Sangamon Co. Bird Report December 2022
Dyer, Beckie
Birds in Sangamon County in December 2022
Common Loon – HC = 4 (Dec 7), w/ last seen 1 at LSpfld (Dec 14), seen on 13 days.
Pied-billed Grebe - HC = 8 (Dec 12), – present 21 days, w/last seen one at LSpfld in a pool the size of a bathtub (Dec 25). This is the first time I can remember none staying for winter – most of LSpfld froze in late Dec with very extreme cold & wind and I noted some grebes caught in isolated pools and worried about their survival – hopefully they managed to migrate! Not only the weather is a factor, but also less warm water is being put into the lake.
Horned Grebe – HC = 4 (Dec 9 & 20), seen on 10 days. Last seen 2 (Dec 21).
Red-necked Grebe – 2 im seen together at LSpfld (Dec 4 – 17) on 5 days -photos.
White Pelican – HC = 25 (Dec 4), seen 16 days in December. Last seen 4 at LSpfld (Dec 27).
Double-crested Cormorant – HC = 10 (Dec 10), seen on 24 days and last noted one (Dec 29).
Great Blue Heron – HC = 22 (Dec 18) seen on 27 days in December. Areas in which they can forage are limited due to construction, hunting and other human uses of the lake, # have dropped.
Tundra Swan – some present at LSpfld, w/2 ad (Dec 21 – 26) and im w/ads (Dec 23) & one ad (Dec 27) – these swans present 6 days.
Trumpeter Swan – 14 (Dec 6) & 18 (Dec 11) at PlPl and 4 (Dec 24), 16 (Dec 26) & 8 (Dec 27) at LSpfld seen on 5 days.
Mute Swan – present, 2 at mall area (Dec 12).
Greater White-fronted Goose – HC = 181 (Dec 16), some flying back and forth, seen on 28 days. The straggler at Marine Pt was still present all thr Dec.
Snow Goose – HC = 1800 (Dec 12), some flying back and forth and birds seen 6 days.
Ross’s Goose – one ad at Dam LSpfld (Dec 11).
Cackling Goose – HC = 20 (Dec 11), seen on 12 days.
Canada Goose – HC = 1740 (Dec 29) and seen every day - # increased (Dec 24 – 31) w/ ice up of LSpfld.
Wood Duck –none
Green-winged Teal – HC = 6 (Dec 14), last seen at Marine Pt (Dec 22), seen on 6 days – some stragglers in Jan 2023.
Am. Black Duck – HC = 4 (Dec 16) – low # seen on 9 days, its usual area north of Golf course has no birds due to lake residents harassing waterfowl. If present these ducks are more scattered.
Mallard – HC = 620 (Dec 26), seen every day, # increased w/ freeze up due to much less open water.
N. Pintail –HC = 30 (Dec 21) – still one ♀ (Dec 31) – seen on 6 days.
Blue-wing Teal – one late ♀ seen at RoSp (Dec 10 & 13).
N. Shoveler – HC = 16 (Dec 22), seen on 9 days – last seen ♂ at LSpfld Dam (Dec 29).
Gadwall – HC = 5 (Dec 12 & 20), seen on 10 days, very few wintering now as sewer ponds are not available, most seen coming into LSpfld at dusk.
Am Wigeon – HC = 2 (Dec 11), seen on 3 days -see Jan 2023.
Canvasback – HC = 115 (Dec 19) influx w/ also 66 (Dec 18), seen on 11 days.
Redhead – HC = 7 (Dec 25), seen on 4 days – see Jan 2023.
Ring-necked Duck – HC = 100 (Dec 19), seen on 15 days.
Greater Scaup –HC = 11 (Dec 20), seen on 5 days.
Lesser Scaup – HC = 202 (Dec 18), seen on 25 days - # drop near the end of Dec.
Surf Scoter – 2 at LSpfld (Dec 14) – seen in a flock of Red br. Mergansers.
Common Goldeneye – HC = 815 (Dec 26), seen every day, w/ # increasing slowly through the month. Boaters driving them off frequently. Also found again Goldeneye x Bufflehead ♂hybrid at LSpfld (Dec 18 & 21) – this duck has been present for the last several winters.
Bufflehead – HC = 60 (Dec 13), seen on 19 days - w/ fairly good # for Dec.
Hooded Merganser – HC = 119 (Dec 18), seen on 26 days.
Common Merganser – HC = 38 (Dec 20), w/ first ♂ present on Dec 18, and birds seen on 13 days.
Red-breasted Merganser – HC = 22 (Dec 14), seen on 19 days and last seen at LSpfld (Dec 24).
Ruddy Duck – HC = 532 (Dec 8 & 12), seen on 26 days. Boats, barges and kayaks were a continual disruption for these quiet flocks, which declined @ Dec 22 – there were still 25 (Dec 30) – they have wintered in numbers in recent years.
Turkey Vulture – HC = 19 (Dec 3), seen on 12 days.
Bald Eagle – HC = 19 = 8 ad & 11im (Dec 30) influx due to ice. December age ratio, adults: im = 37: 52. Seen on 23 days.
Northern Harrier – HC = 2 (Dec 6 & 27) seen on 5 days.
Sharp-shinned Hawk – one ♂ at PlPl (Dec 11).
Cooper’s Hawk – HC = 3- 2ad & im (Dec 3), seen on 7 days.
Red-shouldered Hawk – HC = 3 (Dec 1 & 10), seen on 11 days.
Red-tailed Hawk – HC = 10 (Dec 6), w/ dark phase east of New City on (Dec 1), seen on 21 days.
Rough-legged Hawk – 2 light phase at PlPl (Dec 6), one dark phase there (Dec 11) & one light phase there (Dec 27) = seen on 3 days.
Am. Kestrel – HC = 8 (Dec 11), seen on 16 days.
Merlin – one made a pass at gulls at LSpfld (Dec 17).
Peregrine Falcon – one adult (Dec 29) at LSpfld flew behind East Island at Marine Pt.
Am. Coot – HC = 23 (Dec 21), was last influx seen and I saw no others on LSpfld in Dec. Coots were present 8 days.
Wilson’s Snipe – 2 at RoSp (Dec 4) and one still there (Dec 10).
Bonaparte’s Gull – HC = 50 (Dec 9 & 11), # dropped off Dec 16 and seen until 3 (Dec 22) seen on 22 days. A few seen into Jan 2023.
Ring-billed Gull – HC = 4000 (Dec 6), w/# drastically dropping to 4 on (Dec 23)- seen every day.
Herring Gull – HC = 105 (Dec 19), seen on 28 days, but mostly in low # - until some ice occurred on lake.
Thayer’s Gull – adult seen at LSpfld (Dec 8) – photos.
Lesser Black-back Gull – a small influx included -12 ad & 10 im at LSpfld (Dec 10 – 22)- 6 days- some photos.
Rock Pigeon – present.
Mourning Dove – HC = 22 (Dec 6), low # and seen on 29 days.
Great Horned Owl – 2 singles on Old Chatham Rd (Dec 22 & 31).
Barred Owl – HC = 2 on S. 6th St (Dec 6) and singles (Dec 5, 16 & 25).
Belted Kingfisher –HC = 2 (Dec 1) + 9 singles (Dec 3 - 26), low #.
Red-headed Woodpecker – HC = 7 (Dec 4), low # , seen on 29 days.
Red-bellied Woodpecker – HC = 11 (Dec 16), seen every day.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – a single ♂ at Oak Ridge Cemetery (Dec 3) - very low #.
Downy Woodpecker – HC = 7 (Dec 12), seen every day.
Hairy Woodpecker – HC = 2 (Dec 15), seen on 8 days.
N. Flicker – HC = 5 (Dec 1 & 12), seen on 25 days.
Pileated Woodpecker – HC = 3 (Dec 20), seen on 7 days.
Horned Lark – HC = 92 south of Ball School (Dec 23) + one leucistic there - photo. Seen on 5 days- mostly due to snow.
Blue Jay – HC = 22 (Dec 13 & 17), seen every day – fairly good #.
Am. Crow – HC = 205 (Dec 15), seen every day, larger counts are from crows going to & from roosts.
Black-capped Chickadee – HC = 7 (Dec 18), seen on 30 days.
Tufted Titmouse – HC = 16 (Dec 8), seen every day.
Red-breasted Nuthatch – HC = 2 (4x in Dec) seen on 22 days – fairly good influx.
White-breasted Nuthatch – HC = 10 (Dec 8), seen on 30 days.
Brown Creeper – only 2 singles (Dec 17 & 31), continues very scarce.
Carolina Wren – HC = 2 (9x in Dec), seen on 20 days in low #.
Winter Wren –one at RSP (Dec 9) and 2 at Lin Gds (Dec 12) - continues low #.
Golden-crowned Kinglet –HC = 2 (Dec 15 & 25), seen on 5 days in very low #.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 2 singles at LSpfld (Dec 14 & 21).
Eastern Bluebird – HC = 15 (Dec 12), seen on 6 days, none after (Dec 12).
Hermit Thrush – 2 singles, one at Hunter Lake ponds (Dec 1) and one at WP (Dec 12).
Am. Robin – HC = 63 going to roost at Dam (Dec 31), seen on 20 days mostly in small #.
N. Mockingbird – one at PlPl (Dec 11) – one of the few all year!
Cedar Waxwing – none.
Am Pipit – last seen 2 at Sangchris (Dec 1) – photos.
European Starling – present.
Cape May Warbler – one ♂ at PlPl (Dec 11) – was the only warbler seen in Dec. Noted from close look beside road: small size, thin warbler bill, greenish above and yellow below with short black streaks ventrally and some dorsally, had very prominent white upper wing- bars, yellow insert behind darker cheek patch, w/yellow eyeline & throat, and rather short tail with yellowish rump. As I reached for my camera, 3 trucks came by in succession- I believe the warbler retreated to a pine grove behind a very close by house! Out of reach.
N. Cardinal – HC = 34 (Dec 17), seen every day.
E. Towhee – none found
Am. Tree Sparrow – HC = 24 (Dec 1), seen on 10 days – patchy distribution w/ small #.
Field Sparrow – 2 at Lin Gd Prairie (Dec 8) and 1 at RSP (Dec 9).
Savannah Sparrow – one at KOA Rd (Dec 1).
Fox Sparrow – one at RSP (Dec 9) and one along Ramsey Rd (Dec 30).
Song Sparrow – HC = 8 (Dec 8 & 10), seen on only 12 days – patchy distribution and very low # for this once common species.
Swamp Sparrow – HC = 9 (Dec 8), seen on 6 days.
White-throated Sparrow – HC = 15 (Dec 12), seen on 25 days – very low #.
White-crowned Sparrow – HC = 6 at PlPl (Dec 27), seen on 5 days – low #.
Dark-eyed Junco – HC = 85 (Dec 10 & 22), seen every day – moderate to low #, w/ some migration going on into December. One Oregon Junco at North Pt (Dec 13).
Lapland Longspur -HC = 450 at PlPl (Dec 11) and 35 South of Spfld (Dec 23) and one at Tebbe Rd (Dec 24).
Red-winged Blackbird – HC = 100 (Dec 30), noted on 9 days.
E. Meadowlark – HC = 23 at PlPl (Dec 6), also 3 there (Dec 11).
Rusty Blackbird – last detected one in Hawk Valley (Dec 23) - photo.
Common Grackle – HC = 20 (Dec 30) and 2 singles (Dec 22 & 26).
Brown-headed Cowbird – HC = 400 (Dec 11), and also 200 (Dec 6), seen on 5 days.
House Finch – HC = 45 (Dec 22), seen on 20 days.
Pine Siskin – none.
Am. Goldfinch – HC = 9 (Dec 1), seen on 14 days – all finches w/ low #.
House Sparrow - present
Eurasian Tree Sparrow – HC = 16 west of Spfld (Dec 11) seen on 9 days.
Total field days = 31
Total hours in field = 204
Total species = 104
December 2022 was mild to warm December 1 - 15, then an early cold period began and lasted through December 27. The lowest high was 3◦ December 23, plus the lowest lows occurred in this time with -8◦ December 22 and 23. Many birds moved south during this time. After the cold, another mild time occurred December 28 – 31, which had the highest monthly high temperature of 63◦ on December 29. Half of Lake Springfield was frozen by December 19 and only a few holes were left in the ice, by maximum freeze of the lake, on December 23 with probably the most frozen I’ve ever seen Lake Springfield (since 1970). Precipitation fell mostly as rain on 6 days with a total of 2.36 inches, of which the maximum of 1.22 inches occurred on December 15. Wind conditions averaged 10. 66 m/h for the month, with 16 days 10m/h or over, which could have played a significant factor in finding and placement of birds this December. Much human activity again occurred, and they continued to mow and destroy food resources through most of December. Poison ivy berries and cedar berries were not plentiful this winter, but honeysuckle berries attracted some birds such as Robins and White-throated Sparrows During the warm to mild periods some small insects in the leaf litter emerged to provide some food for birds.
Several modifications need to be instituted to rules to help wildlife in Sangamon County:
- No boats on Lake Springfield from November 1 – March 1. This is to protect wintering waterfowl such as the 500 – 800 Common Goldeneye, and 300 – 400 Ruddy Ducks, plus another 19 species of waterfowl that could winter there.
- Non- use of fireworks to chase off geese, because this method is non-selective and harms other species of waterfowl such as the wintering goldeneye on Lake Springfield.
- There is a great need to slow down vehicle traffic at Lake Springfield and other areas with the maximum of 40 miles /hour to prevent the road-kill slaughter that is going on presently in many areas the county – especially of owls.
- Allow more trees to grow to combat CO2 emissions and provide habitat for woodland species.
- Do not burn prairies every year, mow only half of each prairie per year to ensure habitat and provide cover during winter.
- When eliminating invasive plants make the procedure over
long periods of time, giving birds time to adjust to the elimination of food, cover, and roosts. Also plant bushes, grasses and trees at the same time – so that the area will recover sooner. Use as little herbicide as possible, as this affects humans as well
as birds.
H. David Bohlen, Illinois State Museum (IDNR)
hdavid...@illinois.gov
Beckie DyerMuseum TechnicianIllinois State Museum1011 East Ash StreetSpringfield, Illinois 62703-3500Phone: 217-782-7475/ 217-785-0037Fax: 217-785-2857http://illinoisstatemuseum.org/
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