Field Trip Report: Horner Park

words by Brighten Jelke
photos by Larry Krutulis

September 15, 2023

On Friday September 15, twelve birders joined COS bird walk leaders Stephanie Beilke and Larry Krutulis for a trip around Horner Park, a city park on Chicago’s North Side. The early morning sun filtering through the trees made for beautiful weather, despite making it somewhat challenging to spot birds!

The group started on the west side of the park near California Avenue. A Common Nighthawk in flight was spotted by one group member just before the group gathered at 7 a.m., as well as a young Common Yellowthroat.

Common Yellowthroat

As the group got going, goldfinch fledgling calls could be heard above our heads. That turned out to be a recurring theme for the day as several birds were much more easily heard than spotted, including Gray Catbirds, a Northern Waterthrush, a Warbling Vireo, and many Swainson’s Thrushes throughout the park. 

Moving clockwise around the park, we were treated to excellent views of a Red-Bellied Woodpecker on an exposed tree branch near the riverbank. A Least Flycatcher and Ruby-throated Hummingbird took turns fluttering over our heads, resulting in some painful neck angles! It was worth it—as the group stopped to observe, we heard alarm calls from a flock of goldfinches right before a Cooper’s Hawk flew into the tree canopy. 

Toward the southeast corner of the park, we briefly spotted a Gray-cheeked Thrush hanging out with a group of Swainson’s. Another one of the highlights of this walk was an unexpected visit from a Brown Thrasher making their way across the treetops.

The walk wrapped up with sparrows, robins, and European Starlings hopping around in the dirt near the baseball fields, and lots of Chimney Swifts circling overhead—an estimated 200+ on the day! In total, the group counted 32 species.