FreeLists / birdky / [birdky] Southern Illiinos Birds of the Day

["Mark Bennett" <benn5609@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

February 2, 2003:

I apologize to purists for the off topic post.  I birded Southern Illinois
today with my brother Frank.  He was helping me to fill "holes" in my
Illinois list.  A brief account with some of the bird highlights follows for
anyone interested in birds slightly north of western Kentucky.

The day started at Mermet Conservation Area in Massac County, about 15 - 20
miles NW of Paducah.  The highlight here was the observation of a lingering
immature Tundra Swan.  Small numbers of other waterfowl including
Pied-billed Grebe, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mallard, American Black Duck,
Canvasback, Ring-necked Duck Lesser Scaup and Canada Goose were observed
along with Great Blue Herons and a few Ring-billed Gulls.

We then proceeded to Rend Lake between Benton and Mt. Vernon, about 75 miles
north of Paducah.  The waterbird highlights including estimated numbers in
some cases here were as follows:

300 - 500 Common Goldeneye
150 - 200 Common Mergansers
50 Red-breasted Mergansers
Few Hooded Mergansers, American Black Ducks, Ruddy Ducks, Northern Pintail,
Canada Geese, Pied-billed Grebe, & Gadwall.

The birds above were in the middle of the lake along IL 154.

At the north end of the lake were about 2000 - 3000 Snow Geese, at least 2
Ross's Geese, about 100 Greater White-fronted Geese and a few Canada Geese.
Puddle Ducks were numerous, but were not surveyed.

In between the 2 locations, a stop was made to look for Long-eared Owl and
Le Conte's Sparrow.  The sparrow was missed, but directions to an Owl
location proved to be accurate to the very tree.  (Actually, they had moved
about 10 feet from a Pine to a Juniper).  3 Long-eared Owls were flushed
from a single Juniper Tree.  At least 2 of the birds circled back and one
allowed a nice observation from the ground.  I would have to call this bird
the highlight of the day.

We then proceeded south to the Union County Conservation area (about 59
miles NW of Paducah).  North of the CA, about 1,500 - 2,000 additional Snow
Geese were observed.  In the CA, about 1,000 Greater White-fronted Geese
were observed along with common waterfowl and other birds.  An additional
highlight were about 20 Red-headed Woodpeckers in a wooded area.

Later, we visited the Cash River area to seek other target.  These were
missed.  We did observe numerous Northern Harriers, about 1,000 Mallards,
and about 200 Northern Pintails and a few Horned Larks.

Thanks to Frank for helping me with this birding adventure, even if his
politics are misguided.

That concludes this report.

Mark Bennett
113 Iroquois Circle
Russellville, KY  42276
Logan County
benn5609@xxxxxxxxxxxxx


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