[BCNnet] BCNnet: COS Field Trip and Mayor Daley

[Birdchris@aol.com]

Montrose Point/Lincoln Park Bird Sanctuary
April 13, 2002

COS hosted more than 30 people on its field trip today which birded the 
“new” Montrose Point. For many, it was the first time in more than a year 
that they'd visited Montrose. The perimeter fence that protected the $400,000 
of new planting was removed earlier in the week, revealing a much more 
bird-friendly landscape. The new limestone waterfall and pool on the Point 
was aptly named “The Spa” by a trip participant, a name it will live up to 
when the water is turned on and migrants benefit from a drink and a bath.

The trip had a conservation element: Birders got to see first hand the 
habitat improvements for birds at Montrose and the importance of keeping dogs 
off Montrose Beach and off Montrose Point. What's the point of creating a 
bird sanctuary that's continually disturbed by dogs, which birds consider a 
predator species? 

Despite north winds, the trip clocked up 54 species. Highlights were Rusty 
Blackbird, an early Caspian Tern, Eurasian Goldfinch, Bufflehead, fly-by Wood 
Ducks, many Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers and Brown Creepers, and Vesper, 
Savannah, Fox and Swamp Sparrow.

The trip moved on to the Lincoln Park/Jarvis Bird Sanctuary, coinciding with 
Mayor Richard M. Daley’s dedication of the new observation platform. 

Serendipity prevailed: A young Cooper’s Hawk caught a Starling just before 
the Mayor’s arrival. Unperturbed by the crowd of assembled dignitaries, 
volunteer stewards and COS members, the hawk avidly devoured its breakfast 
inside the fence, yielding perfect scope views for the Mayor and many other 
public officials, neighborhood residents, the press and COS members. 

COS members had searched earlier, in vain, for the resident Great Horned Owl, 
but the neighborhood crows finally located the owl, deep in the woods. We 
were able to get a scope on this beautiful bird. It was fun to note which 
observers were able to "see" the bird right away in a far-off tangle of 
branches: The Mayor, all the TV. cameramen and every child “saw” the owl 
immediately. Both the owl and the hawk were life birds for many viewers.

The Mayor talked to COS members for quite a while about how much he likes 
birding and "his" bird sanctuary at McCormick Place now being rehabbed and 
replanted. He seems to have a true interest in birding. We were able to talk 
to him a little about our campaign to get and keep dogs off Montrose Beach 
and out of nature sanctuaries. He agreed with us! We plan to give him a free 
membership and hope to see him on more field trips.

It was a great morning of birding and it was wonderful to be able to show all 
the brass in attendance (and almost all the politicans were there) how many 
people care about birds, habitat and nature in the city.

Congratulations to Terry Schilling, Charlotte Newfield and the many other 
volunteers who have made the Sanctuary an even better place for birds due to 
lots of hard work. There's even more good stuff to come!

Christine Williamson
Chicago/Cook
birdchris@aol.com