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Wooded Island Birding Outing

  • Jackson Park Chicago, Illinois (map)

Hello everyone,

Our migrants are returning! We had our first Purple Martins, Green Herons, and Chimney Swifts of the season. The Ruby-crowned Kinglets have also arrived and outnumbered the Golden-crowned. We were treated to the sight of 6 Ruddy Ducks in the east lagoon, including a few males with their beautiful russet backs and bright blue bills. White-throated Sparrows, Swamp Sparrows and Hermit Thrushes were all over the place. Blue-winged Teals and American Coots were enjoying swimming in the east lagoon.

The cherry blossoms were in full bloom and there were hoards of people who came to see them and take photos. There was someone dressed as some kind of cartoon character and the Easter Bunny visited too. A group was making a samurai-style movie, and a young lady in a voluminous ombre pink Quinceanera dress coordinated beautifully with the light pink cherry blossoms. I’m sure their photos are lovely.

BIRDERS: Caterina, Jen, Mark W., Cheryl, Luther, Jennie, Mike, Traci, Katie, Parag, Roger, Mark C., Leslie, Val, Fred, Audrey, Maddie, Darby, Margalit, Daniela, Jeff, Pam, Jan, and welcome to Jo, Brian, Ellie, Ann, Kurt, and Kayla.

TIME: 8:00am to 11:55am

WEATHER: 45 degrees, cloudy, drizzle

Compiler: Cheryl

Photographers: Leslie and Jennie

  1. Canada Goose   Number observed: 22

  2. Wood Duck   Number observed: 5

  3. Blue-winged Teal   Number observed: 5

  4. Mallard   Number observed: 12

  5. Red-breasted Merganser   Number observed: 3

  6. Ruddy Duck   Number observed: 6

  7. Mourning Dove   Number observed: 2

  8. Chimney Swift   Number observed: 24

  9. American Coot   Number observed: 5

  10. Ring-billed Gull   Number observed: 8

  11. American Herring Gull   Number observed: 3

  12. Caspian Tern   Number observed: 1

  13. Pied-billed Grebe   Number observed: 5

  14. Double-crested Cormorant   Number observed: 11

  15. Black-crowned Night Heron   Number observed: 2

  16. Green Heron   Number observed: 3

  17. Great Egret   Number observed: 5

  18. Great Blue Heron   Number observed: 4

  19. Belted Kingfisher   Number observed: 1

  20. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker   Number observed: 4

  21. Downy Woodpecker   Number observed: 4

  22. Northern Flicker   Number observed: 2

  23. Eastern Phoebe   Number observed: 4

  24. American Crow   Number observed: 3

  25. Black-capped Chickadee   Number observed: 4

  26. Tree Swallow   Number observed: 7

  27. Purple Martin   Number observed: 6

  28. Northern Rough-winged Swallow   Number observed: 7

  29. Barn Swallow   Number observed: 3

  30. Ruby-crowned Kinglet   Number observed: 15

  31. Golden-crowned Kinglet   Number observed: 3

  32. Brown Creeper   Number observed: 3

  33. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher   Number observed: 4

  34. Winter Wren   Number observed: 1

  35. European Starling   Number observed: 7

  36. Brown Thrasher   Number observed: 3

  37. Hermit Thrush   Number observed: 12

  38. American Robin   Number observed: 28

  39. House Sparrow   Number observed: 2

  40. American Goldfinch   Number observed: 8

  41. Field Sparrow   Number observed: 4

  42. Fox Sparrow   Number observed: 1

  43. Dark-eyed Junco   Number observed: 2

  44. White-crowned Sparrow   Number observed: 1

  45. White-throated Sparrow   Number observed: 61

  46. Song Sparrow   Number observed: 6

  47. Swamp Sparrow   Number observed: 19

  48. Eastern Towhee   Number observed: 3

  49. Red-winged Blackbird   Number observed: 31

  50. Brown-headed Cowbird   Number observed: 3

  51. Common Grackle   Number observed: 10

  52. Northern Waterthrush   Number observed: 4

  53. Hooded Warbler   Number observed: 1

  54. Palm Warbler   Number observed: 1

  55. Yellow-rumped Warbler   Number observed: 5

  56. Northern Cardinal   Number observed: 7

 

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

Photo: Great horned owls by Cleve Nash