Bird list: Snow Goose, Ross's Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mallard, American Black Duck, Green-winged Teal, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Wild Turkey, Pied-billed Grebe, Horned Grebe, Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Mourning Dove, American Coot, SANDHILL CRANE, WHOOPING CRANE, Killdeer, DUNLIN, Wilson's Snipe, Bonaparte's Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Loon, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Black Vulture, GOLDEN EAGLE, Northern Harrier, Cooper's Hawk, Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, BARN OWL, Great Horned Owl, SNOWY OWL, Short-eared Owl, NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL, Belted Kingfisher, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-headed Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, American Kestrel, Blue Jay, American Crow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Horned Lark, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Carolina Wren,, European Starling, Northern Mockingbird, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, House Sparrow, EVENING GROSBEAK, House Sparrow, Purple Finch, RED CROSSBILL, Pine Siskin, American Goldfinch, Lapland Longspur, Field Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, White-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, SPOTTED TOWHEE, Eastern Towhee, Eastern Meadowlark, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Rusty Blackbird, BREWER'S BLACKBIRD, Common Grackle, Pine Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Northern Cardinal

Species: 105

Counties birded: Marion, Clinton, Jefferson, Franklin, Saline, Gallatin, Hardin, White, Wabash, Lawrence, Crawford, Clark, Edgar, Vermillion, and Champaign 

Grandma, Tony, and myself decided to take a small adventures to Southern IL for a couple days to see all the goodies that are currently being seen. We started off leaving Champaign at around 7am Sunday and went straight to Carlyle. Although it did take awhile, both SPOTTED TOWHEES made an appearance and were being very cooperative!

Then we made some stopped at Rend Lake. The best spot by far was the north Sandusky area, where I pulled out an adult GOLDEN EAGLE flying across the lake to the south and ended up going into the Marcum Access area. Also 3 Common Loons and a Horned Grebe were new year birds for me. 

We then finished the rest of the day in Saline and Gallatin counties. I ended up being able to spot at least a couple BARN OWLS in a box! Just before then we were delighted to see a large flock (55) of Black Vultures, some of the most I've ever seen in IL at one location. We then ended the evening around the ponds around Equality in Gallatin county. I was able to pick out a young male Greater Scaup just to the west of the town and it is the first ebird record for the county! Also, perhaps the best bird after the afternoon was a DUNLIN that I picked out flying around with the Killdeer. Also the 12+ Short-eared Owls were a sight to see!

The next morning we showed up at the DeNeal's around 7am. The first EVENING GROSBEAKS showed up at around 7:18 and we watched them for 40 minutes. The largest number I saw was 25 and about 18 at once were at the feeders. The 125+ Siskins and the Pine Warbler were other highlights at the property. 

We then traveled south to Hardin county in search of Red Crossbills, in which we saw one and heard a few more!

We then worked our way back to Champaign from there. We ended up seeing a flock of tens of thousands of blackbirds, mostly Grackles, but a flock of mostly BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS in front of them was a pleasant surprise in Gallatin county! We made quick stops after this including views both WHOOPING and SANDILL CRANES in Lawrence county and looking at thousands of waterfowl at Universal Mines in Edgar county. 

After a quick stop at Lake Vermillion, we preceded over to Champaign county to finish the day. The NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL  was at the usual location and we we lucky to find the SNOWY OWL sitting on top of a telephone pole!

​Overall a great trip and can't wait for the next adventure! Pictures are below!

Whooping and Sandhill Cranes, 1-11-2021, Lawrence county IL

Evening Grosbeaks, Pine Siskins, American Goldfinch (background), and Northern Cardinal (background), 1-11-2021, Saline county IL

Spotted Towhee, 1-10-2021, South Shore State Park, Clinton county IL

Spotted Towhee, 1-10-2021, South Shore State Park, Clinton county IL

Black Vultures, 1-10-2021, Saline county IL

Female Red Crossbill, 1-11-2021, Hardin county IL

Wilson's Snipe, 1-11-2021, Carmi, White county IL

Northern Saw-whet Owl, 1-11-2021, Champaign county IL

Snowy Owl, 1-11-21, Champaign county IL

Dunlin (on right) with a Killdeer, 1-10-2021, NE of Equality, Gallatin county IL 

Male Brewer's Blackbird, 1-11-2021, Gallatin county IL

Male Greater Scaup, 1-10-2021, W of Equality, Gallatin county IL

4 Tundra and 1 (front left) Trumpeter Swan, 1-10-2021, Gallatin county IL

Bird list: Snow Goose, Ross's Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, BRANT, Cackling Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Mood Duck, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mallard, American Black Duck, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, LONG-TAILED DUCK, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Ring-necked Pheasant, Wild Turkey, Pied-billed Grebe, Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collard-Dove, Mourning Dove, American Coot, Bonaparte's Gull, Ring-billed Gull, CALIFORNIA GULL, Herring Gull, ICELAND GULL, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL, GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL, Double-crested Cormorant, American White Pelican, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Eastern Screech Owl, Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl, Short-eared Owl, Long-eared Owl NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL, Belted Kingfisher, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-headed Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, American Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Prairie Falcon, Monk Parakeet, EASTERN PHOEBE, Blue Jay, American Crow, Carolina Chickadee, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Horned Lark, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Winter Wren, Carolina Wren, European Starling, BROWN THRASHER, Northern Mockingbird, Eastern Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, House Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, House Finch, Purple Finch, COMMON REDPOLL, Pine Siskin, American Goldfinch, Lapland Longspur, SNOW BUNTING, CHIPPING SPARROW, Field Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, White-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, Eastern Meadowlark, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Rusty Blackbird, BREWER'S BLACKBIRD, Common Grackle, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Northern Cardinal                     Number of species: 121

Counties birded (in order of when birded): Christian, Moultrie, Shelby, Morgan, Sangamon, Cook, Iroquois, Champaign, De Witt, Vermillion, Coles

​Pictures: 

Brant, 1-4-21, Cook county IL

Snow Bunting, 1-3-21, Sangamon county IL

Long-tailed Duck, 1-3-21, Lake Springfield IL

Northern Saw-whet Owl, 1-5-21, Central IL

California Gull, 1-3-21, Lake Springfield IL

1st year Glaucous Gull and 1st year Lesser Black-backed Gull, Lake Shelbyville, 1-2-21

Eastern Phoebe, 1-2-21, Wolf Creek State Park IL

Brown Thrasher (1 of 5), 1-2-21, Wolf Creek State Park IL

Chipping Sparrow, 1-5-21, Woodlawn Cemetery Champaign county IL

Common Redpoll, 1-4-21, Montrose Point Cook county IL

American Black Duck, 1-4-21, Montrose Point Cook county Il

Eurasian Tree Sparrow, 1-3-21, Sangamon county IL

Sunset and gulls, 1-3-21, Lake Springfield IL