Photo: Gray catbird by Sandra Rothenberg
Hello everyone,
The most interesting sighting on this rather slow mid-summer day wasn’t a bird at all; it was a van that somehow ended up in the east lagoon! The police divers entered the water and inspected the van but didn’t pull anyone out, fortunately. The van was being towed away when we got to the south parking lot. Quite a bit of vegetation was damaged in the effort to remove the van but we were glad that it was out of the water and away from the birds.
Once again we saw two Yellow Warblers feeding a juvenile Cowbird. I certainly hope that the warblers were able to raise one of their own too. We were thrilled to see that a green heron was sitting on its new nest in the tree behind the museum. We’re hoping to see chicks soon! An adult and juvenile Caspian Tern flew over us, with the young tern crying rather pitifully while chasing after its parent.
We also saw a beautiful Garter Snake basking in the sun on the Music Bridge; a very nice find.
And in the close call department, Marian narrowly avoided being pooped upon by a Great Blue Heron when it flew above her in the Japanese Garden. She reports that she almost pushed Stefan into the water while jumping out of the way, but Ezra was able to get a good look at the heron as it flew over. I’m sure that Stefan would have been happy to take a dip in the lagoon if it resulted in a good birding experience for his son.
Many thanks to Cheryl and Marian for filling in for me last week!
BIRDERS: Hal, Lucy, Mike, Marian, Jennie, Jane, Cheryl, Mark, Gary, Julia, Tracy, Karin, Stefan, Ezra, Marisa, Rob, and welcome to Bailey visiting from Florida.
TIME: 8:00am to 11:00am
WEATHER: 70s, cloudy, breezy, humid
Compiler: Cheryl
Photographers: Tracy (the lovely bird photos) and Jennie (the van and the snake)
Canada Goose Number observed: 51
Wood Duck Number observed: 1
Mallard Number observed: 7
Chimney Swift Number observed: 4
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Number observed: 1
Ring-billed Gull Number observed: 5
Caspian Tern Number observed: 3
Great Blue Heron Number observed: 7
Great Egret Number observed: 1
Green Heron Number observed: 4
Black-crowned Night-Heron Number observed: 1
Downy Woodpecker Number observed: 1
Empidonax sp. Number observed: 1
Eastern Kingbird Number observed: 5
Warbling Vireo Number observed: 5
American Crow Number observed: 1
Black-capped Chickadee Number observed: 1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow Number observed: 3
Purple Martin Number observed: 17
Tree Swallow Number observed: 2
Barn Swallow Number observed: 8
Cliff Swallow Number observed: 4
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Number observed: 5
House Wren Number observed: 3
Carolina Wren Number observed: 1
European Starling Number observed: 3
Gray Catbird Number observed: 2
American Robin Number observed: 15
Cedar Waxwing Number observed: 4
House Sparrow Number observed: 18
American Goldfinch Number observed: 7
Chipping Sparrow Number observed: 2
Song Sparrow Number observed: 2
Orchard Oriole Number observed: 1
Baltimore Oriole Number observed: 4
Red-winged Blackbird Number observed: 7
Brown-headed Cowbird Number observed: 3
Common Grackle Number observed: 1
Yellow Warbler Number observed: 5
Northern Cardinal Number observed: 2
Indigo Bunting Number observed: 1
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.
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