Who said summer birding is boring and predictable? This morning, June 26, I had an immature Franklin’s Gull at Montrose Beach. It flew off after a few minutes and I never saw it again. I also had a flyover Great Egret.
Monthly Archives: June 2016
Juvenile Ring-billed Gull and American Redstart, June 23, 2016
I had my first juvenile Ring-billed Gull at Montrose today, June 23. They usually start appearing around June 22-24 and will increase in the coming weeks. I also had a tardy adult male American Redstart.
Canada Warbler and Yellow-breasted Chat, June 22, 2016
I walked around Montrose this morning, June 22, and had a couple nice surprises, notably a female Canada Warbler and a male Yellow-breasted Chat. The Canada Warbler was in the Magic Hedge and moving around quite a bit. I never saw it again after the initial encounter. I heard the chat singing in the peripheral plantings just west-southwest of the water feature, and with a little effort tracked it down and saw it. Both birds are rare at this time of the year at Montrose. I also saw an immature male Orchard Oriole, part of an apparent mated pair that have been around for a few weeks.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Orchard Oriole, and Eastern Wood-Pewee, June 16, 2016
A brief walk around the Point this morning, June 16, yielded Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Orchard Oriole, and Eastern Wood-Pewee, all vocalizing. All of these birds could potentially be nesting at Montrose, or they could be late migrants or wandering immature birds looking for a territory.
Semipalmated Sandpiper, June 13, 2016
I went over to Montrose Beach this morning, June 13, to look for lingering shorebirds and found this Semipalmated Sandpiper. Here we are 2 weeks into June and we’re still getting migrating shorebirds. What’s even more amazing is that the first southbound shorebirds will start showing up within a couple weeks.
Last of the last?
Addendum
I had 3 Semipalmated Sandpipers at Montrose on June 14, the last migrant shorebirds I had for the spring of 2016.
Shorebirds (Still), June 10, 2016
Shorebirds are still moving through northern Illinois. This morning, June 10, I had a Willet, a Dunlin, 8 Semipalmated Sandpipers, a Least Sandpiper, a White-rumped Sandpiper, and 3 Semipalmated Plovers in the fluddle at Montrose Beach in Chicago. The Chicago Park District is draining the fluddle so it may not be around much longer.
When it comes to migration the fat lady never sings.