Chris and Geoff Williamson led the nature walk in Chicago"s Burnham Park on 24 August 2013.

When all was said an done, we had observed 33 species of birds, two species of mammals (aside from human beings and domestic dogs), 10 butterfly species, and one dragonfly species. Lists of all these creatures along with the number observed are provided at the end of this report.

While we were birding at the McCormick Place Sanctuary, a variety of birds came in to perch at the top of one special tree. They included an American Goldfinch, a Black-and-white Warbler, several Cedar Waxwings, a pair of Indigo Buntings, a Warbling Vireo, and also the Olive-sided Flycatcher. All favoring the one tree!

In the vicinity of the "water feature" at the McCormick Place Sanctuary, we found a Blackburnian Warbler. Nearby was a Gray Catbird, giving us a little peek at the rusty undertail coverts.

We saw lots of butterflies at McCormick place including a Monarch, a Red Admiral, and a little lower, we spotted an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly.

McCormick Place always seems to host Eastern Kingbirds in season, and today was no exception. The mammal life at McCormick Place consisted of one Eastern Cottontail, one Eastern Gray Squirrel and a recently expired Meadow Vole. The Burnham Park Sanctuary hosted a female Baltimore Oriole that played hide-and-seek up in the branches.

List of birds species at McCormick Sanctuary, with number observed:

Canada Goose 2

Double-crested Cormorant 5

Ring-billed Gull 37

Herring Gull 1

Chimney Swift 9

Olive-sided Flycatcher 1

Eastern Kingbird 4

Warbling Vireo 2

American Crow 12

Barn Swallow 35

Black-capped Chickadee 5

American Robin 1

Gray Catbird 1

Brown Thrasher 1

European Starling 910

Cedar Waxwing 24

Black-and-white Warbler 2

Cape May Warbler 1

Blackburnian Warbler 1

warbler sp. 3

Savannah Sparrow 2

Song Sparrow 5

Indigo Bunting 5

Red-winged Blackbird 50

American Goldfinch 22

List of mammal species at McCormick Sanctuary, with number observed.

Eastern Gray Squirrel 1

Eastern Cottontail 1

List of butterfly species at McCormick Sanctuary, with number observed.

Cabbage White 33

Clouded Sulphur 9

Pearl Crescent 3

Red Admiral 1

Common Buckeye 1

Monarch 6

List of dragonfly species at McCormick Sanctuary, with number observed.

Common Green Darner 2

Bird species at Burnham (47th St) Sanctuary, with number observed.

Ring-billed Gull 4

Ruby-throated Hummingbird 6

Hairy Woodpecker 1

Willow Flycatcher 1

Eastern Kingbird 1

Red-eyed Vireo 2

American Crow 3

Barn Swallow 1

Black-capped Chickadee 11

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2

American Robin 3

Gray Catbird 2

European Starling 13

Cedar Waxwing 38

warbler sp. 1

Song Sparrow 3

Northern Cardinal 1

Indigo Bunting 3

Baltimore Oriole 1

House Finch 1

American Goldfinch 19

House Sparrow 1

List of mammal species at Burnham (47th St) Sanctuary, with number observed.

Eastern Gray Squirrel 3

List of butterfly species at Burnham (47th St) Sanctuary, with number observed.

Black Swallowtail 1

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 2

Cabbage White 36

Spring Azure 3

Red-spotted Purple 3

Monarch 4

List of dragonfly species at Burnham (47th St) Sanctuary, with number observed.

Common Green Darner 7

Trip Report: McCormick Place Sanctuary and Burnham Sanctuary - 2013 August 24