Illinois Beach South Unit & North Point Marina Wednesday 10-29-25

[Al Stokie]

Hello Bird People,

It's easy to write these reports when you don't see very many birds.
With me here were Bob Erickson, Andy Stewart, Eric Johnson & Eric Walters.
Did a lake watch from the park office deck at Illinois Beach South.
The winds were very strong from the east & we should have had flying
ducks to look at but that was not the case. Two of us saw 2 Black
Scoters in flight but that was before I arrived. And no other ducks
were seen in 2 hours of looking. The only birds seen were D.C.
Cormorant (3), Canada Geese (22), Ring Billed (15) & Herring (6) Gulls
& Crows (2). Only 5 species seen in 2 hours.

Next I went by myself to North Marina where I again only managed to
see 5 species.
The 5 were D.C. Cormorant (2), SURF SCOTER (1), Ring Billed Gull (only
1), Herring Gulls (~300) &, for a big surprise, one SPOTTED SANDPIPER
which was very late.

So only 7 species at the 2 locations plus 3 more roadside additions
for a meager total of 10 species for the day. Bird-Of-The-Day will be
the very late Spotted Sandpiper & Runner-Up will be the Surf Scoter.

But the day's highlight had to be visiting the Waukegan History Museum
to see the Piping Plover exhibit with all the beautiful watercolor
paintings. I was given a tour of the exhibit by Carolyn L who is in
charge of all things Piping Plover in Lake County. If you plan to see
this exhibit do it right away as it ends in 2 days on the 31st of
October.

License Plate Of The Day to one from North Dakota seen on the way home.

Al Stokie
In Lake County today not doing very well birdwise