Rock Run Rookery & D.P. River Widewaters from Front St Thursday 3-4-21

[Al Stokie]

Hello Bird People,

Started at Rock Run Rookery at 8:30 & saw Jim L who was leaving. He
had just seen a P.B. Grebe which was one of the new year birds that I
wanted to see. But it took me over an hour until the Grebe came
swimming out of an inlet & I finally saw it. Another new year bird was
D.C. Cormorant of which I saw 11.. As I was leaving I heard White
Fronted Geese & sort of saw them behind some trees but that was not
very satisfying. Saw 13 species of ducks, 3 Bald Eagles & 14 Great
Blues.

Then to the Widewaters Area where the river is now open & you can park
along Front St as the snow is now gone. Didn't have much time to spend
here as it took too long to find that P.B.Grebe earlier so I just
looked from the Frontage Rd/Front St. Saw 4 Mute Swans, 6 Great Blues
& 10 species of ducks, none new for the day, only repeats. Heard more
White Fronted Geese but didn't see them at all this time.
If interested full bird lists follow:

Rock Run Rookery (8:30-10:30 a.m.)

PIED BILLED GREBE (1) (FOY)
D.C. CORMORANT (11) (FOY)
Great Blue Heron (14)
WHITE FRONTED GOOSE (Heard flying by & poorly seen)
Canada Goose (~30)
Mallard (~30)
Gadwall (26)
Shoveler (1, not in breeding plumage)
Greater (1) & Lesser (15) Scaup
Canvasback (12)
Redhead (6)
Ring Necked Duck (~35)
Goldeneye (4)
Hooded (4), Common (75) & Red Breasted (6) Mergansers
Ruddy Duck (4)
BALD EAGLE (1-AD & 2-IM)
Coots (16)
Ring Billed (~100) & Herring (20) Gulls
Land birds were Downy Woodpecker, Crows (H-2), Cardinal (H-1) & Red Wings (2).

Widewaters/D.P. River (10:45-11:20 a.m.)

Great Blue Heron (6)
Mute Swan (4)
White Fronted Goose (heard a few flying by)
Canada Goose (~75)
Mallard (10)
Gadwall (12)
Shoveler (3)
Canvasback (~200)
Redhead (10)
Ring Necked Duck (~20)
Lesser Scaup (~50)
Common (30) & Red Breasted (2) Merganser
Ruddy Duck (18)
Coots (20)
Ring Billed & Herring Gulls (no counts)
Only land birds were 1 Chickadee & 2 Red Wings.

Had 33 species for the day & 13 of them were ducks.
Bird-Of-The-Day to the White Fronted Geese even though they weren't
seen very well.
Runners-Up to the Bald Eagles & the 2 new year birds which were the
P.B. Grebe & the
D.C. Cormorants.

Al Stokie
In Will County today