323. Lark Sparrow

Date         May 31, 2021

Location    Nachusa Grasslands (Stone Barn Savanna trail), Dixon, IL

Mieka and I were walking along the prairie section of the trail when she said "What's that on the trail?" To this point in this walk, we often saw robins on the trail ahead of us. But this time it didn't look right for a robin. So I paused and looked up ahead on the trail through my binoculars and saw the tell-tale harlequin pattern on the face. We saw him again on the way back. (It was only then that I was able to see the breast spot; to that point, he stubbornly kept his back turned toward us.)

Actual pictures this time since she had her camera! Yay! The picture above isn't the best of the bunch, but it was the moment I first saw him. Then there's a picture of him flying up to a nearby branch, then him on the branch.

It will be hard to forget this one! This was another "target" bird for Rockford. We had already hunted for this species in another location near us where it had been reported, earlier in the spring. We came up empty.

Cornell: Lark Sparrow

322. Mourning Warbler

 Date         May 22, 2021

Location    Big Marsh Park, Chicago, IL

Toward the end of my walk, heading back to my car and my appointment with Pullman National Monument, I spied something moving about in a large tangle of branches and shrubs to my right. He darted in and out of view and sang a few times, giving a nice confirmation. This was one of my "target" birds that I listed after moving to Rockford, IL -- it seemed from the range maps that I was more likely to see this one here than farther east in Ohio and PA. I was right!

Cornell: Mourning Warbler

321. Alder Flycatcher

Date         May 22, 2021

Location    Big Marsh Park, Chicago, IL

I had long since acquired 3 of the 4 eastern empids (Least, Acadian, and Willow), and there were a couple of times when I heard a Willow *yet again* and wishful thinking turned it into an Alder. So I was cautious when I heard this song. I double-checked the song on my phone. Yes, this time it was an Alder.

The song became rather ubiquitous for the next hour or so. There were plenty at this site. I didn't actually see one until the end of the walk, when I had come back to close to the original spot where I first heard the song. Of course, as far as I could tell, it could've been any of the empids, but since this was the only one I heard . . . In any case, the song was the clincher, not the sighting.

Cornell: Alder Flycatcher

320. Piping Plover

Date         May 1, 2021

Location    Montrose Beach, Chicago, IL

Go on May 1st, they said. They might be there by then. There's a section of the beach fenced off just for them where they can nest. Try there.

Well, I showed up early in the morning on May 1 and after doing a little birding in the woods, headed to the beach. It took a moment, but there they were, a pair, running around on the sand like Killdeer. Single band and light color were diagnostic.

Sometimes it works out that well. Usually it doesn't.

Cornell: Piping Plover