Photo: American goldfinch by Will Stuart
Hello everyone,
Many thanks to Cheryl and Marian for leading the walk this week! Here is Cheryl’s report:
Greetings to all,
While the calendar insisted it was spring and the birds sang accordingly, the temperatures told a different story. Most of the walk required multiple layers or even winter coats. Still, one brief moment of sunshine was enough to keep us going. Hopefully it will warm up for both the birds and the birders.
As we approached the Japanese Garden, the clear, rich, flute-like song of a Baltimore Oriole rang out. High in a tree, a beautiful male announced his return to Jackson Park and rewarded us with excellent views. We were also serenaded by the songs of the retuning Eastern Warbling Vireos and the Northern Yellow Warblers. Please note that some of the species' names have been modified recently. Other notable signs of the season include multiple Northern Waterthrushes, a Red-breasted Nuthatch and a few more Purple Martins. The sight of a Red-bellied Woodpecker and a Red-headed Woodpecker sharing the same tree in the wooded area of Bobolink Meadow made for an exciting completion to a great walk. Migration is really getting busy and hopefully we have lots to look forward to.
BIRDERS: Marian, Cheryl, Madhu, Mark W., Eric, Sarah W., Amir, Caterina, Daniela, Katie, Val, Tracy, Chelsea, Grace, Leslie, Gary, Roger, Mark C., Suzanne, Lucy, Marisa, Vivian, Jeff, Joe, Kevin, Spencer, Tim, Andy, Mark V. and Lin
Welcome to: Maple, Jake, Linda, Jeffrey, Rececca, Honing, Katon, Elaine, Eliza, Evan (and baby Patrick) and Emma.
TIME: 8:00am to 11:46 am
WEATHER: 46 degrees, mostly cloudy, gentle breezes
Compiler: Cheryl
Observations:
Canada Goose Number observed: 19
Wood Duck Number observed: 4
Mallard Number observed: 17
Mourning Dove Number observed: 1
Chimney Swift Number observed: 4
Ring-billed Gull Number observed: 22
American Herring Gull Number observed: 3
Caspian Tern Number observed: 1
Double-crested Cormorant Number observed: 10
Great Blue Heron Number observed: 2
Cooper's Hawk Number observed: 1
Belted Kingfisher Number observed: 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Number observed: 2
Red-headed Woodpecker Number observed: 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker Number observed: 1
Downy Woodpecker Number observed: 2
Northern Flicker Number observed: 4
American Kestrel Number observed: 1
Eastern Phoebe Number observed: 1
Eastern Warbling Vireo Number observed: 2
Blue Jay Number observed: 1
American Crow Number observed: 4
Black-capped Chickadee Number observed: 3
Tree Swallow Number observed: 5
Purple Martin Number observed: 7
Northern Rough-winged Swallow Number observed: 13
Barn Swallow Number observed: 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Number observed: 12
Golden-crowned Kinglet Number observed: 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch Number observed: 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Number observed: 10
Northern House Wren Number observed: 2
European Starling Number observed: 2
Gray Catbird Number observed: 2
Hermit Thrush Number observed: 2
American Robin Number observed: 27
House Sparrow Number observed: 10
House Finch Number observed: 1
American Goldfinch Number observed: 18
Chipping Sparrow Number observed: 1
Dark-eyed Junco Number observed: 1
White-crowned Sparrow Number observed: 3
White-throated Sparrow Number observed: 19
Song Sparrow Number observed: 5
Swamp Sparrow Number observed: 2
Eastern Towhee Number observed: 3
Baltimore Oriole Number observed: 1
Red-winged Blackbird Number observed: 26
Brown-headed Cowbird Number observed: 12
Common Grackle Number observed: 5
Northern Waterthrush Number observed: 3
Orange-crowned Warbler Number observed: 1
Northern Yellow Warbler Number observed: 3
Palm Warbler Number observed: 10
Yellow-rumped Warbler Number observed: 10
Northern Cardinal Number observed: 5
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.
Happy Spring Migration!
Cheryl and Jennie