Hello everyone,

Although it was a cloudy and chilly morning the spectacular fall colors in the park warmed our hearts, if not our hands, fingers and toes. One advantage to wearing a face covering/mask is that noses do stay warmer.

Highlights of the day were the flocks of Juncos and Sparrows foraging in the grass. It looked like the ground was alive.  We also had a lot of adorable Kinglets and finally we had our very own flock of Pine Siskins. They’ve been reported all over the Chicago area but we didn’t have any confirmed sightings until today.

BIRDERS: Julia, Claudia, Cheryl, Marian, Chris, Marisa, Bruce, Eric and Jennie

TIME:   8:00am to 10:15am   

WEATHER: Mostly cloudy and cold in the upper 30s to lower 40s

Compiler:  Cheryl

Canada Goose   Number observed: 157

Wood Duck   Number observed: 8

Mallard   Number observed: 9

Ring-billed Gull   Number observed: 7

Double-crested Cormorant   Number observed: 4

Great Blue Heron   Number observed: 2

Red-tailed Hawk   Number observed: 1

Belted Kingfisher   Number observed: 1

Red-bellied Woodpecker   Number observed: 1

Downy Woodpecker   Number observed: 4

Downy/Hairy Woodpecker   Number observed: 1

Northern Flicker   Number observed: 1

American Crow   Number observed: 6

Black-capped Chickadee   Number observed: 15

Golden-crowned Kinglet   Number observed: 11

Ruby-crowned Kinglet   Number observed: 10

Brown Creeper   Number observed: 1

European Starling   Number observed: 1

Gray Catbird   Number observed: 1

Hermit Thrush   Number observed: 2

American Robin   Number observed: 1

Pine Siskin   Number observed: 8

American Goldfinch   Number observed: 16

American Tree Sparrow   Number observed: 5

Dark-eyed Junco   Number observed: 81

Details: 2 large flocks observed foraging on the ground on both sides of the Columbia Basin

White-crowned Sparrow   Number observed: 17

White-throated Sparrow   Number observed: 9

Song Sparrow   Number observed: 1

Yellow-rumped Warbler   Number observed: 1

Northern Cardinal   Number observed: 3

 Corrections, additions and comments are welcome.

Recordings are not used to attract birds.

The Walks are free and open to one and all. They are held year-round. Newcomers are warmly welcomed. 

Saturday morning walks: Start at 8:00 a.m. and cover a distance of two miles.  Birders walk from the meeting spot counterclockwise 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. After crossing the Music Bridge birders walk through the parking lot and around the Columbia Basin (North Lagoon) and return to our meeting spot.  In late fall, winter and early spring, the birders check for birds on the lakefront at the Outer Harbor near LaRabida Hospital and the Inner Harbor after the Wooded Island walk.

Meeting Spot:  Birders meet on the west shore of the Columbia Basin (North Lagoon).  Park on Stony Island Avenue near 59th Street, walk east across the parkland area, then cross Cornell Drive to reach the spot.

Good birding everyone,

Jennie

Photo: Double-crested Cormorant by Sujata Roy/Great Backyard Bird Count