Back to Local Area Birding at The Botanic Garden Friday 12-2-22

[Al Stokie]

Hello Bird People,

Once again I was looking for Winter Finches & once again I found none.
Still no Siskins nor Redpolls & of course no Evening Grosbeaks stopped
by. Could be the Siskins & Redpolls are just late but maybe they
aren't coming this Winter? I guess we'll see. And also no Cedar
Waxwings, no Gadwall & no Great Blue Herons either.

Chicago Botanic Garden (7:45-11 a.m.)

Canada Goose (66)
Mallard (33)
Common Goldeneye (1-M & 2-F)
Hooded Merganser (1-M, with the 3 Goldeneye)
Red Breasted Merganser (1, on the North Lake)
Herring Gull (2-AD)
Cooper's Hawk (2, one large & 1 small)
Red Tailed Hawk (1, the usual adult)
Downy Woodpecker (1-M, where John saw it in the grassy fields)
Blue Jay (H-1)
Crow (5, together on the lawns)
Chickadee (7)
Robin (14)
Starling (36)
(Robins & Starlings both eating red berries but no Waxwings with them)
Tree Sparrow (5)
Junco (10)
Cardinal (H-1)
House Finch (1)
Goldfinch (8)
House Sparrow (2)

Only had 20 species at the CBG & added 4 more at Heritage Park & Beck
Lake for a total of 24 for the day.

As I saw nothing special, Bird-Of-The-Day will be the male Hooded
Merganser & Runner-Up will be the male Goldeneye both of which were
looking very nice. At least I saw a few duck species.

Al Stokie
Local in Cook County today