Submitted by Jennie Strable
Hello to All,
It was a remarkably warm winter morning which brought out birders, but not that many birds, although we had a few nice surprises. It was a great day to walk off all the Thanksgiving turkey though, so a fine time was had by all.
BIRDERS: Marian, Karin Gary, Chris, Steve, Jennie and welcome back to Paul, Cathy and Wes.
TIME: 8:00 to 10:00am
PLACES: Wooded Island, Bobolink Meadow and the Outer Harbor
Many thanks to Paul for sharing his e-bird report for the Wooded Island/Bobolink Meadow area:
Jackson Park, Chicago--Wooded Island/Bobolink Meadow area, Cook, Illinois, US
Nov 24, 2018 8:03 AM - 10:20 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.44 mile(s)
Comments: Cloudy becoming mostly cloudy; weather readings (Chicago/Northerly Island) at 08:00: 45F, winds SW 12 mph; readings at 10:30: 47F, winds SW 12 mph; forecast high 47F. Sunrise 06:50. Site includes data west of Lake Shore Dr. to Stony Island Ave. and north of Hayes Dr. to 56th St. Entire route on foot. [Routing: 08:03 Stony Island Ave. & 56th St. to North Lagoon, Wooded Island; 09:19 Soccer Field, Bobolink Meadow, Music Court, North Lagoon to 56th St. & Stony Island Ave. 10:20 end.]
26 species (+1 other taxa)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 379 +/-
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 1 male at North Lagoon
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 1 fem./imm. at East Lagoon
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) 10 5 males, 5 fem./imm.
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) 2 fem./imm. at East Lagoon
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) 59
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 1 northbound at North Lagoon
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 16
Larus sp. (Larus sp.) 1 fly-over
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1 at Japanese Garden
Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) 2 at Wooded Island
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1 male at East Lagoon
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 1 near Darrow Bridge
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) (Colaptes auratus auratus/luteus) 2
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 6
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 6
Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) 1 at Bobolink Meadow
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) 1 at Bobolink Meadow
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 5 at Music Court
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 363 +/-
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 1 at Bobolink Meadow
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) (Junco hyemalis hyemalis/carolinensis) 4 near Darrow Bridge
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) 1 at North Lagoon
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 1 imm. male at Bobolink Meadow near Driving Range fence and near bank of islet at SE corner of East Lagoon. Unmarked olive above (no wing-bars); bright yellow on throat grading to pale, dirty buff underparts (undertail area not seen); ill-defined blackish "mask". Seen in dense weedy area less than a meter above ground. Observed by at least three members of party.
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 7 4 males, 2 females, 1 heard
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 1 heard near Museum of Science & Industry
Outer Harbor (list by me, from memory, with no counts)
Red-breasted Merganser
Bufflehead
Scaup
Goldeneye
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Canada Goose
Possible Scoter – the dark color suggested a Scoter but it was sleeping and refused to lift its head up for us, even though we asked nicely, so we couldn’t make a definite ID.
And the surprise of the day – 2 Merlins, one perched in a tree next to the turnaround area, and another that flew to the tree across the driveway.
This is a group report, with many birders contributing to the list. Most of the birds were seen by at least several or all of the birders.
Corrections, additions and comments are welcome.
Recordings are not used to attract birds.
The Walks are free and open to one and all. They are held year round. Newcomers are warmly welcomed.
Saturday morning walks: Start at 8:00 a.m. covers a distance of two miles. Birders walk counterclockwise around the Columbia Basin (North Lagoon) onto Wooded Island. Exiting Wooded Island at the south end, the birders walk along the soccer field and enter the south end of Bobolink Meadow. The Meadow’s path leads to the Music Bridge and back to the East Parking Lot. In late fall, winter and early spring, the birders check for birds on the lakefront and Outer Harbor near LaRabida Hospital, and the Inner Harbor.
Directions: Exit Lake Shore Drive at Science Drive, which is the stoplight just south of the major 57th Drive intersection by the Museum of Science and Industry. Turn Left (south) at the stop sign at the intersection of Science Drive and Columbia Drive. Go through the parking lot to the southwest end. Metered parking is available and birders meet in the southwest corner of the east parking lot.
Good birding everyone,
Jennie