Birdfest 2015 Special PresentationsBirdfest 2015 Special PresentationsBirdfest 2015 Special PresentationsBirdfest 2015 Special Presentations

Saturday, May 9 at 12:30 p.m. Kurt K. Burnham, D.Phil.

President, High Arctic Institute “Birds & Bergs: 24 years of avian research in

Greenland” Focused on peregrines and gyrfalcons

www.higharctic.org

Sunday, May 10 at 11:30 a.m Kathi & Michael Rock

Madison, Wisconsin Learn how to attract hummingbirds by planting

annual and perennial plants. www.hummingbirdgardening.net

the Sand Bluff Birder the official newsletter of the Sand Bluff Bird Observatory March 2015

President’s MessagePresident’s MessagePresident’s MessagePresident’s Message

SSSSand Bluff Bird Observatory volunteers are ready for the spring season. Mother Nature seems to have other plans, so net opening will start sometime in March. For more information, check our website at www.sandbluff.org or visit us on Facebook and Twitter. During 2014, our all-volunteer force donated 7,499 hours while banding birds, collecting data, and providing educational programs. After nets were taken down in late November, vol-unteers analyzed banding records, carried on with committee projects, conducted the annual meeting, attended training ses-sions to improve skills and prepared for the upcoming season. In the last newsletter, I noted that Sand Bluff Bird Observa-tory was named a recipient of the Carroll H. Starr Endowment Challenge VII by the Community Foundation of Northern Illi-nois. Through the generosity of the Holley Foundation, SBBO successfully reached the C.H. Starr Challenge goal and the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois awarded $5,000 to the endowment fund. We are truly thankful to the Holley Fam-ily and CFNIL for their vision and support for SBBO’s future. Additionally, Sand Bluff Bird Observatory has been awarded a Community Opportunities Gift Matching Challenge by the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois to help pro-mote growth of the endowment fund. When successfully com-pleted, this challenge goal of raising $15,000 by December 2016 will be matched by the CFNIL by $1 for every $3 raised. To date, our generous donors, supporting SBBO and its mis-sion in perpetuity, have donated over $1,000 to the Endowment Fund. The SBBO Endowment Fund provides Sand Bluff Bird Ob-servatory with a stable yearly distribution to provide for nets and supplies necessary for banding operations. The endowment fund also ensures that you will be supporting SBBO and its mission for generations to come. By supporting the endow-ment, you join SBBO in believing that people need to under-stand the natural world in order to preserve it. My deepest thanks to all volunteers and supporters of Sand Bluff Bird Observatory. As partners, we work together to pro-tect bird species through research and education. We look for-ward to your visit soon!

———Anna Gray President SBBO

Interested in becoming a VOLUNTEER?

Please show up – tell the bander that you are

interested in becoming a Volunteer, and we will

get you started on an exciting and very satisfy-

ing journey! Or, call Lynda: 815-629-2781 for

more information.

Longevity In BirdsLongevity In BirdsLongevity In BirdsLongevity In Birds by Lee G. Johnson, Master Bander

SSSSome species of birds occur at the banding station year after year. This gives us the opportunity to learn how long they live. The following are some, but not all, of the oldest birds retrapped at the station.

Band #Band #Band #Band # SpeciesSpeciesSpeciesSpecies BandedBandedBandedBanded RetrappedRetrappedRetrappedRetrapped Elapsed YrsElapsed YrsElapsed YrsElapsed Yrs

0912-69149 Blue Jay 10/7/2001 10/20/2012 11

0851-99300 B-h Cowbird 6/13/1967 4/25/1982 15

8081-45541 B-h Cowbird 5/9/1996 5/20/2007 11

8081-44930 Grey Catbird 5/11/1997 8/12/2007 10

0971-56559 Grey Catbird 5/25/1973 5/11/1984 11

0961-12261 Grt. Cr. Flycatcher 5/28/1983 8/20/1994 11

0842-66674 Rd-bld Woodpecker 5/7/1981 5/9/1992 11

8081-44706 R-b Grosbeak 5/19/2001 5/13/2011 10

0871-94551 R-b Grosbeak 9/21/1979 5/13/1990 11

0921-08060 R-b Grosbeak 8/31/1980 5/17/1001 11

LongLongLongLong----eared Owleared Owleared Owleared Owl

DDDDecember 3, 2014—Last night Bob Chapman called from the band-ing station stating that he had trapped a Long-eared Owl and, of course, I drove out to take pictures. Bob has been working very hard to get our owl numbers up and last

night he also trapped the 101st Northern Saw-whet Owl of the 2014 sea-son as well as the first LEOW in 3-4 years. —Report by John Longhenry

Long-eared Owl Photos by John Longhenry

Year Fall BandingYear Fall BandingYear Fall BandingYear Fall Banding 1974197419741974 1984198419841984 1994199419941994 2004200420042004 2014201420142014 Sharp-shinned Hawk 10 8 11 1 2 Cooper's Hawk 0 0 2 1 0 Broad-winged Hawk 2 0 1 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 1 0 0 0 0 American Kestrel 1 0 0 0 0 Merlin 0 0 1 0 0 Grey Partridge 0 0 1 0 0 Sora 0 1 0 0 0 Solitary Sandpiper 7 0 0 0 0 Spotted Sandpiper 2 0 0 0 0 Wilson's Snipe 2 0 0 0 0 American Woodcock 1 5 3 1 9 Mourning Dove 3 2 2 3 0 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2 12 0 0 0 Black-billed Cuckoo 2 16 1 0 0 Eastern Screech Owl 1 0 1 1 0 Long-eared Owl 0 0 0 0 1 Northern Saw-whet Owl 5 2 2 57 103 Common Nighthawk 0 3 3 1 3 Eastern Whip-poor-will 1 0 2 0 0 Belted kingfisher 13 1 0 0 0 Red-headed Woodpecker 0 2 0 0 0 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 3 1 4 5 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2 5 3 1 4 Downy Woodpecker 43 22 21 16 25 Hairy Woodpecker 4 1 5 6 6 Northern Flicker 17 16 17 7 15 Olive-sided Flycatcher 0 0 2 1 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee 6 25 32 26 47 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 34 26 19 3 15 Acadian Flycatcher 0 0 1 0 0 Willow Flycatcher 0 5 6 8 24 Least Flycatcher 8 21 32 8 26 Eastern Phoebe 7 13 65 37 58 Great Crested Flycatcher 6 4 8 1 2 Eastern Kingbird 0 0 5 6 12 Barn Swallow 0 0 0 7 1 Blue Jay 6 54 31 5 27 Black-capped Chickadee 34 25 32 16 54 Tufted Titmouse 16 3 8 5 16 White-breasted Nuthatch 9 7 13 9 16 Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 0 0 4 0 Brown Creeper 33 33 41 25 20 Carolina Wren 1 0 0 0 0 House Wren 9 73 64 41 187 Winter Wren 37 26 18 3 15 Marsh Wren 0 0 0 1 0 Golden-crowned Kinglet 244 175 93 50 31 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 381 444 149 34 111 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 0 1 6 0 6 Eastern Bluebird 0 14 83 94 79 Veery 14 7 10 7 16 Grey-cheeked Thrush 36 7 13 12 27 Swainson's Thrush 116 69 54 61 187 Hermit Thrush 141 188 140 48 164 Wood Thrush 13 14 5 5 12 American Robin 21 41 57 23 28 Grey Catbird 77 145 49 35 215 Brown Thrasher 2 11 2 11 Cedar Waxwing 0 28 204 29 251 European Starling 4 0 0 0 0 Blue-headed Vireo 8 10 5 0 2 Yellow-throated Vireo 3 2 6 1 7 Warbling Vireo 0 2 6 1 11 Philadelphia Vireo 5 9 13 0 4

Year Fall BandingYear Fall BandingYear Fall BandingYear Fall Banding 1974197419741974 1984198419841984 1994199419941994 2004200420042004 2014201420142014 Red-eyed Vireo 42 58 114 25 80 Blue-winged Warbler 2 9 2 1 1 Golden-winged Warbler 6 16 7 1 3 Tennessee Warbler 156 144 141 19 111 Orange-crowned Warbler 12 33 1 2 10 Nashville Warbler 50 83 27 5 61 Northern Parula 2 1 0 0 1 Yellow Warbler 0 0 1 2 0 Chestnut-sided Warbler 29 14 31 2 23 Magnolia Warbler 199 172 80 12 136 Cape-May Warbler 0 0 1 3 6 Black-throated Blue Warbler 2 11 4 0 3 Yellow-rumped Warbler 409 243 113 58 47 Black-throated Green Warbler 18 35 8 0 20 Blackburnian Warbler 9 5 4 1 4 Pine Warbler 0 0 1 0 1 Western Palm Warbler 12 53 48 36 76 Bay-breasted Warbler 17 39 14 4 17 Blackpoll Warbler 3 10 12 3 14 Black-and-white Warbler 57 26 31 9 17 American Redstart 133 146 93 11 143 Prothonotary Warbler 0 0 0 0 1 Ovenbird 137 86 77 31 107 Northern Waterthrush 66 19 9 1 11 Lousiana Waterthrush 0 1 0 0 0 Connecticut Warbler 4 2 1 1 4 Mourning Warbler 8 12 2 2 4 Common Yellowthroat 42 28 15 10 37 Hooded Warbler 2 0 0 0 0 Wilson's Warbler 5 9 3 0 7 Canada Warbler 33 13 16 6 3 Scarlet Tanager 4 12 24 4 23 Northern Cardinal 22 32 20 12 37 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 17 12 10 4 54 Indigo Bunting 15 24 43 26 22 Dickcissel 0 0 0 0 1 Eastern Towhee 5 22 7 3 14 American Tree Sparrow 298 159 32 27 23 Chipping Sparrow 4 41 557 330 161 Clay-colored Sparrow 0 0 0 0 2 Field Sparrow 44 218 205 126 122 Vesper Sparrow 14 77 46 19 2 Lark Sparrow 0 0 0 0 1 Savannah Sparrow 4 13 6 7 0 Grasshopper Sparrow 0 8 1 8 3 Henslow's Sparrow 7 0 0 0 4 Fox Sparrow 133 110 48 20 79 Song Sparrow 48 94 84 52 47 Lincoln's Sparrow 21 59 11 13 22 Swamp Sparrow 124 118 47 27 25 White-throated Sparrow 285 425 198 78 111 White-crowned Sparrow 0 7 6 9 6 Slate-colored Junco 1476 322 359 345 218 Oregon Junco 1 0 0 0 0 Red-winged Blackbird 4 0 0 0 1 Eastern Meadowlark 0 0 0 1 3 Rusty Blackbird 28 0 0 0 0 Common Grackle 17 0 0 0 0 Brown-headed Cowbird 46 2 1 0 1 Orchard Oriole 0 0 0 0 11 Baltimore Oriole 0 2 29 0 33 Purple Finch 28 2 1 2 6 American Goldfinch 298 235 469 128 315 House Finch 0 0 91 30 2 INTERGRADE FLICKER 0 0 0 0 1 TOTALSTOTALSTOTALSTOTALS 5840584058405840 4843484348434843 4500450045004500 2221222122212221 4154415441544154

Fall 2014 Banding Report TrendsFall 2014 Banding Report TrendsFall 2014 Banding Report TrendsFall 2014 Banding Report Trends ——-by Lee G. Johnson, Master Bander

F F F Fall banding produced higher-than-average totals. Neotropical migrant totals were much higher than we have seen for many years. Numbers for birds that winter here or just a little further south, for the most part, were lower. Our Northern Saw-whet Owl total was good, largely due to the extra effort in this area by Robert Chapman. The nesting Henslow’s Sparrows were joined by Clay-colored Sparrows and we captured some just out of the nest. We did not band any Savannah Sparrows this fall which is quite unusual. The Rose-breasted Grosbeak total of 54 is an all-time high for any season since we started banding. Several Red-winged Blackbirds and Brown-headed Cowbirds were surprising for fall. A Northern Parula was the most unexpected warbler. In all probability the most exciting bird of the fall was a hybrid Red/Yellow-shafted Flicker.

FALL 2014 STATISTICS WITH 10 YEAR COMPARISONSFALL 2014 STATISTICS WITH 10 YEAR COMPARISONSFALL 2014 STATISTICS WITH 10 YEAR COMPARISONSFALL 2014 STATISTICS WITH 10 YEAR COMPARISONS

“WHO are these people, Part 2?”“WHO are these people, Part 2?”“WHO are these people, Part 2?”“WHO are these people, Part 2?” by Lynda Johnson

LLLLast newsletter I told you about two early SBBO people who returned. Now I’ll tell you “who the heck are Bob and Bart Chapman?” In the spring of 1973, Bob Chapman was 12 years old and in the 7th grade. Bill Miles brought him out to Sand Bluff Bird Banding Station…Bob’s first memory of Lee John-son is Lee standing in ice water putting up nets. (Oh, does that sound familiar?) Bob’s Dad had encouraged him to be a “tough guy” and participate in sports – a familiar theme back then – but

Bob’s heart was in bird watching and all things re-lated to birds. His mother was friends with Bill Miles’ wife, so Bob was allowed to come out to Sand Bluff with Bill, a very early volunteer at the station. Bob also went to North Central Illinois Ornitho- logical Society (Bird Club) meetings with Bill, and met

Milton Mahlburg at Burpee Museum of Natural History. He joined the Environmental Club at Kennedy Jr. High School, and he participated in two Eagle Counts at Eagle Valley with Jack Armstrong. He especially loved learning to trap hawks with Lee. Bob credits all of these early encounters with Bill, Lee, Milt, Jack, NCIOS and the Environmental Club at school with influ-encing his career choice to be a biologist. He worked at the San Diego Zoo, Houston Zoo, Sea World, and a zoo in Costa Rica – working with incubating and raising birds – including cranes, and had many amazing experiences. His DNA accounts are cited in “Birds of North America.” He also filmed Whiskered Screech Owls and Whitney’s Elf Owl – first time, ever, filmed fledging! Sadly, we say “good-by and good luck” to Bob; he has just started a new job with Hawk Watch International, searching for Golden Eagle nests in Utah and banding and radio tagging young. Come back, again, some day, Bob! Bart Chapman, Bob’s younger brother, met Dr. John Clark at Burpee Museum (Milt’s assistant). Dr. Clark encouraged Bart and his friend to visit Sand Bluff with Bob, because they, too, were interested in birds and nature. Then Dr. Clark helped Bart

Bob and Bart Chapman—SBBO Photo

Educational Opportunities For Classes And Groups Educational Opportunities For Classes And Groups Educational Opportunities For Classes And Groups Educational Opportunities For Classes And Groups

C C C Classroom teachers, or group leaders of youth and adult organizations, we welcome your visits. After a winter like this one, shake off the snow and plan spring activi-ties involving birds, habitats, adaptation, and migration. We can furnish a list of possible birds to expect. Weekdays, we ask for a $3 donation per student, or $50 minimum, for a small group. Weekends, during regular banding hours, a group of 10 or more can schedule a “group pres-entation” with a $3 donation per person. Smaller groups may join the general visitors. Call Lisa Weckerly (pictured), 815-621-0607, to reserve your spot. Allow 1½ hours to watch the banding process and visit the nets.

Photo by John Longhenry

Who are these peopleWho are these peopleWho are these peopleWho are these people, cont. and friend to make a display for Burpee Museum on “Mist Netting of Birds.” Bart also credits Bill Miles with encouraging him at the station, too. From 1976 – 1980, Bart visited SBBO several times observing the banding and hawk trapping with Bob. Bart said he and his friend played for hours fishing at Lake Wood Hills and following the creek to Page Park and then all the way to Kent Creek in downtown Rockford. He credits his early experiences at Sand Bluff plus messing around with the creeks as what inspired him to love nature and to become a water resource engineer! He left the area for many years, but returned about three years ago, which is when he showed up at SBBO again. He is in-volved with the Wisconsin Society of Ornithology, and is currently helping them with a Breeding Bird Atlas project. He also enjoys birding trips with WSO members. He has recently moved to Madi-son, Wisconsin, and plans to become more involved with the band-ing operation. Welcome back, Bart! By now, I trust you have gotten the message…these young peo-ple were greatly encouraged to love all things about the natural world, including birds. It’s one thing for “us older folks” to love all that, but we need to be mindful of sharing our passion of nature and birds with young people, too. Otherwise, who will carry on the torch? You can’t “save” something if you don’t “love” it first. Come on out to Sand Bluff Bird Observatory this spring. We are open every weekend, Saturdays, dawn to dark; Sundays dawn to noon, as soon as the weather permits putting up the nets. Bring your favorite young person, too.

PLEASE HELP US ... in any way you can PLEASE HELP US ... in any way you can PLEASE HELP US ... in any way you can PLEASE HELP US ... in any way you can Our non-profit organization survives because of private contributions of time and money from friends just like you. Please examine the list below and help us continue our important banding program by making your contribution!

Name (please print) Address City State Zip + 4 Telephone (days) (evenings) (e-mail)

Please return this form to: Sand Bluff Bird Observatory, P. O. Box 2, Seward, Illinois 61077

Enclosed is a (tax-deductible) contribution of

$50.00 (Net Sponsor)

$5.00 (Subscriber)

$25.00 (Supporting Member)

$100.00 (Sustaining Member)

$15.00 (Donor)

I’d like to learn more about volunteering, please call me!

Please contact me to schedule a program/tour for my group!

to honor ______________________________________

in memory of __________________________________

Enclosed is a (tax-deductible) donation

for the Sand Bluff Bird Observatory Endowment Fund

ADDRESS CORRECTIONSADDRESS CORRECTIONSADDRESS CORRECTIONSADDRESS CORRECTIONS If you wish to cancel, subscribe or correct your mailing address for the Sand Bluff Birder, please e-mail: bottum4548@gmail.com. Subject: SBBO Birder

OFFICERS & DIRECTORSOFFICERS & DIRECTORSOFFICERS & DIRECTORSOFFICERS & DIRECTORS President..............................................................Anna GrayPresident..............................................................Anna GrayPresident..............................................................Anna GrayPresident..............................................................Anna Gray Vice President.................................................Mike EickmanVice President.................................................Mike EickmanVice President.................................................Mike EickmanVice President.................................................Mike Eickman Secretary........................................................Sharon McCoySecretary........................................................Sharon McCoySecretary........................................................Sharon McCoySecretary........................................................Sharon McCoy Treasurer..........................................................Deb EickmanTreasurer..........................................................Deb EickmanTreasurer..........................................................Deb EickmanTreasurer..........................................................Deb Eickman

HAAS RDHAAS RDHAAS RDHAAS RD

the Sand Bluff Birder P. O. Box 2 Seward, IL 61077

Birdfest 2015 Sat. May 9—8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Sun. May 10—8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Warbler Spring Migration Week

and Mother’s Day Weekend

Adults—$3.00

4-12 yrs.—$.50

3 & under—free

See & touch a wild bird & learn why birds are

banded. See raptors, visit the Kid’s Korner,

Silent Auction, Eickman’s food tent

and much, much more.

Come on out to Colored Sands & SBBO!

During Operating Hours: 815-629-2671

Mailing Address: Sand Bluff Bird Observatory P. O. Box 2 Seward, IL 61077

GPS Address: 10602 Haas Rd, Rockton, IL

Be sure to visit our website at: www.sandbluff.org Twitter at: SBBO Birding@SBBOBirdBanding

Here’s How To Reach Us!Here’s How To Reach Us!Here’s How To Reach Us!Here’s How To Reach Us!

YouYouYouYou can help SBBO

reach the Gift Matching

Challenge goal.

Give today!