----------------------------------------------------- DuPage County, Illinois RBA for February 7, 2005 Date: February 7, 2005 Location: DuPage County, Illinois Number: 630-406-8111 Coverage: Western suburbs of Chicago Editor: Eric Secker DuPage Hotline Site: http://www.bcnbirds.org/hotline/ Official DuPage Birding Club site: http://www.dupagebirding.org ----------------------------------------------------- Highlight Species: NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL BARRED OWL SHORT-EARED OWL ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK RED-SHOULDERED HAWK MONK PARAKEET BALD EAGLE ____ DUPAGE COUNTY ______________________________________ On Sunday (Feb. 6) at Waterfall Glen, a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL was found roosting high in a pine tree. BARRED OWLS have been seen on multiple occasions this week in the pines along the north-south gravel road. Other recent sightings include GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, BROWN CREEPER, HERMIT THRUSH, and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES. All birds were seen in the area around the Bluff Road entrance. Directions: take I-55 and exit south on Cass Road. Park in the gravel lot where the road curves left (becoming Bluff Road) or continue just a short distance further to the paved lot.52 At Springbrook Prairie last week around dusk, 6 SHORT-EARED OWLS were seen hunting north of the (relatively new) parking lot off of 83rd Street near Book Road. A couple ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS (including a dark morph), NORTHERN HARRIERS, and RED-TAILED HAWKS also continue to be seen. Directions: take 75th street east from Route 59, turn right on Book Rd., then right on 83rd St. Park in the lot on the right. On Saturday (Feb. 5), a couple MONK PARAKEETS were seen building a nest in an electrical tower north-west of the intersection of Route 38 (Roosevelt Road) and I-355. Recent sightings at the Morton Arboretum include a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, PINE SISKINS, and EASTERN BLUEBIRDS. Recent sightings at Elsen's Hill include one of the resident RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS. LONG-EARED OWLS continue to be seen at one or two undisclosed locations in DuPage County. HERMIT THRUSHES have been seen at an unusual number of locations this week including Pratt's Wayne Woods, Morton Arboretum (3+), Elsen's Hill, Willowbrook, Waterfall Glen, FermiLab, and Aurora West. ____ KANE COUNTY ______________________________________ At Aurora West Forest Preserve on Sunday (Feb. 6), birds seen included a NORTHERN SHRIKE, and flyover geese including CACKLING GEESE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, and a SNOW GOOSE. A couple BALD EAGLES continue to be seen along the Fox River in far northern Kane County. ____ FERMILAB SIGHTINGS _______________________________ At FermiLab on Sunday (Feb 6.) a couple GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were seen on the Main Ring Lake along with CANVASBACK, NORTHERN PINTAILS, and other waterfowl. Current Access: The buffalo and bird-watching areas are now open to the public. Photo ID must be presented, but bird-watching / buffalo passes are no longer required. Visitors may also once again enter from either the Batavia Road or Pine Street entrance. Many other roads remain closed, however. Please see the link below for full details. Current Access at FermiLab: http://www.fnal.gov/pub/about/public_affairs/currentstatus.html ____ UPCOMING FIELD TRIPS _____________________________ Saturday, February 12, 9:00 a.m. Hampshire F.P. (Kane Co.). This is a new site for us to check out, and has suitable habitat for wintering finches. This past December, Evening Grosbeaks were found here. Dress for the cold as this is primarily a walking outing. The Forest Preserve is located in northwest Kane Co., in Hampshire, IL. >From I-90, exit at Rt 47 south. When it intersects US-20, stay on 20 to the north and west. A short distance after the intersection, about 1 mile, is Allen Rd. Turn left and the preserve will be on your right. Website. Leader: Eric Secker, (630) 665-2278. Additional Trips and Information: http://home.xnet.com/~ugeiser/dbc/fieldtrips.html ____ DUPAGE BIG YEAR CONTEST 2005 ______________________ For Big Year updates or to learn more about the club's Big Year Contest, visit the link below. http://www.bcnbirds.org/hotline/bigyear/index.html _____________________________________ 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.bcnbirds.org/hotline/