This is a syndicated birdwalk report from the North Park Village Migratory Bird Walks, Saturdays at 8am through the months of April and May in the Spring, plus September and October in the Fall.

We meet at the parking lot and make our way around the park an hour before it officially opens. To receive all emails and communications, sign up at: tinyletter.com/northparkvillagebirding

What a Saturday! The changing winds helped boost our species count to an exciting 50. A good omen of things to come for me was when two raptors flew in over the Nature Center as I pulled in from Pulaski Ave.

Yellow-rumped warblers and palm warblers kicked us off right at the parking lot as we congregated.

Excitement grew when getting everyone's attention for our commencement announcement was interrupted by two overhead broad-winged hawks. Four turkey vultures followed—moving east to west—and a white-breasted nuthatch darted over our heads, but in the opposite direction into the Nature Center.

Things did not let up once we passed the gates. My apologies for not counting the large group of deer that lay ahead of us. They sprinted away—and in their departure, thrushes everywhere. Mostly that of the Swainson's variety.

Strangely, our prairie overlook did not produce many birds, at least not outside of more thrushes. Back along our normal path, a hermit thrush kept still—though mostly turned away from us. Thankfully, the path brought a mix of new species. We were initially greeted by a flock of grackles and then multiple types of woodpeckers, flycatchers, pus a red-tailed hawk far off high and to the South. This eastern phoebe sat very still for us down low in the buckthorn in the southeast corner.

Per usual, we split up at the hill, and that splitting continued once in the wetlands. On the catwalk, we get more angles on flycatchers and woodpeckers, along with overhead blue jays and robins.

Things crank up a little bit as two blackbirds fly over us and head south. A quick review between Sammy Cabindol and I reveals they were not grackles as most originally thought, but rusty blackbirds. Two of them!

We're approaching the Main Loop bridge when that little path towards Peterson Ave reveals a group of extroverted golden-crown kinglets.

Once on the bridge, we stare intensely into the pond as some of us witness a yellow-rumped warbler bouncing on top of the lily pads.

There is some extra joy on the pond as Canada geese are present in the water. Despite what most might expect, this isn't too common here. The woods ducks continue and we count about 45 for the day. A large flock of geese send their regards to the crew on the ground—or pond in this instance.

We didn't see as many red-headed woodpeckers this week but right by the bench was one juvenile.

Just past that, one of the many of the day's calling dark-eyed juncos make an appearance. Though many were still fixated on the red-headed woodpecker.

The only thing that managed to pull them away immediately was the spotting of another rusty blackbird! On a personal level, I've been on a few walks with rusty blackbirds, but never did I get a chance to see one. This one sat still for all to see.

It remained even after we were pulled away from it for a North Park Village Nature first: a bald eagle! A juvenile one at that—making ID'ing just a bit harder. It was one of those birds up so high and hard to spot as it looked like just a spec to the naked eye. The following image is from one seen in Starved Rock.

We enter the woodland trail, expecting high levels of activity, but are left empty-handed with an eerily quiet environment. We trek to the logs—by where we split up next—when we are called back to see a very stoic Cooper's Hawk.

As we proceed to split, the group that takes the longer route is brought to a halt almost immediately. In a moment of bird magic, a pair of Philadelphia warblers and friends come within reach. The vireos flutter on the leaves as do the others. Those other being ruby-crowned kinglets, yellow-rumped warblers, a Tennessee warbler, and a magnolia warbler. The birds are so close—and jumping around so quickly—that I struggle for a photo. Between all of them, it is the kinglet that pauses well enough for a snapshot.

Now deeper in the woodland trail, the white-throated sparrows take the stage, with at least 20 paying a visit to both groups in the area. There's even a fox sparrow in the mix but it leaves just as quickly as it arrives.

We transition into the savanna trail and a white-crowned sparrow pulls the same stunt. The savanna is quiet—as it has been lately. That is except towards the end of our walk when we were treated to a fruitful display from four brown creepers.

A final Swainson's thrush bookends our walk.

I really enjoyed how each portion of the park featured a different collection of birds, highlighting the efforts of the Nature Center and its volunteers to encourage biodiversity.

Thank you, Laura, for keeping our checklist this week. Thanks to Block Club Chicago (Erica Zazo), Chicago BIPOC Birders, Feminist Bird Club Chicago, and Openlands for featuring the bird walk series in their publications.

eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S151635854

Species List:

Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Ring-billed Gull
Turkey Vulture
Cooper's Hawk
Bald Eagle
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Eastern Phoebe
Philadelphia Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
House Wren
Gray Catbird
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Rusty Blackbird
Common Grackle
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal