Yes, the mystery deepens! My neighbor has several bird feeders, and I have a large old concrete birdbath that I was cleaning out and refilling every couple of days during the record breaking hot summer. It was not uncommon to see 6+ different birds at the bath at one time. The area is sheltered with many mature trees and shrubs, especially spruce, hemlock, lilacs, viburnums breaking the winds that come in from the west. I live in an 1895 house in an old rural town (Big Rock, IL, Est 1834), with farm fields nearby as well as some prairie woodlands that have never been developed (aka ruined, LOL). I have seen other critters that I have not seen in decades when I lives 25 miles closer to Chicago. Preying Mantis, Luna and some Sphinx moths, even a Hellbender salamander digging into my burn pile (got relocated to the creek bank). And I'm still a novice. I'm wondering if these variables might have some species passing through at times that might otherwise not be considered "regular" In the Metro Chicago area? Just looked through a 1936 copy of Pearson's Birds of America and came away with few ideas. Purple Grackle seems similar, but what I saw was slimmer and not as iridescent. Similar thoughts about Blackbirds, Grackles and Purple Martins. The shape of the tail reminded me of male cardinals, but the birds were a bit smaller, about 3/4-7/8 the size. The white tail patch was only visible when the birds started to take off. I saw this more than once. It was kind of in the middle of the rump as opposed to the end of the tail. From what I saw of the birds, the underside was certainly a dark color as well. I looked through a few other birding books I have between the first and the last sightings, and nothing listed matched. I wondered if it/they might have been a lesser mentioned subspecies or a juvenile. Interesting....

I agree with Alan. LUCKY YOU! I see them but only rarely and even then for no more than 4 or 5 days in late April or early May.

immature or female Painted Bunting ... not a match because it lacks the distinct dark head. I saw it again today, and the most likely bird is a Lesser Goldfinch. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Lesser_Goldfinch/id

I see no orange on this bird, either. I thought, first thing, "Crested Caracara," then "Northern Goshawk," based on its overall coloring and the habitat. The habitat seems wrong for a Caracara, but we had one visiting us in redwood country not long ago, eating at several deer carcasses along Highway One and the bird appeared several weeks later (assuming it was the same one) in Oregon. . . While a Northern Goshawk *would* be feathered farther down on the legs, take a closer look at this photo, then turn to page 190 in the NGFG, and check out the feathering on the legs of the Goshawk (imm) in the painting: the feathers are farther down, yes, but they are sweeping back, as in the bird in the photo. A Northern Goshawk *would* go after prey as large as a squirrel. I sincerely doubt a Cooper's would take prey that large. . .