20 2H Ee ASU DUB ON BU Eee N 
and the mottled (salt and pepper appearance) secondaries, inner primaries 
and the coverts. It also appeared that the outer primaries from below 
appeared dark. Other observers saw the dark-tipped tail; I didn’t look at 
the tail during the brief time I saw the bird as it flew by. We had no size 
comparison as it was only in the company of Herring Gulls.” 
The bird was an immature Blackheaded Gull (Larus ridibundus) 
changing into adult plumage. Neither of us had had any previous experience 
with this species, but we both know the Bonaparte’s Gull very well. The 
Black-headed Gull, an Eurasian species, has been observed regularly on the 
Atlantic Coast the past few years and has been seen inland occasionally. 
We had a perfectly clear day and the sun was 90 degrees to our left as we 
observed this bird. It was last seen flying south down the Illinois River. It 
was impossible to collect this individual as it never approached collecting 
range and no one was in a position to collect it. Photographs taken as the 
bird flew past do not show any details for accurate identification. Therefore, 
documentation for the first record of the Black-headed Gull in Ulinois 
rests with the field descriptions and illustrations that we have presented 
here. 
START ACQUISITION OF WATERFOWL AREA 
Acquisition of land to develop the Banner strip mine area, 15 miles 
southwest of Peoria, into a major midwestern waterfowl refuge— 
not unlike Horseshoe Lake and Horicon Marsh—began early in 
November when deed to the 227-acre Romines parcel was exchanged 
for $74,000. 
Plans of the Conservation Department call for establishment of 
a wildlife refuge, public hunting areas, a sport fishery and recreational 
spots, primarily for camping, picnicking on the 6,535-acre site which 
sprawls across portions of Peoria, Fulton County, in a long, narrow 
stretch bordering the state’s Rice Lake Conservation Area at Banner 
on the south and extending 7 miles north-easterly between the IIli- 
nois River and U.S. Route 24. 
The Romines property is part of 1,710 acres on which the 
Department holds options for purchase this fiscal year. Most of the 
acreage is mined-out strip mines owned by coal companies and 
Bradley University. Development could begin as early as 1976 with 
public use in 1977. 
The site has potential not only as best freshwater marsh in the 
midwest, but also for environmental, ecological, wildlife and science 
education studies by Bradley and other schools. Project costs are 
estimated at $42 million. Long-time advocates of the Banner ac- 
quisition include former Conservation Director and chairman of the 
Conservation Advisory Board William B. Rutherford, Peoria Park Board 
President George L. Luthy, and Special Assistant Attorney General 
Oral C. Kost. 
