Twenty-five people in light jackets, with binoculars, with museum behind them and long grasses in front of them, with high rise towers well behind them against a blue sky

words by Vinod Babu, trip leader and COS board member

Over 25 participants arrived on a beautiful spring morning to bird the North Pond area prior to a presentation on “Human-Powered Birding Around Chicagoland” at the Peggy Notebaert museum.

We gathered under the watchful eyes of a Canada Goose on the museum roof, scoping out a nest spot. As we did introductions, we wondered about the tendency of Canada Geese to nest on rooftops in the city. How do the goslings get off the roof? After all, these are ground-nesters, not cliff-nesters like Barnacle Geese!

Very small round bird with bright yellow stripe on top of its head and at its shoulders. The bird's head and back are gray, its chin and breast are white, with black scale-shaped markings along the lower edge of the yellow shoulder patch. — Yellow-rumped Warbler. *Photo by Vinod Babu, North Pond, April 12, 2025.*

We walked around the prairie plantings on the south side of the museum and observed some of our resident birds and early spring migrants—European Starlings and House Sparrows (already nesting), Hairy Woodpeckers and Golden-crowned Kinglets. As we rounded the southern end of North Pond, we encountered Yellow-rumped Warblers singing in crisp breeding colors.

On a prominent perch at the edge of the pond was a nice surprise—an Eastern Phoebe. Participants were happy to learn about the tail-pumping behavior of this bird that allows identification even without binoculars.

Patrolling the water's edge was another bird that allows for bin-less ID: a beautiful female Belted Kingfisher with its prominent white wing flashes, rattle calls and deliberate, rather jerky wing flapping. Amid the Canada Geese and Mallards on the pond were Red-breasted Mergansers and a pair of Wood Duck shining in the Sun.

Medium-sized bird with black and white striped head, back and tail and white belly, clinging vertically to the trunk of a tree, long thick bill poised to peck. — Hairy Woodpecker. *Photo by Vinod Babu, North Pond, April 12, 2025.*

Our attention was then directed skyward as a trip participant spotted and correctly ID'ed a lifer for her—Peregrine Falcons! There was a pair of the birds performing display flights around one of the high rises by the park, and another bird further up. The birds put on quite a show, calling repeatedly as well.

An assortment of sparrows—Song, White-throated and Swamp—completed our walk as we approached the museum, along with a Barn Swallow flying around the area. We also picked up two more woodpecker species: Northern Flicker and Red-bellied Woodpeckers.

Large goose with brown back, black head and neck, white breast and white chin strap, sitting on a pile of oval cactus leaves on top of a gravel roof. — Canada Goose. *Photo by Vinod Babu, North Pond, April 12, 2025.*

As we concluded the walk and entered the museum for the talk on transit-friendly hikes around Chicago, we spotted one of the roof-nesting Canada Geese—this one resting comfortably on a patch of prickly pear on the roof garden. A first-of-the-year Caspian Tern flew over, calling hoarsely. In all, the trip yielded 31 species, showcasing a great assortment of our early spring birds!

Field Trip Recap: North Pond