quite birdy along the Des Plaines River today

[ALAN ANDERSON]

Although birding in September was decent, the number of individual birds I was seeing was a bit slower than past years, but the last few times I've been out I've see quite a bit more birds (although of course many are common species like robins and blackbird species types).

 

I've been impressed by just how important the shoreline and nearby of the Des Plaines River attracts birds during migration.   The river paths are pretty busy and important, with birds bathing, drinking water, eating seeds and finding insects during migration.

 

I monitor usually weekly at the Des Plaines Izaak Walton League site at Algonquin Woods along the river, and every week seems to be different (including non-birds).

Today I saw or heard 40 species, with many individuals, especially along the river and adjacent (and flying from one side to the other!).

 

I saw my first Purple Finches of the fall (great views of a female that sat in the open, and a male that even sang several times!), American Tree Sparrow (1), Orange-crowned Warbler (1) and Winter Wrens (2 seen and heard! - one giving call notes and the other actually singing a few times- weak song, but you could tell!

 

Robins and Red-winged Blackbirds were 'abundant' and there were 4 warbler species with close to 40 Yellow-rumped Warblers (hard to keep track!) - with some 'aggressive' to others - chasing them away from presumed insect food.  First time I can remember them chasing others away so much (hungry after migrating overnight likely!).

 

If you're interested, see the bird list below, and photos of habitat and views, and 3 bird species in eBird, or on my Facebook page.

 

A nice way to spend the early morning!   (before I got some news from Al Stokie)

 

Alan Anderson, casre...@comcast.net   Des Plaines, Cook Co.

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Izaak Walton League - Des Plaines, Cook, Illinois, US

Oct 14, 2025 8:16 AM - 10:46 AM

Protocol: Traveling

0.4 mile(s)

Checklist Comments:     Start 59, cloudy, wind 6 NE (gusts to 14); End 66, partly cloudy, wind 8 NNE, gusts 17.   No deer or turtles seen today.  A couple gray squirrel, the usual black squirrel (on railing by the home) and a couple chipmunks observed today.   Areas along the river path were very active with birds, especially at the end of the diagonal trail and southeast of there.  Merlin app thought it detected Chipping and Chipping Sparrow, Ovenbird and  E. Bluebird, (and as usual - Carolina Wren and Tufted Titmouse!) but I could not confirm those.   Checked occasionally for high flying swifts, but none observed this morning.

40 species (+1 other taxa)

>  Canada Goose  2     one goose flying north over east side while honking, and another silent goose flyover river high up

>  Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  7     groups of 3 (over River Road) and 4 (over north woods heading north)

>  Mourning Dove  1     perched in tree along River Road then flew north

>  Red-tailed Hawk  1     flew over mid-woods, heading east

>  Belted Kingfisher  1     heard many times over a number of sections of the river at different times

>  Red-bellied Woodpecker  7     two pairs and three singles; noisy today

>  Downy Woodpecker  5     all individuals in different locations

>  Hairy Woodpecker  2     split up, in two different wooded areas along the river path

>  Northern Flicker  2     close to the river (one observed flying west side to east) and another heard only

>  Eastern Phoebe  1     west section

>  Blue Jay  4     moving around, and heard calling; possibly under count

>  American Crow  1     flying over east woods

>  Black-capped Chickadee  3     along east send diagonal path; possibly more

>  Ruby-crowned Kinglet  2     two locations, one central, one along river path

>  Golden-crowned Kinglet  1     east trail

>  White-breasted Nuthatch  2     one each side of river

>  Red-breasted Nuthatch  1     heard calling by the  yellow chain woods

>  Brown Creeper  1     feeding along tree trunk just west of east river trail

>  Winter Wren  2     one heard call early from picnic table (Merlin first ID'd call), then saw one (likely the one calling) walking along top of a fallen tree trunk on the west side of river trail;  then later saw one in brush just east of the north end of the trail, and it actually sang (partial) it's song a few times!, then flew off to the river edge.

>  European Starling  21     likely under count; includes flock of 11 plus other small groups

>  Hermit Thrush  4     two singles and it appeared that two were traveling or migrating together - first along river trail sides and n the trail itself, eventually perching north of a fenced planting (photo) and later in the west woods (both on the low log that shows one in the photo)

>  American Robin  86+     under count; many flying over and many along river and feeding in the woods, especially east of the diagonal trail end.  Hard to count them all!  Active. One robin with white feathers around back and upper tail (partial leucistic)

>  Cedar Waxwing  1

>  House Sparrow  2     heard around the house

>  House Finch  11     a few small groups in different locastions

>  Purple Finch  2     Female in shrub north of knotweeds along river, then moved into the open; male sang a number of times just north of that (also along river trees); Merlin app thought it detected PUFI in a number of areas today, so possibly more.    I could only confirm 2

>  American Goldfinch  2     flyover

finch sp.  2     flying overhead: likely gold or house finch

>  American Tree Sparrow  1     flew from ground to perch in tree branch in the open for a while, then flew south

>  Dark-eyed Junco  13     at least 11 on the ground near west side parking area, and two others around the preserve

>  White-throated Sparrow  14+     likely under count; many stayed hidden, with at least  12 seen and others heard (part and full song, and call notes)

>  Song Sparrow  4     one pair together and two singles

>  Swamp Sparrow  2     two locations

>  Red-winged Blackbird  114+     under count:  flying in groups and perched in trees and shrubs along the river (both sides) especially just south of diagonal trail end

>  Brown-headed Cowbird  1

>  Common Grackle  27     likely under count; some along river, a number NW woods and a few flyovers

>  blackbird species: 40+ mixed flock; likely mix of starlings, red-winged blackbirds and grackles

>  Northern Waterthrush  1     calling and feeding along river side, not far from east end of diagonal trail

>  Tennessee Warbler  1     in brushy shrub: both inside the shrub and perched outside for a great view before heading to east side river

>  Orange-crowned Warbler  1     feeding low out in the open along river trail>  Yellow-rumped Warbler  39+   under count - all over the site, but especially along the river, and river trail, actively catching insects, and some even flying at each other or being agressive to each other!   First I'd noted a  group of 4 seemingly fight each other over food!  (hungry after migration?)

>  Northern Cardinal  8     5 males, 2 females and one unknown (perhaps a juvenile?)

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S279352803