On Friday 11/26/21, a Small-billed Elaenia was discovered near Waukegan Municipal Beach, IL. The exact location can be found at these coordinates, 42.3620817, -87.8185852. It doesn’t show up on eBird as an alert, so people might not know about it, that don’t live in Illinois or belong to certain groups. I think it was originally posted to a Facebook group “what’s this bird?”
The Small-billed Elaenia is a tyrant flycatcher of South America. If confirmed, it would be only the 4th record in North America. Remarkably, another was found in 2012, not too far from here, at Douglass Park in Chicago! More information about this species can be found at the following link, Small-billed Elaenia – eBird
I decided to try for the Elaenia on Tuesday, 11/30. The bird was seen in 8 o’clock hour, so I figured I would have good chance to see it. I arrived just before 10am, and there were at least 10 others looking for it as well. It was over an hour before it finally “popped” up, just after 11:15. Everyone that was present, was rewarded with fairly good looks at it. After this it was in and out of view for the next couple hours. This bird was in a mixed group of yew shrubs and cedar trees, behind a chain link fence. The yew shrubs are very thick and it’s really easy to lose sight of it in there. It was eating the red berries of the yew shrubs, and occasionally a few insects that were flying around the shrubs. A very cool bird to see and an enjoyable day talking to people from all over. Pictures below are from the several hours spent there on Tuesday. Good luck if you try for it! Enjoy!
Congratulations on the lovely images of the Small-billed Elaenia and the Red-necked Grebe. Long after one would think anything interesting is left to be found as we enter winter you keep finding and sharing just that. Thank you.
Thank you Karie!