Despite high water conditions, field trip participants were able to observe more than 100 species over the course of the IOS Shorebirding Weekend, including more than 15 species of shorebirds. Expert field trip leaders made the most of the situation and scoured the Illinois River area for birds with willing participants benefiting from their efforts.
Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge, which typically holds thousands of shorebirds this time of year when mudflats are exposed, instead was alive with big numbers of waterfowl taking advantage of the high water condition including Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, and American White Pelicans. Raptors were well represented by Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Cooper’s Hawk, several Bald Eagles, Red-tailed Hawk, Peregrine Falcon, and American Kestrel. Swallows filled the air over the crossdike with all five species represented with especially large numbers of Bank, Tree, and Northern Rough-winged Swallows.
Scott Ellis by Matthew Cvetas
At lunch, participants retreated to the cool environs of the Dickson Mounds State Museum. Arriving at the museum, a surprise Barred Owl was heard cackling mid-day near the parking lot. Inside, attendees were treated to lunch and a great shorebird ID talk by Geoff Williamson.
On Sunday, one field trip took a pontoon boat out on Thompson Lake at Emiquon Preserve where huge groups of swallows were gathered. Small numbers of Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs were seen along the lake edges along with a summering group of Snow Geese. An American Golden-Plover gave great views from the boat. While navigating, at one point, the boat got stuck in a shallow spot. Thanks to a few volunteers, the group was able to get back to the boat launch safely, where we wrapped up the weekend.
Hi there and welcome to my first monthly IOS newsletter post. My name is Demayne Murphy and I started photographing birds a couple of years ago, primarily at Montrose Point’s Magic Hedge in Chicago.
I have been a birder, however, for over 25 years. I almost chose not to venture into the world of avian photography, as I was reluctant to change my birding experience — something I have always treasured — particularly for its meditative qualities. And indeed it has changed the way I view birds and other wildlife. But I can report that while the experience is somewhat different now, I do feel it is enriched by the focus that photography brings. So if you find yourself considering photography as a new adventure for yourself I hope that my posts will speak to you.
My goal is to bring you some quick and easy tips that will make your life as a burgeoning photographer a little simpler. The web abounds with tens of thousands of photography web sites, from individual photographers who usually offer their own tips and techniques, to learning sites geared to teaching you everything you need to know and more. And if you are at all like me, you may have explored some of these sites and found it all completely overwhelming.
No experience necessary
I myself have no prior experience in photography. And of course the stunning images available online may only intimidate you further — thinking nothing you can manage will ever compete. So while I cannot say that I have created any of these stunning images yet, I can say that the process has become so enjoyable that I find myself continually motivated to persevere and grow as an artist.
What I really want to say in this first missive is just get out there!! If you find yourself intrigued, just give it a try. The only thing you really need to do initially is find out if this art form is for you. If not, you’ve tried something new; check it off your bucket list. But if you do find yourself positively thrilled by the experience, as I did, then a whole new world awaits you.
And make no mistake, photography is an art, not just a technical skill. There is tremendous scope for individual expression and innovation. You may just open a door that changes your life.
What about gear?
So what about gear you ask? A dangerous question to ask a photographer, unless you have loads of time for the answer. Let’s keep it really short and simple right now. You don’t have to buy anything. Consider renting a camera and a lens for a week or two. Below are links to a reputable company that will rent you the camera and lens I use. This combination combines the speed and the reach you will need.
I have no affiliation with the company or with Canon, other than having used both myself. And yes, you can shoot with Nikon or Sony or Fuji etc… and everyone has an opinion about which are the best. But rather than get bogged down with that in this exploratory phase, I encourage you to just give this tried-and-true combination a test run. Next month I’ll talk about some basic camera/lens settings to get started with.
And I hope the experience surprises and delights you. See you out there!
IOS is pleased to announce this year’s Carlyle Lake Pelagic Field Trip to be held, Saturday, September 22, 2018. This trip includes the popular three-hour pelagic aboard comfortable pontoon boats.
Sabine’s Gull by Barbara Williams
As in past years, we’ll meet at McDonald’s off IL 127 in Carlyle at 6:30 AM. This is a full-day field trip, ending around 7:30 PM. We’ll begin with a scan of the lake from Dam West Beach before heading to Eldon Hazlet State Park to search for migrant songbirds. We’ll bird the Hazlet area all morning before breaking for lunch. Lunch will be fast food or bring your own. We’ll gather at the Dam West picnic area where we’ll be able to search for more birds from the excellent shade provided.
After lunch, depending on water levels, we’ll search for shorebirds and waders, likely visiting Whitetail and James Hawn Access areas.
The boat trip begins at 3:30 PM from Dam West Marina. The late afternoon/early evening hours can be excellent for feeding gulls, terns and others. We hope to find SABINE’S GULL which has eluded us on the past three field trips! It’s also possible to tally RED and RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, EARED and PIED-BILLED GREBES, five or six Gull species and potentially any of the three JAEGER species!
Bring plenty of water, snacks, sunscreen, bug spray, mud boots and your hat.
Those planning on staying Saturday night may wish to join us for a group dinner at a nearby restaurant. Recommended hotels are available in Carlyle, Greenville, Salem and Vandalia.
There is a fee associated with this field trip to cover the costs of pontoon rental, gasoline, and other expenses. The fee is $30 for existing IOS members and $50 for non-IOS members. The $50 fee for non-members includes the field trip registration and a one-year IOS membership and benefits, including four issues of the Meadowlark, A Journal of Illinois Birds, a quarterly publication of IOS.
This field trip is limited to 32 participants with IOS members receiving first priority. Trip registration and payment shall be made through the Pay Pal using the form below (credit cards accepted). This trip is very popular and will fill up fast. IOS will not make refunds but will allow substitutes if you sign up for the trip and cannot attend. It will be your responsibility to notify the trip leader of your substitute. If you cannot provide a substitute, the trip leader will take the 1st name on the waiting list.
If you have any questions about the trip, feel free to contact the trip leader, Keith McMullen or by phone +1-618-560-9450.
Black-bellied Whistling Duck: Shelby (South) – On August 29th, a Black-bellied Whistling Duck was spotted on the southwest side of Lake Mattoon in Shelby County.
White Ibis: Lake (North) – An immature White Ibis was photographed near the Fox River at Chain O’ Lakes State Park on Aug 22nd in Lake County.
Brown Pelican: Clinton (South) – An immature Brown Pelican was discovered at Carlyle Lake off on Aug 18th near the Bond/Fayette/Clinton County line.
Roseate Spoonbill: Jefferson (South) – On August 18th, an immature Roseate Spoonbill was seen at Rend Lake in Jefferson County.
Great-tailed Grackle: Lake (North) – A female Great-tailed Grackle was photographed at Spring Bluff Forest Preserve in Lake County on August 5th.
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: Cook (North) – On July 26th, a Black-bellied Whistling-Duck was observed at Paul Douglas Forest Preserve in Cook County.
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: Lawrence (South) – An eBird first for Lawrence County, two Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks were seen on a private pond in Pinkstaff on July 22nd.
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: Clinton (South) – On July 14th, a small flock of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks were photographed at Carlyle Lake – Whitetail Access, in Clinton County.
White Ibis: Randolph (South) – An immature White Ibis was present at Kaskaskia in Randolph County on July 11th.
Neotropic Cormorant: DuPage (North) – On July 10th, a Neotropic Cormorant returned to the same location as last year in Roselle, Dupage County.
Brown Pelican: Jasper (South) – On July 1st, a Brown Pelican was found at Newton Lake in Jasper County.
Decisions by the Illinois Ornithological Records Committee (IORC) during the first half of 2018 have added three species to the Illinois State List of Birds: Red-naped Sapsucker, Cassin’s Vireo, and Plumbeous Vireo.
The Red-naped Sapsucker record pertains to an individual during 5-6 April 2012 at Wadsworth Wetlands Forest Preserve, Lake County, found and documented by Paul Sweet.
Red-naped Sapsucker, 6 April 2012. Photo by Paul Sweet
The problematic nature of sapsucker identification, complicated by hybridization between sapsucker species, made the evaluation of this record proceed at a deliberate pace.
IORC added Cassin’s Vireo to the state list on the basis of a sight record from 3-5 May 1994 in Chicago’s Jackson Park (Cook County). Paul R. Clyne observed and documented this bird. Details regarding this sighting were published in an article by Paul in Meadowlark, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 141-142, but the record never underwent formal review by IORC until this year. Paul’s observation was during 1994; the split of Solitary Vireo into Cassin’s Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo, and Plumbeous Vireo by the American Ornithologists’ Union took place in 1997.
The third new species also stems from a species involved in the split of Solitary Vireo. Jon Grainger discovered and photographed a Plumbeous Vireo 2 May 2018 in Bolingbrook, Will County. Jon’s excellent series of photographs clinched the addition of the third and final member of the Solitary Vireo complex to Illinois’s state list. There are few records of Plumbeous Vireo from eastern portion of the United States.
Plumbeous Vireo, 2 May 2018 in Bolingbrook, Will County. Photo by Jon Grainger.
The Illinois Ornithological Records Committee (IORC) recently concluded evaluations of 31 records of occurrence of rare birds in Illinois plus one breeding record. Among these, IORC accepted 24 records while not accepting eight. One of the accepted records is a first state record for the species involved (Plumbeous Vireo). 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.
First State Records Accepted
Plumbeous Vireo, 2 May 2018, Bolingbrook, Will County (2018-016; Jon Grainger)
Review List Records Accepted
Barrow’s Goldeneye, 9 January – 3 February 2018, Rapids City riverfront, Rock Island County (2018-005; Jim Forde; Colin Dobson, Steven Freed)
White-winged Dove, 18-21 April 2018, Minonk, Woodford County (2018-014; Ted Hartzler; Keith A. McMullen, Daniel T. Williams)
Slaty-backed Gull, 4-10 January 2018, southeast Chicago, Cook County (2018-001; Walter J. Marcisz; Matthew M. Cvetas)
Neotropic Cormorant, 28 April 2017, Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, Williamson County (2017-068; Keith A. McMullen)
Brown Pelican, 25 February 2018, Marshall County (2018-012; Michael Ingram)
Black Vulture, 24 February 2018, Homer Lake, Champaign County (2018-010; Doug Mills)
Barn Owl (2), 2-15 December 2017, near Dixon Waterfowl Refuge, Putnam County (2017-069; Jeff A. Smith)
Barn Owl, 17 December 2017, McCormick Bird Sanctuary, Chicago, Cook County (2017-075; W. Sullivan Gibson)
Burrowing Owl, 20 April – 14 May 2016, northern Champaign County (2016-105; Bob Szafoni)
Gyrfalcon, 17 January 2018, Horseshoe Lake State Park, Madison County (2018-006; Frank R. Holmes)
Prairie Falcon, 10-12 December 2017, east of Mt. Erie, Wayne County (2017-072; Robert E. Shelby)
Prairie Falcon, 1 January 2018, southwest of Jamestown, Clinton County (2018-004; Keith A. McMullen)
Townsend’s Solitaire (1 to 2), 15 December 2017 – 28 January 2018, Lost Mount Unit of Upper Mississippi National Wildlife Refuge, JoDaviess County (2017-065; Daniel T. Williams; Cindy & Ethan Brown, Craig A. Taylor)
Hoary Redpoll, 2 December 2017 – 14 January 2018, Park No. 566, Chicago, Cook County (2017-076; Carl Giometti; Randy L. Shonkwiler, Daniel T. Williams)
Hoary Redpoll at Chicago’s Park No. 566 (Cook County), 2 Dec. 2018. Photograph by Carl Giometti.
Hoary Redpoll, 13-26 January 2018, Elburn, Kane County (2018-013; Marion Miller)
Hoary Redpoll, 29 January – 21 February 2018, New Berlin, Sangamon County (2018-009; William Rudolph; H. David Bohlen)
Hoary Redpoll, 10 February 2018, Skokie Lagoons, Cook County (2018-008; Jeff Bilsky)
Bullock’s Oriole, 22 November 2017, Glencoe, Cook County (2017-074; W. Sullivan Gibson)
Great-tailed Grackle, 5 May 2018, Essex, Kankakee County (2018-017; Bronson Ratcliff)
Western Tanager, 4-5 May 2018, Lincoln Park, Chicago, Cook County (2018-016; Ben Sanders)
Other Records Accepted
California Gull, 14 January 2018, Alton, Madison County (2018-007; Colin Dobson)
Eastern Phoebe, 20 December 2017, near Windsor, Mercer County (2017-073; Stephen Hager)
Breeding Records Accepted
Mute Swan (2 adults, 3 cygnets), 18 May – 30 October 2015, Edwardsville, Madison County (2015-070; Doug Hommert)
First State Records Not Accepted
White-tailed Tropicbird, 2 January 2018, along the Mississippi River, St. Clair County (2018-003)
Review List Records Not Accepted
Ruff, 14 May 2017, Dixon Waterfowl Refuge, Putnam County (2017-054)
Pomarine Jaeger, 3 November 2017, North Point Marina, Winthrop Harbor, Lake County (2017-070)
Anhinga (2), 28 April 1995, Jackson Park, Chicago, Cook County (1995-024)
Anhinga, 19 November 2017, Douglas Park, Chicago, Cook County (2017-060)
Tricolored Heron, 8 July 2017, Pine Dunes Forest Preserve, Lake County (2017-030)
Swallow-tailed Kite, 25 April 2018, Mermet Lake, Massac County (2018-015)
Gyrfalcon, 28 November 2014, Singing Woods Nature Preserve, Peoria, Peoria County (2004-073)
Anhinga: Johnson (South) – An Anhinga was spotted soaring over Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge in Johnson County on June 21st.
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: Cook (North) – On June 20th, a Black-bellied Whistling-Duck was photographed at Flick Park in Cook County.
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: Iroquois (Central) – An eBird first Iroquois County Black-bellied Whistling-Duck was observed June 17th near Watseka.
White-winged Dove: Kendall (North) – On June 15th, a White-winged Dove made an appearance in Oswego, Kendall County.
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: Coles (Central) – A Black-bellied Whistling-Duck was photographed on June 12th at the former Mattoon Sand and Gravel Quarry area in Coles County.
Neotropic Cormorant: Madison (south) – A Neotropic Cormorant was seen on June 3rd at Horseshoe Lake State Park in Madison County.
The Illinois Ornithological Records Committee (IORC) in late January concluded evaluations of 27 records of occurrence of rare birds in Illinois, and more recently concluded evaluation of another four records. Among these, IORC accepted 27 records while not accepting five. One record within the later group was accepted as pertaining to a species pair. Two of the accepted records are first state records for the species involved. 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.
Records Accepted
White-winged Dove, 17 April 2017, Le Roy, McLean County (2017-039; Joe Phipps)
White-winged Dove, 1 November 2017, Montrose Point in Chicago’s Lincoln Park, Cook County (2017-055; Fran Morel)
Broad-billed Hummingbird, 11-13 September 2017, Sherman, Sangamon County (2017-037; Pam Stanko; H. David Bohlen)
Parasitic Jaeger, 31 August 2017, Montrose Point in Chicago’s Lincoln Park, Cook County (2017-036; Luis Muñoz)
Parasitic Jaeger, 15-17 September 2017, Lake Shelbyville, Moultrie County (2017-041; Travis Mahan; Ron Bradley)
Pacific Loon, 13 November 2017, Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, Williamson County (2017-059; Don Mullison)
Pacific Loon, 4-5 November 2017, Emiquon Preserve, Fulton County (2017-049; Michael Ingram; Andy Gilbert, Joseph Phipps)
Neotropic Cormorant, 24 April to 6 June 2017, Lake Springfield, Sangamon County (2017-044; H. David Bohlen)
Neotropic Cormorant, 1-24 July 2017, Roselle, DuPage County (2017-042; Andrew Aldrich, Urs Geiser, Craig Taylor, Jim Tezak)
Neotropic Cormorant, 9-18 July 2017, North Aurora, Kane County (2017-038; Andrew Aldrich, Urs Geiser, Jason Newton, Jim Tezak)
Neotropic Cormorant, 14 July 2017, Grand Tower, Jackson County (2017-046; Rhonda Rothrock)
Neotropic Cormorant, 15 September 2017, Rainbow Beach in Chicago, Cook County (2017-047; Andrew Aldrich; Matthew Cvetas)
Anhinga, 21 August 2017, Cache River State Wildlife Area, Johnson County (2017-062; Ryne Rutherford)
Anhinga (2), 10 October 2017, Greene Valley Forest Preserve, DuPage County (2017-053; Bob Fisher)
White-faced Ibis (6 to 9), 28 September to 29 October 2017, Glacial Park, McHenry County (2017-050; Donnie Dann, Cheryl Kreiman, Joe Lill, Marilyn Palmer, Yan-yi Peng, Dan Williams)
White-faced Ibis (2), 13-14 October 2017, CIPS Lake, Jasper County (2017-061; C. Leroy Harrison)
Black Vulture, 17 October 2017, Ft. Sheridan Forest Preserve, Lake County (2017-052; Karen Lund)
Swallow-tailed Kite, 31 July 2017, Duckstamp Wetland near Mermet Lake, Massac County (2017-057; Emily Lain)
Red-naped Sapsucker, 5-6 April 2012, Wadsworth Wetlands Forest Preserve, Lake County (2012-039; Paul Sweet)
Prairie Falcon (2), 28 October 2016 to 29 January 2017, southwest of Arcola, Coles County and Douglas County (2016-102; Ron Bradley)
Prairie Falcon (2), 12 November 2016 to 9 January 2017, Mt. Erie bottom, Wayne County (2016-103; C. Leroy Harrison)
Prairie Falcon, 28 December 2016, Prairie Ridge State Natural Area, Jasper County (2016-104; C. Leroy Harrison)
Prairie Falcon, 17 October 2017, Greene Valley Forest Preserve, DuPage County (2017-056; Jeff Smith)
Say’s Phoebe, 19 September 2017, Lake Springfield, Sangamon County (2017-045; H. David Bohlen)
Cassin’s Vireo, 3-5 May 1994, Jackson Park in Chicago, Cook County (1994-056; Paul Clyne)
Mountain Bluebird, 7-12 April 2017, Fermilab, DuPage County (2017-040; Carolyn Fields, Linda Padera, Stan Zatarski)
Hoary Redpoll, 22 November to 14 December 2017, Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, Cook County (2017-063; Matthew Cvetas)
Records Not Accepted
Neotropic Cormorant, 29 September 2017, Carpentersville, Kane County (2017-048)
Swallow-tailed Kite (2), 20 August 2016, New Douglas, Madison County (2016-063)
Brown-headed Nuthatch, 9 September 2016, Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, Cook County (2016-073); accepted as Pygmy/Brown-headed Nuthatch
Nashville Warbler (ridgwayi), 20 October 2015, Jarvis Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Chicago’s Lincoln Park, Cook County (2015-069)
On May 12, IOS sponsored a field trip to Mississippi Palisades State Park and nearby wildlife areas near Savanna (Carroll County) along the Mississippi River in northwest Illinois. As the weekend approached, cold weather and rain were forecast, with overnight lows in the 40s and daytime highs only reaching the low 50s. As leader, I hoped that the rain and thunderstorms would miss us, or at least give the group a chance to see some birds before the weather forced us into shelter. The weather worked out better than I had hoped. Even though it was cold and damp, the wind died down from Friday and the rain stopped just before dawn on Saturday.
The Mississippi River was running very high and a lot of low-lying areas were flooded and closed, such as Thomson Causeway, Diehl Road, the marsh along the entry road to Lost Mound, and all of the flood bottom agricultural fields bordering the river on the west side of IL 84 north of Savanna. The flooding prevented us from getting access to some of the areas we hoped to visit.
We birded Mississippi Palisades SP, the public areas of the Lost Mound unit of the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife Refuge (including Army Depot Road), Spring Lake (also a part of the NWR south of Savanna), Ayers Sand Prairie Nature Preserve and vicinity, a subdivision south of Savanna that has feeders and Purple Martin nest houses, and Doty Road.
The group saw 25 species of warblers, a nice total that included Cerulean (great looks for all!), Kentucky (another great look!), multiple Yellow-throated, and Hooded (another great look!), and a very cooperative male Summer Tanager. 23 of the warbler species were seen at Palisades. We also found all 7 species of woodpeckers in the park, completing a woodpecker slam with 3 sapsuckers.
After the state park we moved on to Lost Mound. On the way, we had a pair of Trumpeter Swans in a flooded field along IL 84. On Army Depot Road, we found a nice variety of dabbling ducks, including a drake American Wigeon. We were unsuccessful in locating the Cattle Egret that was in the marsh the day before. At Lost Mound, we had 6 Northern Mockingbirds, Lark and Grasshopper Sparrows, our only Blue Grosbeak and Dickcissel of the day, and a spectacle of 250+ Cedar Waxwings feasting on Cedar berries.
Satisfied with our Lost Mound results, we headed for lunch in Savanna. While most of us were eating lunch, Cindy and Ethan Brown scouted Doty Road. That road often has mudflats for shorebirds, but not that day. High water flooded the low spots. Ethan found a Short-billed Dowitcher at a distance, the only shorebird highlight of the day.
After lunch, we drove to Spring Lake. On the scouting day, we walked the entire 4 mile circumference of the levee system. Because of the forecast thunderstorm, we limited the trip to a hike to the overlook on the east levee and some scoping from the parking area. We were pleased to find 3 Common Gallinules from the overlook. Other species included another pair of Trumpeter Swans, multiple Sora, a Least Bittern and distant looks at Black and Forster’s Terns. Several Marsh Wrens were singing from the cattails. We avoided walking out one of the secondary levees to look for a male Yellow-headed Blackbird seen there the day before because we found a pair of Sandhill Cranes on it with a very young colt. Because of the high water in the lake, there was no place that the adults could move the chick that would not involve a direct confrontation with birders. We agreed to leave the crane family undisturbed.
Ayers Sand Prairie had one of the most wanted birds of the trip-Loggerhead Shrike. We found it fairly quickly thanks to Davida’s keen hearing. She heard it singing from inside a cedar as their car passed by. The bird emerged and flew to several shrubs and a fence line, giving terrific flight views.
Leaving the shrike, we headed for the subdivision with Purple Martins and Eurasian Tree Sparrows, finding both quickly and in adjoining properties. The Martins completed a swallow sweep.
The day ended for most of the group on Doty Road, where we were unable to find Ethan’s dowitcher, but we added Lesser Yellowlegs and Least Sandpiper.
Davida and Dale Kalina and Ted Wolff decided to return to Lost Mound in the evening to look and listen for some night birds. They recorded 3 Woodcocks, 2 Whip-poor-wills and 2 Henslow’s Sparrows.
Including the 3 species found by the evening group , the trip list was 138 species, a pretty respectable total considering that there was no shorebird habitat.
We had a great group who all contributed to finding and sharing birds with the others. I particularly thank Cindy and Ethan Brown for all of their great scouting help on Friday and for finding a lot of birds (Ethan has great hearing!) for the group, and to the entire group for their excellent birding skills and good humor and company. I had a great time birding with them in one of my favorite areas of the state.
