The 116th CBC in Illinois

As expected in an El Niño year, this was a very mild count period. Sixteen counts reported highs of at least 50 degrees F, and four reached 60. Horseshoe reached a spring-like 64! Despite the general warmth, 12 counts failed to reach the freezing mark, with Joliet only recording a high of 23. Seven of the 12 were conducted on December 19 – a warming trend starting the 20^th almost lasted the rest of the year. Twenty-two counts had above-freezing lows. It was quite windy across the state, with 33 counts reporting wind gusts of at least 15 mph. Horseshoe Lake and Springfield both reached 40 mph! Despite the warmer weather, only 161 species were recorded, the same count as 2013. One species, the Wilson’s Warbler at Kankakee County, was only reported during count week. Carlyle led the way with 103 species for the day, while Meredosia’s three count-week birds pushed them to 103.

Sixty-four counts reported this year, with a total of 1188 observers contributing 3261 hours over 20,394 miles.  These are all slightly up from last year, as were the 359 feeder hours reported. However, the 157 feeder observers were down from last year, possibly due to a lack of reporting from Waukegan, normally the state leader. A total of 151 nocturnal hours were logged, down from last year’s 222. As always, Fermilab led the way with 120 field observers, the only count in the state to reach 100. Decatur had the highest number of feeder observers, with 18.

Rend Lake recorded 100 species, while Carlyle reached 103 as the highest in the state. Seven counts reached 90 species this year, with Mermet Lake just missing 100 at 99 species. Two Chicago area counts reached 90: Lisle-Arboretum at 90 and Fermilab at 92. The most surprising bird of the count was a Green-tailed Towhee at Monroe County.

Ducks through Herons

Goose numbers were down again this year. There were 5600 Greater White-fronted at Union County, 29,164 Snow Geese at Baldwin Lake, and 109 Ross’s Geese reported throughout the state. A total of 196 Tundra Swans were reported on nine counts, including 107 at Chautauqua, while 212 Mute Swans were recorded on 14 counts.  Also, 249 Trumpeter Swans on 19 counts solidifies their new claim as Illinois’ expected winter swan; 100 of those were at Chautauqua. Fourteen Blue-winged Teal were reported on five counts. One Black Scoter at Illini State Park was the only scoter reported. Long-tailed Ducks were only reported on two counts, with four at Chicago Lakefront and a count week bird at Springfield.

Only ten counts reported Northern Bobwhite this year, with a statewide total of 44. Ring-necked Pheasant were reported on 24 counts totaling 129, up a bit from last year, but Newton only reported 16 Greater Prairie-Chickens this year. Two counts had solo Red-throated Loons while 13 counts reported an impressive total of 44 Common Loons. Horned Grebes also put on a strong show, with 378 reported across 16 counts. Rend Lake had the highest grebe counts, with 56 Pied-billed and 267 Horned. In all 829 American White Pelicans were recorded, on 14 counts, with 668 at Rend Lake. This species was unreported on Illinois counts prior to 1974, with only four singletons prior to 1991. Four counts reported Great Egrets, with two at Union County. Only three counts recorded Black-crowned Night-Herons, including 15 at Chicago Urban.

Raptors through Woodpeckers

Sixty-one counts reported 1037 Bald Eagles, lower than in recent years. Eagle tallies usually decline in years with lots of open water. Two Northern Goshawks were reported at Thorn Creek, with one more at Peoria. Three counts reported singleton Harlan’s Red-tailed Hawks, while Pere Marquette had a Krider’s Red-tail. Bloomington-Normal had the only Golden Eagles.

Eighteen counts reported a record 2963 Sandhill Cranes, with 1181 at Fermilab! Reports continued throughout the winter this year. Eight counts reported Wilson’s Snipe, and three had American Woodcock. Other sandpipers reported included a Spotted Sandpiper at Morgan County, a Dunlin at Waukegan, and Least Sandpipers on four counts. Fifteen counts reported Bonaparte’s Gulls, including 6813 at Crab Orchard N.W.R. Six counts reported Thayer’s Gulls, including 15 at Waukegan. Waukegan reported the only Iceland Gulls, but they had seven of them. Five counts reported Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Waukegan had the only Glaucous Gulls (with 5 of them), and three counts reported Great Black-backed Gulls, with seven at their usual stronghold in Calumet City.

Eurasian Collared-Dove was reported on 42 counts this year, but the Ringed Turtle-Doves in Joliet were only reported as count-week birds. Monroe County reported the only Barn Owl, whereas only two counts reported singleton Snowy Owls. The one at Meredosia was quite far south for a non-invasion winter. Seven counts reported Long-eared, 14 counts reported Short-eared, and 11 counts reported 27 Northern Saw-whets, with seven at Bald Bluff. Sixty-two counts reported American Kestrel, 15 counts reported Merlin, and 14 reported Peregrine Falcon. Calumet City reported four Monk Parakeets – the only ones for the state this year.

Flycatchers through Finches

Thirteen counts reported Eastern Phoebe this year, including a northern bird at Barrington. Only four counts reported seven Loggerhead Shrikes this year, while 13 counts reported Northern Shrikes. Red-breasted Nuthatches were low again, with 19 counts reporting a total of 83 birds. Five counts reported House Wrens, two counts had Sedge Wrens, and two counts had Marsh Wrens. Seven counts recorded Gray Catbird. Six counts reported a total of 158 American Pipits, another indicator of a mild winter, and warbler totals were another. Chicago Urban reported a Northern Waterthrush. Crab Orchard had three Orange-crowned Warblers, just one of nine counts to record the species. Fermilab reported a Common Yellowthroat and a Nashville Warbler. Five counts reported Palm Warblers. Three counts reported Vesper Sparrows and three had Le Conte’s.  Four counts reported Lincoln’s Sparrow, two had Harris’s Sparrows, and Union County reported the state’s only Oregon Dark-eyed Junco. Lapland Longspurs were reported on 31 counts, while nine counts had Snow Buntings. Three counts reported Western Meadowlarks, and two reported solo Brewer’s Blackbirds.  Neither species of crossbill was recorded in Illinois this year, while only 13 counts reported Common Redpolls. Fewer Pine Siskins were reported this year than last, with 30 counts reporting 642. Eurasian Tree Sparrows continue to spread, reported from 22 counts this year.