1999 Fermilab Bird Report

The past winter started out very mild which resulted in a record breaking Christmas Bird Count. 55 species were recorded which is 10 more the previous high count. Record high counts were also obtained for 17 species, including 117 American Robins and 68 Northern Shovelers. The mild December however ended with a huge snow-storm which resulted in heavy snow coverage for the remainder of the season. This in turn produced many sightings of Snow Buntings and Lapland Longspurs which frequented the buffalo feeders and the edges of Eola Rd.

The spring migration was much improved over last year, and resulted in a record high Spring Bird Count of 103 species. The most unusual sighting was a Hooded Warbler.

An unusually wet spring and early summer resulted in the site's first breeding record for Pied Billed Grebe. The birds bred in the flooded ponds along Eola Rd., however, these ponds dried out before the chicks were able to fledge and the youngster in the photograph was rescued near the Buffalo Feeders.

Half of ELM 14 was burnt for the first time this spring in an attempt to prevent the area from becoming too overgrown with scrub. The hope is to maintain suitable breeding habitat for Bell's Vireos. Several pairs of vireos returned to the area again this year. Not surprisingly, however, their breeding territories were all concentrated in the unburnt area. It will be interesting to see if they move into the burnt area next year after it has had some time to recover. If they do then it should be possible to maintain the area in the transitional state preferred by the vireos with regular burns of alternating halves of the area.

Nesting success was particularly good in the heron rookery on Lake Logo this year with most of the Great Blue Heron nests successfully producing two young. Large numbers of Double-crested Cormorants also nested there along with several Great Egret pairs.

It has been a particularly dry and mild fall. The resulting low water levels at Lake Law has again produced excellent sedge and mudflat habitat, which means that it has been a good year for migrating shorebirds and an unusually good year for American Pipits.

Two new species were added to the Fermilab bird list this year bringing the tally up to 267:

• Wild Turkey: A rather tame male which is assumed to be an escapee was seen repeatedly during the spring, with most sightings concentrated on the western half of the site. This same bird was also seen repeatedly in the same area last year, however, this year some female birds were also seen, which may suggest that a feral population is establishing itself on site. Note that there are a number of well established wild populations in several nearby forest preserves.

• Plegadis Ibis: A juvenile Glossy Ibis or White-faced Ibis was present for several days this July on Swenson Rd. pond. (In juvenile plumage these two species are inseparable.) Both these species have been recorded in the Chicago area in the past, though this is the first record for DuPage county.