Photo: Pied-billed Grebe by Cheryl Johnson/Audubon Photography Awards
Hello everyone,
Our morning began wonderfully with the sighting of about 5 Hummingbirds enjoying the blooming jewel weed on the west side of the north lagoon. They were buzzing about so actively that it seemed like they were everywhere.
We had a lingering Baltimore Oriole but no Purple Martins were to be found so we know that fall will be upon us soon. The warblers are starting to come through and we had Black and White, Magnolia, Canada, Northern Waterthrush and American Redstart. The vireos have arrived and we saw several Warbling and Red-eyed Vireos. Snowy Blue was waiting for us in a tree by the Music Bridge and we had 2 flyover Broad-winged Hawks.
The silliest moment of the day occurred when someone said that they heard a Cuckoo. We all stopped and listened and indeed heard what we thought was a Cuckoo calling. The group became silent as we all peered into every bush and tree only to find….it was a chipmunk. How embarrassing….
BIRDERS: Linda, Mike, Hal, Glynn, Marian, Jennie, Karin, Leslie, Jane, Cheryl, Eric, Gary, Chris, Lillian, Jim, Pam, Renate, Rob, Clara, Steve
TIME: 8:00am to 11:00am
WEATHER: Hot, humid, yuck.
Compiler: Cheryl
Canada Goose Number observed: 41
Wood Duck Number observed: 5
Mallard Number observed: 6
Chimney Swift Number observed: 2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Number observed: 5
Ring-billed Gull Number observed: 1
Double-crested Cormorant Number observed: 1, flyover
Great Blue Heron Number observed: 11
Great Egret Number observed: 2
Snowy Egret x Little Blue Heron (hybrid) Number observed: 1
Green Heron Number observed: 2
Black-crowned Night-Heron Number observed: 3
Broad-winged Hawk Number observed: 2
Red-tailed Hawk Number observed: 1
Belted Kingfisher Number observed: 1
Northern Flicker Number observed: 5
Eastern Wood-Pewee Number observed: 1
Empidonax sp. Number observed: 2
Eastern Kingbird Number observed: 2
Warbling Vireo Number observed: 9
Red-eyed Vireo Number observed: 8
Black-capped Chickadee Number observed: 4
Barn Swallow Number observed: 7
White-breasted Nuthatch Number observed: 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Number observed: 3
Gray Catbird Number observed: 8
American Robin Number observed: 1
Cedar Waxwing Number observed: 9
House Finch Number observed: 3
American Goldfinch Number observed: 12
Baltimore Oriole Number observed: 1
Northern Waterthrush Number observed: 1
Black-and-white Warbler Number observed: 2
American Redstart Number observed: 2
Magnolia Warbler Number observed: 1
Canada Warbler Number observed: 1
Northern Cardinal Number observed: 3
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