Dene heme Crees OoN eb oUo liaise rN 19 
I. N. H. S. ISSUES FALL PRAIRIE CHICKEN COUNT 
Prairie chickens on sanctuaries near Bogota showed an increase for 
the third straight year, according to the Illinois Department of Con- 
servation and Illinois Natural History Survey. 
An October report from Ron Westemier of the Survey indicated 
an increase of 47 percent in the cocks on the breeding grounds over | 
that of 1970. The male prairie chickens on the sanctuaries numbered 
159, and represent 72 percent of the known statewide population of 
222 cocks. 
A total of 62 prairie chicken nests were found on the sanctu- 
aries near Bogota this year. Of these, 40 were successful and 21 
were abandoned or destroyed by predators. The fate of one nest 
remained unknown. 
Westemier’s report indicated that eight census areas in six 
counties adjoining the Bogota area showed a loss of 28 percent 
since 1970, revealing a steady decline of prairie chickens on un- 
managed areas in Illinois. 
There were millions of prairie chickens in Illinois less than 
one century ago. However, the plow and mowing machine reduced 
the habitat necessary for the prairie chicken to survive; today they 
number around 1,000. 
Coot—25 were present at Shelbyville Reservoir on June 5 and a few stayed 
for the entire summer. Two individuals summered at Springfield 
Lake. 
Semipalmated Plover—Arrived on July 24 with 5 individuals at Chautauqua 
Lake. As many as 27 were there on Aug. 7. 
Killdeer—Numbers reached 100 on Aug. 7 at Chautauqua Lake. 
Black Bellied Plover—2 birds at Chautauqua Lake on Aug. 7. 
Upland Plover—I could find only 5 birds this summer at the following 
localities: Lake Kincaid (June 4 and June 30), Bethany (June 5), 
Donnelson (July 11), and at Carlinville Aug. 15). 
Spotted Sandpiper—Several birds were present all summer. A fairly good 
concentration (31) for this species was present at Chautauqua Lake 
on July 31. 
Solitary Sandpiper—Arrived on July 4 at Chautauqua Lake. Good numbers 
present with 65 on Aug. 7. 
Greater Yellowlegs—Arrived on July 4 at Chautauqua Lake. 
Lesser Yellowlegs—Arrived on July 4 with 3 at Chautauqua Lake on Aug. 7. 
I estimated there were 400 present. 
Pectoral Sandpiper—Arrived on July 4 with 2 at Chautauqua Lake. Pat 
Ward and I estimated 2,500 present there on Aug. 14. 
White Rumped Sandpiper—One present on June 6 at Jacksonville; pre- 
sumed to be a spring migrant. However, the 4 present on June 26 
at Chautauqua Lake were out of season. Can only conclude that 
they were non-breeding individuals. Also one was present on July 
10 at Chautauqua Lake. 
