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Wooded Island Bird Walk

  • Wooded Island, Jackson Park We meet on the west side of the north lagoon behind the Museum of Science and Industry Chicago, IL, 60637 United States (map)

Hello everyone,

Migration has begun!  We had our first warblers of the fall and a flyover turkey vulture.  We came upon a great pocket of birds in the middle of the island with warblers, Cedar Waxwings, vireos, Goldfinches and more. A Red-tailed Hawk flew directly above us giving great views of the coloring on its underside and we also saw several lovely juvenile Cedar Waxwings with the delicate striping on their breast.

BIRDERS: Welcome to Matthew, Samantha and Jeremy. Our regulars Marian, Cheryl, Eric, Karin, Bruce, Renate and Jennie were also present.

TIME:   8:00am to 11:00am   

WEATHER: Mid-70s and partly cloudy.

Thank you to Cheryl for sharing her list:

Canada Goose

Number observed:79

Wood Duck

Number observed:8

Mallard

Number observed:6

Chimney Swift

Number observed:7

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Number observed:1

Ring-billed Gull

Number observed:8

Larus sp.

Number observed:1

Great Blue Heron

Number observed:4

Green Heron 

Number observed:1

Black-crowned Night-Heron    Details: juvenile perched in a tree at the NW corner of the Music Bridge, good spot by Karin D.

Number observed:1

Turkey Vulture

Number observed:1

Cooper's Hawk

Number observed:1

Red-tailed Hawk  Details: observed twice, the first observance there were 2 birds far away, not too confident in ID, second observance was up close and personal, flying very low above us

Number observed:2

Empidonax sp.

Number observed:1

Eastern Phoebe

Number observed:1

Warbling Vireo

Number observed:1

Red-eyed Vireo

Number observed:1

American Crow

Number observed:2

Black-capped Chickadee

Number observed:2

Barn Swallow

Number observed:11

swallow sp

Number observed:2

White-breasted Nuthatch

Number observed:2

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Number observed:3

House Wren

Number observed:1

Gray Catbird

Number observed:5

American Robin

Number observed:3

Cedar Waxwing

Number observed:7

House Sparrow

Number observed:2

American Goldfinch

Number observed:21

Northern Waterthrush

Number observed:1

American Redstart

Number observed:3

Magnolia Warbler Details: spotted by Eric G

Number observed:1

warbler sp. (Parulidae sp.)

Number observed:1

Northern Cardinal

Number observed:3

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