee, Jeff A. Smith).
  • White-faced Ibis, 1-3 October 2021, Sawmill Lake, Putnam County (2021-054; Steve Huggins; Dan Williams).
  • Roseate Spoonbill, 31 July 2021, Golconda, Pope County (2021-049; Craig Taylor).
  • Roseate Spoonbill, 20 August to 4 September 2021, Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, Williamson County (2021-053; Craig Taylor).
  • Black Vulture, 16 May 2020, Sedge Meadow Forest Preserve, Lake County (2020-120; Richard Biss).
  • Black Vulture, 3 October 2020, Irving, Montgomery County (2020-123; Jarod Hitchings).
  • Black Vulture, 29 June 2021, Skokie, Cook County (2021-069; John Bates).
  • Black Vulture, 13-14 November 2021, Lincoln Park, Chicago, Cook County (2021-055; Geoffrey A. Williamson).
  • White-tailed Kite, 21 June 2021, near Lock & Dam #27, Madison County (2021-044; Frank Holmes, Dan Kassebaum, Craig Taylor).
  • Swallow-tailed Kite, 15 August 2021, east of Plainville, Adams County (2021-078; Jason Mullins).
  • Ferruginous Hawk, 17 November 2021, Illinois Beach State Park, Lake County (2021-058; Vic Berardi).
  • Barn Owl, 23 August to 1 September 2021, Burnham Park, Chicago, Cook County (2021-052; Geoffrey A. Williamson).
  • Northern Flicker (Red-shafted), 12 May 2021, Chicago, Cook County (2021-073; Pamela Karlson).
  • Prairie Falcon, 27 October to 1 November 2021, west of Chenoa, Livingston County and McLean County (2021-064; Taylor Root; Alyssa Rod).
  • Bewick’s Wren (2), 7-13 July 2021, southern Schuyler County (2021-068; Brandon Stehl; Jill Anderson, Jake Cvetas, Matthew Cvetas, Pete Fenner, Ted Hartzler, Steve Zehner).
  • Townsend’s Solitaire, 31 October 2021, Oswego, Kendall County (2021-079; Scott Johnson).
  • Evening Grosbeak, 9 November 2021, Stickney Run Conservation Area, McHenry County (2021-065; Lisa Maier).
  • Hoary Redpoll, 9 December 2020, Burnham Park, Chicago, Cook County (2020-124; Ryan Fuller).
  • White-winged Crossbill, 31 October 2021, Ft. Sheridan Forest Preserve, Lake County (2021-083; Krzysztof Kurylowicz, Henry Meade).
  • White-winged Crossbill, 6 & 17 December 2021, Carol Stream, DuPage County (2021-088; Craig Reges).
  • White-winged Crossbill, 7 December 2021, Waukegan, Lake County (2021-089; Lock Kilpatrick).
  • Lark Bunting, 6 October 2020, Rainbow Beach, Chicago, Cook County (2020-126; Michael McNamee).
  • Swainson’s Warbler, 13 May 2021, Pomona, Jackson County (2021-0066; Rhonda Rothrock).
  • Painted Bunting, 18-28 June 2020, East St. Louis, St. Clair County (2020-131; Tommy Goodwin; Ryan Jones, Jude Vickery).
  • Painted Bunting (3), 29 May to 30 July 2021, East St. Louis, St. Clair County (2021-074; Randy Schiller; Mike Avara, Travis DeNeal, Colin Dobson, Jan Hansen, Ted Hartzler, Ian Souza-Cole, Mike Thelan).
  • Painted Bunting, 30 November to 2 December 2021, Alden Township, McHenry County (2021-062; Randall Schietzelt).

Records Not Accepted

  • Parasitic Jaeger, 22 September 2021, Gillson Park, Wilmette, Cook County (2021-075).
  • Anhinga, 26 June 2021, near the confluence of the Big Muddy River and Mississippi River, Jackson County (2021-067).
  • Glossy Ibis, 19-25 October 2021, Lake Arispie, Bureau County (2021-056).
  • Black Vulture, 16 May 2020, Bowen Park, Waukegan, Lake County (2020-121).
  • Black Vulture, 26 September 2020, Heron County Park, Vermilion County (2020-122).
  • Hoary Redpoll, 6 January 2021, Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area, Grundy County (2021-026).
  • White-winged Crossbill, 3 December 2021, Crystal Lake, Lake County (2021-085).
  • White-winged Crossbill, 4 December 2021, Boone Creek Conservation Area, McHenry County (2021-086).
  • White-winged Crossbill (7 or 8), 4 December 2021, Waukegan, Lake County (2021-087).
  • Kirtland’s Warbler, 15 May 2021, Busey Woods, Urbana, Champaign County (2021-025).
  • Western Tanager, 8 May 2021, LaBagh Woods Forest Preserve, Cook County (2021-035).
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