Submitted by Jennie Strable on Wed, 04/19/2017 - 12:03pm
Event date:
Saturday, April 15, 2017 - 8:00am
Location:
-
Hello to All,
It was a great day for birding. The temperature was warm and the winds were moderate. Many new and long lost birders returned.
For those that could stay to the third hour, a very rare bird was found on a small tree in the center of Bobolink Meadow, near the water’s edge. A Loggerhead Shrike perched for all the remaining birders to see. Paul Clyne classified this bird with a Code 5 meaning it is a very rare find and not found in most years.
According to eBird Records, Paul Clyne found a Loggerhead Shrike on the 63rd St. Beach on May 25, 2015. That Shrike stayed around for at least three days.
Tracy Weiner and Ben Sanders both posted photos immediately on the Facebook page “Illinois Birding Network.” The sighting was then very quickly posted on IBET. Some birders came and found the bird later in the day. There were no reports of sightings on the following day. Mark Webster and Liz Moyers differentiated the bird, ruling out a Northern Shrike. You never know what awaits you.
BIRDERS: 20. (1) Ben S., (2) Roger F. – encountered on Soccer Field, (3) Martha B., (4) Jeff B., (5) Bruce McC., (6) Tracy W., (7) Karin C., (8) Edith H., (9) Mark W., (10) Dan L – who photographed the female Northern Harrier, (11) Karin D., (12) Chris R., (13) Liz M., (14) Maddie M. (15) Mary Nell M., (16) Kevin V., (17) Bill D., (18) Renate G., (19) Robyn, (20) Pat D.
TIME: 8:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
PLACES: Wooded Island & Bobolink Meadow and lagoons
DISTANCE: 2 miles
WEATHER: Sunny. Temperature 67 – 79 F. Winds SW 20 – 30 mph
TOTAL SPECIES COUNT: 52
Canada Goose 2
Wood Duck 2 North Corner of West Lagoon. Nesting nearby?
Mallard 9
Red-breasted Merganser 88 Most common waterfowl in all three lagoons
Ruddy Duck 1 East Lagoon. Seen from Music Bridge
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Double-crested Cormorant 21 15 composed a fly over flock.
Great Blue Heron 4
Black-crowned Night-Heron 2 Both close to each other in a mature tree located east central side of Wooded Island.
Turkey Vulture 6 Spotted by Mark Webster in a loose flock flying over Bobolink Meadow.
Northern Harrier 1
Cooper's Hawk 1
Spotted Sandpiper 1 Parading on the edge at the bottom of the steps of Museum of S & I
Ring-billed Gull 4 fly overs
Caspian Tern 2
Mourning Dove 1
Belted Kingfisher 2 East Lagoon. Successful fishers.
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 Frequent calls back and forth. In close proximity. Central portion of Wooded Island.
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 10
Monk Parakeet 1 Heard by Ben Sanders.
Eastern Phoebe 4
Loggerhead Shrike 1 Central portion of Bobolink Meadow near lagoon. Seen by over a dozen birders. Stayed on small tree for 10 to 15 minutes to allow for close observation and differentiation between Northern & Loggerhead. Photos immediately posted on Facebook Illinois Birding Network. Another great find by Mark Webster.
American Crow 1
Tree Swallow 4
Barn Swallow 1
Black-capped Chickadee 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Brown Creeper 2
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Eastern Bluebird 1 Spotted by Bruce McC. in oak grove east of the Purple Martin Houses.
Gray-cheeked Thrush 1 Identified by Mark Webster after careful study. Located at the north end near Wooded Island.
Hermit Thrush 3
American Robin 9
Brown Thrasher 4
European Starling 4
Palm Warbler 1 Identified by Mark Webster. Seen on the west side of Darrow Bridge.
Yellow-rumped Warbler 5
Chipping Sparrow 1
Field Sparrow 2
Dark-eyed Junco 1
White-crowned Sparrow 3
White-throated Sparrow 3
Song Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 1
Eastern Towhee 1
Northern Cardinal 3
Red-winged Blackbird 3
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
American Goldfinch 4
House Sparrow 1
X = commonly seen and/or not counted.
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 recorded 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.
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.
Birders meet in the southwest corner of the East Parking Lot.
Metered parking is available in the East Parking Lot that is accessible from South Lake Shore Drive. There is a Stop Light at 57th Street Science Drive. Make a turn at the 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: While restoration is ongoing, heavy equipment has taken over half of the east parking lot, off of South Lake Shore Drive, and half of the southwest parking lot which has an entrance off of Hayes Drive (63rd St.) and just east of Cornell Drive. Birders will be able to find metered parking in both 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