Beck Lake & Techny North In The Rain Thursday 4-8-21

[Al Stokie]

Hello Bird People,

Waited for the rain to stop while getting an early lunch & then as it
was on the way I made a stop at Beck Lake where the WHITE FRONTED
GOOSE was still hanging out & eating grass with many Canada Geese.
Next to Techny North where I wanted to see if the shorebird numbers
had changed. But before I got there it started to rain & fairly hard
as well. Waited again & it seemed to be stopping so I walked out to
the shorebird area with my umbrella which turned out to be a good idea
as I no sooner got out there when the rain got much harder. Already
wet I decided the heck with the rain & using my umbrella over my scope
I did the best I could do in the rain. Eventually the rain slowed down
& I was joined by birder Hazeem A who found a couple of Sparrows & a
lone Barn Swallow.
Here's our bird list:

Techny North (In the rain) (11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.)

Great Blue Heron (1)
Canada Goose (2)
Mallard (~15)
Black Duck (1)
Shoveler (5)
Blue Winged Teal (10)
Green Winged Teal (2-3)
Killdeer (2)
Pectoral Sandpiper (22)
Wilson's Snipe (2)
(No Yellowlegs today)
Ring Billed Gull (1)
Tree Swallow (12-15)
BARN SWALLOW (1) (FOY)
Field Sparrow (1)
VESPER SPARROW (1)
Song Sparrow (1, singing)
(Hazem may have heard a Savannah Sparrow)
Robins (a few)
Red Wings (4)
Eastern Meadowlark (2-3)
House Finch (heard singing)

I should mention that at Beck Lake earlier we saw 6 P.B. Grebes, 36
Canada Geese, 2 Mallards, 8 Blue Winged Teal & 1 female Red Breasted
Merganser. And after I left Hazem had a RUSTY BLACKBIRD. These in
addition to the White Fronted Goose.

Perhaps the White Fronted Goose was the best bird of the day but my
Bird-Of-The-Day will be the Vesper Sparrow which was a surprise to see
whereas the Goose was known to be present.
Runners-Up to the W.F. Goose & the Barn Swallow which was a new year
bird for me.
Remember that if the rain continues the mudflats at Techny North will
flood & there will be no shorebirds or mudflats. So don't be surprised
if that happens.

Al Stokie
Birding in the rain in Cook County today