River Trail Nature Center & Heritage Park in Wheeling Saturday 11-8-25

[Al Stokie]

Hello Bird People,

Rained a bit at the start of the day so I abandoned my plan for a lake
watch although I see that several lake watchers had a good day
although they got a little wet.
Instead I went with Bob Erickson to River Trail Nature Center where
the feeders are up again.
As usual I found none of the Winter Finches & all the feeders are
overwhelmed with House Sparrows. Later I stopped at Heritage Park &
added a few species to the day list.

River Trail N.C. (9-10:30 am)

Mourning Dove (2)
Kingfisher (H-1)
Red Bellied Woodpecker (2)
Hairy Woodpecker (1-M)
Blue Jay (2, at the peanut feeder)
Chickadee (H-1)
W.B. Nuthatch (3)
Robin (2)
GRAY CATBIRD (1, by the river, late)
Yellow Rumped Myrtle Warbler (1)
Cardinal (3-M & 1-F)
White Throated Sparrow (4)
Junco (5)
House Finch (5)
Goldfinch (6)
House Sparrow (30-35)

Heritage Park (11:40 am-1:05 pm)

D.C. Cormorant (1)
Great Blue Heron (1)
Canada Goose (264)
Mallard (28)
Killdeer (4, on the lawns)
Ring Billed (46) & Herring (2) Gulls
Mourning Dove (8, also on the lawns)
Junco (1)
Goldfinch (H-1)

So 24 species for the day plus roadside Starlings for a day's total of 25.
Bird-Of-The-Day will be the late Catbird & Runners-Up to the Heron &
the Cormorant.

Al Stokie
Local in Cook County today