IOS is pleased to announce we are now accepting applications for the 2018 Illinois Ornithological Society Grant Program. Awards of up to $1,000 are available to applicants conducting projects relating to birds and/or birding in Illinois.
For details, visit the IOS Grants Program page.
It has been several years since IOS hosted an out of state birding trip. The increasing reports of boreal species motivated us to select Sax-Zim Bog as a kick off to what we hope is an annual “Out of State” addition to the field trip schedule. Each year we will do our best to select a location which will help build your life list.
On Thursday, February 1st, Linda Cames, Lois Cross, Ted Wolff, Scott and Ethan Ellis, Ben and Oliver Burrus, Nancy Tikalsky, Michael Sweeney, Anna Szal and Tyler Funk assembled for what would be a rewarding couple of days at Sax-Zim Bog and the surrounding area. With just enough light for some afternoon birding, a handful of us met up on Thursday evening to make an early assault on the bog. Northern Shrike, Common Redpoll, Common Raven, Great Gray Owl, Black-billed Magpie, and Ruffed Grouse were a couple of highlights.
Thursday night/Friday morning, a cold front passed through the area, dipping the temperature down to -22 degrees. As we walked out to warm up our vehicles, it was so cold it felt as if everything was compressed, as though everything was at its shattering point. Fortunately, all the cars started, and despite the extreme cold, all field trip members were in their cars and ready for the day by 7am.
Our first target was Great Gray Owl, which have pockets of established territories around the bog. Before long we were on our first Great Gray. We tallied three within the first couple of hours, so we moved on to our next target, the Three-toed Woodpecker. This target required a modest march into a section of Boreal forest along Blue Spruce Road. The Three-toed Woodpecker is a regular but casual winter visitor, primarily restricted to extreme northern Minnesota forests. Here they are a specialist on bark beetles, gathering them while pecking and scaling the bark of trees. Like Emperor Penguins huddled against the cold, we waddled our way towards a location where these birds have previously been seen. We dipped on this woodpecker and would dip another two times before circling this species as a miss for the field trip. We retreated from the cold boreal forest, glad to be back in a warm vehicle. Our next stop was at a Sharp-tailed Grouse lek, which is also conveniently located near a home with bird feeders along Owl Avenue. We tallied 12 Sharp-tailed Grouse, either on the lek, or under the bird feeders. Here, we also quickly spotted our first Pine Grosbeak for the field trip. A Mourning Dove was also spotted at these feeders on Saturday. Mourning Dove is considered a good find for this area during the winter. We then proceeded to some domesticated birding at Mary Lou’s Feeders in the northwestern portion of the bog. At least this season, this is the most reliable spot for Pine and Evening Grosbeaks. Both were present and provided decent photo ops. We traveled back east along Zim Road and made our way to McDavitt Road.
A short hike from the road and we were quickly on a Northern Hawk Owl, another target bird. The Northern Hawk Owl gave us excellent views in perfect light, making for amazing photo opportunities. The barring and texture of this bird’s feathers make it one of the most handsome owls.
On or way to lunch, we made our way along Lake Nicholas Road to search for Black-backed Woodpeckers, another cryptic target. The Black-backed Woodpecker is a permanent resident, migrant, and winter visitor primarily in northern forested areas of the state. It is a specialist on wood-boring beetles, which it extracts by scaling and pecking the bark of trees, much like the Three-toed Woodpecker. The Black-backed Woodpecker is typically found feeding in areas affected by fire, wind, or other disturbances. The woodpeckers would, not surprisingly, prove to be difficult targets. We missed on this attempt but would later find one here on Saturday afternoon. During the morning birding, continual reports of Boreal Owl sightings along the north shores of Lake Superior were coming in. So, naturally, discussions of pursuing this target on Saturday started. We broke for lunch in Cotton, MN and made our plans for the afternoon. We decided to make a stop at the Visitor Center after lunch to look for Gray jays and a Hoary Redpoll. Both birds proved to be easily found here. On the way to the visitor center, a Northern Goshawk was seen for a moment, passing over the lead vehicle and quickly disappearing over some trees. The remainder of the afternoon was spent making fruitless woodpecker attempts and cruising the bog for Ruffed Grouse, Great Gray Owls and Black-billed Magpie.
On Saturday, having made the decision to relocate to the Duluth area the day prior, we got another cold and early start. Boreal Owl was on the menu and everyone was ready to order. We got into the proper area around 7:20am and with Mallards flying past, we made our plan of attack. Some would scan along Superior Street while others would cruise up Scenic Rt.61. We got about 40 minutes into our search when word came in about a Boreal Owl along Scenic 61. We made notifications and eventually got everyone on the bird. This can be a tough bird to find, so everyone was delighted to have this on our list of successes. We traveled back to Lake Nicholas Road, where we were also successful in locating a Black-backed Woodpecker, a surprise Great Gray Owl, and a large flock of Pine Grosbeaks. We dipped again on the Three-toed Woodpecker at this point and decided this one would remain a scratch for our target birds. The rest of the afternoon was filled with checking the Admiral Road bird feeders, taping for Boreal Chickadee, and lastly, another stop by the Visitor Center.
A portion of the group head to Hwy. 2 North of Two Harbors, MN on Sunday morning and picked up Red Crossbills and Spruce Grouse.
The group all added some valuable life birds to the list and everyone had a very good time.
Trip List:
Trumpeter Swan (Wisconsin)
Canada Goose
Mallard
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Northern Harrier (Wisconsin)
Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk (Wisconsin)
Northern Goshawk
Bald Eagle
Spruce Grouse
Ruffed Grouse
Sharp-tailed Grouse
Wild turkey
Herring Gull
Mourning Dove
Rock Pigeon
Great Gray Owl
Boreal Owl
Northern Hawk Owl
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Black-backed Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Shrike
Blue jay
Gray Jay
Black-billed Magpie
Common Raven
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
European Starling
Bohemian Waxwing
Northern Cardinal
Dark-eyed Junco
Snow Bunting
Evening Grosbeak
Pine Grosbeak
Red Crossbill
Common Redpoll
Hoary Redpoll
House Sparrow
by Tyler Funk
What are these things we call seasons? Is it winter as I shelter in my car looking out over wind-scoured stubble, listening to the wind-chime soprano tinkling of a horned lark on a day that would kill me in a matter of hours? How can this feather-puff be in full song? Could fall begin with July 1st’s first lesser yellowlegs and solitary sandpipers back in Knox County from the tundra and tropics-bound? Is it spring when the first hopeful pools open on the great rivers and fill with common goldeneyes splashing, calling, mating, and flight-whistling through air too cold for me to breathe?
Ask robins. February’s first front says welcome back. Some say,”I never left.” Ask willow flycatchers. Late May, at the end of all the great passage, they deign to arrive. And in ten weeks will be gone again.
Peer closely at life’s equation. Its complexity is limited only by our lack of perception. Three hundred birds come now to my feeders. Each tells a different tale. I am a chickadee. I weigh one quarter of an ounce and I just spent the ten below zero night in your arbor vitae. Six feet away you slept under down with a net gain of eighty degrees. I am nuthatch, titmouse, woodpecker and I really don’t care what day it is. This is my home. I am starling, house sparrow, collared dove, pheasant, and I really don’t care what continent this is. It is now my home. I am mockingbird, Carolina wren, golden-crowned kinglet, yellow-rumped warbler and I can overwinter here. Until the winter comes that I can’t.
A chickadee forages frozen meat shards from the rib cage of a deer. A Carolina wren works sunflower seeds wishing for a finch bill. A brown creeper believes in bugs under the bark of a January tree trunk, then timidly creeps out onto the snow below woodpecker-hammered suet and gleans amber flakes of fuel with a most curious recipe.
Snow comes, warmth leaves, and the bird list grows. Thirty cowbirds materialize like fruit flies. Among them is a grackle whose other millions are two states south. Amid the juncos, who believe they are south, appear American tree sparrows who only come to me in time of need. My winter bluejays are here now. My summer bluejays are somewhere south of the grackle millions.
Minus ten. The lake is locked down and under four inches of snow. Even the spillway and outlet stream are frozen. But there huddled on a ground pipe staring motionless at an open trickle sits a kingfisher. A hungry optimist, table for one, at a very small sushi bar.
January fourth I spent a couple of hours revisiting my Christmas Bird Count route. On December fifteenth this area hosted thirty thousand geese of five kinds. Today there are six. Six geese. Total. Of one kind in an unkind world.
We have a real winter on our hands. It is coming for our fingers. I sit and write about my back yard birds and wonder about my hiatus from my hobby. Aside from four days in the field for the Knox CBC I have not been out since late May. I have the time right now. I need a spark. Snowy owls may do the trick. They are scattered in many places in the northern half of Illinois right now. Pine siskins and red-breasted nuthatches are out in force with a smattering of common redpolls. I need to stoke my inner fire. I need to go outside.
by Mike Baum
Barrow’s Goldeneye: Rock Island (North) – On 21-Jan-2018, Colin Dobson reported a male Barrow’s Goldeneye from Rock Island County along the Mississippi River.
Gyrflacon: Madison (South) – A ghost-like white morph Gyrfalcon was photographed by Frank Holmes at Horseshoe Lake State Park in Madison County on 17-Jan-2018.
Slaty-backed Gull: Cook (North) – On 4-Jan-2018, Walter Marcisz and Andrew Aldrich found an adult Slaty-backed Gull along the Calumet River in Cook County.
Prairie Falcon: Gallatin (South) – Ron Bradley found another Prairie Falcon. This one was in Gallatin County on 3-Jan-2018.
Ivory Gull: Lake (North) – While Amar Ayyash was birding Lake County Fairgrounds on 3-Jan-2018, he turned around to find an adult Ivory Gull staring at him. Sadly, no one else got to see this rare find.
Prairie Falcon: Bond/Clinton (South) – Keith McMullen had a Prairie Falcon on New Year’s Day fly across the Bond/Clinton County border.
Harlequin Duck: Clinton (South) – Dan Kassebaum found a Harlequin Duck on Carlyle Lake on 22-Dec-2017.
Twenty-three consecutive days of winter birding no matter how bitter the cold. Rising before dawn to listen for owls and staying up late to compile the day’s sightings. Thousands of miles of driving often traveling through the night without sleep to get to the next destination, sometimes navigating treacherous stretches of highway in blizzard like conditions.
Sound like heaven or hell?
To the National Audubon Society, it’s officially the 118th annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC), the nation’s longest-running citizen science project, designed to capture long-term data on the status and distribution of bird species. Every day during the count period (December 14, 2017 – January 5, 2018), all across the United States, birders and conservation enthusiasts alike gather to count birds within a well-defined 15 mile wide circle. Many “CBCers” participate in a single count and then not another until the following year.
To wildlife biologist and CBC iron man, Kelly McKay, the count is a chance to do what he loves most – identity as many bird species as possible in a day while also contributing to science. Unlike most who are “one and done,” Kelly attempts to contribute to a different CBC every day of the count period, a grueling 8+ hour/day logistically challenging feat known as the “CBC marathon.” On top of that, Kelly compiles the data for not one but seven count circles, a significant challenge in itself.
Inspired in the early 1980s as a teenager by his mentor and avian biologist, Pete Peterson, Kelly has participated in more than 475 CBCs all time, second only to birding legend, Paul Sykes. It wasn’t until the 2002-2003 season that Kelly began to plan his first marathon, but quickly ran into problems. He couldn’t find a count within reach on three count days! The following year, Kelly started planning much earlier and on January 5, 2004, after the Andalusia CBC, he successfully completed his first marathon. This January, Kelly finished his 9th marathon in the last 16 years, covering more than 25 counties in five states – Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, and Wisconsin.
While Kelly takes his CBC participation very seriously, he doesn’t expect many to even think about let alone attempt a CBC marathon. He does hope his story inspires others to get more involved in community science projects to advocate for bird conservation and preserve our state’s biodiversity.
by Matthew Cvetas
IOS is coordinating a winter field trip to Sax-Zim Bog! For those of you that have not been following their Facebook page, many of the targeted species are being seen there this winter.
Sax-Zim Bog is about 300 square miles of not only bog, but aspen uplands, rivers, lakes, meadows, farms and even a couple towns! It is not just a giant bog, but rather a “magic mix” of habitats that boreal birds love. The Sax-Zim Bog is prime habitat for bog specialists such as Great Gray Owl, Black-backed Woodpecker, Boreal Chickadee, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and Connecticut Warbler. Bobcat, Lynx, Pine Marten, Fisher also use this habitat. Mature bogs are also important wintering habitat for Great Gray Owl, Northern Hawk Owl, White-winged Crossbill, Pine Grosbeak, Common Redpoll and Hoary Redpoll.
You won’t want to miss this opportunity to explore this amazing habitat with a two-day guided trip from a local birding expert. Finding the many wonderful birds of this area can, at times, be difficult due to weather or a lack of area knowledge. Acquiring a local guide will provide you with your best opportunity to capture a glimpse of these magnificent creatures. …
Winter Birds at Sax-Zim Bog Field Trip – Feb. 2 & 3 2018Read More »
The question of origin of Barnacle Geese that are observed in Illinois is not straightforward, at least not for making an “official” decision as is the case for members of the Illinois Ornithological Records Committee (IORC). IORC does have plans to do a careful evaluation of a number of these records. I am aware of twenty distinct occurrences of Barnacle Goose in Illinois, in numbers from one to three, with varying amounts of evidence behind them. The twenty include this current bird. (See IOS Rare Bird Alerts.) Documentation of four of these, including the current McLean County bird, has been submitted to IORC for evaluation. In the two cases that have been decided (the 1998 Winnebago Co. bird and the 2013 McLean Co. bird), IORC did not accept the records on the basis of origin. A third case (2015 Mercer Co. observation with three birds involved) was documented, but a decision is still pending. This one now represents a fourth record for which documentation has been submitted to IORC. I won’t make a prediction of when IORC will be done with its work, but I am hopeful that it can be done without excessive delay. The possibility exists for IORC to revisit the prior records that were not accepted, depending on the outcome of its investigations.
The question of countability is simpler. If you feel a Barnacle Goose that you observe in Illinois is of wild origin, you may count it in your list totals that you report to the American Birding Association (ABA). For Listers Corner, maintained by the Illinois Ornithological Society (IOS), until Barnacle Goose gets on the state list, you may not count it. In no situation does IORC’s decision on any particular record have any say on whether birders may count their sighting on ABA or IOS lists. For lists that you keep for your own purposes, the ABA and IOS have nothing to say about the matter, and you are free to do what you think is appropriate.
Information about IORC can be found at the IOS Web site.
Geoff Williamson
Secretary, IORC
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.
The Illinois Ornithological Records Committee (IORC) recently concluded evaluations of 15 records of occurrence of rare birds in Illinois, accepting 11 and not accepting four. For each record, we indicate below the species or form, with number of individuals in parentheses if greater than one, followed by date or date range, location, and county. At the end, the record number is indicated in parentheses, followed by, for accepted records, names of the documenters. IORC thanks all the documenters, for accepted and unaccepted records alike, for their submissions. All documentation is maintained in the IORC archives so that there is a permanent record of all these observations. Documentation, regardless of the Committee’s decision, is a valuable part of the record of bird life in Illinois.
Records Accepted
Records Not Accepted
As November rolls in, many Illinois birders shift their focus to a shorter list of target species. The majority of migrants have left the state for the winter, but some are still moving in. November brings to mind the first big push of waterfowl, and the search for vagrants. At Illinois hawkwatch sites, November can hold some late-fall specialties that get many people bundled up to stare down a Northwest wind!
My favorite of those specialties is the Golden Eagle. At sites along the Lake Michigan shoreline, such as the Illinois Beach State Park Hawkwatch, and Fort Sheridan Hawkwatch, Golden Eagles are an uncommon, but regular migrant with seasonal averages being under five. At a more inland site like DuPage County’s Greene Valley Hawkwatch, Golden Eagles are still uncommon, but the seasonal average increases to seven. Although the averages are different, there is a common thread between both inland and shoreline sites, and that is that many of the Golden Eagles do not come in for close views! With Bald Eagles being a much more common migrant, it is important to learn how to differentiate the two species at a distance. Luckily, by using shape and flight style, the two can be separated even when plumage details are not useful for identification.
Shape
One difference between the two eagle species is the size of the head and length/shape of the tail. On a Bald Eagle, the head is large and bulbous, protruding far beyond the leading edge of the wings. At most angles, the bulky head of a Bald Eagle is obvious. Bald Eagles also have broad tails that are short relative to their size. At times, it can appear as if the head is only just shorter in length than the tail.
In comparison, Golden Eagles have much smaller heads. The head on a Golden Eagle is almost buteo-like and is not prominent, especially on distant birds. With Golden Eagles, the tail is longer and skinnier than that of a Bald Eagle. Be cautious with the tail, as both species can have a short-tailed impression when the tail is fully fanned during a soar.
Another difference is in wing shape. Bald Eagles have very broad wings. On the trailing edge, the wings look nearly the same in length from the body to the outer primaries. This gives the impression of an almost straight line from the body all the way to the outer primaries when they soar. Many hawkwatchers describe the shape as to two large planks sticking out from the body. At almost all angles, a Bald Eagle’s wings will look massive from body to wingtip.
On a Golden Eagle there’s more curve to the trailing edge. The secondaries on a Golden have a distinct bulge before reaching the shorter outer primaries (or hands), which is reminiscent of a buteo. Also, the shorter inner secondaries pinch in towards the body. This gives a Golden Eagle an “S” curve profile to the trailing edge of the wing. At certain angles, the wings can almost look paddle-like, something you will not see on a distant Bald Eagle. Overall, the impression of a Golden Eagle is slimmer than that of a Bald.
Flight
Bald Eagles tend to soar on flat wings. They make long, lazy circles, taking what seems like a decade to pass by once detected over the horizon! Bald Eagles tend to glide on drooped wings and overall look very bulky. In a glide, the large head and short tail are still obvious. Another thing to look for is how the eagle is flapping. With a Bald Eagle, the flaps are deep and strong. A key difference between the two species is how they set their wings after flapping. A Bald Eagle, when setting their wings to soar/glide, will go through a large upstroke and adjust back to their flat-winged position.
Golden Eagles soar with an obvious dihedral and glide on bowed wings or with a modified dihedral. They are also strong fliers, and only the toughest winds will allow for occasional unsteadiness as they pass by. This is why distant Turkey Vultures (small head, long tail and dihedral) can sometimes be confused for Golden Eagles. With a Golden, the flap is shallower and smoother than that of a Bald. A Golden Eagle will set their wings at the top the upstroke, looking like they’ve snapped their wings into place above the body in a dihedral.
Summary
Although close eagles allow for study of plumage differences, we often aren’t given that luxury. With practice, some distant eagles can be identified. In fact, many of the field marks mentioned become more obvious at a distance! This is especially true with the trailing edge of the Golden Eagle’s wings, and the large head of a Bald Eagle. If you find a distant eagle this November, don’t put your binoculars down or take your eyes off of the scope! Spend some time with it, make some mental notes about the eagle’s shape, and flight style.
I would also highly encourage anyone interested in learning more about raptor ID to visit an Illinois hawkwatch site. Gaining field experience alongside veteran hawkwatchers is the best way to improve raptor identification, especially with distant birds. So throw on your layers, everyone, and get out there!
