Franklin's Gull at Evergreen Lake in McLean County

Saturday morning, I went to Evergreen Lake to look for an American Black Duck. I noticed four Greater Yellowlegs from the road by the South bridge. On my way up the Barred Owl Trail on the South end of the lake, I saw the Hermit Thrush shown above. When I got to the bottom of the trail, there was a nice group of waterfowl, including Canada Goose Wood Duck, Gadwall, Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, and a single American Black Duck, which briefly lifted his head, but then put it back down.



From the end of the trail, I also saw several Pectoral Sandpipers, a couple of Dunlin, and three Double-crested Cormorants. With my target bird for the day acquired, I decided to check some other parts of the lake. I hiked the Deer Island Trail on the East side, and found two Bonaparte's Gulls and several Ring-billed Gulls in the water along the trail.





I continued on the trail to the spit. There were four Ring-billed Gulls on the edge of the spit, and there was an American Pipit along the shore. I walked out into the open and past the spit to scan for ducks. I noticed groups of Lesser Scaups and Ruddy Ducks in addition to some of the species I had already seen. As I turned to walk back to the trail, I noticed there were now five gulls on the edge of the spit. I scanned with my scope and noticed that one of them was a Franklin's Gull. This was my first ever Franklin's Gull in McLean County.





After I snapped a couple of shots, the gulls flushed. I'm not sure if it was me, my phone ringing, or the pair of Bald Eagles that I noticed just after the gulls disappeared that caused them to flush, but by the time I had hiked back to the car and drove to the boat launch at Comlara Park, the Franklin's and several Ring-billed Gulls had returned to the spit, which can be scoped from the boat launch.

With a state year bird and a county bird under my belt, I decided to check a few more locations before heading home. I checked the flat behind Hinthorn Chapel and found six Greater Yellowlegs, two Least Sandpipers, two more Dunlin, eight Pectoral Sandpipers, and of course plenty of Killdeer. There were a few gulls and ducks as well. Here is a shot of one of the Dunlin.



Next I drove to the Gridley Wastewater Treatment Ponds. I think they are beginning to leave the gate open again now that the construction work is finished inside. My best bird there was a single Green-winged Teal, swimming with the resident Mallards.





Finally, I checked the lake at White Oak Park, but there was nothing out of the ordinary there, except Ring-necked and Ruddy ducks. I enjoyed watching this strange duck that has been there for at least a few weeks.





After I returned home, Carrie and I enjoyed eating at a wonderful Turkish restaurant in Bloomington called Ephesus. Then we went to see Captain Phillips. It was an awesome movie with the exception of Tom Hank's attempts at a Massachusetts accent, which was distracting and annoying at the beginning of the film.