Submitted by Jennie Strable on Sun, 10/21/2018 - 2:49pm
Event date:
Saturday, October 13, 2018 - 8:00am
Location:
-
Hello to All,
It was a pleasant Walk this morning, if you remembered to wear layered clothing, which is something all birders quickly learn to do.
We saw a 16 inch Garden Snake on the path in Bobolink Meadow. A child discovered it moving slowly. Its tongue is red. Erin picked it up very gently and moved it to the grassy area next to the path.
A late Monarch Butterfly was in the Meadow. We felt sorry that it was late in migration and wished it well on its journey.
It has been put to song that “1 is the loneliest of numbers.” But we felt sorry too for Prime Numbers who can only dance with Number One. Strange that our counts were right on Prime, or its partner 1.
BIRDERS: 10 (1) Gary M., (2) Bruce McC., (3) Marian N., (4) Steve B., (5) Jennie S., (6) Erin C., (7) Catherine G., (8) David P., (9) Karin D., and (10) Pat D.
TIME: 8:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
PLACE: Wooded Island, Lagoons, Soccer Field (too peoplely) and Bobolink Meadow.
DISTANCE: 2 Miles
WEATHER: Sunny. Chilly start. Temperature 38 – 47 F. Winds WSW 7 – 22 mph. Humidity 93%.
TOTAL SPECIES COUNT: 32 (+1 other taxa)
Canada Goose 127
Wood Duck 5
Mallard 2
Mallard (Domestic type) 1 Mankey hybrid remains in North Lagoon with a small group of Mallards
Chimney Swift 31
Ring-billed Gull 2
Double-crested Cormorant 3
Great Blue Heron 3
Cooper's Hawk 1 Perched high, facing the rising sun, at the start of the Walk. After Gary M. took a great photo, the raptor flew SE.
Belted Kingfisher 2
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2
Downy Woodpecker 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 13
Black-capped Chickadee 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 2 We had great views as this darling ate a meal on a branch close by. South shore of Soccer Field, between the South Bridge and the golf shack.
Brown Creeper 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet 2
Veery 1 Small thrush. Seen in the open. Very pink legs. Very faint upper chest spotting. We checked our field guides while looking at the bird, and concluded this secretive thrush was surely a Veery. Rachel Carson's favorite bird. She loved the flute like sound, like a marble rolling inside a tube. She would walk the perimeter of the woods in Maine at evening time to hear their song. Rare on eBird report.
Swainson's Thrush 1
American Robin 19
Gray Catbird 2
European Starling 29
American Goldfinch 37
Dark-eyed Junco 1
White-crowned Sparrow 2
White-throated Sparrow 11
Song Sparrow 1
American Redstart 2 A pair together in the center of Wooded Island.
Palm Warbler 13
Yellow-rumped Warbler 11
Northern Cardinal 1
This is a group report, with many birders contributing to the list. Most of the birds were seen by at least several or all of the birders.
Corrections, additions and comments are welcome.
Recordings are not used to attract birds.
This report will be documented on eBird as a group report for the Wooded Island Bird Walks.
The Walks are free and open to one and all. They are held year round. Newcomers are warmly welcomed.
Darrow Bridge: Darrow Bridge has been barricaded by the Department of Transportation. A high black metal iron fence has been erected on all four sides. The fence will remain in place until Darrow Bridge is completely rebuilt, which could be several years away. The Bridge has been deemed unsafe.
Birders meet on the east side of Darrow Bridge.
Saturday morning walks: Start at 8:00 a.m. covers a distance of two miles. Birders walk counterclockwise around the Columbia Basin (North Lagoon) 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 and back to the East Parking Lot. In late fall, winter and early spring, the birders check for birds on the lakefront and Outer Harbor near LaRabida Hospital, and the Inner Harbor.
Metered parking is available in the East Parking Lot that is accessible from South Lake Shore Drive. There is a Stop Light at Science Drive. This Stop Light is approximately 200 yards south of the major intersection with signs for Museum of Science and Industry. Make a turn at the 57th Street and Science Drive Stop Light towards the Museum. Turn Left (south) at the intersection of Science Drive and Columbia Drive. Go through the parking lot to the west end.
Birders meet in the southwest corner of the East Parking Lot.
Parking and Lots: The East Parking Lot is preferred. There is also unmetered parking along Stony Island Avenue from 56th to 59th Street.
Best of Birding to All,
Patricia Durkin
Chicago Audubon Society Representative