Diane Hansen on 4/30 reported via e-mail: As I was reviewing April photos I was struck by the wild swings of weather we had on the weekends.

Bob Andrini's photo of the pelicans in the mist on the Nelson Lake walk on the first weekend of April sums up that morning.

Weekend 2 brought a major snow storm during which I went out to see American White Pelicans in the snow at Burnidge.

Weekend 3 (Easter) brought a beautiful and warm spring day at Fabyan where I saw an Eastern Phoebe on a budding tree.

Weekend 4...surprise...another big snow and another trip to Burnidge since it was Go Birding Day. There I saw Mute Swans in the snow.

Let's hope we are done with snow for several months!
 

Bob Andrini on 4/25 reported via eBird: At Fabyan Forest Preserve, a Cerulean-Northern Parula Warbler hybrid.

Sue Wagoner on 4/24 reported via e-mail: Seen at Norris Woods Wildlife Preserve today was this female Wood Duck emerging from her nesting hole. The hole is quite high so the young ones will have quite a distance to fall when they are ready to do so!! Pat Prieditis and I went in search of the Pileated Woodpecker reported there but did not find it although we did hear it call.
 

Marion Miller on 4/21 reported via e-mail: Jim Shotsberger and Walt Lutz found a Forster’s Tern at Mirador on Saturday morning. A few hours later Jason Newton found a second Foster’s Tern there. I was able to go to Mirador and see the terns hunting for fish very close to where I was standing. I didn’t realize they totally submerge under water to catch their fish. It was very cool to watch.
 

Bill Ahlgren on 4/20 reported via eBird: Another fantastic yard bird, a Clay-colored Sparrow.

Mike Klancnik on 4/17 reported via e-mail: I took these 4/17 a.m. Big Timber rd. Sandhill Crane and a Coyote sizing up it’s chances. The Crane fluffed it’s feathers and wings a few times to appear bigger, and the coyote stalked off into the tree-line.
 

Bill Ahlgren on 4/17 reported via eBird: In his yard in Batavia, a Lincoln's Sparrow.

Bill Ahlgren on 4/16 reported via eBird: The return of the Lark Sparrow that has been seen the past two years at Breton Avenue in North Aurora.

Walter Lutz on 4/15 reported via e-mail: American White Pelicans @ Burnidge Forest preserve this morning. Have birded here many years and have never seen them here.
From seeing one floating by itself at Kimball Street bridge (dam) to hundreds and hundreds at Fox River Shores this spring this has to be the Year of the Pelican!
 

Leslie Yoshitani on 4/15 reported via IBET: I know this is crazy- sounding: a swallow tailed kite flying over downtown St. Charles just east of the Fox. Flying low, underside only seen. On my way to appointment so will return to try to confirm but look up! And via eBird: "On a superbly clear day, following an unusually strong snowstorm on Sunday that dropped 5’’, and that was preceded by unusually strong SW winds the days prior, I was shocked by a brief but clear sighting of a kite flying directly over my windshield. Headed west on North Avenue (64), just east of the Fox River, I was attracted by the bright white of the bird glinting in the sun and the sharply contrasting black. Enough time to take in the entire image as it glided over me: bright white body and underwing coverts in sharp contrast to long pointed fully open wings (black primaries and secondaries) and black, open forked tail extending from the body. Unable to stay on the bird due to an appointment, I left a message on IBET appealing for more eyes that wasn’t posted until 2 hours later. "

Michael Bily on 4/10 reported via e-mail: A lesser scaup at the Batavia Ice Skating pond this morning.
 

Bob Andrini on 4/6 reported via e-mail: For those that 'slept in' for the monthly walk around Nelson's Lake, here is what the morning looked like (we did find 64 species of birds). 
 

Chris Madsen on 4/6 reported: Carla and I paid a visit to Big Rock FP this afternoon and, after whiffing on the loon reported there last week, came away with one, then there's another, wait, THREE! Common Loons on Siegler Lake. Two were far away on the north end, but one was near the boat launch on the south.
 

John Heneghan on 4/4 reported via e-mail: A Pileated Woodpecker was seen by a friend on Granart west of Camp Dean Rd at the bridge over the creek. This is east of the Big Rock Forest Preserve campground. 4/3/19

Cliff Brown on 4/3 reported via e-mail: Seen while biking today, (4/3) on the island in Batavia, North of the dam: 5 White Pelicans lounging on the East shore.   

Bob Andrini on 4/2 reported via e-mail: Seen at Oakhurst Forest Preserve today - a Horned Grebe in winter plumage and a Rusty Blackbird.
 

Marion Miller on 4/1 reported via e-mail: It's been a good spring for Red-breasted Mergansers in Kane County.  Six stunning males were swimming in a retention pond off Indian Trail Rd in Aurora on Monday evening!