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DuPage County, Illinois RBA for January 4, 2004
Date: January 4, 2004
Location: DuPage County, Illinois
Number: 630-406-8111
Coverage: Western suburbs of Chicago
Editor: Eric Secker

DuPage Hotline Site
http://www.gadwall.com/birding/hotline/

Official DuPage Birding Club site:
http://www.dupagebirding.org
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Highlight Species:
SPOTTED TOWHEE **
COMMON REDPOLL
OVENBIRD
NORTHERN SHRIKE
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER
EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH


____ DUPAGE COUNTY ____________________________________

The SPOTTED TOWHEE was seen again on January 2 around 10:00 AM in the
brusy area on Wallace Road across from the house for sale.

The bird can be very difficult to find, so please be patient.  It has
also been heard calling a number of times, so listening for its call
may also be helpful.  Also look for bird activity along the roads in
these locations.  The SPOTTED TOWHEE is usually seen with a mixed flock
of feeding birds.

>From I-88, head north on Winfield Road.  Take Winfield a few miles to
Mack Road (1st road north of the stoplight at Butterfield Road).  Turn
east on Mack Road and follow it for about one mile to Twin Oaks Drive,
where you turn right (south).  Then turn east (left) onto Wallace and
look for the brushy area on the right.  The bird has also been seen in
various locations along Twin Oaks Dr. and coming to feeders in a
backyard at the NE corner of Twin Oaks and Wallace.
----------

At the Morton Arboretum on January 1, highlights from the DuPage
Birding Club trip included PINE SISKINS, EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, two
SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS (Frost Hill and Hemlock Hill), and RED-BREASTED
NUTHATCHES.  Many YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS are also still present in the
junipers at the NE end of Frost Hill.

On December 26, a COMMON REDPOLL was seen in a backyard in Wayne (near
Pratt's Wayne Woods).

At Greene Valley on January 2, a NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen along the
entrance road to the main parking lot off 79th Street.  A ROUGH-LEGGED
HAWK has also been seen recently near the old landfill.

On January 1 at Elsen's Hill, a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK and a TUFTED
TITMOUSE were seen.

The OVENBIRD was still present at Mallard Lake on January 3 along with
PINE SISKINS, a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, and PURPLE FINCHES.

On January 2 at Hidden Lake a NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen in various
locations north of the gravel parking lot.

A juvenile RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was seen at Knoch Knolls Park in
Naperville on January 1.

LONG-EARED OWLS and SHORT-EARED OWLS have been reported at multiple
undisclosed locations.

____ KANE COUNTY _______________________________________

Highlights from the Kane County Audubon trip along the Fox River
included two or three WINTER WRENS, COMMON MERGANSERS, and a BLACK
DUCK.

Two EUROPEAN GOLDFINCHES (of unknown origin) were seen at Nelson Lake
Marsh on January 3rd.

____ UPCOMING FIELD TRIPS ______________________________

Saturday, January 10, 2004, 8:00 a.m. Morton Arboretum Reprise. For
those of you who couldn't make the New Years day trip, we will again
check out the Arb for winter specialties. This time we will meet at
parking lot 24 on the west side. When the road forks just past
Thornhill, stay to the left towards Lake Marmo. There will be an
admission charge of $5 today for nonmembers, although if you're with a
member for this year only, there will be no charge. Members must
present their membership cards as the sticker is no longer valid. The
refreshment area by Thornhill should be open.
Leader: Eric Secker, (630) 665-2278.
 
Sunday, January 11, 2004, 7:30 a.m. DesPlaines River. Urs Geiser will
take us on the traditional January tour of the DesPlaines River between
Romeoville and Joliet looking for waterfowl and whatever else we can
find. An "indoor birding" break at the Pilcher Park nature center will
also be included. Meet at 7:30 am at the 'Park&Ride' parking lot on Old
Chicago Drive just east of IL-53 (behind the Ramada), ca. 1/4 mile
south of I-55 in Bolingbrook. Dress warmly and be prepared for windy
conditions.
Leader: Urs Geiser, (630) 515-1712. 
_____________________________________

Thank you to everyone who called or emailed reports to the DuPage
Birding Club Hotline.

=====
The DuPage Birding Club Hotline
DuPage County, Illinois (western suburbs of Chicago)
640-406-8111   mailto:dupagehotline@yahoo.com
http://www.gadwall.com/birding/hotline/