The second month of my big year attempt has come and gone. January provided me with 56 species, including rarities for my area such as Townsend's Solitaire, Snowy Owl and Harlequin Duck. February is remarkably similar to January in what can be found bird-wise, so it acts as extra time to find winter specialties and year-round residents, rather than new migrants. February provided me with only 15 new species for the year, but quality seemed to be good when compared to the quantity. Have a look.
1. White-Winged Scoter 2/2
2. Lesser Scaup 2/3
3. Eastern Screech-Owl 2/3
4. Long-Eared Owl 2/4
5. Barred Owl 2/4
6. Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker 2/4
7. Short-Eared Owl 2/7
8. Bufflehead 2/11
9. Northern Flicker 2/11
10. Purple Finch 2/12
11. Long-Tailed Duck 2/15
12. Northern Pintail 2/22
13. Cackling Goose 2/22
14. Eurasian Collared-Dove 2/22
15. Tundra Swan 2/23
Four species of owls in a month is great! Especially since all were seen, not just heard. White-Winged Scoter is unusual on the Fox River in Kane, but this year an abnormal amount of ice developing on Lake Michigan has led to inland strays, including 7 White-Winged Scoters, the Harlequin Duck in January, and the gem of a find in Long-Tailed Duck, which only had two records (this and one other) reported to eBird in the county!! However, another Long-Tailed Duck was discovered less than a week later, so now there are three county records reported to eBird!
Looking ahead, I have added one more species this month, Red-Winged Blackbird, bringing my county year list total to 72 species! In March we begin to see new migrants headed north such as dabbling ducks, Killdeer, American Woodcock, Turkey Vulture, some more diving ducks, geese, Sandhill Cranes, and even Double-Crested Cormorants, Great Egret, and Horned Grebe. With these and more, 50 more species would be tough to do, but is completely possible. We shall see what March, then April, has in store!
Brendon Lake
Pouncing Coyote
Coyote pouncing on prey at Fermilab, in Batavia Illinois.
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