Paul Douglas/Grassy Ridge Meadow Saturday 6-21-25

[Al Stokie]

Hello Bird People,

A year after I complained about the restoration work in the meadows
chasing away all the Bobolinks, Meadowlarks & Henslow's Sparrows I
returned for another look & found that they have added 3 small wetland
areas but due to the lack of rain 2 of the 3 are dry & the 3rd only
has a little water with one Killdeer. As to last year's missing birds
I again found not one Bobolink nor Henslow's Sparrow although I did
finally see & heard one Meadowlark which is a very small improvement.
But the new wetlands look nice & if we get some water they may turn
into something good. And the Bobolinks & Henslow's may just have moved
farther north but I can't get there as my wheelchair won't get past
the vegetation levels. I'll have to leave that area to others who can
walk there.

And after seeing expected stuff I did see a large shorebird fly toward
the marsh area but it was too far away to I.D. Figured it was a
Yellowlegs of some sort. But 10 min later it flew out of the marsh
area & it turned out to not be a Yellowlegs but a BLACK NECKED STILT,
not something I'd expect in Cook County in June. So I had a special
bird after all.

Paul Douglas Grassy Ridge Meadows (7:35-10:35 a.m.)

Great Egret (1)
Canada Goose (14)
Mallard (3-M)
OSPREY (2-AD plus two small young ones just visible in the nest)
Killdeer (3)
Spotted Sandpiper (2)
BLACK NECKED STILT (1 flying around but I never saw it land)
Mourning Dove (12-15)
Tree (2), Rough Winged (2) & Barn (6) Swallows
Blue Jay (H-1)
Marsh Wren (H-3)
EASTERN BLUEBIRD (1)
Robin (8)
Starling (2)
Yellow Throated Vireo (1)
Warbling Vireo (H-1)
Common Yellowthroat (2)
Cardinal (H-1)
Savannah Sparrow (2)
Song Sparrow (4)
Eastern Meadowlark (1, seen & heard)
Red Wings (12)
Grackle (2)
Goldfinch (4)

So 26 species at Paul Douglas & 2 more roadside additions for a day's
total of 28.
Of course Bird-Of-The-Day will be the unexpected Black Necked Stilt &
Runners-Up will the
entire Osprey family, may they grow & prosper!

Al Stokie
In N.W. Cook County today