Field Trip Report: Jackson Park Beginning Birder Walk

words and photo by Christine Williamson

September 16, 2023

COS hosted ten beginning birders on a perfect migration day when many southbound birds needed a fuel stop, which they found near the lagoon that surrounds the Wooded Isle of Jackson Park.

Our team of new birders were aware as soon as they left their cars, public transportation, or bikes that many migrating birds had landed in Jackson Park just by hearing the cacophony of bird calls as they fed in the abundant habitat on the Wooded Isle as well as on the shores of the lagoon.

All in all, we found 24 bird species ranging from Swainson’s Thrush to an array of warblers including, Black-and-white Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Yellow Warbler, and Black-throated Green Warbler.

Many other migrants joined these flocks of mixed species including White-throated Sparrow, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Flicker and a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk.

Birds that rely on water for their food supply were also present, including Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, Belted Kingfisher as well as Wood Duck, Mallard, Canada Goose.

Some of the thickets on the Wooded Isle were also rife with migrant birds, making it hard for our group to leave, but we’ve made a pact to run this same trip in 2024 at Jackson Park on the south side of Chicago and at Montrose on the north side of Chicago to see which birding hotspot is the best.

Join us next year!