With the temp in the mid-40s, we thought a jaunt to McGinnis Slough Forest Preserve would be a good way to spend the morning. We brought the scope (and saw some delightful birds that way), and muddied our shoes, and boy, did we have a good time. (Ebird checklist)
Here are some of the friends we saw:
Two Canada Geese at McGinnis Slough, 15 Mar 26Two Canada Geese in the water at McGinnis Slough, 15 Mar 26Gadwall in the water, McGinnis Slough, 15 Mar 26Great Blue Heron in a tree, McGinnis Slough, 15 Mar 26Four Northern Shovelers, McGinnis Slough, 15 Mar 26Two Pied-Billed Grebes, McGinnis Slough, 15 Mar 26Two Sandhill Cranes, flying very far away, McGinnis Slough, 15 Mar 26Turkey Vulture flying over McGinnis Slough, 15 Mar 26White-throated-Sparrow on a log, McGinnis Slough, 15 Mar 26
The Daylight Savings Time clock shift happened last night, so we went to Fermilab to see what the birds think of the time shift.
Sandhill Cranes in marshy land, Fermilab, 8 March 2026Sandhill Cranes in marshy land, Fermilab, 8 March 2026Northern Shovelers in a lake, Fermilab, 8 March 20263 Green-winged Teal in a lake, Fermilab, 8 Mar 20266 Gadwalls in flight, Fermilab, 8 Mar 2026Canada Goose in flight, Fermilab, 8 Mar 2026Bufflehead landing in a lake, Fermilab, 8 Mar 2026Bald Eagle in Flight, Fermilab, 8 Mar 2026
We joined the Will County Audubon society for a lovely outing in the O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve.
New Lifers:
Winter Wren
We saw these tweeters:
A Northern Flicker on the lookout; O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve; 12 April 2025A Great Egret hunts for dinner; O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve; 12 April 2025A couple Gadwalls hunt for dinner; O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve; 12 April 2025An Eastern Phoebe watching for bugs; O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve; 12 April 2025An Eastern Bluebird gives us the cold shoulder; O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve; 12 April 2025A Winter Wren bops around a log; O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve; 12 April 2025A Cooper’s Hawk soars overhead; O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve; 12 April 2025Three pelicans soar toward a pond; O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve; 12 April 2025A pelican soars toward a pond; O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve; 12 April 2025A flock of pelicans fishes together in a pond; O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve; 12 April 2025
