Field Trip Report: West Ridge Nature Park

Cooper’s Hawk

words and photo by Vinod Babu

October 1, 2023

Ten participants joined the COS walk on October 1 to West Ridge Nature Park in the Lincoln Square neighborhood. We had a beautiful morning of birding, with 33 species and sunny weather that started in the 60s and warmed to the 70s. West Ridge Nature Park is a nature preserve on the western edge of Rosehill Cemetery. It serves as a great community park as well as a refuge for native plants and birds. There are sections of open prairie, oak savannah, and woods with hackberry and walnut trees.

On this morning, the prairie was glowing with the flowers of goldenrod and fall asters and the fluffy seedheads of Indian plantain, Joe Pye weed, and coneflowers. We watched as goldfinch flocks moved about, looking for seeds. Dozens of Chimney Swifts circled over the pond, occasionally taking a quick dip in the water. As we scanned the trees for songbird migrants, we caught glimpses of a Magnolia Warbler and Blue-headed Vireo and much better looks at a Ruby-crowned Kinglet and a Bay-breasted Warbler. As we walked around the pond, a group of Northern Flickers kept us entertained, constantly flying around and calling. Our group had two visitors from Oregon, who were happy to see the yellow-shafted form of the flicker. While we were looking at an area of trees with lots of tent caterpillars, we caught a glimpse of a long-tailed bird with white underparts, but it was too quick a look to decide if it was a cuckoo.

After circling the pond, we took the woodland/savannah loop, and had good looks at Song Sparrows, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and an Eastern Wood-Pewee. Walking under the tree canopy, we came face-to-face with an adult Cooper's Hawk at eye level. After admiring the bird, we continued and finished the walk with a nice species count!