Ivanhoe Park Marsh & Sports Club Drive Thursday 5-14-26

[Al Stokie]

Hello Bird People,

There was a Common Gallinule reported yesterday at a park marsh just
off Rt 176. Got directions from Dave Johnson & went to look this
morning at 9 am. Didn't see it at 1st but then I heard a Coot-like
call & I was able to track down one Common Gallinule swimming in the
marsh area just south of the park. Then much to my surprise, out swam
another Gallinule so there's a pair. Habitat looks good so perhaps
they will stay to nest. We'll have to wait & see. Check the Ebird
Alert under Common Gallinule for a map on how to get here. It's on
Kessler Drive.
Not much else to see here though.

Sports Club Drive (9:45-10:45 am)

They reported a White Rumped Sandpiper here yesterday but the only
"peeps" I saw today were Least but some of the small guys were pretty
hidden so there may have been other species here.

Canada Goose (4), Mallard (5) & Blue Winged Teal (1-M)
Sora (heard one) & Sandhill Crane (also heard 1 or 2)
Killdeer (3)
Lesser Yellowlegs (7)
Spotted Sandpiper (2)
Solitary Sandpiper (2)
Least Sandpiper (6)
SHORT BILLED DOWITCHER (4, scattered)
And in addition to the common land birds there was one male BREWER'S BLACKBIRD.

Made a short stop at Wood Dale on the way home but did not find the
White Rumped Sandpiper seen yesterday. Did see 2 Great Blues, one
Great Egret & one Green Heron & some very common shorebirds..

So only 26 species for the day but I was looking for special stuff.
Bird-Of-The-Day will be the 2 Gallinules & Runners-Up to the
Dowitchers & the Brewer's Blackbird.

Al Stokie
In Lake County today with one stop in DuPage County