From leslienoa at gmail.com Thu Mar 1 11:19:01 2007

From: leslienoa at gmail.com (Leslie Noa)

Date: Thu Mar 1 11:20:39 2007

Subject: [Birdnotes] campus killdeer

Message-ID: <>

I heard killdeer calling today near Healey and Sixth St on campus. I looked

up and saw two killdeer flying overhead.

My first of the spring.

Leslie Noa

Champaign

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From bgsloan2 at yahoo.com Thu Mar 1 12:04:19 2007

From: bgsloan2 at yahoo.com (B.G. Sloan)

Date: Thu Mar 1 12:05:09 2007

Subject: [Birdnotes] Ring-billed Gulls - CountryFairShopping Center

Message-ID: <>

Saw several Ring-billed Gulls gliding over the CountryFairShppoingCenter parking lots sometime after 10:00 this morning.

Bernie Sloan

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From leiterp at msn.com Thu Mar 1 19:59:23 2007

From: leiterp at msn.com (Pam Leiter)

Date: Thu Mar 1 19:57:48 2007

Subject: [Birdnotes] Woodcocks at Meadowbrrok

Message-ID: <>

Saw several woodcocks at Meadowbrook tonight near McCollough creek southeast of the gardens. About 3 were 'peenting' at sunset.

Large flocks of blackbirds were heading roughly west. Anyone know where they might be roosting? Maybe at the Forestry?

Pam

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From bgsloan2 at yahoo.com Thu Mar 1 20:22:20 2007

From: bgsloan2 at yahoo.com (B.G. Sloan)

Date: Thu Mar 1 20:22:23 2007

Subject: [Birdnotes] Woodcocks at Meadowbrrok

In-Reply-To: <>

Message-ID: <>

I heard a few "peents" tonight as well, although I was there after sunset and it was pretty dark. Dark enough that walking the sidewalk by the "rabbit bridge" was pretty messy. At one point I found myself in an extended pool of ankle-deep+ water that was hard to see in the dark. The creeks are really running high tonight.

Bernie Sloan

Pam Leiter <> wrote:

Saw several woodcocks at Meadowbrook tonight near McCollough creek southeast of the gardens. About 3 were 'peenting' at sunset.

Large flocks of blackbirds were heading roughly west. Anyone know where they might be roosting? Maybe at the Forestry?

Pam

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From lambeth at ad.uiuc.edu Thu Mar 1 20:51:43 2007

From: lambeth at ad.uiuc.edu (Gregory S Lambeth)

Date: Thu Mar 1 20:51:48 2007

Subject: [Birdnotes] Busey Woods Bird Walks (No Sightings)

References: <>

Message-ID: <>

The Busey Woods Bird Walks begin this Sunday (March 4th) at 7:30am and continue every Sunday through the end of May. The walks start at the AnitaPurvesCenter -- dress warmly, especially early on those early walks when it may or may not seem much like spring. These walks are great opportunity to get together with local birders and follow Spring migration from beginning to end. The walks are led by a rotating group of knowledgeable birders who will take the time to point out field marks, talk about identification strategies and help you recognize songs. The walks began in the early 1940s and have run continuously since then. The walks are informal and there's plenty of opportunities to just enjoy the outdoors. During the past several years, we've been just as likely to enjoy Morel mushrooms, caterpillars, Monarches, salamanders, foxes and prairie plants (especially when there aren't alot of birds around). The peak of warbler migration is still more than 2 months away, but early migrants like Fox Sparrow, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Woodcock, Snow Geese, Ring-billed Gull, Rough-legged Hawk and Red-winged Blackbirds are all possible on Sunday. The walks typically last about 90 minutes, but a few birders often continue onto Crystal LakePark, especially later in the season when migration is particularly good. Last year, Crystal LakePark produced some of the best birds, including a Connecticut Warbler that was gave everyone a chance to view it through telescopes.

We hope to see you there.

Greg Lambeth

From jwhoyt at prairienet.org Fri Mar 2 01:25:13 2007

From: jwhoyt at prairienet.org (James Hoyt)

Date: Fri Mar 2 01:25:20 2007

Subject: [Birdnotes] Busey Woods Bird Walks (No Sightings either)

In-Reply-To: <>

Message-ID: <>

Greg and others,

Thank goodness we now have a nice raised walkway in Busey Woods. :-)

Along the same lines as yours...

The season is having some funny effects.

I just saw a couple of Eastern Cottontail rabbits with seemed to be

sitting close to one another tonight as I returned home.

Pretending not to pay that much attention to one another...

Spring can't be that far away.

Jim :)

On Thu, 1 Mar 2007, Gregory S Lambeth wrote:

> The Busey Woods Bird Walks begin this Sunday (March 4th) at 7:30am and continue every Sunday through the end of May. The walks start at the AnitaPurvesCenter -- dress warmly, especially early on those early walks when it may or may not seem much like spring. These walks are great opportunity to get together with local birders and follow Spring migration from beginning to end. The walks are led by a rotating group of knowledgeable birders who will take the time to point out field marks, talk about identification strategies and help you recognize songs. The walks began in the early 1940s and have run continuously since then. The walks are informal and there's plenty of opportunities to just enjoy the outdoors. During the past several years, we've been just as likely to enjoy Morel mushrooms, caterpillars, Monarches, salamanders, foxes and prairie plants (especially when there aren't alot of birds around). The peak of warbler migration is still more than 2 months away, but early migrants like Fox Sparrow, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Woodcock, Snow Geese, Ring-billed Gull, Rough-legged Hawk and Red-winged Blackbirds are all possible on Sunday. The walks typically last about 90 minutes, but a few birders often continue onto Crystal LakePark, especially later in the season when migration is particularly good. Last year, Crystal LakePark produced some of the best birds, including a Connecticut Warbler that was gave everyone a chance to view it through telescopes.

> We hope to see you there.

> Greg Lambeth

> ______

> Birdnotes mailing list

>

>

--

James Hoyt

"The Prairie Ant"

Champaign Co. Audubon

Illinois Audubon Society

Co-steward Parkland College Prairies.

Volunteer Monitor; Urbana Park District Natural Areas.

Champaign County Master Gardener

East Central Illinois Master Naturalist

Grand Prairie Friends - Prairie Grove Volunteers

Allerton Allies

Prairie Rivers Network

The Xerces Society

The Illinois Chapter of the Nature Conservancy

======

"The way to keep a trail alive is to walk on it". Author unknown

======

*******************************************************************************

*******************************************************************************

"The human culture is considered to be a 'geologic force' and with good

reason. But if we are at a stage where our actions are to decide the

world's future, then surely we have reached a level where we can be held

acountable for the world's future." Durward L. Allen "Our Wildlife Legacy"

*******************************************************************************

*******************************************************************************

From charleneanchor at msn.com Fri Mar 2 08:58:56 2007

From: charleneanchor at msn.com (charlene anchor)

Date: Fri Mar 2 08:48:40 2007

Subject: [Birdnotes] Ring-billed Gulls - Country Fair Shopping Center

Message-ID: <>

Adding to Bernie's shopping center gulls, Wednesday morning a Ring-billed was on the ground picking up a scrap of something (looked like bread) in front of Meier's grocery store doors right were people were entering. Also, the new development north from there on Prospect is attracting more geese.

Charlene Anchor

----- Original Message -----

From: B.G. Sloan

Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2007 12:08 PM

To:

Subject: [Birdnotes] Ring-billed Gulls - Country Fair Shopping Center

Saw several Ring-billed Gulls gliding over the Country Fair Shppoing Center parking lots sometime after 10:00 this morning.

Bernie Sloan

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From Frank21 at insightbb.com Fri Mar 2 11:50:18 2007

From: Frank21 at insightbb.com (Frank21)

Date: Fri Mar 2 11:50:25 2007

Subject: [Birdnotes] Ring-billed Gulls - Country Fair Shopping Center

References: <>

Message-ID: <001f01c75cf3$400e5d40$6401a8c0@blackdell>

Probably around noon the Ring-billed Gull was seen at the Post office. Did he go to Lowe's, the mall then the gas station after that?

Frank Cooper

----- Original Message -----

From: charlene anchor

To: B.G. Sloan ;

Sent: Friday, March 02, 2007 8:58 AM

Subject: Re: [Birdnotes] Ring-billed Gulls - Country Fair Shopping Center

Adding to Bernie's shopping center gulls, Wednesday morning a Ring-billed was on the ground picking up a scrap of something (looked like bread) in front of Meier's grocery store doors right were people were entering. Also, the new development north from there on Prospect is attracting more geese

Charlene Anchor

----- Original Message -----

From: B.G. Sloan

Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2007 12:08 PM

To:

Subject: [Birdnotes] Ring-billed Gulls - Country Fair Shopping Center

Saw several Ring-billed Gulls gliding over the Country Fair Shppoing Center parking lots sometime after 10:00 this morning.

Bernie Sloan

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From ryetimothy at gmail.com Fri Mar 2 12:44:36 2007

From: ryetimothy at gmail.com (Timothy Rye)

Date: Fri Mar 2 12:44:41 2007

Subject: [Birdnotes] Possible TRUMPETER SWAN

Message-ID: <>

Hi all,

During an early morning birding trip, I believe that I spotted a possible

TRUMPETER or TUNDRA SWAN. I was at a small lake, just north of the larger

body of water of Lake Mattoon in Coles County. The lake is at the

intersection of Coles County roads 050 N and 050 E (locally known as Ridge

and Lakeview). It was standing among a larger group of Canadian and

Greater-White Fronted Geese (at least 100 of each), as well as Mallards, and

at least one Scaup (couldn't tell which one). The swan was larger with an

all white body and a cream or off-white colored neck. The bill was large

and black, with slight coloration on the lower mandible. There was no

evidence of yellow lores as far as I could see, since I was 60-80 m from the

bird and I only had binoculars. The swan was also banded. It had a larger,

yellow band at the base of its neck that seemed to have some writing on it,

though I couldn't make out anything. It also had leg bands, a white one on

the left leg and a yellow one on the right leg.

Other birds of note at Lake Paradise, just north of Lake Mattoon:

2 Greater White-Fronted Geese

50 or so Canadian Geese

50 or so Ring-billed Gulls

3 Pied bill Grebes

3 Ring-Necked Ducks

1 Canvas Back

8 Mallards (male and female)

Timothy Rye

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From leiterp at msn.com Fri Mar 2 16:47:54 2007

From: leiterp at msn.com (Pam Leiter)

Date: Fri Mar 2 16:48:01 2007

Subject: [Birdnotes] Towhee at HL

In-Reply-To: <>

Message-ID: <>

A male Towhee was feeding under the bird feeders at HL this afternoon.

Pam

From bgsloan2 at yahoo.com Fri Mar 2 16:56:22 2007

From: bgsloan2 at yahoo.com (B.G. Sloan)

Date: Fri Mar 2 16:56:26 2007

Subject: [Birdnotes] Yard Birds - Wild Turkey, etc.

Message-ID: <>

I haven't been home during the day for maybe a couple of weeks, so I was curious about what the yard birds might be today.

Wild Turkey - 1 male...the tracks in the snow make it clear that the east side of my house was a turkey corridor last weekend. Spotted a solitary male using that route about 4:15PM. He basically sprinted on through the back yard. Not sure what he was running away from.

American Crow ? 8-10

Northern Cardinal ? 10, including several singing

Blue Jay - heard but not seen

Carolina Wren ? 2

Dark-eyed Junco ? 6

House Sparrow ? 30+

White-throated Sparrow ? 3

Mourning Dove - 2

Coopers hawk ? 1(?)...spotted several times perched on a utility pole in the southeast corner of the yard...whenever I heard the squirrels/crows sound really agitated I would look out and see the Coopers.

Bernie Sloan

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From threlkster at gmail.com Fri Mar 2 17:17:56 2007

From: threlkster at gmail.com (Brian Threlkeld)

Date: Fri Mar 2 17:18:00 2007

Subject: [Birdnotes] I-72 hawks

Message-ID: <>

Since I have to drive to Springfield and back one day a week, I'll try to

make those hours not wasted, and record hawks along I-72 (and anything else

noteworthy). Unless noted otherwise, hawks are perched in trees by the side

of the freeway . . . .

Westbound Tuesday morning, 27 Feb. 2007:

9:20 (mile 150 and on) -- Hundreds of geese flying north (flocks every few

minutes)

9:27 (mile 145-144) -- Hawk

9:37 (mile 133-132) -- Hawk (red-tailed?) landing in median

9:42 (mile 126-125) -- Hawk

9:51 (mile 114) -- Hawk

The Sangamon River was flooding. Many gulls were flying low over it, near

the freeway bridge.

Eastbound Tuesday afternoon:

4:51 (mile 117) -- Hawk (near Sangamon R.)

4:58 (mile 117-118) -- Red-winged blackbird, on fence. During the summer,

of course, RWBs are ubiquitous fixtures on fences, posts, and tall grass

along the road. This week, I think, was the first I've noticed their return

to that habitat as winter starts to ebb. I'd been seeing black birds along

the road on Tuesday, and I'd guessed they might be RWBs, but it was hard to

be absolutely positive with just a glance as I zipped along. At this point,

however, I had good light, gave the bird a closer look, and saw the red on

the bend of the wing. Over the next 60 miles to Champaign, I counted 15

more RWBs on my side of the road where I was able to see that red. There

were many, many more that almost certainly were RWBs; I just couldn't spot

the red on those.

5:19 (mile 142-143) -- Hawk (looked like a *big* one)

5:22 (mile 146-147) -- Hawk (and, within the next mile, 6 or more deer in a

field)

5:43 (mile 173-174) -- Hawk in flight over the freeway

______

Brian Threlkeld

107 E Michigan Ave

Urbana IL 61801-5027

217-384-5164

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From jbchato at uiuc.edu Fri Mar 2 17:59:47 2007

From: jbchato at uiuc.edu (John & Beth Chato)

Date: Fri Mar 2 17:59:52 2007

Subject: [Birdnotes] Saturday Field Trip change

Message-ID: <>

Birdnoters,

I went out to Riverbend Preserve today to check out conditions. I found that what i could see of the lake was still frozen. More importantly, the gravel company is doing some dirt moving which has mired one section of the road in thick red mud. Maybe I could have made it through but I didn't try.

I went instead to Lake of the Woods park, and that is what I plan to do tomorrow. I hiked part of the North Woods trail. The river is open and way over its banks and that is interesting to see. Most exciting, there was an apparent "hawk" migration flight following the river. I counted 50 some Turkey Vultures, and about 6 Red-tails. One smaller hawk may have been a Sharp-shinned. Most were soaring low over the golf course. One vulture had found a dead furry something on the ground, but he was chased off by a Red-tailed Hawk. I also had Wood Duck, a Rusty Blackbird and a lot of sparrows. The trail is paved and mostly clear with some snowy spots. If you come wear boots.

My yard was also host to a variety of sparrows today. One each of Song, Fox, Tree, and White-crowned joined the usual House sparrows, cardinals and juncos.

Don't forget, Sunday is the kick off for our season of morning walks in Busey Woods. 7:30 am Anita Purves Nature Center. Be in on the start of spring.

Beth Chato

From jwhoyt at prairienet.org Sat Mar 3 00:57:10 2007

From: jwhoyt at prairienet.org (James Hoyt)

Date: Sat Mar 3 00:57:17 2007

Subject: [Birdnotes] Busey Woods

In-Reply-To: <>

Message-ID: <>

Birdnoters,

Walked the boardwalk at Busey Woods.

Icy near the bridge and along the Power Line but clear in the north east

woods.

About 20 cardinals and 3-4 doves along the south side of APNC.

Heard the rattle of one Kingfisher at the bridge.

2 downy woodpeckers on trees near the feeders.

Coming back across the bridge I saw a Cooper's Hawk land in a tree above

the feeding station and then fly off to the east above the nature center.

2-3 cardinals were still in the small trees south of APNC (apparently

these didn't see the hawk.

A pretty good count and I didn't even have my binoculars...

Jim :)

--

James Hoyt

"The Prairie Ant"

Champaign Co. Audubon

Illinois Audubon Society

Co-steward Parkland College Prairies.

Volunteer Monitor; Urbana Park District Natural Areas.

Champaign County Master Gardener

East Central Illinois Master Naturalist

Grand Prairie Friends - Prairie Grove Volunteers

Allerton Allies

Prairie Rivers Network

The Xerces Society

The Illinois Chapter of the Nature Conservancy

======

"The way to keep a trail alive is to walk on it". Author unknown

======

*******************************************************************************

*******************************************************************************

"The human culture is considered to be a 'geologic force' and with good

reason. But if we are at a stage where our actions are to decide the

world's future, then surely we have reached a level where we can be held

acountable for the world's future." Durward L. Allen "Our Wildlife Legacy"