Working Past the Weather

After an incredible cold spell along with plenty of snow and precipitation to make roads extremely difficult to travel safely, today was the first day that actually seemed as if it might be alright for a full day of birding. So, I decided to go for a few odds and ends, some that weren't guaranteed and some that had been seen recently. I also picked up a few surprises along the way! Staying inside of the Kane County lines, I was happy to have such a successful day! The weather forecast for the area I wanted to be at was 25 degrees with a 10% chance of precipitation. However, this winter 10% might as well be 100%, because yet again it was snowing nearly the entire time I was out.

I started on the backroads of Kane County, headed out of my little hometown of Burlington and heading South. The first few birds I saw were Horned Lark, along nearly every stretch of road. Next up was a dark-morph Rough-Legged Hawk on Peplow Road, that sat very close to the road in a tree, overlooking a corn field. I made it down to Meredith Road, where I carefully scanned surrounding fields, hoping the Snowy Owl I had found there a week and a half ago was still somewhere to be found. No luck, but a light-morph Rough-Legged Hawk hovered over a corn field on the west side of the road, a Red-Tailed Hawk sat near the Aqua Viva winery, and further down Meredith I added my first year bird of the day, Rock Pigeon (#33 after netting a Great-Horned Owl yesterday), of which there were at least 100 at the Elburn Co-op.

Further down to Dauberman Road, yet another Rough-Legged Hawk, a light-morph, flew to a farm past the road. My first destination was nearby, I wanted to find a Snowy Owl today, but a fairly thorough search (I still didn't see everything) came up empty in the vicinity of Dauberman, Scott and Wheeler Roads. More winter birds were along the roadsides here, but I did not see any definitive Snow Buntings. I decided to head back north to check a nearby spot for Eurasian Collared-Dove. I could not tell if there were any present, as I did not have time to scan through the doves that were visible, but I will be back again to check!

A little discouraged by a not so hot start, I headed further north, then east to the Fox River. Starting at the Geneva Dam to look for rare gulls, however I quickly saw it was a waste of time, as no gulls whatsoever were present! So onward I went up Route 31, to check the St. Charles area. Parking at Mt. Saint Mary Park and walking along the river, this area was much more fruitful. Plenty of Common Goldeneyes and Common Mergansers, Mallards and Canada Geese. Then, two very nice Mute Swans (#34) flipped back up to a more noticeable position, and allowed me to watch as they seemingly fed and preened in perfect synchronicity!

Mute Swan, one of two.

The next year bird was not far away, as four Song Sparrows (#35) fed along the walkway as I walked further north. The swans seemingly followed me as well. Another year bird was soon to be discovered, as I scanned the ducks and came away with a male Redhead (#36).

Redhead Drake.

And another year bird was in the mix, an American Coot (#37)!

American Coot.

And no gulls, save for one Herring Gull, were here either. I headed further north to the South Elgin Dam, where I found my first three Bald Eagles of the day. The Common Goldeneyes were a little more cooperative than usual here, and hid a surprise with them as well, two Hooded Merganser females! (#38)

Common Goldeneye Drakes.

Hooded Merganser Hen.

No gulls here either, so I got back into the car and drove to the south side of the bridge, and parked at Seba Park. First thing I noticed there was a dove-sized blob in a tree, but I knew right away what it was. A photo confirmed, a Merlin! (#39) The first one I had ever found on my own, and in Kane County.

Merlin

As much as I hated to, I had to walk away from the Merlin. And so I went along the river, finding all of the same birds I had seen along the river all day. Two Red-Bellied Woodpeckers and a few Bald Eagles gave me something to look at here and there. And the Common Goldeneyes were constantly flying up and down the river.

Common Goldeneye Drake in Flight.

When I returned to the spot where the Merlin was, it was nowhere to be found. A Herring Gull sat atop a street light over the bridge for what would be the last bird of the day for me. So all in all, a very productive day, adding seven new birds to my year list for a total of 39. Now, we will see what the weekend brings!

Brendon Lake

Kane County Big Year- 39 species.