Worm-eating Warbler at Ewing Park in Bloomington, IL

On April 20, I saw this Cooper's Hawk in my neighbor's yard as I was leaving to go to Ewing Park late in the morning.



I arrived at Ewing just as Ted and Don Hartzler were leaving after conducting their survey. Ted told me that Don and he had seen a Worm-eating Warbler in Hedge Apple Woods along the trail next to the creek. They also saw a Louisiana Waterthrush, three Orange-crowned Warblers, an Ovenbird, and Yellow-rumpeds.

As I started, down the trail, I ran into an out of town birder I had never met, named Vicki Buchwald. I told her about the Worm-eating Warbler and exchanged phone numbers so that we could split up and look for it. I located the Louisiana Waterthrush at the little bridge furthest away from the creek. I motioned her over, but it flew away before she got to where I was standing. She remained there while I continued through the park, and after a couple of minutes, I got a call from her that she had relocated the "Wormy."

I headed back to the bridge and managed a couple of decent shots. While we were watching this bird, Marty Greenberg walked up and was able to get a look. This rare visitor to McLean County was a lifer for me.



As walkers continued to come by, the warbler flew along the stream toward the football field. We relocated it next to the other bridge with an Orange-crowned Warbler and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, where it appeared to be eating an insect with wings.









The bird eventually flew along the creek back toward the entrance, but Vicki relocated it again between the creek and the trail on her way back to her car, and we all had more great looks until some walkers scared the bird toward the creek. Joseph Phipps was able to relocate the bird later in the afternoon as well as several Pine and Palm Warblers up on the hill across the creek on the other side of the football field.

Marty and I continued and had another Orange-crowned in Hedge Apple Woods and a single Palm Warbler up on the hill. Here is a shot of the Orange-crowned.



There were also plenty of Hermit Thrushes, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Eastern Towhees, Northern Flickers, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, and Brown Thrashers. Marty even found a dead Brown Thrasher in the grass on the edge of the football field by the creek. It was in great condition so I took it to Dr. Angelo Capparella for the ISU field museum after I left the park.

From Ewing, I went to the Kenneth L. Schroeder Wildlife Sanctuary where I saw this Vesper Sparrow.

American Avocet and Great Horned Owl Family

On the morning of April 19, I photographed this Northern Flicker at Ewing Park.



Later the same day, I photographed this male Blue-gray Gnatcatcher at Centennial Park near Heyworth.



Then I heard that Matthew Winks had found an American Avocet at White Oak Park, I went to see if I could find it. I ran into Joe Phipps there, and we both got great looks at the bird.



Then I went to Evergreen Lake where I located the two fledgling owlets and one of their parents.

Lark Sparrow and New Yard Birds in McLean County, IL

Eurasian Collared-doves are not always easy to find in McLean County, but I see them almost daily at Salem Ranch in Livingston County. I photographed this one wet in the rain on April 18 at Salem.



I did find this rare Lark Sparrow in McLean County the same evening. Then Carrie and I had several wonderful yard birds--Louisiana Waterthrush, Eastern Towhee, and a female Purple Finch. Louisiana Waterthrush was a lifer for Carrie. From here, the birding would only get better.

Franklin's Gull in Livingston County

On April 17, I found a Franklin's Gull in the flooded field North of Gridley. This bird was a lifer for me. The bird was pretty far out in the field and the light was bad, but I was able to take an identification photo.







The same evening, I photographed a Red-winged Blackbird, shown at the beginning of this post, and a Great Egret, shown below, at Tipton Park in McLean County.

Leucistic American Robin and Barred Owl in Livingston and McLean Counties

On April 16, I saw the leucistic American Robin, shown above, in Livingston County on my way home from work. Later that evening, I found a pair of Barred Owls on the Southeast side of Evergreen Lake. Here is one of them below.

Black-bellied Plover in Livingston County, IL

On April 15, I found a nice group of shorebirds in a flooded field North of Gridley in Livingston County including Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Pectoral Sandpipers, about 50 American Golden-plovers, and this Black-bellied Plover shown above.

Eastern Phoebe and Other Migrants

On the morning of April 11, I met Les Allen at Ewing Park where I saw this photogenic Eastern Phoebe, shown above, and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, shown below.



Les was the first to notice this wet red morph Eastern Screech-owl, checking us out from inside the screech-owl box.



On August 12, I photographed a few birds in my yard, including this male Brown-headed Cowbird and a White-throated Sparrow.





Later at Evergreen Lake, I finally found some Red-breasted Mergansers on the McLean County side in White Pines Cove, only these were females and juveniles.







I also enjoyed watching several male Wild Turkeys displaying as did the female Wild Turkeys that were with them.



On April 14, I began my day photographing a rabbit in our yard. Then I headed to Ewing Park where I had a close encounter with another Hermit Thrush.





Once again there was a screech-owl in the screech-owl box, but this time, it was a gray morph.



Other birds present included Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Yellow-rumped Warbler, and Eastern Towhee. The towhee I photographed was a female.







A little later the same day, at the Kenneth L. Schroeder Wildlife Sanctuary, I photographed this male Eastern Towhee and an oriole nest still around from the last Spring/Summer.