Sangamon Co. August 2021 report
Dyer, Beckie
Birds in Sangamon County in August, 2021
Pied-billed Grebe – fall arrival 2 at LSpfld (Aug 14), w/HC = 4 at LSpfld (Aug 30) – very poor #, seen on 7 days (one all summer still present). Boat traffic keeps them off the lake.
White Pelican – none
Double-crested Cormorant – # went over 100 (127) on Aug 4. HC = 167 (Aug 26), seen 30 days.
Great Blue Heron – HC = 18 (Aug 20), seen every day in August.
Great Egret – HC = 115 (Aug 20), some roosting at North Pt, but w/ much harrassment. Also seen at Rt 29 Bridge and south end LSpfld. Seen every day.
Snowy Egret – one im at Marine Pt (Aug 13 &14) – photo.
Little Blue Heron – post- breeding juvenile at Marine Pt – Lin Gds (Aug 1 - 31) could have been the same bird on 8 days.
Cattle Egret – fall arrival im at Beach (Aug 7).
Green Heron – HC = 5 (Aug 6), noted on 25 days, w/ last seen in Aug w/ 2 on the 31st.
Black-crown Night-Heron – one calling at Marine Pt (Aug 11), plus im at RSP (Aug 23) and one im at Lin Gds (Aug 26).
Mute Swan – a pair & im at Mall Pond (Aug 1, 14 & 25).
Canada Goose – HC = 220 (Aug 11) – seen every day. Several run-over at LSpfld.
Wood Duck – HC = 32 (Aug 17), seen on 30 days in small #.
Green-winged Teal – none
Mallard – HC = 160 (Aug 18), seen every day.
Blue-winged Teal – fall arrival 7 at Marine Pt (Aug 6), w/ HC = 87 (Aug 30) – seen on 7 days.
Hooded Merganser – one ♀ came into Marine Pt w/ the Mallards (Aug 31).
Turkey Vulture – HC = 34 (Aug 24), seen every day. Vultures seen at LSpfld, RSP, Sangchris + other areas.
Osprey – 4 singles: (Aug 3, 5, 13, 31), all at Marine Pt.
Bald Eagle –HC = 2 (ad & im) on (Aug 5), seen 12 days. Age ratio = 10ad:3 im.
Cooper’s Hawk – HC = 2 (Aug 13), seen on 8 days.
Red-shouldered Hawk – HC = 2 (Aug 2 & 22) seen on 9 days – mostly at RSP/CP and Sangchris.
Broad-winged Hawk – fall arrival 2 flying w/ Red-tail at Oak Ridge (Aug 22).
Red-tailed Hawk – HC = 3 (Aug 16), - recorded on 14 days.
Am. Kestrel – HC = 4 (Aug 6) – seen on 13 days.
Peregrine Falcon – 3 singles at LSpfld (Aug 9, 10 & 12) – all same adult.
Turkey –HC = 6 at south end of LSpfld (Aug 7), + 2 at Sangchris (Aug 9).
Am Coot – one at LSpfd Dam (Aug 3 - 31) – SR, seen on 11 days.
Killdeer – HC = 89 (Aug 27), seen every day.
Lesser Yellowlegs – HC = 5 (Aug 27) – very poor #, seen on 10 days.
Solitary Sandpiper – HC = 4 (Aug 16), seen on 10 days.
Spotted Sandpiper – HC = 2, seen on 12 days.
Semipalmated Sandpiper – HC = 3 (Aug 22 & 27), seen on 4 days. No habitat.
Least Sandpiper – HC = 6 (Aug 16, 24 & 29), seen on 13 days.
Pectoral Sandpiper – HC = 12 (Aug 15), seen on 5 days. No habitat!
Buff-breasted Sandpiper – fall arrival at UIS Athletic Field (Aug 26) – photos.
Laughing Gull – fall arrival juvenile at LSpfld Dam (Aug 29 & 31).
Bonaparte’s Gull – fall arrival adult non-breeding at Marine Pt (Aug 29) seen again Aug 31.
Ring-billed Gull – HC = 290 (August 12), seen every day, but # fluctuated – much harassment from public. Gulls & Terns sitting on top of metal boat garages on private property were difficult to see and to identify.
Caspian Tern – HC = 50 (Aug 15), these terns w/ their young –that migrate w/ the adults were more difficult to find, but were observed on 28 days.
Common Tern – 15 seen from Marine Pt being chased by boat on (Aug 15).
Forster’s Tern – HC = 15 (Aug 13), seen 13 days, but much harassment by the public.
Least Tern – fall arrival adult & im off Marine Pt (Aug 11), im also (Aug 12).
Black Tern – HC = 26 at LSpfld (Aug 13), also 17 (Aug12) –seen 5 days. Last seen im at LSpfld (Aug 15).
Rock Dove - present
Eurasian Collared-Dove – HC = 3 (Aug 9), seen on 5 days.
Mourning Dove – HC = 87 (Aug 1), seen every day.
Black-billed Cuckoo – fall arrival at Sangchris (Aug 5).
Yellow-billed Cuckoo – HC = 7 (Aug 18), detected on 20 days.
Barred Owl – HC = 2 at WP (Aug 6) + 3 singles, north of Sangchris (Aug 17) & (2) at RSP (Aug 20 & 22).
Common Nighthawk - fall arrival 2 at South 6th (Aug 21), w/HC = 42 (Aug 28) seen on 8 days.
Chimney Swift – probable migrants and HC = 52 (Aug 17) seen on 28 days. A few still being killed at LSpfld Dam in early Aug.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird – HC = 10 (Aug 13 & 29), seen on 24 days. Numbers more due to feeders.
Belted Kingfisher – HC = 3 (Aug 6), seen on 21 days .
Red-headed Woodpecker – HC = 7 (Aug 7, 12 & 14). Total birds for Aug = 116 seen on 31 days
Red-bellied Woodpecker – HC = 9 (Aug 12 & 19). Total birds for Aug = 144, seen on 31 days.
Downy Woodpecker – HC = 6 (Aug 7 & 20), seen on 28 days.
Hairy Woodpecker – HC = 2 (4x in Aug), seen on 16 days.
N. Flicker – HC = 6 ( Aug 24 & 31), seen 25 days.
Pileated Woodpecker – HC = 4 (Aug 31), seen on 21 days.
Olive-sided Flycatcher – fall arrival south of Woodside Rd (Aug 14), + one at Golf Course (Aug 27 & 31).
E. Wood-Pewee – HC = 9 (Aug 13, 14 & 19), seen on 26 days in mostly low #. Some family groups seen.
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher – fall arrival at RSP (Aug 29) – late arrival. Another (Aug 31) – very poor #.
Acadian Flycatcher – 2 (Aug 10) at CP were SR.
Alder Flycatcher – none
Willow Flycatcher – two at Sangchris (Aug 24 & 28) were % SR.
Least Flycatcher –fall arrival at RSP (Aug 16), w/ HC = 2 (Aug 24 & 28), + 2 other singles (Aug 29 – 31) seen on 5 days in poor #.
E. Phoebe – HC = 4 (Aug 1 & 15), seen on 11 days – has not recovered from polar vortex kill.
Great Crested Flycatcher – HC = 5 (Aug 12 & 16), seen on 25 days. Some young seen.
E. Kingbird – HC = 15 (Aug 17), seen on 28 days. Some family groups seen.
Prairie Horned Lark – HC = 3 at the airport (Aug 10), only record for Aug.
Purple Martin – HC = 142 at LSpfld (Aug 3), seen 25 days. Roost at LSpfld interrupted and birds left early there.
Tree Swallow – HC = 72 at Sangchris (Aug 24), seen only 5 days.
N. Rough-wing Swallow –HC = 4 at Cinder Flats (Aug 9),seen on 3 days - none at usual spot at RSP, the bottomland is used as a dog park now.
Bank Swallow – HC = 4 (Aug 12), seen on 4 days.
Cliff Swallow – HC = 33 (Aug 1), seen on 12 days.
Barn Swallow – HC = 105 (Aug 17), seen on 29 days, many family groups.
Blue Jay – HC = 21 (Aug 19), seen every day. Some young seen.
Am. Crow – HC = 50 (Aug 5), seen every day & flocks starting to form.
Fish Crow – HC = 10 at Sangchris (Aug 24), + some at RSP, seen on 11 days.
Black-capped Chickadee – HC = 7 (Aug 16), seen 25 days.
Tufted Titmouse – HC = 16 (Aug 19), seen every day.
White-breasted Nuthatch – HC = 10 (Aug 21), seen every day.
Carolina Wren – HC = 5 (Aug 14), seen on 15 days. Numbers still low from Polar Vortex kill.
House Wren – HC = 6 (Aug 3), seen in low # on 21 days.
Marsh Wren – 2 were present at the pond on the west end of Sangchris, (Aug 17) which had tall grasses. The ♂ was singing ( the pair may have nested there).
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – HC = 7 (Aug 16), seen on 16 days.
E. Bluebird – HC = 9 (Aug 12), seen on 13 days/w some young seen. Numbers still low due to late winter kill.
Wood Thrush – HC = 2 (Aug 1 & 5), seen on 4 days, birds quit singing & went into molt (Aug 7) and none were found in August after that date.
Am. Robin – HC = 80 (Aug 31), seen every day, but in small #. Dawn chorus stopped Aug 5.
Gray Catbird – HC = 8 (Aug 14), seen on 22 days.
Brown Thrasher – 6 singles, very scarce in hot weather.
Cedar Waxwing – HC = 6 (Aug 3), found on 9 days w/ some im present. SR last seen Aug 21.
Eur Starling – present.
White-eyed Vireo – 5 singles (Aug 4 & Aug 26 -31)) – mostly at CP/RSP & one at Sangchris.
Bell’s Vireo – 2 singles, both at Sangchris (Aug 5 & 17).
Yellow-throated Vireo – HC = 2 (Aug 27), + 4 other singles (Aug 17 – 31).
Warbling Vireo – HC = 7 (Aug 24 ), seen/heard on 16 days.
Red-eyed Vireo – HC = 3 (Aug 26, 30 & 31), seen on 22 days – low #.
Blue-winged Warbler – fall arrival at RSP (Aug 31), TC = 1/1.
Golden-winged Warbler – fall arrival ♀ at RSP (Aug 20), also ♀ (Aug 25) & ♂(Aug 31), TC = 3/3.
Tennessee Warbler – HC = 23 (Aug 31), TC = 34/8.
Nashville Warbler – fall arrival 3 at RSP (Aug 31), TC = 3/1.
N. Parula - 5 singles – SR? (Aug 2 - 26), TC = 5/5.
Yellow Warbler – HC = 5 (Aug 16), TC = 18/8.
Chestnut-sided Warbler – fall arrival im at RSP (Aug 16), w/ HC = 5 (Aug 27), TC = 22/9.
Magnolia Warbler – fall arrival at RSP (Aug 26),w/ HC = 11 (Aug 31), TC = 13/3.
Cape May Warbler – fall arrival adult♀ at Sangchris (Aug 28), + im at Marine Pt (Aug 30), TC = 2/2.
Black throated Green Warbler – fall arrival 3 at Marine Pt & RSP (Aug 31), TC = 3/1.
Blackburnian Warbler - fall arrival at RSP (Aug 15), w/ HC = 2 (Aug 16 & 28), TC = 8/6.
Yellow-throated Warbler – adult feeding 2 young at RSP (Aug 15 & 16), + one there (Aug 26), TC = 7/3.
Bay-breasted Warbler – fall arrival at RSP (Aug 31), TC = 1/1.
Black & white Warbler – fall arrival at RSP (Aug 13), w/HC = 5 (Aug 26), TC = 14/9.
Am. Redstart – fall arrival ♀ at Marine Pt (Aug 17), w/HC = 6 (Aug 31), no ad ♂ seen in Aug, TC = 16/8.
Prothonotary Warbler – HC = 4 (2ad & 2hy) at RSP (Aug 2), most seen at RSP, but two at Lin Gds (Aug 19 & 30), TC = 16/9.
Ovenbird – fall arrival at Lin Gds (Aug 26), almost absent for what reason? TC = 1/1.
Northern Waterthrush – fall arrival at RSP (Aug 22), + 2 other singles, TC = 3/3.
Connecticut Warbler – fall arrival im at RSP (Aug 31), TC+1/1.
Mourning Warbler – fall arrival –specimen- im ♂ at IDOT (Aug 16) donated by J. Hitchings- + im at RSP (Aug 31), TC = 2/2.
Common Yellowthroat – HC = 4 (Aug 1), some or all SR, very low #, TC = 23/13.
Wilson’s Warbler – fall migrant at Marine Pt (Aug 14), +another (Aug 31), TC = 2/2.
Canada Warbler – fall arrival im at RSP (Aug 16), + 2 other singles (Aug 27 & 31), low #,TC = 3/3.
Yellow-breasted Chat - none .
Summer Tanager – HC = 2 at CP (Aug 4) + 3 singles from (Aug 2 – 21), at CP/RSP and Lin Gds.
Scarlet Tanager – 2 singles: ♂ singing at CP (Aug 4) and one at RSP (Aug 13) – very poor #.
N. Cardinal – HC = 14 (Aug 9, 14 & 19), seen every day, but in small #.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak – HC = 2 (Aug 24) + 2 singles (Aug 5 & 28) – very poor #.
Blue Grosbeak – HC = 5 (Aug 1 & 17), found 33 birds on 17 days in August.
Indigo Bunting – HC = 15 (Aug 17), seen on 29 days, w/ total birds = 149.
Dickcissel – HC = 7 (Aug 1& 5), seen on 5 days in Aug w/ total birds = 18. Numbers dropping off after Aug 5.
E. Towhee – HC = 3 (Aug 9), + one (Aug 28) – numbers down due to heat?
Chipping Sparrow – HC = 12 (Aug 1) seen on 21 days.
Field Sparrow – HC = 2 (Aug 4) seen on 3 days, very poor #.
Vesper Sparrow – HC = 2 at KOA Rd (Aug 1), only record.
Song Sparrow – HC = 4 (Aug 8 & 9), seen 14 days – none after Aug 22 – went into molt?
Red-winged Blackbird – HC = 32 (Aug 5), seen 18 days – poor # for this usually abundant bird, but visibility lacking due to annual molt.
E. Meadowlark – HC = 7 (Aug 1), seen on 8 days.
Common Grackle – HC = 80 (Aug 29), seen on 9 days – very low #.
Brown-headed Cowbird – HC = 120 (Aug 6), seen on 15 days – low #. Two im still seen on Aug 20.
Orchard Oriole – HC = 2 at Sangchris (Aug 28) – also last seen, + 2 singles (Aug 3 & 24).
Baltimore Oriole – HC = 9 (Aug 14, 22 & 23), seen on 30 days .
House Finch – HC = 40 (Aug 21), seen on 22 days.
Am. Goldfinch - HC = 7 (Aug 14 & 16), seen on 28 days.
House Sparrow – present.
Eurasian Tree Sparrow – HC = 18 (Aug 7), seen on 3 days.
Total field days = 31
Total hours for August = 230
Total species for August 2021 = 141
August 2021 was hot with 7 days 90° or hotter. The monthly high temp of 92º - were 3 consecutive days nestled in 6 days with 90° highs, from August 23 - 29 .The rest of the highs were in the 80s (10 of which were 85° or higher), except August 2 and 15, both of which were 79°. The low temperatures were in the 50s the first 4 nights, then in the 60s and 70s the rest of the month. The warmest nights were 77° August 10 and 11. Field conditions for seeing numbers of birds, were not good because the birds stopped moving around 10 am because of the heat. The total precipitation for August was 4.65 inches, with the highest one day rain total 2.40 inches on August 9. However, due to high water levels in lakes and ponds, and no water in sloughs or puddles, there were few mudflats available for shorebirds in the county. Mulberries helped provide food for many birds. There continues to be even more disturbances by humans at the lakes. Blackbirds, Horned Larks, and Robins and some other open country birds are very low in numbers. Migrant warblers, thus far, are spotty in distribution, with most along the Sangamon River and a few at Lake Springfield.
H. David Bohlen
Illinois State Museum (IDNR)
Beckie DyerMuseum TechnicianIllinois State Museum1011 East Ash StreetSpringfield, Illinois 62703-3500Phone: 217-782-7475/ 217-785-0037Fax: 217-785-2857http://illinoisstatemuseum.org/
State of Illinois - CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in this communication is confidential, may be attorney-client privileged or attorney work product, may constitute inside information or internal deliberative staff communication, and is intended only for the use of the addressee. Unauthorized use, disclosure or copying of this communication or any part thereof is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail and destroy this communication and all copies thereof, including all attachments. Receipt by an unintended recipient does not waive attorney-client privilege, attorney work product privilege, or any other exemption from disclosure.