Photo: Eastern Bluebird by John Larson
Hello everyone,
It was a pretty morning, but as expected, the snow and ice that melted on Friday re-froze overnight and created sheets of bumpy ice on the paths. It was slow going, taking little penguin steps while watching our feet more than the birds.
Our new birder Yesenia spotted a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk in a tree by the north bridge and we were able to watch him/her closely for a while. A handsome male Cardinal was fluffed up and singing his heart out along the center path of the Island, assuring us that all the ice will melt and Spring will be here soon.
As Rob was walking over to our meeting spot he saw a flock of 7 finches that he at first thought were House Finches. However, upon further study when he returned home, he realized that they were Common Redpolls. What a great Redpoll irruption year we’re having!
BIRDERS: Eric, Lucy, Cheryl, Marian, Leslie, Jennie, Rob, Marisa, Bruce, Renate and welcome to Yesenia.
TIME: 8:00am to 10:15am
WEATHER: Sunny, somewhat breezy, 19 degrees
Compiler: Cheryl
Photographers:
Marisa: hawk looking over its right shoulder and the Cardinal
Eric: hawk looking over its left shoulder
Canada Goose Number observed: 57
Ring-billed Gull Number observed: 1
Herring Gull Number observed: 1
Red-tailed Hawk Number observed: 1
Downy Woodpecker Number observed: 4
American Crow Number observed: 3
Black-capped Chickadee Number observed: 3
European Starling Number observed: 1
American Robin Number observed: 2
House Sparrow Number observed: 3
Common Redpoll Number observed: 7
American Goldfinch Number observed: 2
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