Montrose Point Friday 8-7-26 & Stoney Ford Canoe Launch Saturday 8-8-26

[Al Stokie]

Hello Bird People,

Haven't seen much in the last two days. There were few shorebirds at
Montrose on Friday & on Saturday a bunch of us failed to find the "day
before seen" Swallow Tailed Kite near Lyons, Illinois.

Montrose Point (5:50-9:40 am)

Lots of Canada Geese & Mallards in the water by the beach plus fly-by
Cormorants & a Great Blue Heron. Shorebirds were Killdeer (13),
Semipalmated Plover (1 fly-by), Spotted (5) & Least (3) Sandpipers
plus 5 Sanderlings. Also the usual Gulls plus one Caspian Tern on the
beach. Of some interest were a Kestrel & one Ruby Throated Hummer by
the Butterfly Meadow.
And some common land birds by the Hedge area.

Stoney Ford Canoe Launch (7:30-11 am) (With 6 other birders)

Saw 5 species of Raptors but not the one we wanted to see which was the Kite.

Turkey Vulture (4)
Bald Eagle (1)
Osprey (2)
Red Shouldered Hawk (seen by Bob E & just barely seen by me)
Red Tailed Hawk (2)
Also fly-by Great Egrets & a Great Blue Heron
Other birds of interest were Chimney Swifts & a R.T. Hummer

So 32 species on Friday & 25 on Saturday all in Cook County.
Bird-Of-The-Day on Friday will be the Hummingbird & on Saturday the Ospreys.
No award to the Swallow Tailed Kite which was a no show.

Al Stokie
On Cook County on both Friday & Saturday