Waterfowl Trip!
Wednesday 30 March 2016
51 °F
Hello birding friends,
Two days ago (Monday, March 28), a friend of mine, Suzanne, led a field trip with the main target birds being waterfowl in the Glenview area. It was a fantastic trip as we birded five locations and saw a good amount of waterfowl!
Our first location was Skokie Lagoons Forest Preserve. Here is a male NORTHERN SHOVELER:
Pair of BLUE-WINGED TEAL:
Male MALLARD (left) with a pair of HOODED MERGANSERS (right):
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET who was fairly obliging and came only a few feet away from the group:
The next location was very productive for waterfowl. Here is a female BELTED KINGFISHER:
GADWALL:
Pair of GREEN-WINGED TEAL in the center:
NORTHERN SHOVELER, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, and a REDHEAD:
Next, we headed to Techny Basin Conservation Area near Glenview. It was a bit quieter, but we had a few pleasant sightings including this male NORTHERN CARDINAL singing away:
SONG SPARROW:
Female NORTHERN FLICKER:
Our fourth location was Air Station Prairie where I didn't manage to get any photos but we did flush at least 6, and probably more, WILSON'S SNIPE.
The last stop of the day was Lake Glenview where we had some nice amounts of waterfowl and other water birds, including this PIED-BILLED GREBE. "Pied" is a word meaning "black-and-white," as evidence by its namesake black-and-white bill:
From left to right, here is an AMERICAN COOT, some species of duck (maybe a Scaup?), and a male AMERICAN WIGEON:
Left to right: PIED-BILLED GREBE, female AMERICAN WIGEON, and a RED-BREASTED MERGANSER:
REDHEADS:
Beautiful male AMERICAN WIGEON in the evening light:
RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS with a basic-plumage HORNED GREBE in the center:
RING-NECKED DUCKS, one of my favorite duck species:
Female RING-NECKED DUCKS:
Male RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, the most common waterfowl species at Lake Glenview on Monday:
It was a fantastic outing! Thanks to Suzanne for leading the trip!
Bird-of-the-day goes to the Ring-necked Ducks, one of my favorite waterfowl species. Runner-up to the also beautiful American Wigeon. Since last of year my birding attention was largely directed towards songbirds and owls, it is nice to switch it up this year and to watch other types of birds like waterfowl, as well.
Don't forget to sign up for Oak Park Bird Walks this spring! Email me at: trumpetswan (@) comcast.net to reserve a space!
For more information, visit: https://sites.google.com/site/opbirdwalks/home
Good birding!
Henry
World Life List: 886 Species (no recent life birds)
Posted by skwclar 09:24 Archived in USA Tagged me lakes people animals birds
