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Wooded Island Bird Walk

  • Wooded Island, Jackson Park Meet at the west side of the Columbia Basin Chicago, IL, 60637 United States (map)

Photo: American tree sparrow by Karen Brown

Hello everyone,

Greetings and Happy New Year to all!

Birders braved the cold both on Saturday, when the fog made it feel bone-chilling, and on Monday when it was also cold but not quite as uncomfortable.

No matter what the weather, we always see something nice. A gorgeous pair of Hooded Mergansers were present during both walks. I hope they stick around for the winter. With their appearance we had the Merganser Trifecta with Hooded, Red-breasted and Common all at once.

On Saturday we had a big, handsome Hairy Woodpecker. This bird was so big that there was no mistaking it for a Downy Woodpecker. On Monday we had a nice Cooper’s Hawk perched in a tree near the Music Bridge. It was sitting so still that a passing Crow didn’t even notice it.

BIRDERS:

12/30/2023: Roger, Leslie, Cheryl, Jennie, Mike, Kristin, Mark C., Jim, Eric, Marisa, Mani, Renate, Rob, Marian and welcome to Chiatanya, Christine, Scott, Barbara, Spencer, Glen, Elise and Malcolm.

1/1/2024: Leslie, Cheryl, Mike, Marian, Jennie, Mark W., Renate

TIME: 8:00am to 10:15am both days            

WEATHER: Saturday; low 30s, cloudy and foggy. Monday; 34 degrees, cloudy

Compiler: Cheryl

Photographers: Marisa and Eric

12/30/23:

  1. Canada Goose   Number observed: 180

  2. Mallard   Number observed: 8

  3. Hooded Merganser   Number observed: 2

  4. Common Merganser   Number observed: 1

  5. Red-breasted Merganser   Number observed: 8

  6. Ring-billed Gull   Number observed: 4

  7. Herring Gull   Number observed: 1

  8. Great Blue Heron   Number observed: 2

  9. Downy Woodpecker   Number observed: 3

  10. Hairy Woodpecker   Number observed: 1

  11. Northern Flicker   Number observed: 1

  12. American Crow   Number observed: 6

  13. Black-capped Chickadee   Number observed: 7

  14. European Starling   Number observed: 1

  15. American Robin   Number observed: 2

  16. House Sparrow   Number observed: 3

  17. American Goldfinch   Number observed: 6

  18. Dark-eyed Junco   Number observed: 6

  19. Northern Cardinal   Number observed: 7

 

1/1/2024:

  1. Canada Goose   Number observed: 254

  2. Mallard   Number observed: 4

  3. Common Goldeneye   Number observed: 1

  4. Hooded Merganser   Number observed: 2

  5. Common Merganser   Number observed: 1

  6. Red-breasted Merganser   Number observed: 20

  7. Ring-billed Gull   Number observed: 4

  8. Herring Gull   Number observed: 3

  9. Great Blue Heron   Number observed: 1

  10. Cooper's Hawk   Number observed: 1

  11. Downy Woodpecker   Number observed: 3

  12. Northern Flicker   Number observed: 3

  13. American Crow   Number observed: 7

  14. Black-capped Chickadee   Number observed: 3

  15. White-breasted Nuthatch   Number observed: 2

  16. European Starling   Number observed: 3

  17. American Robin   Number observed: 2

  18. House Sparrow   Number observed: 1

  19. American Goldfinch   Number observed: 7

  20. Dark-eyed Junco   Number observed: 4

  21. White-throated Sparrow   Number observed: 1

  22. Song Sparrow   Number observed: 1

  23. Northern Cardinal   Number observed: 7

           

 

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.

Good birding everyone,

Jennie

Earlier Event: December 23
Wooded Island Bird Walk
Later Event: January 6
Wooded Island Bird Walk