Submitted by Jennie Strable on Sun, 11/20/2016 - 5:43pm
Event date:
Saturday, November 12, 2016 - 8:00am
Location:
-
Hello to All,
For the third week in a row, there were not many birds around. Our trip to the Outer Harbor yielded a few more birds. Bufflehead, GreaterScaup and a single female or immature Canvasback were found.
After brunch at Sunrise Restaurant in Whiting, IN, five of us headed to Gibson Woods in Hammond, IN for great viewing from the bird room in the comfort of easy chairs. A Cooper’s Hawk perched near the feeders for well over an hour. It left without supper as best we could tell. We saw both White-breasted and Red-breasted Nuthatches as well as both House and a couple of Purple Finches. It is rare to see Purple Finches anymore. Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers were regular feeder visitors.
BIRDERS: 13 (1) Caroline H., (2) Eric G., (3) Tobias G., (4) Jennie S., (5)Kate S. – Journalist to plans to write an article about our Walks for a Midwest magazine, (6) Tracy W., (7)Gary M, (9) Bill D., (9) Renate G., (10) Karin C., (11) Karin D., (12) Raman S., (13) Pat D.
TIME: 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
PLACES: Columbia Basin (North Lagoon), Wooded Island, Soccer Field, Bobolink Meadow, East and West Lagoons.
DISTANCE: Two miles
WEATHER: Sunny. Temperature 41 to 53 F, Wind SW 10 – 15 mph, Humidity 73%, Dew Point 30 degrees. The temperature warmed up after 45 minutes and the wind died down.
TOTAL SPECIES COUNT: 21
X = commonly seen and/or not counted.
Wooded Island/Lagoons/ Soccer Field/Bobolink Meadow:
Canada Goose X
Mallard 1
Hooded Merganser 1 Female. North Lagoon
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Great Blue Heron 6
Black-crowned Night-Heron 1 Juvenile. East Lagoon. Perched on a branch all morning
Cooper's Hawk 1
Ring-billed Gull 4 Fly overs
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Possibly more than one. Seen East Parking Lot, South end and center of Wooded Island.
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 3
American Crow 11
European Starling 6
American Tree Sparrow 1
Dark-eyed Junco 1
Northern Cardinal 3
American Goldfinch 1
Outer Harbor:
Canada Goose X
Mallard 2
Canvasback 1 female or immature male
Greater Scaup 14 male and female
Bufflehead 12 Both male and female
American Coot 2
Ring-billed Gull X
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.
This report will be recorded on eBird as a group report for the Wooded Island Bird Walks.
The Walks are free and open to one and all. They are held year round.Newcomers are warmly welcomed.
Darrow Bridge: Darrow Bridge has been barricaded by the Department of Transportation. No one can cross. A high black metal iron fence has been erected on all four sides. It appears that the fence will remain in place until Darrow Bridge is completely rebuilt, which could be several years away. The Bridge has been deemed unsafe.
The Walks start at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday.
Birders meet in the southwest corner of the East Parking Lot.
Please note: The Wednesday morning Walks have been decommissioned. An informal group often meets, but the start time varies and the distance traveled can be curtailed.
Metered parking is available in the East Parking Lot that is accessible from South Lake Shore Drive at 57th Street (labeled Science Drive on a small blue street sign). There is a Stop Light at 57th Street. Make a turn at the Stop Light towards the Museum. Turn Left (south) at the intersection of Science Drive and Columbia Drive. Go through the parking lot to the west end.
Parking and Lots: While restoration is ongoing, heavy equipment has taken over half of the east parking lot, off of South Lake Shore Drive, and half of the southwest parking lot which has an entrance off of Hayes Drive (63rd St.) and just east of Cornell Drive. Birders will be able to find metered parking in both lots. The East Parking Lot is preferred. There is also unmetered parking along Stony Island Avenue from 56th to 59th Street.
Best of Birding to All,
Patricia Durkin