5:15 found us pulling into the parking lot at the Buckhorn Unit of Siloam Springs State Park. The place is know for Chucks, but no Chuck for us this morning. This was a bummer of a miss, but was quickly offset by another fun round of pre-dawn birding. Our first American Woodcocks of the trip were peenting here, and before long we were surrounded by Whip-poor-wills singing away! One flew into a bush right next to us and began calling; you can hear my recording here. We chased it around for a bit, and Andrew got on it. I got a new flashlight for Christmas, and this was my first chance to actually use it - I'm happy to announce that the first bird it ever illuminated was this beauty. Andrew snapped this pic while I kept the light on it.
Eastern Whip-poor-will
Siloam Springs State Park, Buckhorn Unit, Brown Co, IL
April 26, 2015
A couple Barred Owls called here, then I spotted another on our way to the other part of Siloam. The first Rose-breasted Grosbeak of the year/trip sang atop a tree near here. Ovenbird, Blue-winged, and Black-and-white Warbler were all nice pick ups along this stretch, especially for our Brown County lists. I like how this shot turned out.
Barred Owl
Brown Co, IL
April 26, 2015
Then came one of the highlights of the whole trip. It wasn't a new bird for the year or buddy list or even for the trip. We'd had fun with Wormies the day before, but this time we got simply outstanding views. It flew up to a thicket just a little ways below us and proceeded to sing its little heart out. Our 13th of the trip, and definitely the best looks yet.
Worm-eating Warbler
Siloam Springs State Park, Brown Co, IL
April 26, 2015
The Adams portion of Siloam was solid, the usual warblers and a couple Broad-winged Hawks being the highlight. As we headed back out through Brown County, this beast sat near the road long enough for us to snag a pic.
Turkey Vulture
Brown Co, IL
April 26, 2015
The rest of the day consisted of county listing from the car, and some concerted efforts at both Emiquon and Hennepin Hopper. We were just a little early for the next wave of good stuff, but we did have a couple specialties along the way, including Common Gallinule and Black-necked Stilts.
Common Gallinule with American Coot
Emiquon, Fulton Co, IL
April 26, 2015
Sora
Emiquon, Fulton Co, IL
April 26, 2015
Black-necked Stilts
Emiquon, Fulton Co, IL
April 26, 2015
We wound up with our highest day total of the trip on Sunday - 126 - mostly because of the waterfowl still lingering at Hennepin. This place is quite unique in that respect, making it a must for any Big Day effort in the northern region of the state - not that we have one in the plans or anything (wink wink). The biggest surprise was a flock of Greater White-fronted Geese. A single Yellow-headed Blackbird was already back, too.
Greater White-fronted Geese
Hennepin Hopper, Putnam Co, IL
April 26, 2015
Purple Martin
Hennepin Hopper, Putnam Co, IL
April 26, 2015
Standing in stark contrast to our drive down the state just a few days prior, it seemed as though every next northward mile grew a little browner. We were nearing home, the birds we dissipating, and another week's worth of a cold front stood before us. But we had no room to complain. The highlights from our trip were remarkable. We had missed some things, but found even better replacements. And we had a handful of unanticipated adventures that only add to the memory of a trip like this. And the additions to the buddy list brought us up to 293. Just a normal birding trip, really.
I'll leave you with the trip list, 170 on the nose:
- Greater White-fronted Goose
- Snow Goose
- Canada Goose
- Mute Swan
- Wood Duck
- Gadwall
- American Wigeon
- Mallard
- Blue-winged Teal
- Northern Shoveler
- Green-winged Teal
- Canvasback
- Redhead
- Ring-necked Duck
- Lesser Scaup
- Surf Scoter
- Bufflehead
- Hooded Merganser
- Red-breasted Merganser--
- Ruddy Duck
- Northern Bobwhite
- Ring-necked Pheasant
- Greater Prairie-Chicken
- Wild Turkey
- Common Loon
- Pied-billed Grebe
- Double-crested Cormorant
- American White Pelican
- American Bittern
- Great Blue Heron
- Great Egret
- Cattle Egret
- Green Heron
- Black-crowned Night-Heron
- Black Vulture
- Turkey Vulture
- Osprey
- Northern Harrier
- Cooper's Hawk
- Bald Eagle
- Red-shouldered Hawk
- Broad-winged Hawk
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Sora
- Common Gallinule
- American Coot
- Whooping Crane
- Black-necked Stilt
- American Golden-Plover
- Semipalmated Plover
- Killdeer
- Spotted Sandpiper
- Solitary Sandpiper
- Greater Yellowlegs
- Lesser Yellowlegs
- Upland Sandpiper
- Pectoral Sandpiper
- Wilson's Snipe
- American Woodcock
- Wilson's Phalarope
- Bonaparte's Gull
- Ring-billed Gull
- Herring Gull
- Caspian Tern
- Forster's Tern
- Rock Pigeon
- Eurasian Collared-Dove
- Mourning Dove
- Great Horned Owl
- Barred Owl
- Barn Owl
- Eastern Whip-poor-will
- Chimney Swift
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird
- Belted Kingfisher
- Red-headed Woodpecker
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Downy Woodpecker
- Hairy Woodpecker
- Northern Flicker
- Pileated Woodpecker
- American Kestrel
- Peregrine Falcon
- Eastern Phoebe
- Great Crested Flycatcher
- Eastern Kingbird
- Loggerhead Shrike
- White-eyed Vireo
- Yellow-throated Vireo
- Blue-headed Vireo
- Warbling Vireo
- Red-eyed Vireo
- Blue Jay
- American Crow
- Fish Crow
- Horned Lark
- Northern Rough-winged Swallow
- Purple Martin
- Tree Swallow
- Bank Swallow
- Barn Swallow
- Cliff Swallow
- Carolina Chickadee
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Tufted Titmouse
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- House Wren
- Carolina Wren
- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet
- Eastern Bluebird
- Swainson's Thrush
- Wood Thrush
- American Robin
- Gray Catbird
- Brown Thrasher
- Northern Mockingbird
- European Starling
- American Pipit
- Ovenbird
- Worm-eating Warbler
- Louisiana Waterthrush
- Blue-winged Warbler
- Black-and-white Warbler
- Prothonotary Warbler
- Tennessee Warbler
- Nashville Warbler
- Kentucky Warbler
- Common Yellowthroat
- Hooded Warbler
- American Redstart
- Cerulean Warbler
- Northern Parula
- Yellow Warbler
- Palm Warbler
- Pine Warbler
- Yellow-rumped Warbler
- Yellow-throated Warbler
- Prairie Warbler
- Black-throated Green Warbler
- Yellow-breasted Chat
- Eastern Towhee
- Chipping Sparrow
- Field Sparrow
- Vesper Sparrow
- Savannah Sparrow
- Grasshopper Sparrow
- Song Sparrow
- Swamp Sparrow
- White-throated Sparrow
- White-crowned Sparrow
- Summer Tanager
- Scarlet Tanager
- Northern Cardinal
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
- Blue Grosbeak
- Indigo Bunting
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Eastern Meadowlark
- Yellow-headed Blackbird
- Rusty Blackbird
- Common Grackle
- Brown-headed Cowbird
- Orchard Oriole
- Baltimore Oriole
- House Finch
- Purple Finch
- American Goldfinch
- House Sparrow
- Eurasian Tree Sparrow
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