John Heneghan on 8/31 reported via e-mail: Was surprised to see a Black Throated Blue Warbler on the jelly feeder in the yard in Big Rock.
 

Black-throated Blue Warbler photo courtesy John Heneghan

Bob Andrini on 8/28 reported via e-mail: Today while walking along the eastern trail at Bliss Woods, we encountered a small flock of warblers. Those that we could  identify were: Wilson's, Nashville, Golden-winged, and American Redstart. More were seen, but they are on the move and didn't wait around. Other than those, it was a very slow birding walk.

John  Heneghan on 8/27 reported via IBET: Warblers and others were moving through the yard in Big Rock today. Black Throated Green, Chestnut Sided, Redstart, Blue Gray Gnatcatcher, and Carolina Wrens were in the yard this afternoon. 

Theresa LeCompte on 8/25 reported via e-mail: On this morning's KCA walk at Les Arends, the group watched this Great Blue Heron "tenderizing" its breakfast by repeatedly flipping and stabbing the fish with its bill. We also watched a young Cooper's Hawk" unsuccessfully grab n' go with a Mallard.
 

Great Blue Heron with fish photo courtesy Theresa LeCompte

Jon Duerr on 8/25 reported via eBird: Saw 1,115 Chimney Swifts at Marberry Cleaners. "counted by 5's and 10's; all Swifts into chimney by 8:10"

Chris Madsen on 8/25 reported: While grilling in my St. Charles backyard tonight and keeping a casual watch of Chimney Swifts in the neighborhood, Carla and I were treated to a parade of 38(!) migrating Common Nighthawks.

Jenny Vogt and Jenny Flaxman on 8/23 reported via eBird: Seeing three Black Terns at Nelson Lake. "Feeding delicately over the [marsh]. Long pointed wings, dark gray back, black bill, dark top of head smudge through eye. "

Josh Engel on 8/20 reported via IBET: Seven young birders and their parents joined me, Steve Bayer, and guest leader Tim Balassie for some shorebirding in Kane and Dupage Counties yesterday, August 19. We started at Dunteman Turf Farms in Kaneville, where we found plenty of Killdeer but no other shorebirds. We moved on to Nelson Lake, which fortunately held a much higher diversity of shorebirds, including Short-billed Dowitcher and Semipalmated Plover. Ben Sanders carefully counted Common Gallinules, finding 24 individuals, presumably indicating a successful breeding season for them here. At one point a juvenile Peregrine flushed all the shorebirds. It caught something--we weren't sure what--then sat in a dead tree and ate its prey.

Chris Bowman on 8/16 reported via e-mail: Thursday August 16 at 11 am, I was looking through a scope, from the east lookout deck at Nelson Lake. A mature Common Gallinule was spotted working along the reeds on the east side of the lake.

W L Lanning on 8/14 reported via e-mail: Shared a picture of a banded Red-tailed Hawk seen in Wayne.
 

Banded Red-tailed Hawk photo courtesy W L Lanning

Jackie Bowman on 8/13 reported via e-mail: The Sandhill Crane family is continuing to visit our backyard feeder, and to our surprise this morning the male is also doing some rodent extermination for us. Maybe in payment for the delicious seed buffet for his family?
 

Sandhill Crane photo courtesy Jackie Bowman

Mia Majetschak on 8/15 reported via eBird: Saw a Merlin at Dunteman Sod Farm. "small, compact dark Falcon with heavily spotted, pointed wings and extensive streaking on buff underparts, black subterminal band on barred tail. No dominant facial strips like AMKE, fast and stiff wingbeats hunting over the field and the shrub area to the east of the sod fields, no hovering."

Jackie Bowman on 8/13 reported via e-mail: For the past week we have had a Sandhill Crane feeding at our backyard tray feeder.  This morning we woke to see that he must've felt safe enough to bring the whole family over for breakfast :)   What a treat to meet the Mrs and little.
 

Sandhill Cranes photo courtesy Jackie Bowman

Jon Duerr on 8/13 reported via eBird: Saw a Broad-winged Hawk at Fox River Bluff Forest Preserve. "band tail last widest, chest/belly striped brown/red. was calling and matched recordings."

Marcello Gomes on 8/12 reported via eBird: Found a Blue Grosbeak at Fermilab. "Male Blue Grosbeak flying low to the ground in the area right after the security guard. Great views on binoculars chasing a cricket that land on the road. Big conical beak, blue colors with brown flanks. Unmistakable. "

Scott Cohrs on 8/12 reported via eBird: Also located a Blue Grosbeak, but at Dunteman Sod Farm in Kaneville. "Singing along Bateman Road.  Historical location.  May have been a young bird.  "

Scott Cohrs on 8/8 reported via eBird: Seeing on Tuesday, August 7, a Western Sandpiper at the Seavey Road fluddle. "Large, plump, juvenile peep. Long, droopy bill with wide base. Likely male based on bill length. Very plain, pale breast. Pale face and forehead. Cheek patch. Bright rufous upper scapulars that contrasted  with rest of the body. Cap present but not overly bold. White supercilium accentuated by pale face. Dull grayish legs. Several least and semipalmated sandpipers present nearby for direct comparison. Structure very Western-like, plump ad barrel-chested... 

Bird was observed for about 10-15 minutes. Jay S., Pete M. and Mia M. all had good looks and agree with ID. Additional photos may be available.   After about 15 minutes, bird flew west and was not relocated. There was obvious movement of shorebirds during the time I was present."

Marion Miller on 8/6 reported via eBird: At the Seavey Road fluddle, an extension of Dick Young Forest Preserve, a Willet. "Large shorebird, bulkier and taller than Yellowlegs present. Thick straight long black bill and gray blue legs."

Jay Sturner on 8/5 reported via eBird: Finding a Wilson's Phalarope and a Red-necked Phalarope on 8/4 at the Dick Young Forest Preserve/Seavey Road fluddle. Saw them both again on Sunday morning, along with a White-rumped Sandpiper.

Steve Huggins on 8/5 reported via IBET: I started the morning at Dunteman Sod Farms in Kaneville - I was hoping for a Buff-breasted Sandpiper but despite a long hard look I was unable to find any among the throngs of Killdeer. Just as I was leaving I had the strange sight of two Black Terns flying low over the sod before circling up high and drifted to the east - no water anywhere near here as far as I know.

I moved on from here to the fluiddle at Seevey Road just west of Nelson Lake Road - here is where i found the two species of phalaropes - the red-necked a huge surprise among almost 350 other shorebirds which included, 1 Stilt Sand, 1 White-rumped Sand, 2 Short-billed Dowitchers, 74 Lesser yellowlegs, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 141 Pec Sands, 1 Semipalmated Plover, 24 Spotted Sand, 7 Solitary Sand plus a bunch of Killdeer. What a great fluddle - wish there were more of these out there!!

Jim Jarosz on 8/4 reported via IBET: I saw [a Buff-breasted Sandpiper] among the 60 to 70 Killdeer at the Dunteman turf farm in Kane County...you need a scope to spot it.  Did also have 5 meadowlarks on that site. Needed a scope to see those too.

Theresa LeCompte on 8/5 reported via e-mail: Not a bird, but spotted a Hummingbird Moth in my Aurora yard on 8/2.
 

Hummingbird Moth photo courtesy Theresa LeCompte

Jay Sturner on 8/1 first reported via eBird: Finding a Wilson's Phalarope at the Seavey Road fluddle.