Northwestern Lagoon & Alder Trees Sunday 2-1-26

[Al Stokie]

Hello Bird People,

Started out pretty cold but it made it into the 20's by 9 am.
Went to the Alder Trees by the upper parking lot which I have done 3
times before without seeing any Winter Finches. When I arrived there
was Josh K taking photos so I figured the Siskins were there. That
proved to be true & with them were 2 REDPOLLS for good company.

Then with Josh K to the Lagoon & then a quick look at Lake Michigan
which was open right there but had a lot of ice in it to the north.
Here's my list:

Northwestern Lagoon & Alder Tree Area (9:35-11:05 am)

Canada Goose (12 fly-bys)
Mallard (39, counted by Josh)
Greater Scaup (1-M & 1-F)
Lesser Scaup (1-M, had a peaked head & was smaller than the other Scaup)
Ring Necked Duck (1-M)
CANVASBACK (1-M)
Bufflehead (1-M, finally swallowed a fish that looked to be too big to swallow)
Goldeneye (2, this & the Bufflehead were in the lake not the lagoon)
Hooded Merganser (4)
Common Merganser (1-M & 2-F)
Red Breasted Merganser (1-F in the Lagoon & 4 more in the lake)
Ruddy Duck (1-F)
Herring Gull (2)
LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL (1-AD flying by)
Crow (4)
Red Breasted Nuthatch (1, in the lakefront pines, 1st found by J'orge)
Robin (1)
PINE SISKINS (30-35)
REDPOLL (2)
House Sparrow (3)

So that's 20 species at N.U. plus 2 roadside additions for a day's total of 22.
Bird-Of-The-Day will be the Redpolls & Runners-Up will be all those Siskins &
the adult Lesser Black Backed Gull which was a new "year bird" for me.
Also saw what was probably a Red Throated Loon fly by but it was pretty far out
so I can't be sure, wasn't big enough to be a Common Loon though.

Al Stokie
Local in Cook County today