Montrose Point & West Ridge Tuesday 3-10-26

[Al Stokie]

Hello Bird People,

I couldn't go for the Barred Owl at Montrose yesterday as my eyes were
too dilated to see properly but I went today in the hopes the owl
would still be around. Unfortunately it was not still there. But I
still saw 3 new "year birds", one of which was a good find. Also
thanks to some info from Robert L I got to see some ducks & a swan in
the harbor. I looked for a long time for Eastern Meadowlarks in the
burned areas but found none in spite of others seeing 1 or 2. It was
58 when I left home but when I arrived at Montrose it had fallen to 41
with a stiff wind & it felt cold while I was there.

Montrose Point (7:45-10:45 am)

Mute Swan (1, harbor)
Canada Goose (26)
Mallard (8)
Shoveler (3-M & 2-F, harbor)
Redhead (10, harbor)
Greater & Lesser Scaup (Total of 52, with most in Lake Michigan)
Bufflehead (1-F)
Goldeneye (only 2 left today)
Hooded Merganser (1-M in the lake & 1-PR in the harbor)
Red Breasted Merganser (32)
Coots (3, harbor)
Killdeer (H-1)
AMERICAN WOODCOCK (1, in the main hedge) (FOY)
Ring Billed (32) & Herring (4) Gulls
Rock Pigeon (1)
Downy Woodpecker (1-M & 1-F)
Chickadee (3)
EASTERN PHOEBE (1, meadows) (FOY)
Robins (~10)
Starlings (~40)
Cardinal (5)
Tree Sparrow (3)
Song Sparrow (~20, everywhere)
SWAMP SPARROW (1, hedge area) (FOY)
FOX SPARROW (2, hedge)
Junco (~15)
Red Wings (~20)
Grackles (~15)
House Finch (1-M, singing)
House Sparrow (~30)

West Ridge (11:15-11:20 am)

SNOW GOOSE (1, white)
Mallard (6)

So 32 species at Montrose plus the Snow Goose at West Ridge & one
roadside addition
for a final total of 34 for the day. Bird-Of-The-Day will be the
Woodcock which I got to see walking around on the ground whereas I
usually see one when they flush. This courtesy of birder Washington
who picked it out in the first place & showed us where to look.
Runners-Up to the West Ridge Snow Goose & the Eastern Phoebe.

License Plate of the Day to one from Nevada seen on the way home.

Al Stokie
At Montrose in Cook County today