Again to Muirhead Springs in Kane County Thursday 10-16-25

[Al Stokie]

Hello Bird People,

This place continues to hold shorebirds which I like to see & I wanted
to try again for a LeConte's Sparrow. Failed again with the Sparrow in
spite of Aiden K finding 2 here today. But I saw 9 species of
shorebirds which is pretty good I'd say for mid October. Also saw a
hard to see AMERICAN BITTERN thanks to Sadie D who somehow picked it
out while hidden in the reeds.

Muirhead Springs (7:30-11:30 am) (Also briefly saw Walt L & Ann H while here)

P.B. Grebe (26)
AMERICAN BITTERN (1, hidden in the reeds)
Great Blue Heron (only 1)
Canada Goose (347, hard to count)
Mallard (6)
Shoveler (9-10)
(Others saw Pintails here today but I missed them)
Coots (34)
Northern Harrier (1, hunting)
Killdeer (41)
Greater (1) & Lesser (4) Yellowlegs
Least Sandpiper (1)
Semipalmated Sandpiper (2) (Flagged by ebird)
Pectoral Sandpiper (8)
STILT SANDPIPER (2 together & 1 by itself) (Also flagged on ebird
because of the total)
LONG BILLED DOWITCHER (1, but Sadie saw 2)
Wilson's Snipe (2 or 3)
Mourning Dove (2, roadsides)
Tree Swallow (~25)
Blue Jay (1)
Crows (H-2)
Sedge Wren (1)
Marsh Wren (H-1)
Robin (2)
Starling (9)
AMERICAN PIPIT (1)
Song (1), Swamp (2) & Savannah (6) Sparrows
White Crowned Sparrow (2)
Red Wings (32)
Eastern Meadowlark (H-1)
RUSTY BLACKBIRD (3, on the mud edges by the reeds)
Goldfinch (4)
House Sparrow (heard a few)

So 35 species at Muirhead plus roadside Pigeons for a total of 36 for the day.
Bird-Of-The-Day will be the Bittern & Runners-Up will be the Long
Billed Dowitcher, the Stilt Sandpipers, the Pipit & the Rusty
Blackbirds.

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

Al Stokie