Lake Opeka, Beck Lake & Big Bend Lake Thursday 4-2-26

[Al Stokie]

Hello Bird People,

Seems like the weather is a problem every day. Today it was raining so
I waited but by 11 am it was still raining. Went to Lake Opeka where
you can view the lake from under the shelter roof. Then to Beck Lake
where you can view from inside the car & finally to Big Bend Lake
where I had to wait out the rain before I could walk out to the best
viewing point. However, I wasn't done looking when a big downpour
ended my viewing. That's twice this week I was out in heavy rain & got
soaked.

Lake Opeka (11:30 am-12:20 pm)

Common Loon (4)
Pied Billed (4) & Horned (2) Grebes
D.C. Cormorant (2)
Canada Goose (2)
Mallard (~30) & Gadwall (1-M)
Lesser (101) & Greater (2) Scaup
Red Breasted Merganser (27)
Ruddy Duck (4-F)
Coot (1)
Ring Billed (18) & Herring (7) Gulls
Mourning Dove (1), Robin (6) & House Sparrow (15)

Beck Lake (12:40-1 pm)

Common Loon (4)
D.C. Cormorant (1)
Canada Goose (58)
Mallard (6)
Red Breasted Merganser (2)
Coot (1)
Ring Billed Gull (2)
Mourning Dove (3)
Tree Swallow (8)
Blue Jay (1), Robin (6), Cardinal (1), Red Wings (2) & House Sparrow (a few)

Big Bend Lake (1:20-2:30 pm) (Had to wait for the rain to stop)

Common Loon (6)
RED THROATED LOON (1) (Only a quick look as the rain was heavy)
Pied Billed (2) & Horned (2) Grebes
Canada Goose (4)
Mallard (7) & Shoveler (1-M)
Blue Winged Teal (4-M)
Redhead (1-M)
Hooded (2) & Red Breasted (335) Mergansers
Ring Billed (45) & Herring (6) Gulls
Flicker (1)
Robin (16), Starling (12), Cardinal (H-1), Red Wings (4) & Cowbird (5)

So 29 species for the day plus one roadside addition for a total of 30 species.
Had a total of 15 Loons & 10 species of ducks.
Bird-Of-The-Day will be the Red Throated Loon, if it was a Red
Throated Loon & even if it wasn't, it was still the most interesting
bird I saw today. Runners-Up to all the Common Loons.

Al Stokie
Local in Cook County today dealing with a lot of rain