Miller Meadow and the Mystery Blackbird
Hines, IL
Sunday 19 April 2020
56 °F
As we are approaching a peak time for sparrow migration, I thought it would be a good chance to pick through the North and South Meadows of Miller Meadow Forest Preserve in search of any interesting species that may happen to be passing through.
I spotted a total of 23 WILSON’S SNIPE today, my highest count so far this year at Miller. Awesome!
Your average view of a non-flying snipe:
Sparrows, as I guessed, were present in large numbers, but only modest diversity. SWAMP led in terms of numbers:
This FIELD was nice:
SONG SPARROW:
SAVANNAH SPARROW:
RED-TAILED HAWK:
Nice to see a NORTHERN FLICKER perched in a position like this, but not nice to see it perched on the invasive teasel brush.
I counted a total of seven EASTERN MEADOWLARKS today, a good total for the rather small area of grassland.
Two swallows were seen today: NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED and this TREE:
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS are moving through in large numbers which is great but I can’t wait for the warbler diversity to pick up.
White-tailed Deer:
Handsome male HAIRY WOODPECKER.
And its migratory relative the YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER:
HERMIT THRUSH:
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, a notorious but actually quite beautiful species:
Then, north of the dog run area, I came across a blackbird which had me totally stumped for a while. At first given its longish bill and complete black-iridescent plumage I was convinced I had a Brewer’s Blackbird, but now I have been convinced otherwise that it is just a full adult male RUSTY BLACKBIRD that is mature enough that all of its “rusty” spots are gone now (in breeding plumage at least). A tough ID nevertheless.
Other blackbirds also associated with it, including the aforementioned cowbird and this female RED-WINGED:
And some more beautiful and clearly RUSTY BLACKBIRDS:
Despite not finding a rare Brewer’s after all, Rusty Blackbirds are still definitely not a common bird and, as they are also very beautiful, will be my bird-of-the-day. Runner-up to the seven Eastern Meadowlarks and 23 Wilson’s Snipe, good respective counts of those species. Stay tuned for more migration fun!
Good birding,
Henry
World Life List: 1112 Species
Good to see the female red-winged blackbird! They aren't here in SW Wisconsin yet, and the males are getting antsy.
I am glad you can go out birding in spite of weird times.
by liz cifani