[BCNnet] Chicago River Owls

[Leslie Borns]

Bird People:
 
The northwest Chicago neighborhood of Ravenswood Manor (Cook County) has
recently been host to some wonderful owls.  The Manor is a tiny enclave
bordered on one side by the Chicago River [2600 W] and several large
urban streets:  Montrose Avenue to the south [4400N]; Lawrence Avenue to
the north [4800N]; and Sacramento Avenue to the west [3000W].  

Many of the Manor streets dead-end at the Chicago River, which provides
valuable habitat for birds and other wildlife.  I am lucky to live on one
of them.
 
In the past two weeks, Great-horned Owls (GHO) have been seen numerous
times by  neighborhood residents.  I do not know if it is the same bird. 
The most notable GHO sighting was at dawn on Monday, December 3; the bird
stayed in a tree at the end of a cul-de-sac street until dusk.  The huge
owl, likely a female and possibly the same bird that was rescued in
Horner Park last February (thought to be one of a locally nesting pair,
found entangled in kite string and treated and later released back in
Horner Park) drew a large crowd of both humans and birds.  

It is not necessary to bring binoculars and travel to birding hot spots
when owls are about.  The birds will come to you.  It seems just about
every one in our neighborhood did; the constant, scolding parade of
Crows, Blue Jays, Goldfinches, Chickadees, Cardinals, House Sparrows,
Kestrels, and, for 10 glorious minutes, a Peregrine Falcon, was
wondrous.  I've never seen many of these species perform such aerial
feats, some practically into the jaws of the great brown monster.  The
GHO, unimpressed, seemed mainly preoccupied with preening several wildly
out-of-place flight feathers.  
   
Soon after this all-day spectacle, we were again roused one morning by
the sound of complaining crows, this time at the end of my cul-de-sac
street.  The home on the riverbank has a large side yard filled with
evergreens, mainly tall blue spruces.  With all the dense needles, it was
not easy to find the source of the corvid angst, but thorough searching
revealed a gray phase Eastern Screech Owl (ESO).  This tiny bundle of
magnificence is an owl we do not often see in Chicago, especially during
the day.
 
The ESO stayed in the spruce for three hours, and likely would have
lingered longer, but unfortunately around lunchtime, a couple apparently
intent on enjoying the unseasonably warm weather (67*) walked into the
yard where the ESO was perched and sat down on the riverbank underneath
the tree!  The crows had been unable to roust the owl from its roost, but
the couple did.  I was told by the rather startled pair that the bird
flew north along the river.  I expect it is still in our area, but a
search of the neighborhood later was unsuccessful in relocating it.
 
This week a Great-horned Owl has taken over the lovely spruce-filled
yard, and now roosts there almost every day.  A neighbor told me he
recently saw a large owl chasing a small one, so the GHO has apparently
kicked out the ESO and appropriated the great real estate.  I do not
think there is a more anxious and miserable lot of crows than that of the
'hood, a black cloud constantly flying in and out of our street,
shrieking and diving at the quiet spruce stand to no avail.   

Pretty amazing stuff to see from the living room window.

If you're finding conditions at the lakefront too windy and frigid these
days, or if you're simply tired of staring out at a blank, blue horizon,
take a short hike westward.  A long ribbon of tranquility runs through
our city, and it is filled with treasures that yield easily to an average
birder's search.  The dense brush, live trees and snags on the banks of
the Chicago River provide ideal roosting spots and cover for owls and
many other bird species.  Several Downy Woodpeckers were working trees on
the riverbank during the afternoon search for the ESO.  Two active Hairy
Woodpecker nests were found in our area last summer.  Goldfinches and
House Finches are always plentiful.  Kestrels often call from snags along
the river.  Kingfishers make their rattling call as they fly from perch
to perch.  Black-crowned Night Herons are frequently hidden in the dense
branches.  On Sunday, two Yellow-rumped Warblers were working the
riverbank; the warm water outflows attract insects that can sustain them
year-round.
	
If you do visit, please remember basic birder etiquette and do not
disturb the owls or trespass on private property.  There are plenty of
sidewalks and streets providing ample access to bird and other wildlife
sightings.  South of Montrose Avenue and North of Lawrence Avenue, there
is a public access path along the river; it is paved north of Lawrence
and excellent for biking as well as walking/running.  

Bird People, best holiday wishes and may this list serve become a kinder,
gentler place in the coming year, as we open ourselves to the peace,
beauty, and mystery of nature in our daily lives.


/Leslie Borns 
(with contributions from neighbor David Antieau)
birdperson@juno.com, dantieau@aol.com
Chicago/Cook



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