Joni Holinger on 4/29 reported via e-mail: And today the orioles arrived in our yard in Wayne with two taking turns at the orange feeder.
 

Baltimore Oriole photo courtesy Joni Holinger

Scott Cohrs on 4/29 reported via text: At noon at Prairie Green wetlands, 2 Black-necked Stilts, 6 Dunlin, and some Lesser Yellowlegs.

Virginia and Dick Fink on 4/28 reported via e-mail: We had our first Ruby Throated Hummingbird of the season yesterday about noon in our backyard in Elgin.

Joni Holinger on 4/28 reported via e-mail: Saw this first-of-year Rose-breasted Grosbeak in my yard in Wayne.
 

Julie Long on 4/27 reported via IBET: This afternoon in the cold, three female rose breasted grosbeaks showed up at my feeders. So the birds are arriving in spite of the weather.

Debbie Wisser on 4/26 reported via e-mail: I went to Otter Creek Bend Wetland to see if I could find any Soras or Virginia Rails. My failing record remains intact for this location. I know they are there, but they just don't want to show themselves when I am looking for them. I did, however, have a surprise sighting as I started my walk. A Northern Mockingbird flew into a tree next to the overlook that is near the parking lot. It flew across the street and back to several different trees near the overlook as I watched. Other highlights were many Swamp Sparrows along the trail, and a Northern Waterthrush from the boardwalk near the creek. When I got back to the parking lot, I did not see the mockingbird, but there was a Gray Catbird in the bushes, and a Nashville Warbler flew in and paused long enough for an ID before flying off. I didn't get what I was looking for on this walk, but I was certainly happy with the unexpected finds.
 

Northern Mockingbird photo courtesy Debbie Wisser

Karen Goetze on 4/26 reported via e-mail: I have observed 2 double-crested cormorants sitting on top of the street lights on the Geneva bridge for the past week.

Christopher Cudworth on 4/26 reported via IBET: Birded the west side of Fabyan Forest Preserve from the parking lot up to the riverside trail and back. The owlets were visible in the nest as well.
 

Justin Wrinn on 4/26 reported via IBET: I stumbled across a very cute baby Killdeer at the parking lot of my company in Huntley this morning (they breed here every year). The mother was doing her broken wing trick to lead me away, which I obliged after quickly snapping a pic with my phone.
 

Baby Killdeer photo courtesy Justin Wrinn

Julie Long on 4/26 reported via e-mail: I just got back from being in Florida for almost two months and found pine siskens and white throated sparrows still in my yard. Just like I hadn't left! My friend did keep my feeders stocked for me and for the birds. It certainly seems spring has arrived here.

Additional sightings that I had in Florida were Kane Co birders Ken Schneider and John Heghnehan strolling the trails of Sanibel. Nice to catch up with them there.

Diane Hansen on 4/25 reported via e-mail: My pedometer reminded me I needed more steps on Saturday afternoon and I had a little time to walk the Fox River south from SEBA Park.  I would guess about a mile into my walk I saw a Solitary Sandpiper on a log at the water's edge.
 

Solitary Sandpiper photo courtesy Diane Hansen

John Heneghan on 4/24 reported via e-mail: Birded Fabyan this AM (4/24). Yellow Throated, Palm, Nashville, Yellow Rumped Warblers seen and Blue Grey Gnatcatchers. Also birded Les Arends, not much there.

Lisa Williams on 4/23 reported via e-mail: I was out at Nelson Lake this morning and saw a few new birds I hadn’t seen last time:

Palm Warbler
Tree Swallow
Brown Thrasher
Eastern Bluebird

Also of note, American Robins have built a nest right on the metal floor grate of the observation deck just west of the Nelson Lake Rd. entrance. The female was merrily adding mud to the interior with me standing just a few feet away. She did fly after noticing me watching, but not far.

And not a bird, but I saw a Black Swallowtail feeding on the dandelions too. Hardly saw any last year, so hopefully it’s a good sign.
 

Brown Thrasher photo courtesy Lisa Williams

Eastern Bluebird photo courtesy Lisa Williams

Bob Andrini on 4/23 reported via e-mail: When birding Fabyan Park (west side) we found a Pine Warbler under the fence at the Japanese garden. At home we were treated with a very rare visitor to our yard, a Purple Finch - keep your eyes open, ITS MIGRATION TIME.
 

Pine Warbler photo courtesy Bob Andrini

Purple Finch photo courtesy Bob Andrini

Walter Lutz on 4/23 reported via e-mail: Bald Eagle @ Nelson Lake/Dick Young F.P. this morning.
 

Bald Eagle photo courtesy Walter Lutz

Theresa LeCompte on 4/21 reported via e-mail: There were a total of six CASPIAN TERNS at the Vaughn Center in Aurora this afternoon.
 

Caspian Terns photo courtesy Theresa LeCompte

Rich & Marion Miller on 4/19 reported via e-mail: When to scout down the annual appearance of the Yellow-Throated Warbler up in a tree just north of the main museum building at Fabyan FP. Near the old fountain. This little fella was there singing away. Sunday April 17.
 

Yellow-throated Warbler photo courtesy Rich Miller

Theresa LeCompte on 4/18 reported via e-mail: A great way to start any day is to hear the winnowing of WILSON"S SNIPE. I heard at least four making that sound this morning at Sauer and saw two in flight. Also heard two SORA calling. 

Gordon Garcia on 4/17 reported via e-mail: Mooseheart Bald Eagles. Saturday, April 16 at least two eaglets in nest.
 

Mooseheart's Bald Eagles continue. Photo courtesy Gordon Garcia.

Scott Cohrs on 4/17 reported via IBET: I haven't posted in some time but I thought this was worthy. Hope this goes through.

I had a mixed flock of longspurs at Sauer FP this morning in Kane County. I observed the birds from the south end of the marsh, but the birds are located in a farmer's field. The field is a green, short grass field that appears to be planted but I don't know what it is. The birds would fly up and circle around the field often, calling frequently before dropping back down in the grass. Both Smith's and Lapland are present. There are at least 50 longspurs in the field, likely more. I was able to confirm at least a handful are Smith's, but the actual count is probably higher.

I did not walk into the field, nor do I have access. I viewed the field from the south of the marsh but the walk there from the parking lot is pretty brutal. Much easier plan of attack would be to find a safe pull over spot on Scott and watch from the side of the road. Lighting is better from that angle as well, at least in the morning. The birds were pretty active so with some patience you should get them in flight.

Good luck!

Marion and Rich Miller on 4/16 reported via eBird: At Glenwood Park Forest Preserve a Spotted Sandpiper.

Diane Hansen on 4/16 reported via e-mail: Yesterday I spent a little time at the Carpentersville dam. While double-crested is part of the name I seldom get to see that feature, but on this Double-crested Cormorant up in a tree I did get to see it. Thursday evening as I was leaving Burnidge right at sunset I saw a Sandhill Crane coming in for a landing at the west end. I pulled over to get a look and observed the crane being dive-bombed by a couple of Red-winged Blackbirds.
 

Double-crested Cormorant photo courtesy Diane Hansen

Tim Balassie on 4/16 reported via IBET: FYI the Yellow-headed Blackbirds have returned to the Cambridge Lakes subdivision in Pingree Grove.  I observe two birds earlier today.  These were located in the marsh on the southwest corner of Reinking and Wester.

Tim Balassie on 4/15 reported via IBET: FYI Bill Koch and I observed a Swainson's Hawk today (15 Apr) off of Chapman Rd in Kane Co.  This is the 8th year (eBird data) the Swainson's Hawks have returned to this location.

Chris Cudworth on 4/14 reported via IBET: During my run this morning through Fabyan, just north of the bridge entering the woods on the east side, there was a flock of 7 Rusty Blackbirds singing and queued up in the trees. 

Theresa LeCompte on 4/13 reported via e-mail: Every year, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS usually spend 3-4 days in my Aurora yard during migration. The attraction is an 85+ year old Norway Spruce. This year, a male Sapsucker arrived on the morning of April 2nd and extended his stay until the evening of the 12th. My yard seemed to be Sapsucker-free until about noon today when a female showed up to take his place. Here is evidence of the sapsucker presence in my yard.
 

Sapsucker evidence provided by CSI investigator Theresa LeCompte

Mary Yurkiw on 4/12 reported via e-mail: I saw this pheasant in our backyard the other morning picking up birdseed underneath our bird feeders.
 

Ring-necked Pheasant photo courtesy Mary Yurkiw

John Clayton on 4/12 reported via e-mail: At Carson Slough in Sugar Grove, six American White Pelicans.

Theresa LeCompte on 4/11 reported via e-mail: While birding Hannaford today, I was lured back to that swampy, wooded area by what sounded like an awful lot of rusty hinges creaking. Sure enough, I found 16 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS in there, probably the most I've ever seen (and heard) in one spot.

Diane Hansen on 4/10 reported via e-mail: I spent a few hours walking around Nelson Lake yesterday. Highlights were 3 American White Pelicans resting and 2 close encounters. The first of which was a Ruby Crowned Kinglet and the second a coyote.
 

Ruby-crowned Kinglet photo courtesy Diane Hansen

Coyote photo courtesy Diane Hansen

Lisa Williams on 4/9 reported via e-mail: A few birds of note this afternoon at Nelson Lake:

 

Eastern Phoebe photo courtesy Lisa Williams

Bethanne Portala-Dean on 4/9 reported via e-mail: We were driving north on Batavia Ave. around 12:30 this afternoon and saw 2 adult bald eagles on a nest located in the tree at the center of the Mooseheart athletic field parking lot. On our drive heading home around 3PM, one of the adult Eagles flapped its wings and flew east over our car towards the Fox River, while the other adult stayed near the nest.

Walter Lutz on 4/9 reported via e-mail: Birding was quite good today @ Freeman Kame F.P. considering how cold it was. Lots of Sapsuckers, Wood Ducks & Flickers.
 

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker photo courtesy Walter Lutz

Marion Miller on 4/9 reported via e-mail: American White Pelican continues above the Batavia dam this morning.
 

American White Pelican photo courtesy Marion Miller

Gordon Garcia on 4/7 reported via e-mail: Fabyan Great Horned Owls! At least one in nest. Got a good shot of owlet today.
 

Great Horned Owls photo courtesy Gordon Garcia

Darrell Shambaugh on 4/6 reported via IBET: About noon Wednesday I stopped at Grunwald Forest Preserve. There were a ton of ducks on the lake. It looked like about 150 RING-NECKED DUCKS, 10 LESSER SCAUP, 2 REDHEADS, and a pair of WOOD DUCKS.