Muirhead Springs for Ducks & Shorebirds Monday 10-20-25

[Al Stokie]

Hello Bird People,

Muirhead continues to be the only place locally to go for shorebirds
in numbers & now the ducks are starting to arrive as well. Had 8
species of ducks & 6 species of shorebirds today. Also 4 species of
sparrows & 3 species of blackbirds. So a lot to look at.

Muirhead Springs (7:30-noon)

P.B. Grebe (25)
Great Egret (1)
Canada Goose (~250)
(A few White Fronted Geese were seen by another birder in the early am)
Mallard (55-60)
Black Duck (1)
Shoveler (7)
Gadwall (8)
American Wigeon (2-M & 1-F)
Pintail (21)
Blue Winged Teal (3)
Green Winged Teal (22)
Coots (22)
Sandhill Crane (H-a few to the east)
Killdeer (42)
Greater Yellowlegs (3, east pond)
Lesser Yellowlegs (1)
Least Sandpiper (1)
Pectoral Sandpiper (8)
LONG BILLED DOWITCHER (2)
(No White Rumped, Stilts or Snipe for me today)
Sharp Shinned Hawk (1)
Northern Harrier (2 young ones hunting together)
Red Tailed Hawk (1)
Rock Pigeon (2)
Mourning Dove (4)
Tree Swallow (7-8)
Blue Jay (2)
Crow (2)
Marsh Wren (1, singing)
AMERICAN PIPIT (2)
Robin (3)
Starling (21)
Savannah Sparrow (18-20, most at the east pond area)
Song Sparrow (1)
Swamp Sparrow (2)
White Crowned Sparrow (4)
Red Wings (15)
RUSTY BLACKBIRD (a group of 7 or 8)
Eastern Meadowlark (1, singing)
Goldfinch (4)
House Sparrow (H a few)

So 40 species at Muirhead with no roadside additions.
Bird-Of-The-Day to the Long Billed Dowitchers & Runners-Up to the
Pipits, the Rusty Blackbirds & the Sharp Shinned Hawk which I seldom
find here.

Al Stokie
In Kane County today with lots of birds to look at