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

[David Ayer <dayerd@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello Mark,
I need Long-eared Owl for my lifelist, and I was
wandering if there was any chance that I could get
directions to the owls. Thank you for your time.

                                       David Ayer
                                       Rockport, IN
--- Mark Bennett <benn5609@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
> 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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================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBERS==============

The BIRDKY Mailing List requires you to sign 
your messages with first & last name, city, & 
state abbreviation.
--------------------------------------------------
To post to this mailing list, send e-mail to:
birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
-------------------------------------------------- 
To unsubscribe, send e-mail to:
birdky-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject line.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
Visit the Kentucky Ornithological Society
web site at http://www.biology.eku.edu/kos.htm
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 
BIRDKY List Manager: Gary Ritchison, Richmond, KY
E-mail: gary.ritchison@xxxxxxx