Muirhead Springs in Kane County Sunday 10-12-25

[Al Stokie]

Hello Bird People,

Yesterday I went to Illinois Beach North to look for LeConte's Sparrow
& Pine Siskin but after hours of looking I had to admit I found none
in the usual places where they have been in other years. Then I heard
that both those species were well seen at the Fort Sheridan Hawk Watch
location. The less said about yesterday the better.

Muirhead Springs (7:35 am-12:30 pm)

I can't believe I spent 5 hours here & was the only one of those who
looked who did not get a positive look at a LeConte's Sparrow. Only
had a "maybe look" at one in flight. Had to walk with my big walking
stick as I couldn't use the wheelchair/walker due to heavy vegetation.
Then I couldn't cross the rocks on the berm trying to get north so I
had to backtrack to Rohrsen & drive to the Bahr Rd lot & then walk in
where I found that I missed the LeConte's by 5 min. Not my day I
guess!

P.B. Grebe (32, with many young present)
Great Blue Heron (2)
Canada Goose (4 fly-bys)
Mallard (2)
Shoveler (9)
Pintail (14)
Blue Winged Teal (24)
Coots (34)
(No Gallinules today)
Sandhill Cranes (H-2)
GOLDEN PLOVER (1, calling while flying by)
Killdeer (17)
Greater (1) & Lesser (2) Yellowlegs
Pectoral Sandpiper (6)
Stilt Sandpiper (4)
Semipalmated Sandpiper (1, flagged on ebird)
Least Sandpiper (1)
Northern Harrier (1)
Red Tailed Hawk (1)
Mourning Dove (4)
Tree Swallow (3)
Blue Jay (H-1)
Crows (H-2)
Red Breasted Nuthatch (H-1, Bahr Rd lot)
Robin (2)
Starling (6)
American Pipit (2)
Savannah Sparrow (8)
Song Sparrow (1)
Swamp Sparrow (2)
White Crowned Sparrow (4)
LECONTE'S SPARROW (only a maybe)
Rusty Blackbird (1)
Goldfinch (8)
House Sparrow (6)

So 34 species at Muirhead plus a maybe LeConte's Sparrow & roadside
Pigeons for a total of
35 or 36. Bird-Of-The-Day to the Golden Plover & Runner-Up to the
Pipits & the Stilt Sandpipers. Top bird would have been the LeConte's
if I was sure of it.

Al Stokie
In Kane County today