The backstory behind FoxMillBirds.com

First, a very important note: The yellow-throated warbler, orange-crowned warbler and European goldfinch in the main images of this site were not seen in Fox Mill. They were observed in the backyard of my old St. Charles homes in the Fox Chase subdivision. But these three sightings — not long ago! — are the catalyst for creating this site in my new community of Fox Mill, and for my deeper appreciation and involvement in the Kane County birding community.

The yellow-throated warbler showed up in the winter of 2018. In the snow. In the ice. In the freezing temperatures. It stayed consistent at my feeder, feeding numerous times a day from Nov. 20 to Dec. 23. All the while it was supposed to be in Mexico enjoying the sun and the bugs. I reported the sighting to the Illinois Birders Exchanging Thoughts forum (IBET), administered by the Illinois Ornithological Society. I ended up hosting more than 40 birders from across the state in my backyard to view and take pictures, and that's how I was introduced to the good people at Kane County Audubon. This sighting, in my backyard, was the latest this species has been recorded in Illinois.

In May and April of 2020 I noticed two European goldfinches at my feeders. Striking birds, I reported the pair to the Kane County Audubon sightings page, a must-read of information for area birders. These birds aren't widespread in the region, mostly breeding in Lake County. But here they were, out of range, in my backyard. Again, a few folks showed up for a look and pictures.

And on May 18, 2020, along with the rest of the local birders, I experienced a spring migration like no other. Whether that was because the raging global pandemic forced closures across the county and simply allowed birds not to be bothered in their environment, or something else completely, we'll never know. But I reported four species of warblers that day at my home — two of them new for the backyard (Tennessee and Yellow). That brought my backyard warbler list to 11 species in four years: American Redstart, Bay Breasted, Black-throated green, Magnolia, Nashville, Palm, Pine, Tennessee, Yellow, Yellow-rumped and Yellow-throated. But the next day, I was surprised with a message from a Kane County Audubon member, who had seen my picture of the Tennessee warbler on the listings page: 

"The ... bird pictured, with the yellow undertail coverts, is an orange-crowned warbler. Tennessee doesn't have yellow there, and also notice the broken eye-ring. I bet he'll be happy to know that! Tennessee is much more common so getting an orange-crowned is quite a treat!"

And that's the point of this site: I never would have known without a listings page. I never would have been able to confirm my gut and share my excitement of a late-winter holdout. I never would have realized that birds in my backyard aren't supposed to be there.

The ABA Code of Birding Ethics is clear: "Share bird observations freely ... as birders, ornithologists, and conservationists derive considerable benefit from publicly available bird sightings." 

That's what I did with these three species of birds. All have their stories. And I hope this site provides even more for the members of our community.