oust Aatiale WU ttG) Nie be baoiseetel iN 23 
were added to our list. Double-crested Cormorants were alone or in 
flocks of as many as 150. Sometimes they stood in statuesque armies 
guarding a White Pelican or two, far out on an ocean spit. We saw one 
flock of 50 White Pelicans, but no browns. 
One morning we got up before sunrise and spent a long hour search- 
ing for Greater Prairie Chickens. Sandhill Cranes and geese were noisy 
and plentiful, picturesquely silhouetted against the glowing sunrise. Finally 
Al said calmly: “There are some chickens.” We watched a dozen of them, 
mostly males, for forty minutes. They blow up the air sacs on their throats 
into big, bright oranges, and the drooping feathers on their necks stand 
straight up like the ears of a Great Horned Owl. Meanwhile, the males 
make a drumming sound (like blowing over an empty bottle). The males 
pursue the females with prissy little dancing steps, and the females coyly 
walk away or, if pursued too closely, fly 15 to 30 feet ahead. 
Great Blue Herons in Northern Indiana, where I do most of my 
summer birding, are getting scarce, but our hearts were warmed to see 
them in profusion in Rockport, so common that we finally stopped paying 
attention to them. Once a group of 11 was fishing closely together. 
There were a few English Sparrows in town, but the common road- 
side birds were all charming: Eastern Meadowlarks in abundance, Horned 
Larks, Loggerhead Shrikes, little Sparrow Hawks, Cardinals, and Inca 
Doves. We saw mice impaled on barbed-wire fences, stored by the shrikes. 
All of Chicago’s early bird arrivals were found in great numbers 
waiting for the northbound traffic “Go” signal: Mourning Dove, phoebe, 
goldfinch, robin, gnatcatcher, kinglets, and seemingly enough Myrtle 
Warblers for all corners of the earth. Neighbors at the “Rockport Cottages”’ 
were all birders, ready with maps and suggestions of exactly where to 
go to find ibis, Prairie Chickens or pipits. With their help we identified 
110 species, 30 of them new to us, in eight days. 
What were other highlights? Roadrunners, very funny, as funny as 
their caricatures. Bohemian Waxwings and Blue Grosbeaks were long- 
sought rarities. We saw female and immature Vermilion Flycatchers, 
but never a male. We also missed the Roseate Spoonbills. We have to 
go back! 
5626 Dorchester Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637 
a a io 
Franklin McVey Retires from Board 
After many years of service to The Illinois Audubon Society, Franklin 
McVey recently announced his immediate retirement. He has worked 
on a number of major committees during his long tenure as a Direc- 
tor. Franklin McVey was responsible for the design of both versions 
(old and new) of the I.A.S. arm patch. A former teacher in the public 
school system of Chicago, he retired from his profession about five 
years ago. He is an avid bird photographer and his excellent movies 
have been viewed by many audiences. Mr. McVey plans to continue 
the pursuit of his hobbies at a more leisurely pace. In accepting his 
retirement, the Board wishes him well for the future. 
