2007 Fall Newsletter

A printable (.pdf) version of this newsletter can be found here.
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From the Presidential Birdfeeder

Finally the heat of August is subsiding (or soon will) and we can get out birding without feeling beads of sweat falling off our noses, or having our binocs fog up when we get out of the car. Shorebirds are starting to appear and the fall holds hope for new birds that come through our area in their ‘post breeding’ migrations.       

The fall line up of activities is one to excite even casual birders. We have five trips in September, four trips in October, three trips in November, and three in December. Some of the trips will be to relatively new birding spots while others to places where we always see birds. One of the November events is our annual Scope Day (Nov. 3) – at this time there will be scopes set up at Nelson’s Lake almost all morning for interested people to come out and look at the migrating waterfowl. This is a good time to invite your friends that have said “I’d like to bird someday” – this could be that someday. 

Our meeting programs will be about Brazil and looking for exotic birds; the swamps of the south looking for the ever elusive Ivory-billed Woodpecker (talk about exotic!!!!!!); and we will also hear about the successful Peregrine Falcon program in Chicago. Read the newsletter for more information.

Two very important changes should be noted: the September meeting is our annual Potluck that starts at 6 PM; and the December meeting will take place at the Pottawatomie Community Center.

Kath and I had reason to go up to Eagle Optics to purchase a pair of binoculars, and as always had a very good experience. If you need binocs or a spotting scope, don’t forget to use our Pro-referral Program at Eagle Optics. You get from 5 to 10% off your purchase and KCA gets a credit. It’s a good way to save some money and work with quality people. Contact me for more information.

KCA’s website is a great way to discover new birds in our area. We also have a bird alert email that informs members about weekly rambles and activities that are of interest to area birders. If you want to be added to the bird alert, let me know.

Come out and join us in some or all of our activities. The birds are around, but we must go out and find them – what better way than to share the experience with those of similar interest.

                                                                                                Good birding
                                                                                                Bob
  

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Forest Preserves and running dogs

 

Many members have brought up the subject of dogs off lead in the forest preserves. At one of our Nelson’s Lake walks a dog’s owner became very defensive about his right to let his dog run. One of the participants proceeded to call 911 to inform Kane County Forest Preserve District about the problem, and within a short time Forest Preserve Police showed up looking for the dog owner (we don’t know the results of the police coming out). A comment made at one of our meetings was that ‘someone should do something’. Well, maybe we are that ‘someone’. Next time a similar situation arises, call 911 or the forest preserve dispatch number (630-232-6840) and tell them about the situation.

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WEB SITE

Submitted by Bob Andrini

Our website has been very successful – since its inception almost 5,000 have logged on to check out the information presented. I wanted to direct your attention to some specific areas where I very frequently go. The Recent Sightings is a great resource to find birds that have been sighted in Kane County – one must check daily during migration or the birds will be gone before you hear about them. There is also a link to IBET (Illinois Birders Exchange Thoughts) that tell of bird sightings in Illinois. If you go on IBET’s home page and look for the state alert section, you can go to any state and see what birds are being sighted there. Whenever we go on vacation, this is one of the main places I go to check out the special birds that we might see during our trip. The website can open many doors to the birding world, so check it out.

 

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POTLUCK DINNER

 

The September meeting will start with our annual POTLUCK DINNER. Kathy Andrini, Ann Holt-Harris and Debby Kerns will co-chair the event. The food items to be brought will depend on the first letter of your last name: A to F brings a vegetable dish: G to L brings a dessert: M to R brings a main entrée’: S to Z brings a salad. If you have any questions call Kathy (630-584-8386) or Ann (630-208-6620). The same evening we will show nature photos, slides or digital images. Members are asked to bring a maximum of 15 nature photos, slides or images. The Potluck begins at 6 PM at Peck Farm. Drinks silverware, cups, plates and napkins will be provided.

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WHO STARTED ME IN BIRDING

 

This is a continuation of a series introducing people who started our members into birding. If you would like to add your own comments for future newsletters, send me the information (Bob Andrini)

Ella Mae Goshen – My grandmother took me for walks through the Indiana Woods. I’m sure my first bird was a robin.

Paul Bergeson – Bob Horlock, Ron Rattner and I used to go out about every other Sunday morning. Great times with great people.

Terry Murray – My mom and dad were out doorsy, so we went camping and hiking as a family – birding followed.

Jerry Hope - My father introduced me to wildlife and the great outdoors.

Sue Holstrom – My father talked to the birds and squirrels when I was a girl. He always kept a bird book in the kitchen to identify them.

Mary Mayer – Paul Mayer was the first bird watcher I ever met. In N.Y. city - that is rare.

Nancy Schnaitman – Before kindergarten, I was introduced to birds by my Grandpa Art. He had homing pigeons that he kept in the coop behind the house. He also had a little Banty Hen (that slept with him). She had yummy eggs.

Sue Robinson - The College of DuPage had some wonderful birding programs. Joe Speno and Hal Cohen were great instructors.

Bob Andrini -  I have always been interested in nature. In college I took an Ornithology class with Bill Southern that really got me in touch with birding. I went on a collecting trip down to the Everglades and seeing so many new and different birds really got me excited about birdwatching.

 

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FALL ACTIVITIES

 

Following are dates, times and locations for our upcoming activities. If there are any questions, contact the trip leader or Bob Andrini. Please note that the potluck dinner starts at 6 PM, all other meetings start at 7. Dress properly for the walks. The public is invited to attend any Kane County Activity. Maps to most locations are available on our website.

 

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AN ALASKAN ADVENTURE

Submitted by Paul Mayer

 

It was 1:30 AM when the telephone in the motel room in Anchorage began to ring. I got up to answer the call from the front desk. “May we send up Mr. & Mrs. Andrini?” the voice said. Bob and Kathy had just arrived from Chicago and needed to get in to our 2 bedroom suite for a few hours of sleep before our departure the next morning to the Pribilof Islands.

The Pribs (as they’re called) are located approximately 760 miles southwest of Anchorage and 268 miles north and west of Dutch Harbor putting them smack in the middle of the Bering Sea. After three and a half hours in a 27 seat turbo prop  airplane along with a group from Field Guides, we found ourselves landing at St. Paul on this small 48 square mile island; our home for the next four days.

The Pribolofs are uniquely situated and serve as a stopping off place for many migrating birds returning to their breeding and nesting grounds in Alaska, Russia and Asia. Because of where they’re located, the Pribs provide a valuable rest and refueling stop within the ABA boundaries for many species we would never get to see in the lower 48 States. And that’s what we were here for.

The plane came to a stop and we disembarked into the “terminal” and the “new hotel”. The terminal was a large metal building that housed heavy equipment and the attached hotel was a modern day barracks or dormitory, perfectly suited for the newly arrived, excited birders seeking exotic lifers. Even before reaching the terminal we saw our first Gray-crowned Rosy Finches. This was going to be a good trip. We were assigned our rooms, stowed our gear, went to an orientation by our guides for the next four days and then we hit the road to get in some birding before dinner.

Dylan Rubin was to be our first guide and we quickly set out to find a Bean Goose reported earlier. Three words describe a Bean Goose; huge and very shy. After parking the van, the eight of us in our assigned group began a short walk to the ridge of a grassy knoll. And, sure enough we got there just in time to see the goose take flight as soon as it spotted us nearly 400 yards away. As I said, huge and shy. We were all able to get satisfactory looks to identify the bird and a happy group ticked off their first Asian rarity. After dinner and until about eleven o’clock (it stays light until after midnight) we added more to the growing list including Rock Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Godwit, Lapland Longspurs, Short-eared Owl, Black-headed Gull, Mew Gull, and a variety of the more common species of waterfowl. Day one was very good.

The weather on St. Paul Island is easy to describe; cold and overcast with considerable fog in the mornings. And so the next morning the next three days began. Our cris-crossing of the island would now take us to various habitats ranging from 300 ft. shear cliffs covered with nesting seabirds to flat boulder strewn beaches which were becoming the exclusive domain of the constantly increasing number of Northern Fur Seals. In between were grass covered hills and volcanic remnants where reindeer and arctic fox roamed.

The very long days passed quickly. Birding would start at 8:00 AM after breakfast and usually not end until 10 or 11 in the evening. The lists began to grow. Soon we added Eurasian Widgeon, Snowy Owl, Brambling, Bald Eagle, Slaty-backed Gull, Glacous and Glaucous-winged Gull, Herring Gull (vaegae form), Ancient Murrelett, Pigeon Guillemot, and Common, Stellar, and King Eiders.

And then came the cliffs and the seabirds. Trips to the cliffs always left us in awe of what was unfolding in front of us. Clinging to the sides of rocks and on small ledges or in holes in the cliff face were thousands of nesting birds. Northern Fulmar, Red-faced and Pelagic Cormorants, Thick-billed and Common Murres, Least, Parakeet and Crested Auklets, Horned and Tufted Puffins and Black-legged and Red-legged Kittiwakes made up a spectacle of nature none of us had ever seen before. Careful not to get too close to the edge of the cliffs, we eagerly watched and snapped pictures until there just wasn’t anything left to photograph.

Each day saw a different part of the island although some places required more than one look. The two groups (Field Guide and the independents) in separate vans went in different directions and stayed in touch to report serious rarities. As we roamed the island more birds began to show up. One of the highlights (found by members of our group) was a Terek Sandpiper which even the guides got excited over. Smew, Tufted Duck, Cackling Goose, White-fronted Goose, Common Snipe, Hoary Redpoll, Red Phalarope, Wandering Tattler, Long-tailed Duck, and the Eurasian form of the Green-winged Teal were all added to the list.

In the end, after four days, 62 species of birds were tallied at St. Paul. Bob and Kath added 14 to their life lists, Mary 19, and 9 for me. We left tired and satisfied but most of all very grateful for the opportunity to have been there.

From here it would be on to the mainland of Alaska and one more week of birding from a motor home doing the inner loop. The trip yielded many birds, beautiful scenery and unique experiences. But most of all we enjoyed each other and our time together. Two weeks in pretty close quarters for four retired people is a test. We passed and can’t wait for our next adventure together.

 

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NEW MEMBERS

 

Welcome to the newest members of both the Illinois Audubon Society and our local chapter of Kane County Audubon:

 

Kevin and Domenica Corry – Bartlett

 

In order to become members of our local chapter, IAS members must sign up.

 

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SUMMER FIELD TRIPS

 

June 13 – Tri-county State Park (Chris Madsen)

Thirty birders turned out for the Wednesday night birdwalk led by Roger Hotham at James ‘Pate’ Philip State Park (formerly called Tri-county). On a beautiful evening for birdwatching, everyone got treat views of Black-crowned Night Herons, Common Moorhens, Yellow-headed Blackbirds, Dickcissel, and more than 50 Great Egrets. Other species of note included a pair of Mute Swans, Blue-winged Teal, Great Blue Heron, Double –crested Cormorants, Wood Ducks, Belted Kingfisher, Sandhill Cranes, Green Heron, Ring-necked Pheasant, Eastern Meadowlark, Common Yellowthroat, Savannah Sparrow, Sedge Wren, Marsh Wren, Swamp Sparrow, Yellow Warbler, Orchard Oriole, Eastern Kingbird, Willow Flycatcher, Chimney Swift and Barn, Bank and Rough-winged swallows.

July 11 – Hanniford Woods (Bob Andrini)

28 people showed up on one of those beautiful summer days with great temperatures and bright sun to walk around the prairie and see what type of grassland birds could be found. Several new participants had read about it in the newspaper and decided to come and bird with us. Bobolinks and Dickcissel were in the field, but only the Dickcissel was calling for us – the Bobolinks were few and very spread out. When there are not many birds, we looked at the bountiful prairie that is found in the field. We ended up with a good time outside and one more bird than there were people with 29. We also accomplished one of my objectives, and that was to introduce our members to places that they had not experienced before.                              

August 8 – Jon Duerr Forest Preserve (Jane McMillan)

With threat of returning rain, 9 diehard birders met for a picnic supper and a walk on the trails. We saw 22 different species and several got away before we could identify them. A few notes of a song would have been welcomed, but the birds have no reason to call for a mate since breeding season is long gone. We had long looks at an immature Red-headed Woodpecker and a nice long walk along the Fox River. We did manage the entire walk without getting rained upon. Several people commented that it has been the wettest August they can remember.

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Meeting Presentations

 

In October, Mary Hennen will present a program about Chicago’s Peregrine Program. Mary works in the bird lab at the Field Museum in Chicago and heads up the Peregrine program. She will talk about successes and failures that have taken place since its inception. Images of Peregrines as well as study skins will help to enhance the program.

November will bring back Jack Pomatto as he discusses his trip to Brazil. We will hear not only about the bird life, but also about the south Amazon and the Pantanal (the world’s largest freshwater wetland). Jack is a retired teacher and world birder who brings special insight about his travels.

 The December meeting will be at the Pottawatomie Community Center to find out about the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Doug Stotz is a conservation Ecologist/ornithologist from the Field Museum in Chicago, and has gone looking for the Ivory-bill.  He will bring a study skin of an Ivory-billed Woodpecker for us to look at and will discuss the current status of the search for the Holy Grail of birding.

 

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2007 SPRING BIRD COUNT

Submitted by Chris Madsen

 

What follows are the results of Kane County Audubon’s Spring Bird Count. If you want the results for the entire count area (Fermi Circle) go to our website (www.kanecountyaudubon.org) and click on the spring count icon. Also on the website there is available all of our count data from 1972.

2007 marks the 36^th consecutive year that KCA has conducted a Spring Bird Count. This year on May 5^th, 39 birders fanned out to cover the county in 19 groups. Once again, the Red-winged Blackbird took honors as the most counted species at 1,722 birds. Joining the KCA Spring Bird Count list for the first time are the Smith’s Longspur and American White Pelican, an injured migrant holdover. Amazingly, although 104 of the 149 species counted posted numbers above their yearly average, no new high counts were recorded. The American Black Duck, Virginia Rail, Wilson’s Snipe, Chimney Swift, Blue-headed Vireo, Carolina Wren and Marsh Wren tied previous record highs.