NCIOS Field Trip - Chuck Hillebrand's Property Near Pecatonica Wetlands
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Leader: Jack Armstrong / Total Participants: 15
The trip began at Farm & Fleet on W. State St. where we saw two Cooper's Hawks and heard both a Belted Kingfisher & White-throated Sparrow . From there we headed to Chuck Hillebrand's property near the Pecatonica Wetlands. We birded the area for a few hours but sparrow numbers were low. However, some highlights included several Tree Swallows and ten or more Eastern Phoebes . There were also 100s of Red-winged Blackbirds but no Rustys.
We then headed to the farm fields along Highway 70 and found Snow Geese, including a Blue Phase and some Cackling Geese . Some of the group saw an immature Bald Eagle and then the whole group saw an adult. There was also some excitement of a possible Red-shouldered Hawk that turned out to be a really neat Red-tailed Hawk .
- White-throated Sparrow
- Blue Jay
- Belted Kingfisher
- American Crow
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Cooper's Hawk
- Eastern Bluebird
- Eastern Phoebe (10+)
- Red-winged Blackbird (100s)
- Black-Capped Chickadee
- Dark-eyed Junco
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler
- Song Sparrow
- Canada Goose
- American Robin
- American Goldfinch
- Killdeer
- Ring-necked Pheasant
- Great-blue Heron
- European Starling
- Hairy Woodpecker
- Downy Woodpecker
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Mallard
- Tree Swallow (10+)
- Sandhill Crane (heard)
- Northern Harrier (F)
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet
- Swamp Sparrow
- Mourning Dove
- House Finch
- Rock Pigeon
- CACKLING GOOSE
- SNOW GOOSE (5, including a Blue Phase)
- BALD EAGLE (1 imm. and 1 adult)
- Common Grackle
- House Sparrow
- Northern Flicker
View more area sightings at the NCIOS Blog