Finally...Nice Spring Weather
Monday 7 March 2016
58 °F
A short bike ride around my neighborhood on this beautifully warm day (58 degrees) yielded 11 species of birds, the best of which were at least 2 KILLDEER migrating overhead and calling vociferously, which marks only the second time I have ever recorded this shorebird flying over Oak Park (a suburb with a nearly complete lack of suitable shorebird habitat). Unfortunately, they flew over too quickly for photos; however, I did manage to photograph a few other birds.
I spotted this WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH investigating a possible nesting cavity:
It soon flew down for closer looks:
A pair of HOUSE FINCHES was nice, with the male on the right sporting a brilliant red plumage:
Birds-of-the-day to the photographed White-breasted Nuthatch and House Finches. Runner-up to the uncommon (for Oak Park) but unphotographed Killdeer. The full list is attached below.
To see these birds and many more, sign up for this spring's free Oak Park Bird Walks, led by yours truly! For more information, visit: https://sites.google.com/site/opbirdwalks/home
Email me at trumpetswan (at) comcast (dot) net to make a reservation(s).
Stay tuned...tomorrow after school I will chase a rare Red-throated Loon (a prospective life bird) that was found today in Monroe Harbor, kind of near Buckingham Fountain in downtown Chicago.
Good birding!
Henry
World Life List: 887 Species (no recent life birds)
11 species today:
Killdeer 2 Migrating overhead, calling. Conservative count.
Ring-billed Gull 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Black-capped Chickadee 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
American Robin 3
Dark-eyed Junco 2
Northern Cardinal 1
House Finch 6
American Goldfinch 1
House Sparrow 2
