Birding In McHenry County-Goose Pond, Lake Elizabeth & Glacial Park Sunday 5-31-26

[Al Stokie]

Hello Bird People,

Probably should have gone to see the Painted Bunting in DuPage County
but we had already agreed to visit Goose Pond/Lake near Richmond so we
held to our plan. Then went to Lake Elizabeth & later Glacial Park.

Goose Pond/Lake (6:15-9:15 am)

Once you walk the long walk to get to the viewing deck it's just a
matter of waiting for something to get up & fly so you can see it. The
water levels are low & the cattails are too tall to see much that
doesn't fly.

Pied Billed Grebe (Heard several)
Great Blue Heron (1 fly-by)
Canada Goose (~50 fly-bys)
Wood Duck (3), Mallard (4) & Blue Winged Teal (1)
Coot (2)
Common Gallinule (H-2, Jeff A walked out a ways & saw one)
Sandhill Crane (2, in the reeds)
Wild Turkey (1, farm fields)
Ring Necked Pheasant (H-1 & Bob saw one cross the path) (FOY)
Turkey Vulture (1)
Willow Flycatcher (2) & Eastern Kingbird (2)
Blue Jay (2) & Crow (3)
Chickadee (H-1) & W.B. Nuthatch (H-1)
Marsh Wren (H-1)
Catbird 2)
Warbling Vireo (1)
Common Yellowthroat (5)
Cardinal (H-1)
Indigo Bunting (H-2)
Dickcissel (1, singing) (FOY)
Song Sparrow (1 or 2)
YELLOW HEADED BLACKBIRD (14-M, counted by Bob E)
Red Wings (~20) & Grackles (4)

Lake Elizabeth (10-10:30 am)

Mute Swan (1)
BLACK TERN (4) (FOY)
Kingfisher (1)
And some common land birds.

Glacial Park (11:30 am-12:15 pm)

Highlights included Great Egret (1), HENSLOW'S SPARROW (1, singing),
Dickcissel (4)
& an adult male Orchard Oriole. Had 25 species here.

So 45 species plus 4 roadside additions for a day's total of 49.
Bird-Of-The-Day to the Black Terns & Runner Up to the Yellow Headed
Blackbirds, the Henslow's Sparrow & the male Orchard Oriole.

Al Stokie
In McHenry County today