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Apple River, IL) The Eagle Nature Foundation sponsored a Big Bird Day on May 12th. On that day Naturalist, Terrence Ingram, at Apple Creek Arboretum, 8384 North Broadway, Apple River, IL tried to identify all of the different species of birds that he could see from dawn to dusk. In total, he only identified 45 different species of birds. Last year on Spring Big Bird Day he identified 54 different species. He used to see over 60 to 80 species. This count is his attempt to document the many birds, which have been killed by agricultural sprays in the area, or for some reason have not returned to the area this year.

Many common species he saw last year were not seen this year. Many of the birds he saw this year were migrants, and they just happened to stop on their journey. The 16 birds that were seen last year, but not this year include: Black-capped Chickadee, Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Nighthawk, Chimney Swift, Eastern Kingbird, Tree Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Warbling Vireo, Northern Parula Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Redstart Warbler, and Cedar Waxwing.

He only identified a single bird of 11 other species, including: Killdeer, Great Horned Owl, Common Flicker, Eastern Phoebe, Blackburnian Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Orchard Oriole, Scarlet Tanager, Rufous-sided Towhee, Harris Sparrow, and Eurasian Tree Sparrow. If his theory holds true, each year he will be seeing fewer and fewer birds on this Spring Big Bird Day.

He conducts this one day count as a fund raiser for the Eagle Nature Foundation. Send your pledges and donations to: ENF, 300 East Hickory Street, Apple River, IL 61001.

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For more information contact: Terrence N. Ingram, Exec. Director, Eagle Nature Foundation, 300 East Hickory St., Apple River, IL 61001 Phone 815-594-2306

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