Lake Opeka & Axehead Lake Monday 12-1-25

[Al Stokie]

Hello Bird People & Welcome to December 2025,

Woke up today to find I was so sore from shoveling all that snow that
I could hardly move.
So all I did was check two small local lakes on the way back from
lunch at Wendy's.
Got a nice surprise swimming on Axehead Lake.

Lake Opeka in Des Plaines (10:40-11:05 am)

Canada Goose (96)
Mallard (46)
Bufflehead (3-M)
Common Goldeneye (1-F)
Hooded Merganser (1-M & 2-F)
Ring Billed (32) & Herring (5) Gulls
(Ice is starting to form on the lake & the gulls are coming back as
they like to sit on the ice)

Axehead Lake (12:05-12:20 pm)

COMMON LOON (1, all alone in the middle of the lake)
Canada Goose (76)
Mallard (8)
Rock Pigeon (~75, at the roost site)
Red Bellied Woodpecker (H-1)
Blue Jay (also H-1)

So just 11 species on the 2 lakes plus 3 more roadside additions for a
small total of 14 for the day. Bird-Of-The-Day to the big Common Loon
& Runner-Up to the male Buffleheads.

Al Stokie
Taking it easy at local lakes in Cook County today just birding from the car