Christopher Cudworth on 5/31 reported via IBET: There is a prairie warbler singing in the tall willows off New Mooseheart Road in North Aurora. The wetland has a bike path around it and the bird is on the east side of the u shaped loop. Kane County. 

Rich Miller on 5/29 reported via e-mail: I went out to Burnidge F.P. catch a glimpse of the Kentucky Warbler - but no luck. As a consolation prize, I did see this CLAY-COLORED SPARROW. In the field just north of the west parking lot.
 

Sue Wagoner on 5/28 reported via e-mail: Searching for a Pileated Woodpecker or two in a friend's private yard [near LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve] today, there were no signs of it (or them) for about 45-60 minutes but when a nearby Red-Bellied Woodpecker loudly drummed on a dead tree, it did not take long for this male to fly in and check out the situation. He gave us some good looks before flying off.
 

Christopher Cudworth on 5/28 reported via IBET: While running through the West Aurora Forest Preserve in Kane County this morning at the juncture of the east-west Limestone path and the north south path that goes by the model airplane field I heard an alder flycatcher singing from the edge of the woods while a willow sang from the lower shrubs. Rare to hear them both so close together. Fee-bee-o and fitz-bew!

Peggy Blair and Debbie Wisser on 5/28 reported via eBird: The Kentucky Warbler continues at Burnidge Forest Preserve.

Karen Lund on 5/28 reported via IBET: [At the intersection of Melms and O'Brien roads]...One of the baird's sandpipers continues at this site. The dunlin have gone, but many more spotted sandpipers today - at least 6. The semipalmated sandpipers also remain. Other species of note: song and savannah sparrows, dickcissels, northern rough-winged swallows.

Ken Schneider on 5/28 reported via eBird: The Lark Sparrow continues on Breton Avenue in North Aurora. "Drove past slowly on our way home. As we approached the red fire hydrant i saw a sparrow in the grass just past the curve. Drove up to it slowly. Had to stop and get camera from trunk but if did not flush. Instead it perched on the curb and gave me nice photo op. It then flew to the green stake just on opposite side of red hydrant. Was still perching there when we drive away. Did not try to find any others. Did not hear any singing. "

Debbie Wisser on 5/27 reported via e-mail: I was lucky enough to run into Jay Sturner at Burnidge this morning. He helped me to relocate the Kentucky Warbler he had seen earlier in the morning. I was able to get a wonderful lifer first look at the bird thanks to him.
 

Kentucky Warbler photo courtesy Debbie Wisser

Jay Sturner on 5/27 reported via eBird: A Kentucky Warbler at Burnidge Forest Preserve. "Adult male actively singing along Central Trail Loop. Seen well. Audio upload forthcoming." Also seen - a Northern Mockingbird north of the parking lot.

Sue Wagoner on 5/26 reported via e-mail: Seen today, 5-26, at Jon Duerr Forest Preserve near the parking lot by the river were three Red Headed Woodpeckers - two males competing for the territory and for the presumptive female who eventually joined the fray. Also seen there were Olive-sided Flycatcher, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Orchard Orioles -male and female, and Canada Warbler.
 

Ann Haverstock on 5/26 reported via e-mail: At Campton Forest Preserve today.
 

Common Nighthawk photo courtesy Ann Haverstock

Karen Lund on 5/26 reported via IBET: The 2 Baird's sandpipers continue [at the O'Brien/ Melms roads fluddle], along with 3 dunlin, 9 semipalmated sandpipers, 1 spotted, 3 lesser yellowlegs. No sign of the sanderling or semipalmated plover. Most of the birds are in the second pond a little farther north on O'Brien.

Julie Long on 5/26 reported via e-mail: Just wanted to let people know that a pileated woodpecker was spotted earlier this week in a wooded neighborhood near Leroy Oakes. So if you are at Leroy Oakes be sure to look and listen for one in the woodlands there.

Ann Haverstock on 5/25 reported via e-mail: Connecticut Warbler at Campton Forest Preserve singing at 8 A.M. in woodlot that is east of first big field. (Not woodlot on North hillside) Loud Explosive song. He sang for almost an hour. I was doing a preliminary survey and checking out my BCN plots. He even followed me into the woodland. Bell’s Vireo is singing near lower parking area. Please do not use audio trolling for Bell’s Vireo. He is on breeding territory. So far he is my only Bell’s at Campton this season. Hope more show up soon.
 

Connecticut Warbler photo courtesy Ann Haverstock

Marion Miller on 5/25 reported via eBird: Added a Sanderling to Karen Lund's bird list [see below].

Karen Lund on 5/25 reported via IBET: [Near Hampshire at the O'Brien/Melms roads intersection fluddle] The fluddle now has:

5 semipalmated plover
2 Baird's sandpiper
1 dunlin
6 semipalmated sandpiper
1 lesser yellowlegs
3 spotted sandpiper
1 stilt sandpiper

Also singing adjacent fields: bobolinks, savannah sparrow, horned larks, common yellow-throat.

Ken Schneider on 5/25 reported via e-mail: One Lark Sparrow seen on stake near corner not singing, at 8:00 AM. No others seen nor heard.

Ken Schneider on 5/24 reported via e-mail: After a brief stop at Jones Meadow Park in North Aurora to look for Sora and Virginia Rails (we did not find any this time), Mary Lou and I headed out to the east side of Nelson Lake. On the way, as is our custom, we drove west along Patterson Avenue and slowly turned to north on Breton Avenue. Almost immediately (at about 9:25 AM) Mary Lou spotted two sparrows next to each other on the roadway. It took me a while to see them (thank her doctor for removing her cataracts!). I moved slowly up until the car was just on the opposite side of the birds. They were Lark Sparrows, walking slowly along the road next to the curb. We observed them for about 5 minutes as they foraged in the grass along the road, Then both flew across the road in front of us and joined 3-4 other birds. The flock took short flights together a couple of times to different spots in the field. From their overall similar size and large-tailed appearance I assume they were all the same species. We returned at about 10:45 and they were still in the same field. Two Lark Sparrows in near me and one of them perched on a stake and briefly sang. I could hear at least two others singing in the field. (At Nelson Lake there was a Common Gallinule along the shore).
 

Lark Sparrow photo courtesy Ken Schneider

Common Gallinule photo courtesy Ken Schneider

Sue Wagoner on 5/24 reported via e-mail: The Monk Parakeet made an appearance today [at a private residence in St. Charles] in a nearby tree and later on a telephone wire. Seen by several of us, we were first alerted by its calls.
 

Monk Parakeet photo courtesy Sue Wagoner

Bill Ludemann on 5/24 reported via e-mail: Spotted this Least Bittern at Otter Creek Wetland Park.
 

Least Bittern photos courtesy Bill Ludemann

Rich Miller on 5/22 reported via e-mail: Marion and I found this fellow flying back and forth across the main path at Campton Forest Preserve that is near the field at the bottom of the hill. He did "cluck" a bit. It was gloomy out (nothing new), but I was able to snap a shot. We did hear another one to the north.
 

Black-billed Cuckoo photo courtesy Rich Miller

Eric Secker on 5/22 reported via eBird: At Jon Duerr Forest Preserve, a Worm-eating Warbler. "Singing chipping sparrow like song but suspected WEWA from habitat and song pattern. Then located and seen to confirm. Brown with tan below, black stripes through head."

Tim Balassie on 5/22 reported via eBird: All seen at Cambridge Lakes Subdivision: a Ring-necked Duck. "Male in breeding plumage. Black head and back. Flanks gray with white "shoulder patch". Bill tip with white circle." A Common Loon. "Assumed HY bird. Light gray on back and nape, white throat, chest and flanks. Large, straight gray bill. Diving for food." A Common Tern. "Sterna species. Smaller than Caspian Tern. Orange bill tipped in black. Black on top of head extending down nape. Dorsal wings and back gray. Ventral wings white, with primary tips in black. Forster's Tern eliminated due to dorsal wing and back coloration - not bright white as expected with FOTE."

Daryl Coldren and Megan Garfinkel on 5/22 reported via eBird: A Nelson's Sparrow at (appropriately) Nelson Lake. "Megan and I flushed the bird while on our way to her field site in the northwestern prairie at Nelson lake. Found along the drainage ditch/creek running along the northwest side of Nelson lake property border, a bit south from Main Street baseball fields and dog park area. The bird flushed from the tall grass right along the creek, and perched on a dead stalk giving us excellent and prolonged views before diving back into the tall grass. The bird was bright orange across it's side, breast, and head/face, had a gray check patch, faint streaks along its side and breast (not as bold streaking as le contes would have) and a contrasting white belly. Separated from Le Contes sparrow by its completely clean gray nape and gray crown lacking the pale median crown stripe, duller streaking."

Bob Andrini on 5/22 reported via eBird: A Monk Parakeet at a private residence in St. Charles.

Oliver Burrus on 5/22 reported via IBET: Back for the fifth year in a row, an adult Bell's Vireo was bathing in our small pond! Of course, though I did not have my camera with me when I saw it and as soon as came back outside with my camera the bird was singing deep in our neighbors yard:( I also saw three species of thrush (Veery, Swanson's Thrush, and Grey-cheeked thrush) and three cuckoos (two were unidentified flyovers and one was a Black-billed).

Bob Andrini on 5/21 reported via text: Common Nighthawks flying over downtown St. Charles.

Chris Madsen on 5/20 reported: Carla and I traveled to Arlene Shoemaker Forest Preserve on Saturday for a belated search for the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron. We couldn't find it, but did run into Rich and Marion Miller and three of their group from the IAS Spring Fling. Our disappointment in not seeing the heron  was lessened by their spotting this Yellow-billed Cuckoo.
 

Yellow-billed Cuckoo photo courtesy Chris Madsen

Walter Lutz on 5/20 reported via e-mail: Baby Wood Ducks on the Fox River Saturday afternoon in Elgin.
 

Wood Ducks photo courtesy Walter Lutz

Diane Hansen on 5/19 reported via e-mail: Not being able to give in to the burning desire to go down to Montrose this week I spent extra time Wednesday and Thursday walking from South Elgin to Jon J. Duerr and back.
Both days I saw a brood of baby Hooded Mergansers near the footbridge in South Elgin. The highlight of Thursday was a lifer Yellow-throated Vireo seen near the Stearns Road Bridge.
 

Hooded Mergansers photo courtesy Diane Hansen

Yellow-throated Vireo photo courtesy Diane Hansen

Five eBird reports on 5/18: Had the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron continuing at Arlene Shoemaker Forest Preserve.
 

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron photo courtesy Marion Miller

Jim Shotsberger on 5/18 reported via eBird: At Buffalo Park Forest Preserve, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. "Stocky woodpecker, white stripe along wing Black bib, has a red crown and pale throat ."

Ryan Jones on 5/17 reported via IBET: While doing some lunch break birding today at Arlene Shoemaker Forest Preserve in Aurora, I flushed an adult YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON.  It was about 15 ft off of the trail in the woodland swamp just north of the parking lot located at the intersection of Reckinger Rd and Felten Rd.  It circled back and appeared to land in the trees on the west side of the swamp.  I was unable to relocate before having to get back to work.  Time was about 2pm.

Oliver Burrus on 5/15 reported via IBET: Got great looks at a female KENTUCKY WARBLER in our yard in Carpentersville...

Diane Hansen on 5/13 reported via e-mail: Today I walked the Fox River from South Elgin both before and after Jazzercise. On the earlier walk I saw my first Kane County Bay-breasted Warbler, this is only the second time I have seen one.

On the later walk I saw my FOY Cedar Waxwing and Eastern Kingbird. I also got a much better look at the Cooper's Hawk nest where all I usually see is a tail sticking out.
 

Bay-breasted Warbler photo courtesy Diane Hansen

Cooper's Hawk photo courtesy Diane Hansen

Nicholas Barber on 5/13 reported via IBET: Last weekend Jackie Lentz Bowman photographed an apparent Cerulean Warbler x Northern Parula at Fabyan Forest Preserve (Kane Co.). The bird has been hanging out around the yard of the Fabyan Villa, just north of the building. Her photographs were posted on the KROW birding group facebook page.

I visited on Thursday (May 11) morning and easily found the bird singing. It has a faint Cerulean-like breast band but unstreaked sides, and white eye-arcs and an eyeline to form broken "spectacles." The photos show a small green back-patch like a Parula, although I wasn't able to see it on Thursday. It also has a pale lower mandible like a Parula, but light gray rather than orange.

It was singing continuously so I made a recording of it with my cell phone: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/57666501

It's a beautiful bird and well worth a stop to see it.

Jay Sturner on 5/12 reported via e-mail: I birded Les Arends Forest Preserve Thursday morning and came away with an impressive 73 species! Highlights include a pair of recently fledged Great Horned Owls (sleepily taking in their new world), eighteen types of warblers (each a highlight in their own right), a cute, "che-beking" Least Flycatcher, two Rose-breasted Grosbeaks fighting almost all the way to the ground, and, of course, the dawn chorus, which included a majestic Wood Thrush. A great day!

Ann Haverstock on 5/11 reported via e-mail: A Summer Tanager at Gunnar Anderson Forest Preserve near the grotto.
 

Summer Tanager photo courtesy Ann Haverstock

Rhonda Nelson on 5/11 reported via phone: Three Caspian Terns at the Batavia Riverwalk.

Theresa LeCompte on 5/10 reported via e-mail: While scanning the trees for warblers at Les Arends this morning, Sue Schneider spotted this young Great Horned Owl.
 

Great Horned Owlet photo courtesy Theresa LeCompte

Lucy DeLap on 5/10 reported vis IBET: I was very happy to see an American Redstart (FOY - first of several years) spending some quality time in a {East Dundee] backyard black walnut. He gave me many long good looks over the 1/2 hour or so of his visit.

I also welcomed a FOY female Northern Oriole to the jelly feeder this morning and my husband observed (though I missed it) a FOY hummingbird to our feeder.

Oliver Burrus on 5/10 reported via IBET: I finally have some good warblers [in my Carpentersville yard] like Mourning, Wilson's, Black-throated Blue, Canada, Cape May, Orange-crowned, and lots of Nashville Warblers but no Yellow-rumped or Palm Warblers. I also had Blue-headed and Yellow-throated Vireos.

Bill Ahlgren on 5/9 reported via e-mail: Scott Cohrs found this fine looking Hooded warbler at Les Arends F.P. today and was kind enough to notify us it was there. Scott, Chris Bowman, Art Johnson and I were able to get great looks at this beauty. Lifer for me. Les is on a roll! and so are the warblers.
 

Hooded Warbler photo courtesy Bill Ahlgren

Tim Balassie on 5/9 reported via eBird: Found a LeConte's Sparrow in Bowes Creek Woods Forest Preserve. "Bird was identified by song. Bird was sparrow sized. Song consisted of a single note very high pitched "tzee", repeated every 10 seconds...Located in a marshy willow environment."

Paul Mayer on 5/9 reported via e-mail: Amongst the myriad of orioles and grosbeaks today, one lone dark-eyed Junco has chosen to stay behind.
 

Dark-eyed Junco photo courtesy Paul Mayer

Eric Secker on 5/9 reported via IBET: Met up with my dad around mid day today to do some birding at Jon Duerr F.P. in Kane Co. We had 60 species including 18 species of warblers, though a number were heard only and Palm and Yellow-rumped still strongly outnumbered anything else. There was a Prothonotary singing on the island across from the boat launch. Other warblers included Bay-breasted, Pine, Blue-winged, Golden-winged, Orange-crowned, Restart, and Black-throated Green. Full list below.

 

Ron Dickenson on 5/8 reported via e-mail: One of a series of photos from 5/8 shows part of the family of Bald Eagles at Mooseheart.
 

Bald Eagles photo courtesy Ron Dickenson

Brendon Lake on 5/8 reported via IBET: Les Arends FP comes through again! Art Johnson found a male black-throated blue warbler along the river bike trail, about 75 yards north of where the trail from the northern shelter connects with it. I stuck a stick in the ground on the west side of the trail, near a blue number 10, to mark the approximate location. No sign of the wormie today.

Matt Wistrand on 5/7 reported via eBird: At Les Arends Forest Preserve at 12:40 PM, a Worm-eating Warbler. "Short-tailed with a large bill. Olive above, golden buff below. Black eyeline and lateral crown stripes. Seen very well, down to the smudgy undertail coverts.

>From the parking lot, walk south along the trail until you come to a cross path. Turn left (east) and walk until just before the path curves back around to the north. The bird was foraging along the stretch.

I kept hearing a rising buzz coming from low to the ground, which immediately triggers my search for Connecticut Warbler. Fortunately, it turned out to be better than that!"
 

Worm-eating Warbler photo courtesy Rich Miller

Eric Secker on 5/7 reported via IBET: On Friday highlights from our outing along the Fox River in Kane Co. included great looks at a continuing LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH at Les Arends FP near the cross trail and flooded area going south from the parking lot. It was actively singing even middle of the day and sat up on a branch for a long time for us. TUFTED TITMOUSE and RED-HEADED WOODPECKER were also nice to see. I heard a possible Cerulean in the oaks near the parking lot but the bird in question only sang once then never again.

At Fabyan FP we had one, likely two, YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS and two NORTHERN PARULAS (a pair). Driving on Rt. 31, I also heard yet another YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER singing near Rt. 31 and South St., north of Gunner Anderson FP and the train tracks in an area with some nice pines.

At Jon Duerr F.P. we had yet another TUFTED TITMOUSE and RED-HEADED WOODPECKER.

Diane Hansen on 5/5 reported via e-mail: I did a little birding in South Elgin this morning and saw this cooperative White-crowned Sparrow on the path right in front of me.
 

White-crowned Sparrow photo courtesy Diane Hansen

Ann Haverstock on 5/4 reported via text: Cliff Swallows Have Returned under Fabyan Parkway bridge.

Roger Amery on 5/4 reported via e-mail: Yesterday during the afternoon at Les Arends park birds spotted were blue winged warbler, Tennessee warbler, Nashville warbler, palm warbler, and yellow rumped warbler. Also seen was a wood duck pair bond. Blue gray gnatcatcher also seen.

Diane Hansen on 5/3 reported via e-mail: I returned home from Jazzercise and a little South Elgin birding to be greeted with a Scarlet Tanager flying right by me to land on one of the finials of my gate, then up into the tree where I got this shot. What a lovely surprise year bird.
 

Scarlet Tanager photo courtesy Diane Hansen

Rhonda Nelson on 5/3 reported via text: There are 2 white pelicans at the riverwalk in Batavia.

Lucy DeLap on 5/3 reported via IBET: This week brought a never before treat as we had a flock of 6 or 8 Yellow-Rumped Warblers in our front yard cedar then in the cherry and black walnut trees in the back. At least one of these birds is staying put as we have seen wonderful views of a yellow-rumped spending protracted amounts of time (for a warbler) feeding at and below a suet feeder. That's a first for us.

Also had our FOY Northern Oriole first drinking at the hummingbird feeder and then repeatedly visiting the jelly feeder. What color!

Marion Miller on 5/2 reported via e-mail: I enjoyed watching 46 Chimney Swifts go to roost in the Limestone Tea & Coffee shop's chimney in Batavia.  The majority were in before the 7:53pm sunset time.  I'm guessing the chilly 47 degree temperatures was a major factor for the early bed time.

Julie Long on 5/2 reported via e-mail: I looked at many many fluddles west of 47 on Jericho Rd today in Sugar Grove and driving north on country roads to rt 64. In the crummy cold drizzle I found no shorebirds but finally spotted at least 4 American pipits near the fluddle on the west side of Freeland Rd just south of Beith Rd.

Paul Mayer on 5/1 reported via e-mail: On May 1 our first hummer came to the feeder. Small, wet, and cold looking but it was there to start the month off.