Waterfowl through Rails

Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks continued their range expansion in IL. Of special interest were the 10 reported in extreme northeastern IL in Mundelein, Lake Co, 1–2 Jun (m. ob.) The largest number encountered were the 32 at Grand Tower, Jackson Co, IL 21 Jul (Don D. Mullison). In IN, where Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks are less common, they were seen at four locations: one was at Goose Pond 1 Jun (Bill Sharkey, Richard Garrett et. al); two-seven were seen at the traditional pond site north of Mount Vernon, Posey Co from 2 Jun (Stuart Tower) through 29 Jun (Heath Harlan, Nicolas Cates, m. ob.); two were at a pond near Owensville, Gibson Co on 9 Jun (ph. Duane Englert); and two were photographed on 4 Jul at J. I. Case Wetland near Terre Haute, Vigo Co (Marty Jones, Peter Scott). Trumpeter Swans nested successfully at Rollins Savanna FP, Lake Co, IL 2 Jun where two adults and six cygnets were present (Adam W. Sell, m. ob.). Another pair with two cygnets at Willow Slough’s Murphy L., Newton Co on 31 Jul (Jared Emmack) constituted IN’s second breeding record.

On 27 May, Walter Marcisz flushed a female Blue-winged Teal from a nest containing 10 eggs at DuPont Natural Area, East Chicago, Lake Co, providing the 16th confirmed breeding record for the IN L. Michigan lakefront. Also at Rollins Savanna, Lake Co, IL were four recently fledged Gadwall on 18 Jul (Beau J. Schaefer); the species is not a common breeder in the region. Initially generating interest as possible Mottled Ducks, a pair of dark Anas ducks at Patoka R. NWR, Gibson Co, IN were positively identified as American Black Ducks–rare in the region in the summer–on 13 Jun (ph. Evan Speck, Jeremy Ross). A male Canvasback in South Bend, St. Joseph Co on 25 Jul (Trinity Ever) provided IN’s third Jul record and fourth ever summer record. Notable was a female Greater Scaup that remained at the east end of L. Lemon, Brown Co, IN through 5 Jun (Jim & Susan Hengeveld). Intriguing was the sighting of a female and nine fully grown young Common Mergansers on fast-flowing Clear Creek (appropriate breeding habitat) in southern Monroe Co, IN on 28 Jul (ph. Joe Bailey). Seemingly likely, this would represent a first breeding record for IN if they bred locally.

A White-winged Dove was heard calling at Pigeon R. FWA, LaGrange Co, IN on 1 Jun (Sam Plew). It was an excellent season for Yellow-billed Cuckoos in IN, the maximum count consisting of 14 at Lincoln SP, Spencer Co on 1 June (John Meredig). An excellent count of 45 Eastern Whip-poor-wills at Sand Ridge State Forest, Mason Co, IL 11 Jun was encouraging as the species’ numbers have been in decline for several years (Chad Cremer).

Common Gallinules nested successfully at three northern IL and five northern IN locations as well as at Emiquon in central IL (Andy Gilbert) and at Patoka R. NWR in southern IN (ph. Jeremy Ross). King Rails were reported from six IL and two IN locations, the 13 (two adults and 11 chicks) tallied at Cane Ridge FWA, Gibson Co on 11 June (Richard Garrett) tying the maximum daily count for IN. An exciting find was a vocalizing Black Rail at Killdeer Wetlands FP, Cook Co, IL 2 Jun (†Stephanie Beilke, †Walter J. Marcisz).

Shorebirds

Peak counts of Black-necked Stilts consisted of 70 at Ware, Union Co, IL 21 Jul (Keith A. McMullen) and 60 at Emiquon 31 Jul (Dan T. Williams). The Piping Plover pair, dubbed “Monty and Rose,” once again successfully fledged three young at Montrose 17–31 Jul (ph. Tamima Itani, m. ob.). Single banded adult Piping Plovers were seen at Mich. City on 26 Jul (Bob Huguenard) and 29 Jul (John Cassady). In a good summer for American Avocets in IN, the peak count was of five at Goose Pond 23 Jul (Bill Sharkey). By contrast, the six Upland Sandpipers recorded in all of IN marked the lowest summer total since 1985. A total of five Whimbrels in the region included two at Mich. City 11 Jul (ph. Bill Sharkey, ph. John Kendall) and singles at Montrose 16 Jul (Terry Walsh), at Techny Basin Conservation Area, Cook Co, IL 29 Jul (Alan F. Stokie, ph. Tom Lally et al.), and at Miller Beach, Lake Co, IN on 31 Jul (Eric Michael). Of the dozen Marbled Godwits reported, a very early fall migrant was in western Gibson Co, IN on 11 Jun (Bill Sharkey), the high count of four was recorded at Mich. City on 10 Jul (Ed Hopkins), two were at Illinois Beach SP 27 Jul (Alan F. Stokie, Andy O. Stewart), and a singleton was at Emiquon 30 Jul (Dan T. Williams et al).

Good maximum high counts included 250 Stilt Sandpipers, 500 Pectoral Sandpipers and 600 Lesser Yellowlegs, all at Emiquon on 31 Jul (Dan T. Williams). An excellent tally of 400 Least Sandpipers was made at Spunky Bottoms, Brown Co, IL 20 Jul (Colin Dobson). A Western Sandpiper at Elliot Road, Jackson Co, IL 27 Jul (Keith A. McMullen) was the only report from the region (Keith A. McMullen). At The Nature Conservancy’s Kankakee Sands, Newton Co, a Solitary Sandpiper found on 22 Jun (Randy Pals) tied for the third earliest fall migrant for IN. A juv. Solitary Sandpiper at Carlson Oxbow Park, Lake Co on 8 Jul (Randy Pals) provided IN’s earliest fall arrival date for that age class. More than twice the average number of Willets for the summer period were reported in IN, and the 25 tallied at Mich. City 26 Jun constituted IN’s highest ever Jun count (Matt Kalwasinski). In addition, the two juvs. recorded at Mich. City 15 Jul (Ken Brock, John Cassady, Randy Pals) constituted IN’s earliest ever report of a juvenile. A single Willet at Decker Chapel Slough on 31 Jul (Gary & Lisa Bowman) furnished a first record for Knox Co, IN. Nine Wilson’s Snipe were found at the Pierce Road Wetland, St. Joseph Co on 30 Jul (Ken Brock), furnishing IN’s second largest summer count. Only two Wilson’s Phalaropes were reported in IN.

Gulls through Herons

A first-year Little Gull was discovered in Woodford Co, IL 16 Jun (Andrew P. Sigler), staying through 29 Jun (ph. Davida Kalina, Ted Hartzler, m. ob.). There were three Laughing Gull and two Franklin’s Gull reports during the period, all in IL. Single Lesser Black-backed Gulls were seen at North Point Marina, Lake Co, IL 6 Jun (ph. William & Annette McClellan), at Spoon River Bottoms, Fulton Co, IL on 4 Jul (Andy Gilbert) and 24 Jul (Colin Dobson), and at Mich. City 21–22 Jul (ph. Lisa & Randy Vanderbilt, John Kendall). Average numbers of Least Terns were present in the usual regional breeding areas. However, the 58 counted on 28 Jun (Rhonda R. Rothrock) were at a new nesting location near Mounds, Pulaski Co, IL, illustrating that these birds will place nests wherever appropriate if their normal sandbar islands or floodplain nesting locations adjacent to larger rivers are underwater. Additionally, two territorial Least Terns were found in the Ohio R. Bottoms south of Evansville, IN on 23 Jun (Heath & Logan Harlan), and five days later, a nest was found (Heath Harlan). On 12 Jul, two adults were observed feeding two young (Chuck Mills). This constituted a first breeding record for Vanderburgh Co. The maximum count of Common Terns in the breeding colony at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, Lake Co, IL was 31 on 3 Jul (Donald R. Dann).

A single Anhinga was reported from the Cache River State Natural Area, Johnson Co, IL 8–13 Jul (Michael Linz, Patty McLean, ph. Keith A. McMullen). Solo Neotropic Cormorants were present the entire period at Almond Marsh, Lake Co, IL (Anne Kotowski, ph. Beau J. Schaefer, m. ob.), and from 20–28 Jun at Emiquon (Colin Dobson, Ted Hartzler). Decent numbers of Least Bitterns were present at Emiquon, with 16 tallied there on 11 Jul (Andy Gilbert). Also encouraging were seven Yellow-crowned Night-Herons on 21 Jun in Granite City, Madison Co, IL (Doug Hommert), where breeding has previously occurred. Notable was an adult Yellow-crowned Night-Heron that was seen throughout the season in the northwest corner of Indianapolis, IN (m. ob.).

Hawks through Owls

An ad. Osprey on a nest in Clark Co, IN on 22 Jun (Tom Becker) furnished a first breeding record for that county. On 25 Jul, David Kingen enjoyed a fly-by Swallow-tailed Kite at Prophetstown S.P., Tippecanoe Co, IN. A second Swallow-tailed Kite was seen soaring over the freeway near the Wisconsin border in Lake Co, IL on 27 Jul (†Patricia Isaacson, Kenneth Isaacson). An excellent count of 37 Mississippi Kites was made 29 Jun at Cache River State Natural Area, Johnson Co, IL (Dan T. Williams). At least one Swainson’s Hawk pair continued throughout most of the period in the Burlington, Kane Co, IL area where they are regular; several observers reported seeing one of the birds carrying nesting material.

A Monk Parakeet landed on a balcony in Michigan City, IN on 15 Jul (Susan Bagby), representing the first record for the city and second for LaPorte Co.

Generating much excitement was a pair of Barn Owls that produced at least one fledgling in LaGrange Co, IN (Leland Shaum, m. ob.). The species is rare in the northern part of the region and this represented the first breeding record in the northern tier of IN in more than 60 years.

Flycatchers through Buntings

Western Kingbirds continued to breed at three known IL locations: 3 were at East St. Louis, St. Clair Co 22 Jun (Andrew S. Aldrich, Keith A. McMullen); two were in Granite City, Madison Co 1 Jul (Frank R. Holmes); and eight were noted near Havana, Mason Co 10 Jul (Davida Kalina, Vicky Sroczynski). A pair at the traditional nesting site at the Evansville Regional Airport, Vanderburgh Co, IN was seen at a nest 5 Jul (ph. Evan Speck, m. ob.), and subsequently, a group of five individuals was seen at the site on 20 Jul (Evan Speck). On 19 Jul, a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was found near Bedford, IN (Amy & Noah Kearns), providing a first record for Lawrence Co. Of 20+ Alder Flycatchers reported in IN, the majority appeared to be late spring migrants with only a few representing possible breeders. More than twice the average number of summer Willow Flycatchers were reported in IN, the maximum count being 15 at Beverly Shores, Porter Co on 1 Jun (John Caruso). On 8 Jun, a Least Flycatcher seen at Hegewisch Marsh, Cook Co, IL (Walter S. Marcisz), where they have been noted in previous summers, was possibly on territory. The female Say’s Phoebe initially found in late May (Matthew E. Fraker) near Weldon, DeWitt Co, IL (m. ob.), continued through 16 Jul (Adam W. Sell). The bird was paired with a male Eastern Phoebe that many observers noted frequenting the area. Several observers obtained photos of three young birds, but unfortunately none of them fledged successfully.

Bell’s Vireos seem to be doing well as indicated by a maximum count of 17 at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, Will Co, IL 2 Jun (Jeff A. Smith). A pair of Red-breasted Nuthatches was seen feeding a fledgling at Lake in the Hills, Lake Co, IL 16 Jun (ph. Joe Kent). Interestingly, a Red-breasted Nuthatch was seen multiple times throughout Jun attending a feeder in Carmel, Hamilton Co in central IN (John Waidner). Two Brown Creepers were tending a nest at Skokie Lagoons, Cook Co, IL 3 Jun (ph. Jeff Bilsky). It was a record summer for Marsh Wrens in IN as nearly triple the average summer total was reported. The high count for the period was 31 at the Grant St. Wetland, Lake Co, IN on 2 Jul (Matt Kalwasinski).

In IL, Pine Siskins successfully bred at two DuPage Co locations and at one Cook Co location; a high count of seven birds, including fledglings, was noted at a Wheaton, DuPage Co residence 3 Jun (Vince Moxon, Marilyn Moxon).

An excellent count of 26 Grasshopper Sparrows was made at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, Will Co, IL 11 Jun (Stephanie Bielke). A tally of five Clay-colored Sparrows at Lakewood FP, Lake Co, IL 23 Jun was also noteworthy (Beau J. Schaefer). Other excellent maximum counts included 17 Vesper Sparrows in Champaign Co, IL 13 Jun (Michael P. Ward) and 34 Henslow’s Sparrows at Lake of the Hills, Lake Co, IL 29 Jun (Debra Nord).

Yellow-headed Blackbirds continued their strong showing at Goose Lake Natural Area, McHenry Co, IL, where 30 birds were counted on 22 Jul (Brendan Lake). It was a record season for Baltimore Orioles in IN, the total nearly tripling the long-term average total.

On 13 Jun, an apparently territorial male Blackburnian Warbler was found at Brincka-Cross Gardens, Porter Co, IN (Brad Bumgardner). It was seen there again on both 16 Jun (Brad Bumgardner) and 21 Jun (Ed Hopkins), providing the first evidence of breeding in IN away from Dunes SP. Another intriguing record of Blackburnian Warbler was of a female photographed in Tippecanoe Co, IN on 27 Jul (Lisa Judge) that furnished the first Jul record for that county. The most noteworthy warbler sighting in IL was of a male “Audubon’s” Yellow-rumped Warbler that was photographed at Illinois Beach SP, Lake Co, IL on 14 Jun (ph. Beau J. Schaefer).

Unexpected were two Rose-breasted Grosbeaks reported in Dubois Co, IN on 16 Jun (Sean Verkamp) as they provided a first Jun record for the county. On 27 Jul, a group led by Alan Bruner tallied 659 Indigo Buntings in Parke Co, establishing a new one-day high for IN. A male Painted Bunting discovered at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, Will Co, IL 2 Jun (ph. Jeff A. Smith) was relocated 8 Jun (ph. Davida Kalina) and thrilled numerous observers. The bird was last seen on 12 Jun during the Illinois Audubon Society field trip (m. ob.). At the known East St. Louis, St. Clair Co, IL breeding location, a male Painted Bunting was noted on 2 Jun (Mark S. Seiffert, Dan M. Kassebaum) and on 16 Jun (Colin Dobson).

Exotics

European Goldfinches were noted at a nest in Waukegan, Lake Co, IL on 8 Jul (Bert Pluska); this species continues to thrive in several Lake Co, IL locations.