This morning we walked the Lakeside Trail at Independence Grove Forest Preserve. The sun was shining, the wind was blowing, and the birds were active.
A lone Killdeer was calling at the water’s edge.
A Ring-billed Gull snacked on a crab along the path.
We saw our first Brown-headed Cowbirds of the season.
Red-winged Blackbirds were everywhere, showing off for the ladies and staking out territory.
The lake was full of waterfowl. You can see American Coots, Redheads, and Common Goldeneye in this photo.
We even saw a Red-winged Blackbird dive-bombing a Red-tailed Hawk.
The last time we went to Independence Grove was on New Year’s Day and it was well below freezing. We barely lasted 10 minutes outside before we ran back to the comfort of the car. Today’s weather was muuuuuch better! 🙂
