Photo: Yellow warbler by Todd Phillippi
Hello everyone,
Once again it was family day on our bird walk. Wood Duck ducklings were walking around on the lily pads and the Canada Goose kids have grown into young adults. Purple Martin juveniles were plentiful and juvenile American Robins were everywhere, looking cute with all their spots. A few of us found a male Northern Cardinal feeding a fledgling which was a treat because even though Cardinals are a common bird, it’s rare (for us at least) to see a fledgling.
We had great looks at an adorable fledgling that was sitting out in the open along the main path across from the Japanese Garden, but the ID puzzled all of us. A female Red-Winged Blackbird was sitting nearby but she left and didn’t return. There are two photos of our mystery chick attached – take a look and let us know what you think.
Chipmunks were scurrying all around the Japanese Garden and we think many of them were juveniles since they didn’t seem to be afraid of us, and one posed nicely on a rock for Marisa. See her great photo attached.
The biggest thrill of the day was our discovery that the Green Heron nest behind the museum now houses three chicks! We are so happy that the herons were able to re-nest successfully after their first nest was destroyed when their tree was cut down. See Mike’s photos of the happy family.
BIRDERS: Jennie, Mike, Marian, Mark, Cheryl, Gary, Hal, Leslie, Tyler, Tracy, Marisa, Peter, and welcome to Michelle.
TIME: 8:00am to 11:45am
WEATHER: Cloudy, with a rainstorm mid-walk.
Compiler: Cheryl
Photographers: Marisa and Mike
Canada Goose Number observed: 39
Wood Duck Number observed: 5
Mallard Number observed: 7
Chimney Swift Number observed: 6
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Number observed: 1
Ring-billed Gull Number observed: 5
Caspian Tern Number observed: 1
Double-crested Cormorant Number observed: 1
Great Blue Heron Number observed: 6
Green Heron Number observed: 8
Black-crowned Night-Heron Number observed: 1
Cooper's Hawk Number observed: 1
Belted Kingfisher Number observed: 1
Downy Woodpecker Number observed: 1
Eastern Kingbird Number observed: 7
Warbling Vireo Number observed: 3
American Crow Number observed: 3
Black-capped Chickadee Number observed: 2
Purple Martin Number observed: 20
Barn Swallow Number observed: 15
Cliff Swallow Number observed: 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Number observed: 4
House Wren Number observed: 1
European Starling Number observed: 11
Gray Catbird Number observed: 3
American Robin Number observed: 37
Cedar Waxwing Number observed: 4
House Sparrow Number observed: 11
House Finch Number observed: 4
American Goldfinch Number observed: 2
Song Sparrow Number observed: 2
Red-winged Blackbird Number observed: 7
Yellow Warbler Number observed: 2
Northern Cardinal Number observed: 5
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