Two days of birding, three year birds
Cook County, IL
Saturday 15 August 2020
86 °F
Continuing my quest to stay in the Top 20 birders in Cook County this year, I chased year birds the last two days. Yesterday I headed to the Calumet area in search of Northern Bobwhite, Monk Parakeet, and Least Bittern.
I started at Eggers Grove Forest Preserve for the Bobwhite. It was seen fairly recently by the bike path across from 118th so I tried that area as well as birding the nearby slough. Herons proliferated, including GREEN:
GREAT EGRET:
Immature BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON with a WOOD DUCK: 
And a couple adult Night-herons:
AMERICAN COOT, a good bird for this time of year, with WOOD DUCKS, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (right), and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (left):
Unfortunately, I once again struck out on the Bobwhite. So, I was off to Big Marsh via 100th St to check for Monk Parakeets. A drive-by was all it took as I heard their characteristic chatter under the Skyway Bridge without even stopping the car! Year-bird!
Next stop: Big Marsh Park for Least Bittern. Several CASPIAN TERNS were flying over the marsh:
And at one point I saw a tiny, reddish-brown heron flush up and over the marsh for four seconds: my FOY (first of year) LEAST BITTERN! No photos, but a clinching, satisfying look. A calling COMMON GALLINULE was also nice here. Two year birds in one day was great! Bird-of-the-day yesterday to the Least Bittern.
Today, Tian and I left at a leisurely 9:20am after breakfast to make the quick drive up to Franklin Park to find EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES which inhabit the area of Palmer St & 5th Ave, and upon arriving to that intersection, I found them before even stepping out of the car. Cool! A good addition to my list, and I spent such a time photographing them that a nearby homeowner came out and said, “Homie, why you taking pictures of my house?” Rofl!
Later, while Tian and I were chatting in the backyard, a cuckoo flew into the elm across the alley so I ran to get my camera. After ten minutes of watching it swoop through the leaves, presumably hunting caterpillars and the like, I managed a single identifiable photo: it was a YELLOW-BILLED! The expected species, but super cool for Oak Park nonetheless — only my second ever seen from my yard.
Bird-of-the-day to the Eurasian Collared-Doves with runner-up to the Yellow-billed Cuckoo!
ANNOUNCING FALL OAK PARK BIRD WALKS! Email me at [email protected] to reserve your free spot:
FALL 2020 OAK PARK BIRD WALKS
Wednesday, August 26 @ 7am
Saturday, August 29 @ 7am
Wednesday, September 2 @ 7am
Saturday, September 5 @ 7am
Wednesday, September 9 @ 7am
Saturday, September 12 @ 7am
Wednesday, September 16 @ 7am
Saturday, September 19 @ 7am @ Thatcher Woods
Wednesday, September 23 @ 7am
Friday, September 25 @ 7am
Wednesday, September 30 @ 7am @ Columbus Park
Saturday, October 3 @ 7am
Wednesday, October 7 @ 7am
Saturday, October 10 @ 7am @ Miller Meadows
Saturday, October 17 @ 7am @ Miller Meadows
Good birding,
Henry
World Life List: 1119 Species
