y NOES 
by VERNON M. KLEEN 
BREEDING SEASON 
Of the four reporting seasons, the BREEDING SEASON encompasses 
more time, in months, than any of the others. It begins with the January 
nesting of Great Horned Owls and ends with late-nesters such as American 
Goldfinches and Cedar Waxwings. This year was no exception; however, 
most observers were not able to submit any notes. 
Although there were encouraging reports of possible population ex- 
pansions and discouraging reports of population declines, the season was 
best characterized by is lack of significant observations. Actual nests were 
located for some uncommon species, but searches for nests of other rare or 
uncommon species were not successful. 
The weather played an important role for nesting species. April and 
May were characterized by variable weather conditions; late frosts in April 
were followed by scattered thundershowers and tornadoes in May that 
caused considerable flooding and damage locally. Temperatures for those 
two months were close to normal. June was quite wet with temperatures 
slightly below normal. July was very hot and very dry; rains that did pass 
through Illinois were local in distribution and brief in duration. Springfield 
went 30 consecutive days without even a trace of rain. 
As usual, many people conducted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
Breeding Bird Survey Routes in June; others worked on the Breeding Bird 
Atlas: and still more turned in completed Nest Record Cards. We are grate- 
ful for all their contributions and will send the contributors copies of the 
final reports prepared from the results. 
Only a few people actually submitted written reports for this BREED- 
ING SEASON; they were: H. David Bohlen, Steve Breeser, Elaine Burstatte, 
Charles Clark, Patt Clark, Peter Dring, Elton Fawks, Jerry Garver, David 
Hayward, Mike Homoya, Virginia Humphreys, Marty Jakle, Vernon Kleen, 
Richard Palmer, Richard Rodrian, Robert Russell, Betty Shaw, Muriel 
Smith, Calvin Snyder and Ron Westemeier. 
LOONS, CORMORANTS and HERONS. A few Common Loons were 
reported as “summering” in Illinois, singles at Olney (throughout June— 
M. Jakle), Effingham (3 June—P. Clark) and Lake Sangchris (Sangamon 
County, 8 June—R. Palmer). The last known colony of nesting Double- 
crested Cormorants consists of a small flock near Thomson, Carroll County; 
there were only 11 active nests this year and all were built in two dead 
trees in the Mississippi River (S. Breeser). The final survey of nesting herons 
in St. Clair County showed the following in the late afternoon of 14 July: 
Great Egret, 34 adult, 46 young; Little Blue Heron, 53 adult, 139 young; 
Black-crowned Night Heron, 31 adults, 32 young; Cattle Egret, 9 adult, 15 
young (R. Rodrian, et al.) A pair of adult Little Blue Herons were noted in 
Mason County, 1 June, and Cattle Egrets all month; however, if nesting 
occurred, the location(s) were not determined (D. Bohlen). The five Cattle 
