Field Trip Report: Montrose Beginning Birder Walk

Chestnut-sided Warbler, September 14, 2022.

words by Christine Williamson
photos by Katharine Spencer

September 23, 2023

September 23 dawned beautifully at Montrose in Chicago, and a group of 10 avid new birders experienced a strong migration day as the north wind pushed bird southward in fairly high numbers.

We ended up with 19 species in two hours as we found many birds as we checked the bird sanctuary.

We began on Montrose Beach and were greeted with several Palm Warblers flicking their tail feathers as they fed in the sand prairie on Montrose Beach.

We moved upland to see what migrant birds had already landed after a long night flight and found feeding flocks in the Magic Hedge and its surroundings at the point’s two water pools, where many birds were thirsty after their night flight.

Near the largest water feature we found a Marsh Wren, which isn’t particularly common at Montrose.

Magnolia Warbler, October 10, 2022.

Six warbler species were abundant, including Nashville Warbler, American Redstart, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, and Canada warbler.

Be sure to visit the Montrose area during fall migration when the wind is blowing from the south!