Hello everyone,

 The weather was much nicer than the heat and humidity that we had last week. I think the birds liked it too.  There were a lot of Chimney Swifts, Purple Martins and Barn Swallows.  I think they are flocking together in preparation for their fall migration, but if others are more familiar with swallow behavior than I am, please share your thoughts.

BIRDERS: Welcome to new participants Homer, Lorraine, Jim and Jane.  Also present; Cheryl, Eric, Karin, Bruce, Marisa, Jennie

TIME:   8:00am to 10:30am       

WEATHER: cloudy, in the 70s.

Thank you to Eric for sharing his list.

11 Canada Goose

7 Wood Duck

2 Mallard

X Chimney Swift

2 Ruby-throated Hummingbird

1 Spotted Sandpiper

3 Ring-billed Gull

2 Caspian Tern

6 Double-crested Cormorant

3 Great Blue Heron

1 Green Heron

3 Downy Woodpecker

1 Northern Flicker

1 Eastern Phoebe

4 Eastern Kingbird

4 Warbling Vireo

1 American Crow

X Purple Martin

X Barn Swallow

1 House Wren

50 European Starling

2 Gray Catbird

8 American Robin

40 Cedar Waxwing

5 American Goldfinch

8 Song Sparrow

3 Baltimore Oriole

1 new world oriole sp.

5 Red-winged Blackbird

6 Yellow Warbler

3 Northern Cardinal

2 Indigo Bunting    

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. and cover a distance of two miles.  Birders walk from the meeting spot counterclockwise 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. After crossing the Music Bridge birders walk through the parking lot and around the Columbia Basin (North Lagoon) and return to our meeting spot.  In late fall, winter and early spring, the birders check for birds on the lakefront at the Outer Harbor near LaRabida Hospital and the Inner Harbor after the Wooded Island walk.

Meeting Spot:  Birders meet on the west shore of the Columbia Basin (North Lagoon).  Park on Stony Island Avenue near 59th Street, walk east across the parkland area, then cross Cornell Drive to reach the spot.

Good birding everyone,

Jennie

Photo: Double-crested Cormorant by Sujata Roy/Great Backyard Bird Count