Illinois & Indiana 
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INDIANA 
James D. Hengeveld 
Keith A. McMullen 
Geoffrey A. Williamson 
T hough temperatures in June were 
slightly above average, both Indiana 
and Illinois experienced their coldest 
Julys on record, with temperatures in both 
states about 3° C below the twentieth-century 
average. Region-wide precipitation levels 
were above the norm throughout the season. 
The most prominent aspect of this season was 
the invasion by southern species associated 
with water. The Region was seemingly over- 
run by large numbers of wading birds and an 
assortment of rarities like Fulvous and Black- 
bellied Whistling-Ducks, Mottled Ducks, 
Brown Pelicans, Neotropic Cormorants, An- 
hingas. White Ibis, Tricolored Heron, and 
Roseate Spoonbills. Other rarities included 
Western Grebe, Black Rail, Royal Tern, and 
Tropical Kingbird. Also significant were first 
Illinois nesting records for American White 
Pelican, Anhinga, and Caspian Tern, 
Abbreviations: Cane Ridge (Cane Ridge 
W.M.A., Gibson, IN); Carl. L. (Carlyle L., s. 
Illinois); F.W.A. (Fish and Wildlife Area); 
Goose Pond (Goose Pond FWA., Greene, IN); 
Kankakee Sands (Kankakee Sands Preserve, 
Newton, IN); Mich. City (Michigan City Har- 
bor, LaPorte, IN); Miller (Miller Beach); Mon- 
trose (Montrose Pt. in Chicago’s Lincoln 
Park); Pine Creek (Pine Creek Gamebird 
Habitat Area, Benton, IN); Winthrop 
(Winthrop Harbor, Lake, IL). 
WATERFOWL THROUGH HERONS 
Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks invaded the 
area, with one located near Horseshoe L., 
Madison, IL 31 May (FRH) that was subse- 
quently seen by many off and on through 15 
Jun. From 14 through 24 Jun, 2-3 were at 
Goose Pond (LWS, MB, CWM, DAy). Two 
more were reported at Grand Tower, Jackson, 
IL 24 Jun (MPWJWW). Numbers of Fulvous 
Whistling-Ducks at Goose Pond were even 
more impressive, as one (BJG, LWS) and then 
2 (RLH, TH, JDH, ph. SEH) on 11 Jun 
jumped to 4 on 13 Jun (DG,JJM, LWS et al.), 
and crested at 5 on 27 Jun (CH, TH, LAB); at 
least 2 were present through the end of the 
period. The pair of Trumpeter Swans at Sa- 
vanna, IL that three years ago provided the 
first confirmed modern Illinois nesting pro- 
duced 4 cygnets this season, and another 
nearby nesting pair produced 2 (fide RE). Two 
cygnets were also seen with the pair of Trum- 
peters at McGinnis Slough in Orland Park, 
Cook, IL (WSS, m.ob.). Unexpected Gadwalls 
included a single at Cane Ridge 4 Jun (G&LB, 
JJM, JKC), a pair at Goose Pond 15 Jun QCK). 
and one at Pine Creek 29 Jul (EMH). Intrigu- 
ing, given the plethora of southern invaders at 
Goose Pond, was a group of 6 “black” ducks 
there 13 Jun OJM, LWS, JDH, SEH, DG et al), 
with 3 still present 20 Jun QJM, RR) and one 
24 Jun (LWS). The ducks showed characteris- 
tics consistent with Mottled Duck but no con- 
firming studies or photographs were ob- 
tained. Photographs of single Mottled Ducks 
in Illinois came from Kidd L., Monroe 15 Jul 
(DMK, MS) and Sante Fe Bottoms, CluUon 30 
Jul-i- (DMK, MS, KAM), A pair of Northern 
Pintails was at Goose Pond 15 Jun (TW), and 
a pair of Green-winged Teal was there for 
much of the period. Other unusual summer- 
ing waterfowl included a male Canvasback at 
Thompson L., Fulton, IL 26 Jun (REF, KF, 
JSm) and a female at Two Rivers N.W.R. 25 Jul 
(DMK, MS), a female Bufflehead at Rochelle, 
Ogle, IL 25 Jul (EWW), and single male Com- 
mon Goldeneyes at Cane Ridge 4 Jun (JKC, 
JJM, G&LB) and Wolf L. 6-27 Jun (WJM). In- 
diana’s first summer record of Black Scoter 
was represented by a female found in Gary in 
late May that lingered through 2 Jun QCK)- 
Unusual for Lake, IN, at least one pair (and 
probably two or three) of Hooded Mergansers 
bred successfully, as 3 females and 18 duck- 
lings were seen at the Grant St. wetland 16 
Jun QKC, KJB). Late Red-breasted Mergansers 
included a female at Eagle Creek Park, Indi- 
anapolis, IN 12 Jun (RFB), an individual 17 
Jun at Winthrop (EWW), and one 11 Jul at 
Heidecke L., Grundy, IL (DFS). Unexpected 
was a pair of Ruddy Ducks at Indianapolis’s 
Eagle Creek Park 31 Jul (ph RFB). A female 
Ruddy with a small duckling at Wakarusa 
Wastewater Treatment Facility 13 Jun (DS) 
provided the first breeding record for Elkhart, 
IN. Northern Bobwhites are scarce in ne. Illi- 
nois, so one observed 16 Jun (WSS) in re- 
stored habitat at Orland Grasslands Forest 
Preserve, Cook and 2 there 19 Jun (CBT, BT) 
were encouraging. 
Higher-than-normal numbers of Common 
Loons were encountered, with reports from 
eight different sites in Indiana and four in Illi- 
nois. Quite unusual for the summer period 
was a Horned Grebe in breeding plumage at 
Wolf L., Cook, IL 6 Jun-9 Jul (ph., tWJM, 
DFS). A Western Grebe was at Newton L., 
Jasper, IL 4-8 Jul (DH, RES, CLH); most like- 
ly the same bird was then at E. Fork L., Rich- 
land 13 Jul (CLH, ph. RES, ph. MS) and at 
Carl. L. 19-30 Jul (ph. DMK, MS, KAM, 
m.ob.). An Aechmophorus grebe, most likely a 
Western, was at Miller 10 Jul OJM, JKC). Pri- 
or to 2009, the maximum summer total for 
American White Pelicans in Indiana was 6. 
This summer, 104 were logged, as 66 were 
tallied in Vigo 6 Jun QS). 16 were at Goose 
Pond 30 Jun (SG), and 22 were noted at 
Goose Pond several times in JuH (LWS). In 
Illinois, American White Pelicans nested for 
the first time, with 6-i- chicks noted 17 Jun at 
Upper Mississippi River N.W.R., Carroll (ph. 
RE). This location is within a km of Iowa’s 
first nesting site, which was established three 
years ago. Brown Pelicans made a splash, 
with 3 birds being seen at four locations. In 
McHenry, IL, one was present on Crystal L. 2- 
4Jun (KP; ph., tGAW; ph. CSfi m.ob.). In sw. 
Illinois, the Madison bird found along the 
Mississippi R. in late spring continued there 
or on the Missouri side through mid-Jul, then 
relocated upriver to Two Rivers N.W.R. , Cal- 
houn 23 Jul+ (DMK, MS, KAM, m.ob). A dif- 
ferent Brown Pelican was located downriver 
in Monroe 1-12 Jul (WMR, ph. E’WW, m.ob.), 
with both sw. Illinois birds seen 2 Jul 
(E’WW). Two Neotropic Cormorants were 
recorded: one at Almond Marsh and Rollins 
Savanna in Lake, IL 28 Jun-12 Jul (GN, JRS, 
KM, m.ob.) and another at Carl. L. 30 Jul 
(MS, DMK, KAM). The Anhingas discovered 
in spring along the Cache R. at the John- 
son/Pulaski, IL border took up residence, 
with three nests being located 25 Jun and five 
active nests found by 14 Jul (ph. MM-L). 
Whether or not Anhingas historically nested 
in Illinois is uncertain, but this is the first 
documented occurrence. 
Four single Snowy Egrets were reported in 
Indiana: at Goose Pond 11 Jun (LWS) and 24 
Jul (DG, 'WH et al.), at Kankakee Sands 22 Jul 
QBH), and at Grand Kankakee Marsh, Lake 
25 Jul (KJB, SRB, JGr, RJP). Of the fine total of 
83 Little Blue Herons reported in Indiana, the 
peak count was of 11 birds at Goose Pond 26 
Jul (LWS). The Tricolored Heron discovered 
in Hammond, IN 30 May remained until at 
least 22 Jun (MJ). Encouraging was a tally of 
200 Cattle Egrets at Dogtooth L, Alexander. IL 
(DMK, MS); during the past two summers, 
the species had been absent from several reg- 
V 0 L U-M E 6 3 ( 2 0 0 9 ) • NUMBER 4 
597 
