Words on Birds

Birding on the border

South Texas festival delivers special birds and experiences for all who attend

(published 4-23-25)

Birding at King Ranch in Kingston, Texas

My trip to the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival was a self-bestowed retirement gift, fulfilling a desire to experience one of birding’s premier annual gatherings. More directly, it was my chance to finally do some serious birding in Texas. Special birds were calling, some available nowhere else in the United States.

Last November’s RGVBF was the 31^st annual, an amazing run. Few festivals surpass it for longevity. Few if any can match it for hospitality, organization and scope. It’s an extraordinary production driven by more than 100 volunteers and supported by the City of Harlingen, Texas, which clearly values ecotourism. I was among 526 paid attendees.

Green Jay by Stephen Pollard

The city’s convention center is festival headquarters, a short drive from Valley International Airport. A large mural in baggage claim features a man with binoculars watching a Green Jay. I’d come to the right place.

In fact, shortly after landing I was checking Green Jay and Plain Chachalaca off my life list at Hugh Ramsey Nature Center in Harlingen. The brief solo visit was my festival appetizer.

Great Kiskadee by Trinity Swan

RGVBF’s format is typical of most such events: half- and full-day field trips led by professional guides (76 were in Harlingen); a large travel and merchandise expo; heavyweight guest speakers; silent auction fundraiser; and daily social events.

Festival days are long and yet end too soon. You’re on a birding bender with like-minded friends, most of them new.

Registration begins in August, with birders locking in their preferred field trips. The options are numerous—more than 150 trips—and as a first-timer I felt a bit overwhelmed. Thankfully, Tracy Zervos came to my rescue. The festival registrar (a Wheaton native!) helped me select five outings that in combination would maximize bird variety. Her guidance was invaluable.

The birds, fellow birders, and birding venues set the field trips apart. Every day was exciting and memorable. A few highlights:

Ringed Kingfisher by Dedick Hail

Birding on the Rio Grande. From our oversized pontoon boat, occasional glimpses of the border wall on the Mexico side of the river and passing border patrol vessels made for an interesting birding environment. But nothing could distract us from the birds, and this was a wonderful way to view them. Among the notables were Altamira Oriole, Gray Hawk, Groove-billed Ani and Tropical Kingbird, plus three varieties of kingfisher: Belted, Green and Ringed. Green Jay and Great Kiskadee were abundant.

After the boat tour we stopped at Quinta Mazatlan, a 20-acre urban sanctuary in McAllen. Highlights included Clay-colored Thrush, Olive Sparrow and Buff-bellied Hummingbird. Butterflies were a big attraction here, too, including Mexican Bluewing, my new favorite. The National Butterfly Center is just down the road in Mission and is home to the Texas Butterfly Festival, also in November.

Kenn Kaufman

Birding with Kenn and Kimberly Kaufman. My second day afforded the rare opportunity to shadow the hobby’s best-known couple. Kenn was on hand as RGVBF’s keynote speaker but signed on to lead a few trips as well. Good planning (Tracy) placed me in a van heading to South Padre Island with Kenn in the front passenger seat and Kimberly at the wheel. The eight of us behind them felt lucky to be along, and we’d soon feel a bit more confident about shorebird and gull ID thanks to Kenn’s beachfront commentary. He doesn’t lecture, he guides, with a relaxed style that makes learning fun. Birding is a hobby, after all.

Big Day competition. The record shows that I was on the winning seven-person team, with a head-spinning 158 species seen or heard between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. across Hidalgo and Cameron Counties. To be fair, the record should also note that I was surely the least valuable team member. But what an experience—Alex and Chris, pro guides from Wildside Nature Tours, were outstanding. Their advance scouting, local knowledge, and brilliant ID skills keyed our victory. I’m still wondering how they found that cryptic Common Pauraque resting on leaf litter at Estero Llano Grande State Park. The bird, similar to a whip-poor-will, was difficult to spot from just 10 feet away, even when pointed out!

Altamira Oriole by Patti Langen

Searching for Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl at historic King Ranch. We boarded an early bus, destined for a famous place with a famous bird. The stakeout was only partly successful, but at least we heard the little guy. America’s largest ranch (825,000 acres) also yielded three other coveted species: Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Sprague’s Pipit and Zone-tailed Hawk. The Texas Indigo Snake was cool, too.

Parrot Palooza! Yes, this was the actual name of a popular late-afternoon outing in Harlingen. Turns out the city is home to colorful flocks of roving Green Parakeets and Red-crowned Parrots. Our group found the parakeets (about 30) on the wires outside a Whataburger and got funny looks from customers in the drive-through. The good smells tempted us to place orders of our own. But we needed to move on to the next stop, a church parking lot across town.

There, like magic, 80 parrots arrived at their roost within two minutes of when our leader predicted they would. Watching (and hearing) them come in was a fun ending to the day.

Roosting Great-tailed Grackles in Harlingen

The grand total bird count for the festival was 298 species, a new record. I witnessed about half of them, tallying 16 lifers along the way.

Before closing I must mention the Great-tailed Grackles. Loud, massive flocks of the big blackbirds gathered outside my hotel and up-and-down the street every evening. The impressive roosting behavior dictates caution when walking under the overloaded trees and utility wires. Luckily, I avoided a goopy disaster.

Don’t let the grackles keep you away. If you haven’t birded Texas, or haven’t birded “on the border,” think about adding the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival to your travel plans. The 2025 event is set for Nov. 5-9. Get details at rgvbf.org.

Hot bird news for a cold winter

Door County's White Wagtail by Matt Zuro

(published 2-19-25)

Alert readers of the print edition noticed a puzzling photo caption in my last column. When writing about gull identification it’s a good idea to identify the gulls in the photo properly. And I didn’t! Sorry about that.

If permitted an excuse for my blunder, I’ll go with the birds of Hawaii. They distracted me. For a birder, one of the fun things about traveling to new places is the prep. I spent hours in January studying the avian possibilities in Honolulu and on the island of Kauai, creating a target list of birds to watch for.

I’m back now, and the feathered citizens of our 50^th state are still distracting me. Birding Hawaii is full of surprises. I read somewhere that Hawaii is the United Nations of birds and it’s true. So many alien species mingling with the natives—such an interesting mix.

But today’s column is not about my tropical vacation. Upon returning to our cold, gray winter—just in time for National Bird Feeding Month—I started catching up on the news. Bird news, that is. These items were noteworthy:

The $1.2 million of bird-safe window treatments installed at McCormick Place last fall is paying off quickly. Bird collisions during fall migration were down an estimated 95 percent thanks to the dot-patterned film now covering 120,000 square feet of glass. Kudos to McCormick Place owner Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority for doing the right thing. The Field Museum of Natural History, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and Bird Friendly Chicago all played key roles in the project.

Short-tailed Shearwater on Lake Michigan by Tarik Shahzad

Tarik Shahzad, a 27-year-old from Evanston, set the Cook County big year record with 294 species in 2024. His record-setter was an eye-popper: the state’s first Short-tailed Shearwater. The bird flew over Lake Michigan when it should have been over the Pacific Ocean!

Northern Mockingbird is still a “southern species,” despite its name. We see a few in the Chicago region during the summer as their range continues to expand northward. Spotting one here in the winter is a rare opportunity, however, so a mockingbird at Hidden Lake Forest Preserve in Downers Grove attracted birders throughout January. The hearty mocker is probably still around, and most likely the same bird that shared the preserve last fall with a wayward Sage Thrasher.

A now-famous Great-tailed Grackle is present for the fourth consecutive winter in Will County. It remains loyal to the Amazon warehouse parking lot and Thornton’s gas station just off I-57 in Monee. For birders who keep year lists, a drive to Exit 335 is now an annual routine.

Harlequin Duck, a handsome male, continues to show well at North Point Marina and State Line Beach in Lake County.

The ill-fated Anna's Hummingbird in Princeton, IIlinois.
Photo by Mike Warner.
If heading north, you might as well keep going. The bird of the winter (so far) is in Door County, Wisconsin, the state’s first White Wagtail. First spotted on December 28 at Portage Park, it was still there in early February. Primarily a European species, I saw my first White Wagtail in Ireland many years ago, where it’s called Pied Wagtail.

Remember the Anna’s Hummingbird in Princeton, the little town in Bureau County? The thirsty wanderer found a backyard feeder in late October and refused to leave, visiting daily into the new year. Sadly, the courageous hummer perished on January 14. Homeowner Scott Harp was an excellent host—for the bird (nicknamed “Frost”) and for the dozens of thrill-seeking birders he welcomed for nearly 90 days. It was Illinois’ second record of Anna’s Hummingbird, a western U.S. species.

Common Loon by Steve Huggins
Common Loon is American Birding Association’s Bird of the Year. Those wishing to see lots of loons without leaving Illinois should check the Chain O’Lakes area of Lake and McHenry counties in late March and early April. Migrating loons visit the region on their way to northern breeding grounds. Channel Lake in Antioch would be a good first stop, where you’ll probably see American White Pelicans, too. For lunch or dinner, stay on theme at Looney’s Pub just down the road.

Gull expert Amar Ayyash, featured in my last column, headlines the Indiana Dunes Birding Festival, speaking on May 17. The festival runs May 14-18. Get details and register at indunesbirdingfestival.com. Indiana Audubon founded the thriving event in 2015.

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County plans a grand opening celebration at DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center (formerly Willowbrook) on June 5. A major expansion and upgrade project at the Glen Ellyn facility is set for completion this spring.

I saved the most self-serving news for last: I’m working on a book called “The Best of Words on Birds,” coming this summer from Eckhartz Press. I’m excited and having fun getting it ready—a solid retirement project. More details to come.

So, the birds of Hawaii have not been my only distraction. But trust me, I’ll be more careful with the photo captions. As I learned in Birding 101, keep your eye on the bird!

Ross's Gull on Chicago lakefront, March 2023.
Photo by Matt Zuro

Embracing the challenge of gulls

(published 1-22-25)

Gulls are a little scary. They frighten me. I don’t mean literally, in a Hitchcockian sense. The nightmare comes in trying to sort out their identities.

Skilled birders usually thrive on ID challenges, while others stand back and leave the dirty work to the experts. With gulls, I’m in the latter camp. The intimidation factor is high.

The main issue is plumage variation by age. For some gull species, the transition to adulthood may take four years, with different looks at every stage. Annual feather molt can add further confusion.

Bill, eye and leg colors may change, too. The Black-legged Kittiwake, a small, tern-like gull, does not always display black legs!

Fortunately, help is out there. It comes in the form of Amar Ayyash, a high school math teacher from Orland Park who happens to be one of North America’s top authorities on gull ID. He’s on a mission to make gull watching more fun and less frustrating for birders.

Amar Ayyash and "The Gull Guide."

“Gulls don’t get enough love,” Ayyash told DuPage Birding Club members at a meeting in November. “It’s probably because they don’t have attractive voices or beautiful colors, and some of them feed on our trash.”

All of this makes gulls a tempting group for birders to shy away from.

Ayyash views gull-watching differently. “The fact that it’s challenging makes it appealing,” he told the Wall Street Journal in a 2018 page-one story about the trickiness of gull ID.

Even Ayyash is sometimes stumped, although such occasions are rare. His depth of knowledge is remarkable, acquired from two decades of close gull observation. He readily admits to being obsessed with gulls.

Ayyash operates the website anythinglarus.com, and just published “The Gull Guide,” a 500-pager covering all 36 species found in North America. The book’s introduction offers a framework for how to think about gulls as a group and explains their unique place in the avian world.

In December, Ayyash won the Robert Ridgeway Award for Outstanding Ornithological Publication from the American Birding Association (ABA). “The Gull Guide” is already in its second printing by Princeton University Press.

Ayyash began a national book tour in October. I’ve heard him speak three times so far, including the bird club visit and his appearance on the ABA podcast. He is often asked for tips on how novice birders can overcome their fears about gull ID.

Our region's two most common gulls: Herring Gull,
foreground left, and Ring-billed Gull, right.
Photo by Amar Ayyash

For starters, Ayyash said, focus on adult birds and get familiar with the most common species. Around here, that means Herring Gull and Ring-billed Gull, both year-round residents. A third commoner, Bonaparte’s Gull, is seen here during spring and fall migrations.

About a dozen gull species are annual visitors to northern Illinois, and 20 are on the all-time state list. Fifty species exist worldwide.

Lucky for us, gulls are accessible birds—easy to find and watch. Beaches and shopping center parking lots are good places to look. Gulls are opportunistic feeders, built for survival.

Ayyash recommends getting close to birds on the ground and observing them. If you can, take photos for later study, including flight shots. For gulls in the air, wing tip patterns are the best ID clues.

In this region, winter is prime time for gull-watching along Lake Michigan. Next month, in fact, is the Gull Frolic, a one-day watch party hosted by the Illinois Ornithological Society at North Point Marina in Lake County.

Gull Frolic birders at North Point Marina in
Winthrop Harbor, Illinois.

Ayyash coordinates the Frolic, now going on 23 years and always a sellout. His annual wish list includes non-frigid weather, open water, and a rare gull or two. A timely sale on white bread would be welcome, too—the Frolic requires dozens of loaves for “chumming.”

“This is not easy birdwatching,” Ayyash said, speaking of winters by the lake. He classifies gull appreciation as a “special subculture” of birding.

But as with every kind of birding, patience and attention to detail usually pays off. With gulls, that often means picking out something different from a sea of gray and white birds. Finding a rarity is always the goal.

A California Gull appeared at the 2024 Frolic, thrilling the chilly spotters. Three months later, a Black-tailed Gull visited Waukegan Beach.

Several gulls, Ayyash writes, are among “the most coveted bird species on the planet.”

Ivory Gull in Quincy, Illinois, January 2015.
Photo by Jackie Bowman

Ross’s Gull is one of them, and birders will long remember the Lake Michigan “Rossy” of March 2023. The rare Arctic native made the local news and spun lifer-seeking hobbyists into a three-day frenzy.

And then there’s the white ghost.

Ayyash still reflects on the adult Ivory Gull he encountered in early January 2018, at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Grayslake. He was alone, checking the parking lot—a reliable gull hangout because it’s near a landfill. The temperature was below zero when a small, pure-white bird dropped into plain view, gifting Ayyash an unforgettable holy grail moment.

List-chasing birders do love a rare gull. The fairgrounds Ivory Gull didn’t stick around but another one did, three years earlier in downstate Quincy. Birders throughout the Midwest hustled to see it, the state’s first Ivory in 20 years. Only four records of Ivory Gull exist for Illinois.

For the everyday “seagulls” to the rarities, Ayyash urges us to give gull-watching a fair chance. We can learn from gulls, and perhaps come to admire their tenacity and versatility. Some are quite beautiful, too.

In his book, Ayyash notes that no gull species is known to have gone extinct. They are out there, available for watching, in all kinds of weather.

The year in birds

Conservation progress and remarkable sightings highlighted 2024

(published 1-1-25)

Lake County stunner: This Scissor-tailed Flycatcher entertained watchers for
two weeks at Prairie Wolf Forest Preserve. Photo by Matt Zuro.

A Yellow-billed Loon appeared on the Las Vegas Strip last March, swimming in the Fountains of Bellagio. Fortunately, what happened in Vegas didn’t stay there for long. The daily water show hit pause while biologists captured the Arctic vagrant and took it to a safe place serving fish.

One month later, a similar scenario played out in suburban Wilmette. This time, the wayward bird was a young Whooping Crane making her first northward migration. Officials from the International Crane Foundation mobilized quickly to rescue the endangered wader, later releasing it at Horicon Marsh, near ICF’s Wisconsin headquarters.

This well-tracked Whooping Crane caused a scene
in Wilmette last April after stopping short on its
northern migration. Photo by Scott Judd.

These were good outcomes for the individual birds, and memorable moments for a few lucky spectators. More avian success stories were still to come in 2024, along with potential for saving thousands of birds every year.

Birders breathed a sigh of relief when the owners of Chicago’s McCormick Place convention center took steps to reduce bird collisions with the building’s glass, installing “Feather Friendly” film in a $1.2 million project completed before fall migration.

The retrofit was largely in response to that awful night in October 2023 when more than 1,000 migrating birds perished from window strikes at McCormick Place.

Patterned glass in combination with a citywide Lights Out program during peak migration periods makes Chicago safer for passing birds. A needed next step is for Chicago City Council to adopt mandatory bird-friendly building design guidelines.

Evanston and Skokie already require builders to practice bird-safety measures. In 2024, Lake County enacted ordinances as well.

Nationwide, building collisions kill more than one billion birds annually, according to studies. A new documentary called “Broken Flight” screened at the Chicago International Film Festival in October. See it if you get a chance.

Another hot-button issue concerns the use of poison to control rat populations. Last spring, three Great Horned Owls in Lincoln Park died from rodenticide poisoning—news well covered by mainstream media. Since then, Chicago Bird Alliance (formerly Chicago Audubon) has amped up pressure on the city to pursue alternate rat control methods that are both less harmful to urban ecosystems and more effective than rodenticide.

Big wins for nature

Voters in four counties—DuPage, Kane, Lake and McHenry—supported their forest preserves in November by approving referendums to expand, restore and protect open lands. The ballot measures were about more than birds, of course, but the results were a win for the critical habitats that support them.

A Black-necked Stilt prepares for landing at Muirhead Springs
Forest Preserve in Kane County. Photo by Bob Andrini.

Galena, Homewood, Lake Bluff and St. Charles gained official Bird City Illinois status for their active and ongoing commitment to protect and conserve birds and their habitats. The state now boasts 10 Bird City communities. Audubon Council of Illinois started the program in 2022, modeling it after the successful Bird City Wisconsin program.

Waukegan, already a Bird City Illinois member, named the Piping Plover its official city bird in May, vowing to “continue to support the protection and conservation of our lakefront and the unique dune and swale habitat crucial to the recovery of the Great Lakes Piping Plover.”

Plovers raised families on Chicago and Waukegan beaches last summer, contributing to a solid year for the region’s fragile population. A record 81 pairs of Piping Plovers nested around the Great Lakes—one pair more than in 2023 and up from about a dozen pairs in the 1980s.

One of the two successful Illinois pairs in 2024 were Imani and Sea Rocket on Montrose Beach, Imani being the son of legendary pipers Monty and Rose. The latter couple made history in 2019 by hatching Chicago’s first Piping Plover chicks in 71 years.

Illinois’ only breeding colony of Common Terns also prospered in 2024. The state-endangered species produced 33 chicks (from 22 nests) in the harbor at Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Lake County.

Notable 2024 sightings

Birders in pursuit of locally rare species were busy (and successful) throughout the year. I’ll hit some of the highlights here, roughly in chronological order.

The Elgin Black-throated Gray Warbler.
Photo by Jackie Bowman.

The first eye-popper was a Black-throated Gray Warbler in Elgin, which relied upon a backyard feeder throughout a severe cold snap in January. Dozens of birders called it a lifer.

A California Gull flew in for the Gull Frolic, a popular February watch party at North Point Marina in Winthrop Harbor. Talk about a bird with good timing!

The “Cali” would not be the rarest gull to visit the Lake Michigan shoreline. A Black-tailed Gull turned up at Waukegan Beach in May, just the third Illinois record for the species.

Throughout the winter and well into April, Red Crossbills were regular at Morton Arboretum in Lisle—a classic “invasion year” for the species. Some years we don’t see any crossbills at all.

At least 200 birders saw this Sage Thrasher at Hidden Lake
Forest Preserve in Glen Ellyn. Photo by Randall Everts.

In April, a Cinnamon Teal triggered a rush to Will County, just before a Burrowing Owl made a shocking appearance at Montrose in Chicago. Another species from the west, Sage Thrasher, visited Blackwell Forest Preserve in DuPage. A second Sage Thrasher (or the same one?) would surface at Hidden Lake Forest Preserve in late September. The latter was observed for five weeks, sometimes in the company of a Northern Mockingbird.

Also in DuPage, a Ruff surprised birders at Greene Valley Forest Preserve, about a month after one was spotted in Chicago’s Richton Park. The distinctive shorebird is usually found in Africa and Eurasia.

Kane County hosted Say’s Phoebe in March and Black-necked Stilt in April. A highly watched stilt pair spent the summer at Muirhead Springs Forest Preserve, raising two young.

Muirhead lived up to its growing reputation as a birding hotspot. Coveted visitors included American Avocet, Glossy Ibis and Smith’s Longspur (April); Black Tern and Loggerhead Shrike (May); Franklin’s Gull (July); Red-necked Phalarope (August); Common Tern and Eared Grebe (September); White-faced Ibis and Kane County’s first Black-bellied Whistling Duck (October).

The Forest Preserve District of Kane County is in early planning to build an accessible, multi-level birdwatching tower at Muirhead Springs. Completion is tentatively set for 2027.

Dedicated chasers scurried up to Wisconsin to witness the state’s first-record Varied Bunting and Bar-tailed Godwit, near Grafton and Hartford, respectively.

This vagrant Lark Bunting appeared in Chicago's
Park 566. Photo by Matt Zuro.

Feathered goodies at Montrose, our state’s most-birded venue, included a breeding plumage Red-throated Loon; American Barn Owl; Laughing Gull; Marbled Godwit; Whimbrel; Least Bittern; Eastern Whip-poor-will; Cerulean, Kirtland’s and Prairie Warblers; Spotted Towhee; and Say’s Phoebe.

In May, a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher feasted on cicadas in Arlington Heights. The epic hatch provided an easy food source, elevating nesting success for many bird species.

Prairie Warbler was a nice find at Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve in DuPage, with two birds present into July. Lake County’s first Chuck-will’s Widow landed at Illinois Beach State Park, and Western Tanager delighted watchers at Glacial Park in McHenry County.

A Yellow-crowned Night Heron camped on the Naperville Riverwalk for three weeks starting in mid-August.

At least two Blue Grosbeaks summered at Morton Arboretum in Lisle; a Kentucky Warbler refueled there in September.

Chicago’s Park No. 566 yielded two grassland species from the west, Lark Bunting and Chestnut-collared Longspur. On Veterans Day, a fly-by Common Raven at the lakeside venue was the first in Illinois since 2007.

A Western Cattle Egret made friends with the bison at
Fermilab. Photo by Haley Gottardo.

Area birders responded in late August to a rare opportunity to witness a Swallow-tailed Kite. The graceful raptor spent days soaring over the Lockport area in Will County.

Back in Chicago, birders got twitchy over a hybrid Brewster’s Warbler at Montrose and a late-September Townsend’s Warbler in Jackson Park.

Hawkwatchers at Greene Valley (Naperville) observed three Golden Eagles and 10 Rough-legged Hawks during the fall count season. A Western Meadowlark visited the hill in October.

Just before Halloween, a Western Cattle Egret grazed with the bison at Fermilab in Batavia, and another visited Chicago Botanic Garden.

Also in October, a young Anna’s Hummingbird parked itself on a backyard feeder in Princeton (Bureau County). The rare hummer—only the second record for Illinois—remained a daily customer well into December and might try to overwinter.

This off-course Anna's Hummingbird delighted birders
for many weeks in Bureau County. Photo by Steve Zehner.

The year’s penultimate month is known for uncommon sightings and 2024 played true. Notables included Harlequin Duck (Chicago and Winthrop Harbor); Rufous Hummingbird (Oswego, first Kendall County record); Townsend’s Solitaire (Libertyville); and Harris’s Sparrow (Elburn).

In December, the state's first Short-tailed Shearwater zipped by Montrose Point. Young birders call that a Mega.

A beautiful Snowy Owl appeared in McHenry County before Christmas, thrilling birders and photographers for 10 days. Then tragedy: the bird died upon impact with a vehicle on Bull Valley Road.

The name game

Several birds mentioned above are named after people, a reminder that some will receive new names starting in 2025.

Currently, about 100 American bird species claim eponymous or honorific names. A few birds recall "individuals who engaged in what we think most people today would agree was reprehensible behavior,” declared the American Ornithology Society. Watch for AOS to soon announce a limited first wave of name changes. Eventually, all birds named after people will receive more descriptive titles.

Two species are presently named after John J. Audubon. In 2024, more Audubon-branded organizations around the country adopted new identities to help distance their work from the famous artist's personal legacy of racism.

The ill-fated McHenry County Snowy Owl.
Photo by Paul Clifford.

Awards and milestones

Tamima Itani was named a Volunteer of the Year by Illinois Department of Natural Resources for her leadership in the protection of Piping Plovers and their habitat at Chicago’s Montrose Beach.

Donnie Dann of Highland Park received the city’s Environmental Award for his tireless work on behalf of birds, particularly his advocacy for bird-safe building design. Dann is also deeply involved with the aforementioned Common Tern conservation efforts in Lake County.

Glen Ellyn’s Willowbrook Wildlife Center rebranded as the DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center. A major expansion and upgrade project at the facility is set for completion this spring, with a public grand opening celebration on June 5.

The debut Urban Birding Festival in Chicago, held in September, was a massive success with some 460 registrations. It’ll return in 2025.

Retired American diplomat Peter Kaestner became the first and only birder to list 10,000 species, fulfilling his lifetime quest.

Anniversaries: Illinois Beach State Park Hawkwatch, 25 years; Wooded Isle bird walks in Chicago’s Jackson Park, 25; Audubon magazine, 100; American Bird Conservancy, 30.

Birders we miss

Jon J. Duerr, former head of the Kane County Forest Preserve, passed away in February. A preserve near South Elgin was named for him in 2004.

We also remember John Hebert, a DuPage Birding Club stalwart; beloved Montrose birders Owen McHugh and Craig Millard; and Aurora’s irrepressible Vernon LaVia. (Owen and Vern left us in 2023.)

In September, birders nationwide said goodbye to Sandy Komito, a central figure in Mark Obmascik’s book, “The Big Year.” Actor Owen Wilson played a character based on Komito in the movie version.

A retirement for the birds

I’ve had more time for birding and travel since retiring in July. My first “mission trip” was to Texas, where I attended the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival in early November. I’ll write about it soon.

A visit to Seattle in September wasn’t bird-focused but an afternoon wildlife cruise with Puget Sound Express proved to be a highlight. Tufted Puffin, the trip’s primary target, was well seen by all, including my wife and son. Rhinoceros Auklet, too.

Tufted Puffin by Eric Ellingson.

A welcome bonus bird on the cruise was Red-footed Booby, spotted on the Port Townsend waterfront. The out-of-range tropical seabird had been a local sensation for about six weeks at the time.

The household yard list didn’t grow in 2024 but my watch time was rewarded with Common Yellowthroat, Red-headed Woodpecker, and Winter Wren. Years go by without my seeing these species in the backyard.

My favorite new book was “The Birds That Audubon Missed,” by Kenn Kaufman. Pick it up for some fascinating insights about birding and ornithology in the early and mid-1800s. Learn about the Carbonated Warbler, too!

I read “Birding with Benefits,” the hobby’s first romance novel, for research purposes. I’m still a little flushed.

I also enjoyed “The Bald Eagle: The Improbable Journey of America’s Bird,” by Jack E. Davis. The 2022 book from the Pulitzer Prize winner is timely now that the eagle is finally, officially, our national bird. For once, Congress got something done without a fight.

Some eagle watching on the Mississippi River would be a fine way to begin 2025. Or maybe I'll just fill up the feeders and stay home. Birders have options, and they're all good.

Giving thanks for birds and birding

(published 11-20-24)

Some t-shirts demand to be seen.

Birds give us so much, enriching our lives almost every day when we take time to notice. The hobby of watching, counting, and finding birds is rewarding, too.

In 2024, I began a list of the things I appreciate about birds, birding and birders, writing them down as they popped into my head. Some are silly and trivial, but all are personally significant. A few summon memories from my earliest days as a birder—even from before I became one. It’s been a fun exercise.

This is my Thankful List, and just like any other list involving birds, it’s sure to grow.

I am thankful for:

The welcoming ways of the birding community.

The Blackburnian Warbler sports one of
the best and most memorable colors in birding.
Photo by Christian Goers.

Spark birds, including my own, a Hooded Warbler seen 30 years ago.

All the sounds that Blue Jays make, and bugling flocks of migrating Sandhill Cranes.

Birdy t-shirts, socks and hats. License plates, too.

Monty and Rose, and all they inspired at Chicago’s Montrose Beach and beyond.

Canada geese in the V formation.

“Kingbird Highway” by Kenn Kaufman.

The excitement of rare bird stakeouts.

Homeowners who share rare birds with strangers bearing binoculars, spotting scopes and long-lens cameras.

Young birders and those who encourage them.

A hopeful plate.

Nature centers with busy, well-stocked bird feeders.

Stores like Wild Birds Unlimited in Lisle.

Nemesis birds, and the challenge of finding them.

Being home when a Worm-eating Warbler visited my yard.

Birding trips to new places.

Unplanned “chases” that end in success.

Birders with superpowers, like those who can identify gulls and shorebirds.

The staff and volunteers of DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center in Glen Ellyn (formerly Willowbrook).

Birding’s accessibility. What other “outdoor pursuit” can be done from a chair, looking out a window?

The right bird can make your day.

Being able to see and hear birds almost anywhere, at any time.

Great-horned Owls in the neighborhood, hooting in the dark.

“Owl Moon” by Jane Yolen, the perfect children’s book.

Local forest preserves—vital green space for resident and migrating birds.

The Wilderness Center in Wilmot, Ohio.

Postage stamps that celebrate birds and other wildlife.

Lifers and Yardies.

Heated bird baths.

Old field guides with obsolete bird names.

The Indiana Dunes Birding Festival and those who make it happen.

Common birds that show us something new.

Good binoculars for $200 or less.

Some wine bottles are irresistible.

The “dawn chorus” in April and May.

New books about birds and birding, and anything written by Scott Weidensaul.

The International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, Wis.

The special colors of birding, like the throat of a Blackburnian Warbler.

Bird-a-Day calendars.

Birds with fantastic names that I might never see.

Golf course managers who care about habitat and conservation.

Merlin, eBird, and the All About Birds website. Thanks, Cornell.

Living on a major North-South migratory flyway.

Beer and wine labels with birds on them.

New-to-science species that are still being discovered, and “extinct” species that are rediscovered.

CBC birders know how to dress the part.
Photo by Jim Frazier.

The chance that Ivory-billed Woodpeckers are still out there.

People who lead bird walks.

Ornithologists and naturalists who share their wisdom.

Christmas Bird Counts and Countdown Dinners.

Cardinals on Christmas cards.

Red-headed Woodpeckers that overwinter (and good mast years).

The comeback of Bald Eagles.

Buzzard Day in Hinckley, Ohio, and Turkey Day in the United States.

Happy Thanksgiving!

How to catch more birds

(published 10-16-24)

The eyes have it!

Ten years ago, I wrote a column about birding and fishing, noting the many things they have in common. It’s true! Both pursuits are addictive, both contain an element of mystery and surprise, and of course both often generate tales of “the one that got away.”

I’m not an angler but I could see myself becoming one. Maybe that’s why I always read Steve Sarley’s outdoors column in the Sports section. His words hook me every time.

One of Steve’s recent writings, “A few tips for catching more fish,” made me realize that it’s been a while since I’ve offered up any basic advice about birding. The pandemic created scores of new birders, and reactivated interest among those who had let their binoculars get a little dusty. Birdwatching and other outdoor activities suddenly caught fire.

For those who felt the spark, and especially those who are brand new to the hobby, I’ll try to provide a useful nugget or two.

Baltimore Oriole on grape jelly feeder

Start with the backyard. Knowing the common neighborhood birds is essential, plus it’s fun to see what you can attract. A tube-style feeder filled with black oil sunflower seeds is best. Place it for easy viewing and, for bird safety, not too close to a window. You can build out a feeding station to bring in more species. Consider a suet cage, specialty seeds and nuts, and a birdbath. Oh yes, a hummingbird feeder from May through October. Keep the feeders clean and the water fresh!

Record your sightings. Most birders find it motivating to keep track of what they see. In the yard and elsewhere, you might be amazed by how quickly your various lists grow. Celebrate new feeder visitors and first-time encounters in the field. A “lifer” can make your day! Download a handy checklist at illinoisbirds.org—under the Records tab, click on IL Field Checklist. The roster features more than 300 species that live in our state or pass through it every year.

Use good equipment. For the most part, birding is cheap. All you really need is a decent pair of binoculars, attainable for $200 or less. Many people spend much more on optics and don’t regret it. Seeing bright, sharp images makes a difference. When birding in a group, don’t hesitate to ask for peek through another person’s glass—it might help with your next purchase decision. Consider owning a second binocular and keeping it in your car.

Power in the pocket

Get the free apps. Printed field guides are still valuable. I prefer the David Sibley books. But electronic field guides (downloaded to a smart phone) are easier to carry and offer sound. I use the Audubon Bird Guide for photos and vocalizations. Whatever you do, get the Merlin app—it’ll ID the birds you are hearing with amazing accuracy. Merlin, along with eBird, are products of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. One of my favorite eBird tools (among many) is the daily email I receive with rare bird sightings—one for DuPage County and one for Illinois. You can sign up for any county or state, or even the whole country. Before a trip, use eBird to track what’s being seen at your destination. Knowing what to expect before a bird walk is super helpful.

Bird with others and by yourself. Birding (like fishing!) can be a group or solitary activity. Both approaches have advantages. New birders certainly benefit from being around “experts.” Try going on a field trip with the DuPage Birding Club, Kane County Audubon, or Forest Preserve District. These and other groups offer organized walks—a sure way to learn and see new birds. Be a sponge and ask questions. Solo outings to a local “patch” close to home are beneficial, too. Finding interesting birds on your own, at your own pace, and then working out the IDs is time well spent.

Additional resources. A Cornell Lab membership will grow your skillset while supporting the hobby and bird conservation. Ditto for the American Birding Association and American Bird Conservancy. All three of these nonprofits publish fine magazines, too. Be a joiner.

“Find More Birds: 111 Surprising Ways to Spot Birds Wherever You Are,” by Heather Wolf, is an excellent new book for all birders, loaded with practical advice. A few older publications geared to newer birders remain golden: “Sibley’s Birding Basics”; “Birding Essentials” from National Geographic; and “New Birder’s Guide” by the late Bill Thompson III.

Books about backyard bird feeding are plentiful as well. Perhaps better yet, stop by your local birding supply store. Places like Wild Birds Unlimited in Lisle offer guidance along with the seeds and merch.

Spotting this statue-like American Bittern took a sharp eye
and careful scanning last month at Lincoln Park's South Pond
in Chicago. Practical search methods are discussed in
Heather Wolf's book, pictured above. Bittern photo by Russ Smith.

Famous birdman Pete Dunne once said that to be a good birder you must bird a lot. Makes sense to me. If you have bird feeders, watch them intently. Get outside as much as possible to see what’s around. In our region, the birdlife is always changing. With time, you will get a feel for the seasonal comings and goings.

Pretty soon, you might find yourself “always birding,” even when you’re not. It’s one of the best things about our hobby—you can see birds almost anywhere, and while doing other things. When I play golf, I’m birding. Sorry Steve, but if we go fishing, I’ll be birding then, too.

As watchers, we become more aware of our surroundings, and more observant. These traits, plus a strong curiosity about “what’s out there,” are the foundation for successful (and joyful) birding at any level.

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