Waukegan Beach, Illinois Beach North & North Point Marina Tuesday 11-4-25

[Al Stokie]

Hello Bird People,

This will be an easy to write report as I saw very few birds today.
Got a call from Bob Erickson today while about to leave home saying
that there were two Dunlin at Waukegan but I was unable to relocate
them an hour later. In fact I only found 5 species at this location.

Next to the Sand Pond parking lot at the North Unit of Illinois Beach
where Bob was already watching the continuing HARRIS'S SPARROW. It
wasn't there when I arrived but showed itself about 10 min later. It's
an adult in Winter plumage & so very impressive to see. Almost all the
Harris's Sparrows I see are young ones, not adults. It was feeding
with a Pigeon, two Tree Sparrows & three Juncos until 3 Blue Jays
arrived & chased everything else away except the Pigeon which wasn't
moving for any other birds. Also saw 2 Sandhill Cranes by the pond.

Finally to the harbor mouth at North Point Marina were the only duck
was the continuing SURF SCOTER. Also there were 2 more Sandhill Cranes
& 2 Killdeer all on the sand flats.

So only 16 species for the day & Bird-Of-The-Day will be the Harris's
Sparrow & Runner-Up
will be the Surf Scoter.
Not much seen today but glad to see the adult Harris's Sparrow.

Al Stokie
In Lake County today