Photo: Green heron by Lindsay Vacek
Hello everyone,
We had a quick walk as it was very cold out there, but this week we had more bird species than birders so it was a good day!
We had the Merganser trifecta with Hooded, Common and Red-breasted all present on the lagoon. Marisa got a photo of a female Hooded Merganser who looked like she was talking – she was probably complaining about the cold just like the rest of us were.
We checked out the raccoon residence as usual and it was definitely occupied, and we think there were two raccoons in the hole, one sleeping on top of the other one. That’s a good way to keep warm! Check out Mike’s photo and decide for yourself.
Two Belted Kingfishers were a nice find and we saw a single Sandhill Crane fly over, which is surprising since they almost always travel in flocks. We also had a beautiful Red-tailed Hawk towards the end of the walk, a beautiful sight soaring against the blue sky and calling for all to hear.
BIRDERS: Cheryl, Marian, Kristin, Mike, Jennie, Lucy, Jane, Mark, Eric, Mark W., Nick, Megan, Tracy, Chris, Roselle, Marisa, Renate
TIME: 8:00am to 9:45am
WEATHER: Sunny, 26 degrees, windy, cold
Compiler: Cheryl
Photographers: Marisa, Eric and Mike
Canada Goose Number observed: 121
Mallard Number observed: 2
Hooded Merganser Number observed: 2
Common Merganser Number observed: 2
Red-breasted Merganser Number observed: 21
Sandhill Crane Number observed: 1, F Flyover (Observed)
Ring-billed Gull Number observed: 5
Herring Gull Number observed: 1
Great Blue Heron Number observed: 1
Red-tailed Hawk Number observed: 1
Belted Kingfisher Number observed: 2
Downy Woodpecker Number observed: 2
Northern Flicker Number observed: 3
Black-capped Chickadee Number observed: 4
White-breasted Nuthatch Number observed: 2
European Starling Number observed: 2
American Robin Number observed: 1
House Sparrow Number observed: 6
American Goldfinch Number observed: 17
American Tree Sparrow Number observed: 9
Dark-eyed Junco Number observed: 7
Northern Cardinal Number observed: 10
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