PIWO report from McLean Co.

[Michael L. P. Retter]

Sorry for the belated report (I was in S Texas), but this email was sent to me 11/14.
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I would like to report (with much excitement!) a rare bird sighting for
Mclean County.... a PILEATED WOODPECKER!! I saw in this morning at
around 8:00 a.m. on one of the trails at Sugar Grove Nature Center.
First I saw it flying away, a big black woodpecker with white on the
edges of the wings and a red crest. It was making a pileated's noise as
it flew away. I was so excited that I ran off the trail in pursuit for a
better look, where I got a very good look at it on the side of a
tree--definitely a pileated (red crest, face pattern, etc.) I wonder if
it's here to stay for a while?
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To the best of my knowledge, there are only 2 or 3 prior records of the species in McLean Co.

Michael L. P. Retter
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W. Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co., IN
mlretter AT yahoo.com
home: 765.838.3152
cell: 309.824.7317
http://xenospiza.com/

Tour Leader, Tropical Birding
http://www.tropicalbirding.com/
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