7 Nov at Miller (KM) and 9 Nov at Lock and 
Dam 13, Whiteside, IL (EWW). A Tricolored 
Heron was found in Monroe, IL 16 Aug (JWE, 
MS, DMK). Yellow-crowned Night-Herons 
were reported in record-high numbers in In- 
diana, a juv. in Anderson 25 Aug (GP) estab- 
lishing a first record for Madison. Two imm. 
White Ibis were found in Illinois this season: 
3-10 Aug at Horseshoe L., Madison (FRH, 
JPZ, ph. BRu, m.ob.) and 6 Sep at East Cape 
Girardeau, Alexander (MS, APS, BH, ph. 
KAM). White-faced Ibis reports included a 
single 31 Oct-4 Nov at Spring L., Carroll, IL 
(AS, CAT, TLK, m.ob.) and 2 birds 5-18 Oct 
at Two Rivers N.W.R., Calhoun, IL (DMK, MS, 
KAM, EWW). A Plegadis ibis found at Goose 
Pond 24 Sep (DRW et al.) might have been 
the same bird as a definitive ad. White-faced 
Ibis that was photographed there 3-5 Oct (ph. 
JS, ph. MRB, JDH, SEH). Three other Plegadis 
were reported in the Region, including a late 
bird in nw. Monroe from 3 (RW) through 13 
Nov (SRE), producing the 2nd latest Indiana 
record. A Roseate Spoonbill brightened the 
day 5 Sep in Union, IL (DK, ph. DMK), while 
3 more joined the fun 6-28 Sep near the orig- 
inal location (KAM, MS, APS, BH, m.ob.), 
providing Illinois’s 2nd record. 
A visiting birder from Colorado found 2 
Swallow-tailed Kites near Carbondale, Jack- 
son, IL. They stayed 23-25 Aug (RMR, ph. 
TAM, ph. KAM, m.ob.). High numbers of 
Mississippi Kites were noted in their usual s. 
Illinois breeding range, and sightings from 
Illinois’s n. tier, where they are rare, included 
singles 3 Oct at Greene Valley (REF, KDF) and 
29 Sep in Rockford (DTW) that provided Illi- 
nois’s 3rd and 4th latest records, and one 17 
Sep in Lake Forest (JOS). Eagle Cr. registered 
its first record of Mississippi Kite when an 
imm. was seen 9-10 Aug (tRL-S, ph. HG). 
Only one Northern Goshawk was reported in 
Indiana, while 15+ were seen in Illinois, high- 
lighted by 3 at the I.B.S.P. hawkwatch 9 Oct 
(PWS et al). Broad-winged Hawks staged a 
decent movement through the Region, as evi- 
denced by 1695 tallied at the hawkwatch 
from Greene Valley 17 Sep (REF, KDF) and 
410 at Brookville Res., Union, IN 20 Sep 
(WHB). Two Swainson’s Hawks were record- 
ed: 20 Sep at I.B.S.P. (SJH, VB et al.) and 25 
Oct at Carl. L. (CLH et al). It was an excel- 
lent season for Golden Eagles in the Region, 
with 37 individuals reported including 11 and 
10, respectively, at the hawkwatches at I.B.S.P 
and Greene Valley. A Gyrfakon at I.B.S.P. 10 
Nov was a most pleasant first-time addition to 
the hawkwatch list there (tJPL, tJSw). Prairie 
Falcons were reported 9 Oct from the I.B.S.P 
hawkwatch (PWS et al.) and Prairie Ridge 
State Natural Area, Jasper, IL (RES), and for 
iLLINOiS & INDIANA 
the 4th consecutive year, one was at 
Hawthorn Mine, Sullivan, IN, first found 17 
Nov (DRW, BW). 
Only 4 Yellow Rails were reported for the 
season, al! from Illinois. A Black Rail was 
heard 16 Aug at Emiquon, Fulton, IL (EWW, 
WSS), and one was at Ca- 
hokia Mounds S.P., St. Clair, 
IL 15-16 Oct (BRu, DMK). 
An excellent count of at least 
100 Soras was made 26 Aug 
at Goose Pond (TC, DKr). 
No doubt a group of 12,413 
Sandhill Cranes tallied 17 
Nov over Greene Valley was 
headed to Jasper-Pulaski 
Fish and Wildlife Area in nw. 
Indiana (REF, KDF). 
SHOREBIRDS 
The 203 American Golden- 
Plovers logged in Lake and 
St. Joseph 18 Sep (DS, PM et 
al.) constituted Indiana’s 2nd 
highest fall total ever. An inland Piping Plover 
at Goose Pond 30 Aug QID) was the first for 
that site, and one at Dunes 5 Sep (BB) was the 
first for that site since 1937; the same bird 
(verified by color-bands) was at Miller the fol- 
lowing day (ph. JCK, KJB et al). Two Piping 
Plovers were reported from Carl. L.: one 6 Sep 
(DMK) and a very late bird 19-26 Oct (ph. 
DMK, m.ob.). Illinois’s first Mountain Plover 
was discovered 13 Sep at sod farms near Mo- 
mence, Kankakee (ph. JBH). Though it 
proved elusive for many birders, it was seen 
again there 14 (DTW, tGN, RLS) & 18 Sep 
(ph. JBH). Proof of a highly successful breed- 
ing season for Black-necked Stilts were counts 
of 147 over four s. Illinois counties 17 Aug 
(EWW, WSS) and 120 at East Cape Gi- 
rardeau, Alexander, IL 9 Aug (TAM). Ameri- 
can Avocets moved through the Region in 
above-normal numbers. A flock of 26 at L. 
Shelbyville, Shelby, IL 8 Nov (TAM) and 23 at 
Carl. L. 7 Sep were noteworthy (DMK, MS, 
ph. KAM). Late American Avocets in Indiana 
included 3 at Whiting Park, Lake 8 Nov 
(CAM) and one in LaGrange 10 Nov (JS,Jide 
DS). A late Lesser Yellowlegs was also at 
Goose Pond 23 Nov (LWS, DG, jC). Numbers 
of Upland Sandpipers have been plunging dis- 
turbingly. The sole Indiana report this fall was 
of a bird atop the USX breakwall at Miller 6 
Sep (BJG), the first Sep and an all-time late 
record for the Indiana lakefront; 11 were re- 
ported from Illinois, the latest 18 Sep from 
Prairie Ridge State Natural Area, Marion 
(CLH). 
Twelve Whimbrels were reported along 
the lakefront between 30 Aug and 8 Sep. At 
the Momence, IL sod farms, 7 Hudsonian 
Godwits were counted 19 Sep OBH, APS, 
m.ob.). Remarkable was a migrating flock of 
9 Hudsonians at Miller 20 Oct QCK) that 
provided the Indiana lakefront’s latest record 
and the state’s highest ever count for Oct. A 
total of 9 Marbled Godwits was reported in 
the Region. 
At Brookville Res., Union, IN a stunning to- 
tal of 10 Ruddy Turnstones was noted on 5 
Sep (RWi, Jide WHB). One of 6 Red Knots re- 
ported in Indiana during the period was in- 
land, a juv. at Brookville Res. 9 Sep (WHB). 
Just 2 Red Knots were reported from Illinois: 
6 Sep at Winthrop Harbor (SJH) and 7 Sep at 
Waukegan QSo). A White-rumped Sandpiper 
28 Nov at Rend L. (EWW) was exceptionally 
late, perhaps the latest on record for Illinois. 
A Purple Sandpiper lingered at Waukegan 6- 
16 Nov (MJB, ph. NL, m.ob.), while the first 
Purple Sandpiper at Mich. City in four years 
was found 8 Nov (AE, BB et al). A first-year 
bird was found at the same site 29 Nov 
SRB, CM, RJP et al.). Exciting was a one-day 
wonder Curlew Sandpiper, Illinois’s 10th, at 
Greene Valley 23 Aug (MAM, ph. NL, m.ob.). 
Unexpected was a Buff-breasted Sandpiper in 
e. Monroe, IN 25 Aug (DRW). Numerous 
American Woodcocks were victims of build- 
ing collisions in Chicago, with 43 and 32 
found dead 8 & 9 Nov, respectively (*FMNH; 
C.B.C.M.). Of the record-high 11 Red-necked 
Phalaropes reported in Indiana, one was an 
early juv. at Wakarusa Wastewater Treatment 
Facility, Elkhart 4 Aug (GC, JKC, LS), and 5 
were juvs. seen at Pine Creek Gamebird Habi- 
tat Area, Benton, IN 24 Aug (MLR, MCH), the 
latter record tying the all-time state high 
count. Four Red Phalaropes were encoun- 
tered this season: 20 Sep at Carl. L. (KAM, 
lOS), at Prairie Creek Res., Delaware, IN 8 
Nov (BG), at Rend L. 12 Nov (LSt), and at 
Dunes 28 Nov QCK et al). 
California Gulls are rare along the Indiana lakefront in autumn, in 2008, two were 
found at the lakefront, this adult appearing at Michigan City Harbor on 17 November. 
Photograph by John K. Cassady. 
VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 1 
83 
