Hello Bird People,
After spending the last week at Lake Watches, Hawk Watches & chasing a
rare Hummingbird I went back to regular birding at the Botanic Garden.
Saw nothing really special & I still can't find any Redpolls or
Siskins although the Alders & Birch Trees are ready for them. Had 28
species including 5 duck species & 4 sparrow species. All the lakes
are frozen with the exception being where the stream goes under the
bridge at Dundee Rd. Here's my day list.
Chicago Botanic Garden (7:45-11:45 a.m.)
Great Blue Heron (2, open water area)
Canada Goose (159 & more in flight)
Wood Duck (1-F, on the ice)
Green Winged Teal (also 1 female on the ice)
Mallard (9)
Gadwall (4, in the open water area)
Red Breasted Merganser (1 fly-by)
Sandhill Crane (1 flock of 45-50 flying south)
WILSON'S SNIPE (1, flushed from the ground near the Regenstein
Building, not on the mudflats)
Ring Billed (27) & Herring (2) Gulls
Cooper's Hawk (1)
Red Tailed Hawk (1)
Mourning Dove (5)
KINGFISHER (1)
Blue Jay (2)
Crow (also 2)
Chickadee (6)
Robin (22)
Starling (8)
(No Cedar Waxwings)
Cardinal (1-PR)
Tree Sparrow (3)
White Crowned Sparrow (2-IM)
White Throated Sparrow (1)
Junco (12)
House Finch (5)
Goldfinch (also 5)
House Sparrow (14)
Also did Heritage Park, Beck Lake & Big Bend Lake but the only bird I
added at those places was 1 KESTREL.
Bird-Of-The-Day to the flushed Wilson's Snipe & Runners-Up to the
Kingfisher & the Kestrel.
Also for those like me who are not on Facebook but want to see the Oak
Park RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD don't try & use the maps on ebird as they do
not show the location where the feeders are but only the general area.
If on Facebook contact the homeowner to get permission to visit & the
address. If not on Facebook contact Matthew Cvetas at
mcv...@comcast.net for permission & the address.
Al Stokie
In Cook County today