Clinton Lake; De Witt Co; 11/08/09; Western Grebe; Spring Bay; Woodford Co

[frake...@aol.com]

Greetings, everyone --

 

Nine of us went to Clinton Lake on this lovely morning for another JWP Audubon birdwalk. We tallied 51 species, which was an improvement over my Friday survey. Most of this was due to an influx of waterfowl -- we had 12 species today, including a couple of Goldeneye. The huge numbers of birds present on Friday had settled way down. Dale Birkenholz and Les Allen located a late small flock of Dunlin just as we were approaching the Lake. Other highlights included nice views of a male Purple Finch, and several waterbirds. My wife and kids were going to scoot down later in the morning to meet us, but Sherri once again found herself keyless in Carlock, trapped with the three children. This time, she left the keys in the back of the Hybrid (that I was driving). When I dryly pointed out that this might make it difficult for her and the kids to join us, I was met with that "did the call drop?" silence that made me rethink ever returning.

 

Interestingly, Jeffery Dahmer is apparently trying to sell his boat posthumously at the Clinton Lake Marina:

 

http://www.ilbirds.com/index.php?topic=28779.0

 

Totals for our walk are below. Thanks to all of you for a wonderful morning of birding.

 

On my way back to Carlock, Winks called me to let me know he had found a Western Grebe at Dolphin Cove in East Peoria -- he will be posting details soon (sometimes he gets a little predisposed...). I convinced the "abandoned ones" to go on a car ride, and we zoomed over and met Matthew. We did manage to relocate the bird farther north and at an ugly distance. I am going back tomorrow morning with the east light to try and find it for some pictures.

 

Matt Fraker

De Witt/Woodford Co.

11/08/09

 

Location:     Clinton lake
Observation date:     11/8/09
Number of species:     51

Canada Goose     37
Gadwall     21
American Wigeon     8
American Black Duck     7
Mallard     303
Northern Shoveler     6
Green-winged Teal     20
Ring-necked Duck     5
Lesser Scaup     70
Common Goldeneye     2
Hooded Merganser     2
Ruddy Duck     5
Ring-necked Pheasant     1
Common Loon     10
Pied-billed Grebe     16
Horned Grebe     4
Double-crested Cormorant     9
Great Blue Heron     6
Turkey Vulture     21
Red-tailed Hawk (Eastern)     10
American Kestrel     1
American Coot     1
Killdeer     3
Dunlin     6
Bonaparte's Gull     163
Ring-billed Gull     979
Belted Kingfisher     2
Red-bellied Woodpecker     2
Downy Woodpecker     5
Hairy Woodpecker     4
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)     2
Blue Jay     14
American Crow     24
Black-capped Chickadee     12
White-breasted Nuthatch (Eastern)     4
Carolina Wren     4
Golden-crowned Kinglet     2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet     1
Eastern Bluebird     2
American Robin     34
European Starling     20
American Pipit     50
Cedar Waxwing     141
White-throated Sparrow     1
White-crowned Sparrow     1
Dark-eyed Junco     16
Northern Cardinal     11
Red-winged Blackbird     70
Purple Finch     2
American Goldfinch     7
House Sparrow     5