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Wooded Island Bird Walk

  • Wooded Island, Jackson Park Meet at the west side of the Columbia Basin Chicago, IL, 60637 United States (map)

Photo: Ruby-crowned kinglet by Josh Graham

Hello everyone,

Public Service Announcement: We found a Vortex lens cover, for the ocular lens end. If you lost one let me know.

Bad weather = good birding. It’s true, and today proved it. The weather was lousy with windy conditions and graupel or drizzle falling for most of the walk. But, we ended up with 37 species and some nice highlights. Kudos to everyone who braved the elements!

We had a couple first of year birds; a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and a Caspian Tern, two of my favorite birds. The sighting of two Belted Kingfishers was nice; let’s hope they get together and nest in the park. When we were in the middle of the island Eric told us to look up and we were glad we did because three Great Egrets were flying over, looking elegant as always.

On the lagoon we had the Merganser trifecta and a nice pair of Northern Shovelers. Four Buffleheads were swimming about, one male with 3 females following him. It must be Spring!

We saw twelve Fox Sparrows, and there were probably many more that we didn’t spot, so they are clearly on the move. The appearance of Yellow-rumped Warblers, Brown Creepers and Golden-crowned Kinglets means that migration is well under way!

BIRDERS: Tracy, Mike, Cheryl, Meghan, Eric, Leslie, Lucy, Marian, Jennie, Kristin and Chris

TIME: 8:00am to 10:10am     

WEATHER: 36 degrees, cloudy, windy, graupel and drizzle

Compiler: Cheryl

Photographer: Eric    

Canada Goose   Number observed: 9

Wood Duck   Number observed: 2

Northern Shoveler   Number observed: 2

Mallard   Number observed: 9

Bufflehead   Number observed: 4

Hooded Merganser   Number observed: 2

Common Merganser   Number observed: 3

Red-breasted Merganser   Number observed: 8

Horned Grebe   Number observed: 2

American Coot   Number observed: 1

Ring-billed Gull   Number observed: 10

Herring Gull   Number observed: 1

Caspian Tern   Number observed: 1

Great Blue Heron   Number observed: 1

Great Egret   Number observed: 3

Belted Kingfisher   Number observed: 2

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker   Number observed: 1

Downy Woodpecker   Number observed: 2

Hairy Woodpecker   Number observed: 1

Northern Flicker   Number observed: 2

Eastern Phoebe   Number observed: 1

American Crow   Number observed: 5

Black-capped Chickadee   Number observed: 3

Golden-crowned Kinglet   Number observed: 2

Brown Creeper   Number observed: 2

European Starling   Number observed: 2

American Robin   Number observed: 52

House Sparrow   Number observed: 2

American Tree Sparrow   Number observed: 4

Fox Sparrow   Number observed: 12

Dark-eyed Junco   Number observed: 15

Song Sparrow   Number observed: 5

Red-winged Blackbird   Number observed: 23

Brown-headed Cowbird   Number observed: 2

Common Grackle   Number observed: 9

Yellow-rumped Warbler   Number observed: 3

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.

Good birding everyone,

Jennie

Earlier Event: March 30
Bemis Woods Bird Outing
Later Event: April 1
Camp Pine Woods Workday