We had a nice outing to Bemis Woods and Salt Creek, our first visit of the year. We saw a bunch of fun feathered friends.

Black-capped Chickadee perches saucily
Black-capped Chickadee perches saucily; Bemis Woods Forest Preserve, Cook, IL; 5 April 2025
Canada Goose stands by salt creek
Canada Goose stands by salt creek; Bemis Woods Forest Preserve, Cook, IL; 5 April 2025
White-breasted Nuthatch climbs a tree
White-breasted Nuthatch climbs a tree; Bemis Woods Forest Preserve, Cook, IL; 5 April 2025
Wood Duck enjoys salt creek
Wood Duck enjoys salt creek; Bemis Woods Forest Preserve, Cook, IL; 5 April 2025
Great Blue Heron enjoys salt creek
Great Blue Heron enjoys salt creek; Bemis Woods Forest Preserve, Cook, IL; 5 April 2025
Mallard soars above salt creek
Mallard soars above salt creek; Bemis Woods Forest Preserve, Cook, IL; 5 April 2025

We glimpsed some American White Pelicans cruising overhead, and spotted horned grebes for the first time. 

On our way out to see some birds this afternoon, we looked up the word slough and learned that in the context of a pond or other water, it rhymes with “flew.” Either way, it must mean full of birds.

We saw oodles of coots, who took off in a hurry when a bald eagle flew by.

New Lifers:

  • Horned Grebe
  • Ruddy Duck
Three American Coots float in a lake
Three American Coots float in a lake; Saganashkee Slough, IL; 29 March2025
A big flock of American Coots float in a lake
A big flock of American Coots float in a lake; Saganashkee Slough, IL; 29 March 2025
A bald eagle soars overhead
A bald eagle soars overhead; Saganashkee Slough, IL; 29 March 2025
A big flock of American Coots take flight from a lake
A big flock of American Coots take flight from a lake; Saganashkee Slough, IL; 29 March 2025
A Brown Creeper scoots its way up the tree
A Brown Creeper scoots its way up the tree; Saganashkee Slough, IL; 29 March 2025
A Brown Creeper scoots its way up the tree
A Brown Creeper scoots its way up the tree; Saganashkee Slough, IL; 29 March 2025
Two horned grebe make their way across a lake
A horned grebe and a coot hang out on the lake; Saganashkee Slough, IL; 29 March 2025
Two horned grebe make their way across a lake
Two horned grebe make their way across a lake; Saganashkee Slough, IL; 29 March 2025
Two horned grebe make their way across a lake
Two horned grebe make their way across a lake; Saganashkee Slough, IL; 29 March 2025
Three American White Pelicans soar overhead
Three American White Pelicans soar overhead; Saganashkee Slough, IL; 29 March 2025
Three American White Pelicans soar overhead
Three American White Pelicans soar overhead; Saganashkee Slough, IL; 29 March 2025