Photo: Whimbrel by Kevin Bailey/Great Backyard Bird Count
Hello everyone,
Our walk began with a sighting of a gorgeous Cooper’s Hawk, and Steve’s terrific photo is attached. Snowy Blue was perched on one of the islands in the lagoon and it was good to see them again after missing them for the last couple weeks. Click the link see to Hal’s video of Snowy Blue.
The best show of the day was by two Caspian Terns, obviously a parent and a juvenile. The juvenile had a mottled appearance on its back and its head feathers were not yet completely black. They were flying over the east lagoon, the parent was squawking that lovely Tern squawk, and the juvenile was whistling in response. They were apparently having a fishing training session and kept up a conversation during the whole time we were watching them. Gary got a great shot of mom/dad and it’s attached.
At the end of the walk we found two beautiful female Blue-Winged Teals who very nicely posed and preened for us so we could see the blue on the wings.
BIRDERS: Kristen, Becky, Cheryl, Eric, Kim, Ken, Mike, Marian, Jennie, Tim, Rob, Gary, Lillian, Jess, Pam, Hal, Kaumudi, Sebastian, Tracy, Karin, Renate, Steve.
TIME: 8:00am to 11:45am
WEATHER: Partly sunny, 70s
Compiler: Cheryl
Photographers:
Gary: Caspian Tern
Steve: Cooper’s Hawk
Hal: Video of Snowy Blue
Canada Goose Number observed: 101
Wood Duck Number observed: 13
Blue-winged Teal Number observed: 2
Mallard Number observed: 7
Chimney Swift Number observed: 103
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Number observed: 1
Ring-billed Gull Number observed: 4
Caspian Tern Number observed: 2
Great Blue Heron Number observed: 11
Great Egret Number observed: 1
Snowy Egret x Little Blue Heron (hybrid) Number observed: 1
Green Heron Number observed: 3
Black-crowned Night-Heron Number observed: 5
Cooper's Hawk Number observed: 2
Belted Kingfisher Number observed: 2
Downy Woodpecker Number observed: 1
Northern Flicker Number observed: 4
Merlin Number observed: 1
Eastern Phoebe Number observed: 1
Red-eyed Vireo Number observed: 1
American Crow Number observed: 5
Black-capped Chickadee Number observed: 11
Red-breasted Nuthatch Number observed: 4
White-breasted Nuthatch Number observed: 1
European Starling Number observed: 2
Gray Catbird Number observed: 1
Swainson's Thrush Number observed: 2
Hermit Thrush Number observed: 1
American Robin Number observed: 3
Cedar Waxwing Number observed: 1
House Sparrow Number observed: 9
House Finch Number observed: 2
American Goldfinch Number observed: 6
White-throated Sparrow Number observed: 2
Tennessee Warbler Number observed: 2
Common Yellowthroat Number observed: 1
American Redstart Number observed: 1
Cape May Warbler Number observed: 3
Magnolia Warbler Number observed: 3
Bay-breasted Warbler Number observed: 1
Blackpoll Warbler Number observed: 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 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