Photo: Eastern Bluebird by John Larson
Hello everyone,
Once again our greatest highlight of the walk was our friend Snowy Blue, the Snowy Egret X Little Blue Heron hybrid, who was fishing in its usual spot in the Osaka Garden. We had our favorite heron trifecta + egret + Snowy Blue, so we had a lovely wading bird quintet. Our very talented young birder Gavin, visiting from Atlanta, spotted a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak, but unfortunately no one else saw it. He is obviously a skilled birder so we feel confident that his I.D. was correct. Two adorable juvenile Eastern Bluebirds were flying about behind the museum while Mom kept a close eye on them while perched on the roof.
BIRDERS: Gary, Marian, Cheryl, Jane, Lillian, Jim, Karin, Kristen, Gavin and Mary from Atlanta, Becky, Marisa, Julia, Jess, Mike, Rob, Steve, Sunanda, Prabhu, Paul, Jennie.
TIME: 8:00am to 11:00am
WEATHER: Beautifully sunny and warm
Compiler: Cheryl
Today’s photographer: Steve
Canada Goose Number observed: 31
Wood Duck Number observed: 9
Mallard Number observed: 5
Chimney Swift Number observed: 30
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Number observed: 3
Ring-billed Gull Number observed: 3
Herring Gull Number observed: 1
Caspian Tern Number observed: 4
Double-crested Cormorant Number observed: 2, flyover
Great Blue Heron Number observed: 13
Great Egret Number observed: 3
Snowy Egret x Little Blue Heron (hybrid) Number observed: 1, continuing
Green Heron Number observed: 4
Black-crowned Night-Heron Number observed: 5
Downy Woodpecker Number observed: 1
Hairy Woodpecker Number observed: 1, calling
Northern Flicker Number observed: 2
Eastern Wood-Pewee Number observed: 1
Eastern Phoebe Number observed: 1
Eastern Kingbird Number observed: 2
Warbling Vireo Number observed: 2
Black-capped Chickadee Number observed: 8
Purple Martin Number observed: 19
Barn Swallow Number observed: 27
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Number observed: 7
House Wren Number observed: 2
European Starling Number observed: 6
Gray Catbird Number observed: 11
Eastern Bluebird Number observed: 3
American Robin Number observed: 3
Cedar Waxwing Number observed: 2
House Sparrow Number observed: 3
House Finch Number observed: 1
American Goldfinch Number observed: 4
Chipping Sparrow Number observed: 1
Song Sparrow Number observed: 7
Red-winged Blackbird Number observed: 9
Common Yellowthroat Number observed: 1
Yellow Warbler Number observed: 5
Northern Cardinal Number observed: 3
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 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