Photo: Eastern Bluebird by John Larson

Hello everyone,

In addition to having visitors from New Hampshire, the highlights of the day were the new bird families we discovered.  Marian spotted two fledgling/juvenile Hairy Woodpeckers along the center path of the Island.  They were foraging along the branches of a large shrub and were small, a bit fuzzy, and had the long bill of a Hairy Woodpecker. They were adorable!  We also had good looks at the Green Heron nest in a tree behind the Museum of Science and Industry and mom or dad was there carefully incubating.  Maybe the eggs will hatch by this coming Saturday and we’ll get a look at the chicks.

BIRDERS: Becky, Hal, Marian, Cheryl, Karin, Kristen, Kaumudi, Sebastian, Sarah, Bruce M., Eve, Rob, Renate, Jennie and welcome to Millie, Mark and Max visiting from New Hampshire.

TIME: 8:00am to 11:30am     

WEATHER:  Sunny, breezy, in the 70s

Compiler:  Cheryl

Canada Goose   Number observed: 73

Mallard   Number observed: 9

Mourning Dove   Number observed: 2

Chimney Swift   Number observed: 3

Ruby-throated Hummingbird   Number observed: 4

Ring-billed Gull   Number observed: 7

Caspian Tern   Number observed: 2

Great Blue Heron   Number observed: 3

Great Egret   Number observed: 1

Green Heron   Number observed: 4

Red-tailed Hawk   Number observed: 1

Downy Woodpecker   Number observed: 1

Hairy Woodpecker   Number observed: 3  Details: 1 adult, 2 juveniles

Great Crested Flycatcher   Number observed: 1

Eastern Kingbird   Number observed: 3

Warbling Vireo   Number observed: 4

American Crow   Number observed: 1

Black-capped Chickadee   Number observed: 1

Northern Rough-winged Swallow   Number observed: 4

Purple Martin   Number observed: 26

Tree Swallow   Number observed: 1

Barn Swallow   Number observed: 29

White-breasted Nuthatch   Number observed: 2

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher   Number observed: 1

House Wren   Number observed: 3

European Starling   Number observed: 43

Gray Catbird   Number observed: 6

Eastern Bluebird   Number observed: 2

American Robin   Number observed: 9

Cedar Waxwing   Number observed: 9

House Sparrow   Number observed: 2

House Finch   Number observed: 1

American Goldfinch   Number observed: 6

Song Sparrow   Number observed: 1

Baltimore Oriole   Number observed: 14

Red-winged Blackbird   Number observed: 2

Brown-headed Cowbird   Number observed: 27

Common Grackle   Number observed: 1

Common Yellowthroat   Number observed: 1

Yellow Warbler   Number observed: 8

Northern Cardinal   Number observed: 1

Indigo Bunting   Number observed: 1   

If you’d like more information about a bird, check out the All About Birds ID guide:

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/

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