Lockport Prairie & Techny North Saturday 7-5-25

[Al Stokie]

Hello Bird People,

Had to do a lot of driving today but I saw 3 special shorebird species
for my trouble.
Started at Lockport Prairie in Will County as I wanted to see the
Black Necked Stilts with their one small baby. While there I heard
that two Wilson's Phalaropes had arrived at Techny North which meant I
had a long way to get back to see them.

Lockport Prairie (8:35-10:05 am)

D.C. Cormorant (1, in the river)
Great Blue Heron (9)
Great Egret (7)
Wood Duck (1) & Mallard (1)
COMMON MERGANSER (1-M, resting on land in the river with the Cormorant)
Killdeer (12)
BLACK NECKED STILT (2-AD with 1 small chick)
Least Sandpiper (8)
Caspian Tern (1)
Mourning Dove (1)
Flicker (1)
House Wren & Marsh Wren (H, 1 each)
Robin (2)
Starling (2)
Warbling Vireo (H-1)
Common Yellowthroat (H-1)
Cardinal (H-1)
Dicksissel (1)
Song Sparrow (H-1)
Red Wings (10-12)
Goldfinch (1)

My 23 species here today was way less than the total Linda R had here
a day or 2 ago.
A good job by her!

Techny North (12:20-1:10 pm)

Got here (finally) just as Monte T & David J were leaving. They had
seen 1 of the 2 Phalaropes.
Found one fairly easily but only finally found the 2nd after a long search.
Birded here with Mark Ross & here's what we saw.

Great Egret (1)
Canada Goose (5)
Killdeer (9)
Lesser Yellowlegs (5)
Solitary Sandpiper (1)
Spotted Sandpiper (4)
Least Sandpiper (8)
SHORT BILLED DOWITCHER (1, continuing from yesterday)
WILSON'S PHALAROPE (2)
Caspian Tern (8)
Tree Swallow (1)
Eastern Kingbird (1)
Robin (2), Warbling Vireo (H-1) & Savannah Sparrow (H-3)

So 32 species plus 3 more roadside additions for a day's total of 35.
Had 8 species of shorebirds which is the best I've done so far this Summer.
Bird-Of-The-Day to the baby Black Necked Stilt with his parents.
Runner-Up & Fancy Pants Bird Of The Day to the one Wilson's Phalarope
which was more
colorful than the other one.

Al Stokie
In Will & Cook Co's today