May 21, 2022 NPVNC Bird Walk Report
The birding gods were really with us yesterday! All week, and even through Friday evening, the forecast had unequivocally predicted rain. But somehow we were provided with a window of still, gray weather for the morning. Many of our regulars showed up—one birder said it felt like “family.” And we were joined by Simon, visiting from the U.K., who was hoping to add to his life list. Alice arrived first, as she always does, and was already listing some warblers in the small trees bordering the parking lot.
As we moved beyond the front gates, we missed Ryan’s usual welcome––he’s off to his new post at Detroit’s Belle Isle––but the song of a Red-Eyed Vireo and a Gray-cheeked Thrush on the path ahead soon had our attention. Overlooking the pond, we saw a Black-Crowned Night Heron on the opposite shore. They’re not so rare but they’re gorgeous, and we don’t often see them here at North Park. Indeed, the herons were in full force today. Greens were seen at several points and a Great Blue lazily sailed by more than once. Not many waterfowl on the pond, but Paige spotted Wood Ducks on their box in the trees bordering the water. A single (!) Cedar Waxwing was sitting atop a nearby tree, its crest silhouetted against the blank sky. An American Redstart tumbled through a flowering tree. They fan their tail and wings to scare up insects.
Doubling back east, then walking a bit north on the bridge trail, we saw a hummingbird perched on a bare branch. Everyone got great looks and pictures. It was the precise spot we’d seen it (the same bird?) last week, so we vowed to keep an eye out for a nearby nest. Sadly, the Robin’s nest in which we saw hatchlings being fed last week was completely empty. But a distant Indigo Bunting raised our spirits. Who can argue with a stationary lapis-hued songbird?
On the bridge trail we heard—but didn’t see—a Warbling Vireo, a bird that Simon was desperately trying to spot for his life list. But the (loud) Baltimore Orioles were starting to be seen, and the (even louder) Yellow Warblers were plentiful this day. As we walked across the boardwalk some folks saw a Wilson’s Warbler in the brush along the marsh. At the bridge—always a productive location for us––we were greeted by an Eastern Kingbird and several more looks at Green Herons. We were thrilled to watch a Belted Kingfisher dive straight down into the water from its perch—it looked more like a stone dropping—and emerge with a gold-bellied fish in its bill. Walking west from the bridge we saw a handful of Cedar Waxwings socializing (what else?) on a branch high overhead while a plump Northern Flicker worked a tree nearby. A real treat was a Blackburnian Warbler showing off its blazing orange throat.
On the trail ahead was Amaris Alanis-Ribeiro, the Center Director of NPVNC, along with her partner, Anderson, who snapped a picture of our group. We owe her a great deal for all her efforts on our behalf (thanks, Amaris!). As we approached the woods, a Swamp Sparrow popped up momentarily. And it was here that Simon finally got to see his Warbling Vireo. Truly a world birder, Simon has more than a thousand species on his life list! Inside the woods we saw a Song Sparrow on a fallen branch, tracked a distant Thrush, and watched a female Baltimore Oriole in the seed clumps of the crown.
It was well past ten o’clock by the time we arrived at the juncture of the path. We faced the choice of whether to return to the park building or keep going to the Savannah Trail. Hmmm, let’s see…a cool, windless Saturday morning in May during migration…. So, of course, we pushed on, hoping for greater treasures in the mature oaks! But the birds were a little allusive this day, and we didn’t come across the hoped-for Scarlet Tanager or uncommon warbler. Because of the fast-leafing trees, we couldn’t even find the Cooper’s Hawk nest of past weeks. But we did see a majestic Great Crested Flycatcher after hearing its loud, cheerful “Wheep!”
Just then it started to rain, and we plodded back to the center (watching, of course, for any “fallout” warblers that might have been pushed closer to the ground). Altogether, we’d seen a respectful number of birds; the Herons, Cedar Waxwings, and hummingbird were highlights. Judy Pollock, president of the Chicago Audubon Society, had joined us for the last leg of our walk, and after completing our checklist, she graciously offered to provide coffee and goodies for next Saturday—our last walk of the season. Ron told us a story of how he and Alice watched the Bank Swallows’ murmuration at Montrose Point, Tim reminding us that their embankment was actually a Chicago Park District project.
Next week, as an end-of-season celebration, we’ll be having coffee and cookies following our bird count (at about 10:45). Please join us!
Species list: 52
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Ring-billed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Least Flycatcher
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
House Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Swainson’s Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robiin
Gray Catbird
Cedar Waxwing
American Goldfinch
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Baltimore Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Tennessee Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Black-and-White Warbler
American Redstart
Common Yellowthroat
Wilson’s Warbler
Canada Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting