Hello everyone,
My apologies that this report is so late this week. I’ve been distracted by birds and other responsibilities. If you have not yet had the chance to go to see the Swallow-tailed Kite that’s been in Lockport since August 23, I highly recommend that you take a drive and try and find this beautiful bird. Information about its location is in the Illinois Rare Bird Alert section of the Discord app. Mike and I found it on our second try and it was worth the work!
We had a lovely walk on Saturday with great weather and some great birds. The fall warblers are here and we were graced by the appearance of the extra-special Black-throated Blue and Blackburnian warblers. Warbling Vireos were singing like it was Spring – maybe they were enjoying the nice weather too.
We saw some juvenile American Goldfinches begging for food from their busy father. And we saw a Green Heron that really looked green! Most of the time they appear more gray-green but this one had some nice green highlights.
A big highlight of the day was the Yellow-billed Cuckoos that were spotted early in the walk. Our photographers got some great pictures of this beautiful bird. Our other big highlight of the day was a Red-breasted Nuthatch in the evergreen trees by the Japanese Garden. What a cute little bird and our photographers were also able to get some great shots of this visitor.
BIRDERS: Caterina, Kristin, Cheryl, Mike, Marian, Jennie, Mark C., Luther, Nathan, Ken, Fred, Gary, Eric, Simone, Robert, Leslie, Jane, Stacy, Daniela, Marisa, Jan, Danielle, Honest and welcome to Heather, Ellen, Ellen M., Jamie, Jarrett, Hattie, Simone L., and Synthia.
TIME: 8:00am to 12:30pm
WEATHER: Sunny, high 60s
Compiler: Cheryl
Photographers: Eric, Marisa, Gary, Leslie
Canada Goose Number observed: 28
Wood Duck Number observed: 6
Blue-winged Teal Number observed: 2
Mallard Number observed: 20
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) Number observed: 2
Yellow-billed Cuckoo Number observed: 2
Chimney Swift Number observed: 3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Number observed: 5
Spotted Sandpiper Number observed: 1
Ring-billed Gull Number observed: 3
Herring Gull Number observed: 1
Double-crested Cormorant Number observed: 11
Black-crowned Night Heron Number observed: 1
Green Heron Number observed: 4
Great Egret Number observed: 4
Great Blue Heron Number observed: 6
Downy Woodpecker Number observed: 6
Hairy Woodpecker Number observed: 1
Monk Parakeet Number observed: 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee Number observed: 1
Least Flycatcher Number observed: 2
Yellow-throated Vireo Number observed: 2
Philadelphia Vireo Number observed: 1
Warbling Vireo Number observed: 10
Red-eyed Vireo Number observed: 2
American Crow Number observed: 5
Black-capped Chickadee Number observed: 11
Barn Swallow Number observed: 1
White-breasted Nuthatch Number observed: 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch Number observed: 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Number observed: 1
House Wren Number observed: 1
Gray Catbird Number observed: 3
Gray-cheeked Thrush Number observed: 1
Swainson's Thrush Number observed: 9
American Robin Number observed: 5
Cedar Waxwing Number observed: 8
House Finch Number observed: 2
American Goldfinch Number observed: 12
Song Sparrow Number observed: 1
Baltimore Oriole Number observed: 1
Common Grackle Number observed: 1
Black-and-white Warbler Number observed: 1
Tennessee Warbler Number observed: 1
Nashville Warbler Number observed: 1
Connecticut Warbler Number observed: 1
American Redstart Number observed: 5
Cape May Warbler Number observed: 6
Magnolia Warbler Number observed: 1
Bay-breasted Warbler Number observed: 2
Blackburnian Warbler Number observed: 4
Yellow Warbler Number observed: 1
Blackpoll Warbler Number observed: 3
Black-throated Blue Warbler Number observed: 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler Number observed: 1
Wilson's Warbler Number observed: 1
Northern Cardinal 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.
Good birding everyone,
Jennie
Photo: Blue-gray gnatcatcher by Devin Grady