Submitted by Jennie Strable on Mon, 03/07/2016 - 8:47pm

Event date:

Saturday, March 5, 2016 - 8:00am 

Location:

-

Hello everyone,

It was a cloudy, dreary day but we had a few nice surprises on our walk this morning.  A beautiful male American Kestrel perched picturesquely at the very top of a tree on the soccer field allowing us some great looks.   A visit from a Red-bellied Woodpecker was also a nice sighting.  Our wintering ducks must be starting their trek back north because there were very few to be found in the harbors.

BIRDERS:  7: Eric, Tina, Janine, Karin C., Karin D, first time visitor Damen, and Jennie.   

TIME:   8:00am to 10:00am   

PLACES:  Bobolink Meadow, Outer Harbor, Inner Harbor  

WEATHER:  Cloudy, chilly, damp, temperatures in the 30s.

Many thanks to Eric for sharing his E-bird reports:

Jackson Park, Chicago--Wooded Island/Bobolink Meadow area
Mar 5, 2016
8:07 AM
Traveling
1.00 miles
76 Minutes
All birds reported? Yes
Comments: Submitted from eBird for iOS, version 1.1.5 Build 44

4 Canada Goose
4 Mallard
2 Common Goldeneye
7 Red-breasted Merganser -- 3 male 1 female
X Ring-billed Gull
1 Red-bellied Woodpecker
2 Downy Woodpecker -- Heard
1 Hairy Woodpecker
1 woodpecker sp. -- Heard drilling 
1 American Kestrel -- Male 
X American Crow
X Black-capped Chickadee
1 European Starling
4 American Tree Sparrow
1 Dark-eyed Junco
1 Northern Cardinal -- Heard
X Red-winged Blackbird -- At least 4 males

Jackson Park, Chicago--Inner/Outer Harbors
Mar 5, 2016
9:38 AM
Stationary
31 Minutes
All birds reported? Yes
Comments: Inner and outer harbors
Submitted from eBird for iOS, version 1.1.5 Build 44

3 Canada Goose
2 Mallard
X Redhead
4 Greater/Lesser Scaup
3 Bufflehead
5 Common Goldeneye
X Red-breasted Merganser
1 Horned Grebe
X American Coot
X Ring-billed Gull
1 American Robin
1 European Starling

Number of Taxa: 12

This is a group report, with many birders contributing to the list. Most of the birds were seen by a least several or all 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. 

Note on 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, and the work is not expected to begin until 2017 at the earliest. 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, where metered parking is available. Wooded Island is closed off by a fence while work in being done. Birders walk through Bobolink Meadow and view the eastside of Wooded Island and the East Lagoon.

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.

Note on 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 59th to 56thStreet.

Best of Birding to All,                     

Jennie, sitting in for Pat today