Submitted by Jennie Strable on Wed, 07/26/2017 - 1:34pm

Event date:

Saturday, July 22, 2017 - 8:00am 

Location:

-

Hello to All,

The early morning rain showers convinced many of our regulars to stay home and enjoy another cup of coffee, but three intrepid birders came out to see what we could find, and we were glad we did!  The rain stopped right about the time our walk started and the skies slowly cleared while we were in the park.

In the Osaka Garden, the mallards have figured out how to get food from the koi feeder.  They “jump” up a bit and knock the bottom of the feeder with their bills.  When a bit of food falls they eat it up.  What clever birds!

Near the mallards, on the edge of the pond, was a Great Blue Heron looking intently into the water.  Suddenly he grabbed a fish, a small orange fish, and gobbled it down.  I don’t know if the koi had babies or someone put their pet goldfish in the pond, but unfortunately for the fish it became the heron’s breakfast.

The Cliff Swallows were nowhere to be found under the museum’s south portico.  We assume the young must have fledged and the families have left their Hyde Park homes.

BIRDERS: 3: Erin, Gary and Jennie 

TIME: 8:00am to 10:00am  

PLACES: Wooded Island and Bobolink Meadow    

DISTANCE: 2 miles

WEATHER:  Cloudy, warm, humid but no rain.

Erin kept the species list for us, and I’ve added comments:

Eastern Kingbird: it seemed like they were everywhere; we saw at least a dozen

Great Blue Heron:  4

Black-crowned Night Heron: 1

Canada Goose: 40

Northern Cardinal: 2

Eastern Phoebe: 2

Purple Martin: 30

House Sparrow: 10

Caspian Tern: 2

Ring-billed Gull: X

Chimney Swift: 3

Barn Swallow: X

Kildeer: 3

Mallard: 19

Double-crested Cormorant: 1, sitting in the classic cormorant pose with its wings outspread

Catbird: 3

Robin: X

Indigo Bunting: 4.  We had great looks and enjoyed their songs on the Wooded Island

Downy Woodpecker: 3

House Wren: 1 (heard only)

American Goldfinch: 2

Wood Duck: 1

Song Sparrow: 2

Belted Kingfisher: 1

Red-winged Blackbird: 6

Northern Flicker: 3, in Bobolink Woods, loudly scolding some robins who were getting too close to them. Perhaps there’s a nest?

Probable juvenile Baltimore Oriole: in Bobolink Woods, near the Flickers. I only got a quick look but I know it wasn’t a robin J

X = commonly seen and/or not counted.

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. A high black iron fence has been erected on all four sides. The fence will remain in place until Darrow Bridge is completely rebuilt, which could be several years away. The Bridge has been deemed unsafe.

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.

Birders meet in the southwest corner of the East Parking Lot.

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.

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 59thStreet.

Best of Birding to All,                    

Jennie, filling in for Pat today.