ACTUALLY NO FREAKING WAY!!!!!! We were at Montrose when we got the alert and literally sprinted to our cars to drive up here. Found by Jeff Bilsky of course, FIRST STATE RECORD!!!! Absolutely insane bird. Seen with the Tolzmanns (@brdnrdr @hazelgrouse4) Isoo O'Brien (@ieobrien) and Henry Meade (@hmeade_birds) as well as like half of the Illinois birding community LOL

Crazy DuPage bird found by me! Everyone (including myself) was scanning the horizon line for distant raptors. But then I set my bins down to take a quick break. I look up, and there’s an eagle trying to gain altitude right in front of us, by the twin towers. I don’t say anything and just put my bins up to look at the bird, assuming it’s just another BAEA. Then as it circled around again I notice something I hadn’t seen before. This bird had a white band on the tail, and white windows on the wings. I knew what I had seen, and from there it was crazy. I told Jeff that I had an interesting eagle, and he replied with “does it have white windows”? Yes. He looks up, sees the bird and then yells that there’s a Golden Eagle over the twins. From there it was a bunch of shutters firing and excited chatter.
The bird proceeded to fly DIRECTLY over us, and then over Whalon Lake and deep into Will County.
It was a crazy experience and definitely one I’ll remember for a long time.

Sensitive roost site. Exact location will not be provided in case these birds decide to return this winter. Birds were viewed ethically, no baiting, calling or any of that crap. Photos were taken from a respectful distance with a telephoto lens, and cropped. The birds eyes were open because a different photographer got wayyyy too close.
With @owenbirder13
Pretty awesome experience

This bird and the whole experience was so special for so many reasons.
Probably my number one bird experience ever.
As I write this 5 months after our encounter with THE Bat Falcon, I still cannot believe how lucky we got, and every time I think about this bird I get goosebumps: it’s not everyday that a first U.S record stares you right in the face.
Thursday February 10th, 2022 along the shore of Cattail Lakes inside Santa Ana NWR.

Rarity, not many seen in DuPage Co. Found yesterday by another birder, was able to re-find today at P-7 tree farm area. It was exhibiting typical flycatcher behavior flying out from perch and back again.