The wish made earlier this summer by our birding buddy (and blog contributor!) Annemarie Rand has come true: Ronan’s been mentioned in the Audubon – Chicago Region’s Habitat Herald newsletter, September issue.
Classified as a Priority 1 Birds of Concern species in the Chicago
Wilderness Region, Red-heads (woodpeckers) are now beneficiaries of focused, species-specific
habitat management efforts. That focus and attention may be paying
early dividends, based on the observations of bird monitors and site stewards
throughout the CW Region. According to bird monitor Annemarie Rand,
Red-headed Woodpeckers nested and successfully fledged young at Ronan
Park in 2008, after the Chicago Park District carried out restoration work
(removing invasive underbrush from the river’s banks but leaving the dead
trees) along the North Branch of the Chicago River, bordered on both sides
by this small ‘linear’ park on the city’s north side.
