A Walk in the Woods
Botanical Birders at Reed-Turner Woodland Preserve
September 28, 2024
Members of the Reed-Turner Botanical Artists gathered together at 8:00 a.m. before the monthly meeting to take a walk through the Reed-Turner Woodland Preserve with Matt Tobin, with the Lake County Audubon Society.
What was the likelihood of seeing a variety of species of birds in September on a quiet, chilly, overcast morning?
The neighboring Heron Creek Forest Preserve is 242 acres compared to Reed-Turner Woodland Forest Preserve at 50 acres. The data for the birds in these areas is collected by eBird, a part of Cornell Lab of Ornithology, who have been recording the sightings of birds for the past 20 years. So, according to eBird, the score is Heron Creek 176 species to Reed-Turner’s 174 species. So, the mixed terrain of floodplain and upland forest, and sparse remnants of savanna and prairie vegetation in a small area like Reed-Turner Woodland can attract the same variety of birds as a large area.
So, on a quiet, chilly, overcast morning in September, it was not long before Matt spotted a Yellow-Bellied Sap Sucker, a bird not yet on my own life list. Birders, aka birdwatchers, gather data and share data. The list of different species seen by a birder is a life list. The number of birds that can be seen in the midwest is realistically about 350 (although 475 has been listed.) This is pretty high dues to the migration path of birds going through the Midwest. Many birds spending winter months in South America travel through the Midwest to their breeding grounds as far as Canada.
Our group walked through the woods for about an hour, ending the walk as the monthly meeting started. During the meeting, member commented on the outing.
The group was a nice, manageable size.
Matt, and fellow birder Carolyn. were good guides.
Matt walked in the front, indicating with a laser pointer which tree had a bird.
Carolyn walked in the back of the group answering questions and providing commentary.
Matt used a “chatterbox” of chickadee and nuthatch sound on a tree branch to entice other curious birds to come and see what all the ruckus was about.
Both guides demonstrated and recommended the “Merlin” bird idenCficaCon app for cell phones.
The suggest came up that the group do the bird walk again in the spring (before the trees have their leaves) when the birds have their breeding plumage.
Matt also strongly suggested that it would be nice if someone from the group could draw one of the birds that was seen on the Reed-Turner property for the Lake County Audubon Society.
Hint. Hint.
Belted Kingfisher, Sue Widell
List of birds seen at Reed-Turner Woodland, September 28, 2024
Canada Goose, Mourning Dove, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret, Cooper's Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, White-breasted Nuthatch, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, House Sparrow, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Tennessee Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-rumped Warbler
Belted Kingfisher