Posted by Emily Previously, I posted a list of birds that Rebecca had seen in or near the gardens during her two 10-minute point counts. Rebecca has now had a third observation period in the gardens and we can add three more species to our previous list: the gray catbird, indigo bunting, and one of my very favorite birds - the blue jay. The gray catbird and indigo bunting are both migratory species that spend winter months in the southeastern-most part of the United States and Central America. The blue jay is usually a year-round resident in our area but some populations may be partially migratory. I love them for their beautiful plumage and the clever look in their eyes. Although this won't be part of our 'official' scientific inventory, gardener and blog reader Sharon shared an observation of another new species in the gardens: common nighthawks. These birds tend to forage in the evening (which is probably why we never saw them) and eat flying insects almost exclusively, making them a friend to gardeners and urban residents in general.
3 Comments
Alexis
7/25/2017 09:02:07 am
Mason lives near one of the Logan Square gardens and has said that there are Common Nighthawks in that neighborhood. There are definitely some in Rogers Park too. I love hearing them in the evening.
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Emily Minor
7/26/2017 12:13:01 pm
I've never seen them in Chicago but now I'll keep an eye out for them!
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Cynthia
8/11/2017 06:13:11 pm
They are often heard in Des Plaines as well!
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