Techny Basin & Waukegan Harbor Wednesday 2-11-26

[Al Stokie]

Hello Bird People,

Kind of late but I'll try & get in a report for today since a pretty
special bird was seen today.

Had a doctor's appointment today so I only had time for a short
birding trip to Techny Basin.

Techny Basin (9:30-10:35 am)

Great Blue Heron (2, near Willow Rd)
Canada Goose (36, on the lawns)
Mallard (96)
Kestrel (1-M)
Herring Gull (3 fly-bys)
Rock Pigeon (6)
Red Breasted Nuthatch (1)
Robin (7)
Cardinal (1-M, singing)
Tree Sparrow (1)
House Finch (2-M, 1 singing)
House Sparrow (5)

On my way to lunch I saw on Discord that a Short Billed Gull was found
by Beau S at Waukegan Harbor. But I had to be at the doctor at 2 pm so
it looked like I'd have to hope it would still be around tomorrow. Got
out of the doctors at about 2:30 & saw that the Gull was still being
seen so I took a chance & hurried to Waukegan by the yacht club
building parking lot. Arrived by 3:20 & I could tell by the number of
birder/photographers looking at the parking lot that I was probably in
good time.
Got great looks with my bino's & then better looks with my scope so
making the mad rush had not been in vain. Plus I got to visit with
several folks who I had not seen in a while. Rare sightings bring
everyone out of the woodwork, so to speak.

Waukegan Harbor (3:20-3:55 pm)

Canada Goose (4) & Mallard (4)
Redhead (22) & Greater Scaup (6)
Goldeneye (1-M)
Hooded Merganser (1-M)
Ring Billed & Herring Gulls (too many to count)
SHORT BILLED GULL (1)

Short Billed Gull is the new name for what used to be known as a Mew
Gull in case you were wondering. The only Mew/Short Billed Gull I have
ever seen in Illinois was also at Waukegan Harbor back in 1993 so it's
been a while. I had looked for it for 4 hours & failed to find it on a
Saturday & then went back & looked for 2 more hours on a Sunday before
I saw it. So it took 6 hours to find it, unlike today when I drove up
& saw it right away. That's progress of a sort.

So 19 species for the day with a doctor's visit in the middle of the day.
Bird-Of-The-Day of course will be the Short Billed Gull & Runner-Up to
the Kestrel.

Al Stokie
In both Cook & Lake Co's in a very busy day