Centennial Trail in DuPage County & Lake Opeka Thursday 2-19-26

[Al Stokie]

Hello Bird People,

I have kind of been doing the same places every day lately so today I
decided to go somewhere different. Headed out to Centennial Trail near
Lemont to look for water birds & Bluebirds which I have heard but not
seen this year. After hearing three more Bluebirds I finally saw one
so I now have no "heard only" birds on this year's list. Then while
with birders Davida & Dale we 1st heard & then saw 24 SANDHILL CRANES
flying by. That flock of Cranes was joined by a young Bald Eagle which
flew with the Cranes peacefully for a few minutes before splitting
off. That was interesting.

Centennial Trail DuPage County (9:15-11:15 am)

Trumpeter Swan (2-AD & 1 young)
Canada Goose (only 4)
Mallard (8)
Gadwall (39)
Goldeneye (5)
Common Merganser (29)
BALD EAGLE (1-AD & 1 YOUNG)
Kestrel (a pair in a tree)
SANDHILL CRANE (24 fly-bys)
Ring Billed (12) & Herring (2) Gulls
Mourning Dove (6-8)
Kingfisher (H-1)
Red Bellied Woodpecker (2)
Crow (H-2)
EASTERN BLUEBIRD (1 seen & 3 more heard)
Robin (8-10)
Starling (11)
Cardinal (H-1)
Song Sparrow (1st one singing for me)
Red Winged Blackbird (3)

On the way home I stopped at Wood Dale Reservoir but the water was all
frozen with no birds.

Lake Opeka (1:15-1:35 pm)

Canada Goose (only 4 today)
Mallard (66)
Goldeneye (21) & Red Breasted Merganser (24)
Ring Billed (10) & Herring (26) Gulls
And as usual I heard a few House Sparrows

So 23 species at my 2 locations plus 2 more roadside additions for a
total of 25.
Bird-Of-The-Day to the Sandhill Crane flock & Runner-Up to the seen
Eastern Bluebird
& the Trumpeter Swans. There's been a Red Shouldered Hawk seen lately
at Centennial Trail but it was not seen by us today.

Al Stokie
Mostly in DuPage County today with a few minutes in Cook County