Photo: American Wigeon by Walker Golder/Audubon
Hello everyone,
The Great Blue Herons that frequent the Osaka Garden have become so accustomed to our presence that they don’t move away when we walk down the path. I think we’ll have to name them soon. The Hummingbirds were enjoying the jewelweed near our meeting spot on the north lagoon and the Chimney Swifts were everywhere, most likely preparing for their journey south.
We didn’t see Snowy Blue on our walk but Cheryl found him/her when she went back on the Island later. We had some confusing fall warblers to keep us entertained and we had a Cooper’s Hawk and Red-tailed Hawk.
As we entered the middle path of the Island, we saw fluttering on the left hand side. A Chimney Swift was caught in a small tree, hanging upside down. Since Chimney Swifts don’t perch in trees we think that the Cooper’s Hawk that we had just spotted was chasing it and it probably dove into the tree for cover. Several birders sprung into action and managed to bend the tree over and use a long stick to release the bird, but it fell to the ground. Mike picked it up, holding it like a bird rescuing pro, and we took it to a quiet, out of the way place near the Osaka Garden where Mike placed it on the ground. It did not look good. It was breathing but it’s eyes were closed and it wasn’t moving. We left it, hoping it would rest and recover, but both Hal and Cheryl checked on it a couple hours later and it was still there so we are quite sure that it didn’t make it. Nature brings us great joy and great sadness too.
BIRDERS: Marian, Cheryl, Mike, Jennie, Kristin, Larry, Natalie, Jane, Gary, Chris, Hal, Karin, Eric, Imad, Lillian, Jim, Jess, Sarah, Marisa, Tristan, Pam.
TIME: 8:00am to 11:00am
WEATHER: partly cloudy, warm and nice.
Compiler: Cheryl
Canada Goose Number observed: 103
Wood Duck Number observed: 13
Mallard Number observed: 3
Chimney Swift Number observed: 41
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Number observed: 7
Ring-billed Gull Number observed: 2
Double-crested Cormorant Number observed: 3
Great Blue Heron Number observed: 11
Green Heron Number observed: 7
Black-crowned Night-Heron Number observed: 2
Cooper's Hawk Number observed: 1
Red-tailed Hawk Number observed: 1
Belted Kingfisher Number observed: 1
Downy Woodpecker Number observed: 1
Northern Flicker Number observed: 5
Empidonax sp. Number observed: 1
Eastern Phoebe Number observed: 1
Warbling Vireo Number observed: 7
Red-eyed Vireo Number observed: 2
American Crow Number observed: 5
Black-capped Chickadee Number observed: 7
Red-breasted Nuthatch Number observed: 1
White-breasted Nuthatch Number observed: 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Number observed: 1
Gray Catbird Number observed: 5
American Robin Number observed: 2
House Sparrow Number observed: 9
American Goldfinch Number observed: 7
Nashville Warbler Number observed: 1
American Redstart Number observed: 7
Blackpoll Warbler Number observed: 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler Number observed: 1
Black-throated Green Warbler Number observed: 1
Wilson's Warbler Number observed: 1
Northern Cardinal Number observed: 4
Rose-breasted Grosbeak Number observed: 1
Snowy Egret x Little Blue Heron (hybrid) Number observed:1 Perched near the shore between the Nancy Hayes Bridge and the Japanese Garden
Veery 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