Parking along West Montrose Avenue, the main entrance road to Montrose Point, is illegal because of the ongoing curb repair project. Curb repair construction will last into early May, so you won’t be able to legally park along West Montrose Avenue until then. You can still park along West Montrose Harbor Drive but you’ll have to feed a meter. You can also park west of Lake Shore Drive and walk in. This Google Map shows the road system in and around Montrose Point.
Weather and Birding Forecast, April 10 – 16
Weather forecast screenshot for April 10 – 16. From weather.com. (click to see the larger version)
The forecast for the week of April 10 – 16 has many days with south winds and warmer temps. We should see an influx of typical mid spring migrants like kinglets, Eastern Phoebes, and Hermit Thrushes. We could also see several new arrivals, including Lark and Henslow’s Sparrows, Louisiana Waterthrush, and two or three new swallows. As always, check the Montrose Point eBird Hotspot for the latest sightings.
Late Long-tailed Duck and Other Migrants, April 4, 2022
Long-tailed Duck (click to see the larger version)
Terry Walsh picked out an adult male Long-tailed Duck next to the fishing pier on April 4. The bird was very tame and never strayed far from the pier while we watched it, though trying to photograph it in the heavy lake chop proved challenging. Long-tailed Ducks aren’t rare at Montrose, but April is getting late for them and we usually don’t see them so close to shore.
April 4 was also a good day for passerine migrants, with many Golden-crowned Kinglets. Song Sparrows, and Dark-eyed Juncos around. The eBird total for the day hit about 60 species. Activity will only pick up from here until mid May. Link to my eBird checklist below.
eBird Checklist
April 4, 2022
(Another) Snowy Owl, March 25, 2022
Snowy Owl (click to see the larger version)
A second March Snowy Owl made an appearance on the 25th. Ironically, it was on the end of the fishing pier in the exact same spot as the March 15th bird. Snowy Owls love to roost on the pier – always give it a good scan late fall through early spring for them. Other interesting birds include a flyby Red-throated Loon and 27 White-winged Scoters. Also, Red-breasted Merganser numbers are starting to pick up on Lake Michigan. The males are doing their elaborate dip and bow display to impress the females. Link to my eBird checklist for the morning below.
eBird Checklist
March 25, 2022
Snowy Owl and Waterfowl, March 15, 2022
Snowy Owl (click to see the larger version)
A Snowy Owl was lounging on the end of the fishing pier at Montrose on March 15. We don’t see Snowies as often in the spring but we do get them occasionally. They have to go back north at some point and March is when we see most of these rebounding birds. Illinois experienced an impressive influx of Snowy Owls during the winter of 2021/2022. We even saw a few at Montrose.
March 15 was also an exciting day for waterfowl. Scores of Gadwall, Northern Pintail, Mallards, and several others were making their way north over Lake Michigan. A few times each spring we get large flights of ducks moving north over the lake. These flights (and today’s flight) often occur on days with north winds. It seems counterintuitive for birds to migrate into a head wind, but doing so may actually make flying easier as the onrushing air generates lift for them. This is also why airplanes like to take off into a head wind. Link to my eBird checklist for the morning below.
eBird Checklist
March 15, 2022
Weather and Birding Forecast, March 13 – 19
Weather forecast screenshot for March 13 – 19. From weather.com. (click to see the larger version)
The forecast for the week of March 13 – 19 has several days with south winds and warmer temps. We should see an influx of typical early spring migrants like blackbirds, American Robins, and a variety of waterfowl. We could also see a few new arrivals, like American Woodcock. The days that look favorable are Monday, March 14 and Wednesday and Thursday, March 16 and 17. As always, check the Montrose Point eBird Hotspot for the latest sightings.