Birds

Ronan Park is an important bird habitat and Annemarie Rand monitors bird activity there for the Audubon Chicago Region. She was out there last Saturday early morning…

…[they want] the monitors to be there by 5:15 am when the sun is just coming up and the birds are most active. (UGH!) I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw. There were 2 red-headed woodpeckers drumming on the dead trees and calling to each other. The populations of red-headed woodpeckers have been in decline in recent years, so I was thrilled to see them there. Hopefully they will stay. Lots of competition with European Starlings which there are plenty of!

Also, there were 2 black-crowned night herons by the river. Both were juveniles. One was completely brown streaked (young) and the other was in its first summer, so had muted colors still. Eventually as they grow to adulthood, they will be white and black (very striking looking)! There are also some Belted Kingfishers who hang out at Ronan, River and Legion Parks…

Our first community Trail Day is coming up THIS SATURDAY, JUNE 28TH… I’m hoping Annemarie will join us and be able to tell us what we’re seeing when somebody says “Hey, look at that bird there!”