3rd GAR-Thatcher Woods Breeding Bird Survey
With the "Junior Naturalists Camp" and Jill Anderson
Tuesday 17 June 2014
90 °F
Hi all,
Today I completed the 3rd breeding bird survey for two local forest preserves: GAR and Thatcher Woods. I spent the first forty five minutes with a local camp for nature-loving 4th and 5th graders called the "Junior Naturalists" and led them around Thatcher Woods. They were surprisingly knowledgable about the natural world and some of them were likely candidates for being future birders. My best birds at Thatcher were SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, which was the rarest find of the day, and one calling GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER as well as one or two BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS. Here is the picture of the Sharp-shinned Hawk:
Then, I birded with my friend Jill Anderson for about an hour at the neighboring GAR Woods and we found a few birds there. Then, after a quick stop back at Thatcher Woods, I biked home because it was, by that point, early afternoon, and the temperature was a stiflingly hot 90 degrees. It was a hot and rather unproductive morning although at least I got to meet some exuberant young nature lovers and see my good friend Jill Anderson.
Bird-of-the-day to the Sharp-shinned Hawk, which is actually a rare find this time of year.
Good birding,
Henry
World Life List: 670 Species (no new life birds today)
