Winter 2015: Snowy owl, swans and winter ducks

All photos taken in Hyde Park.  Most of them taken at 63rd Street beach or at La Rabida (6501 S Promontory Drive)

Snowy owl on pier at 63rd Street beach at dusk

Short video of snowy owl:

sun dog

male and female common goldeneye

red-breasted merganser courting display

See some common goldeneyes’ courtship displays in the video below:

How big is a mute swan?

A lot bigger than a common goldeneye duck.

Quite a bit bigger than a Canada Goose

Swans enjoying the outer harbor (63rd to 66th and Lake Shore Drive) until the geese come back

The geese are back.

scaup

red-headed ducks

February 1 blizzard

February 1 blizzard

fox squirrel at 63rd St Beach parking lot

 

Hyde Park Wildlife Calendars (extra calendars available for FREE for local teachers)

The second calendar, “Wildlife in Chicago Parks”  is the one available for FREE for local teachers.

Order button at this website:

http://www.naturalhistorychicago.com/

Hyde Park Wildlife— all photos taken in Jackson Park

Wildlife in Chicago Parks  – all but one photo taken in Hyde Park

some unusual shots, other silly shots.

 

Cape Cod Wildlife Calendar also available

63rd Street and LSD (Hayes Beach) Other things to see if the snowy owl and peregrine falcon aren’t there!

mute swans in outer harbor

mute swans with merganser duck for scale

tree sparrow– rusty cap, eye line, dot on chest

tree sparrow

tree sparrow  also has two-tone beak– dark on top, light on bottom

more than great icicles on pier, ice to watch in the water

footprints– more on following post, these are from the tree sparrows

lapland longspur

lapland longspur

peregrine falcon

snow bunting

snowy owl

snowy owl back on 63rd Street Pier Sunday–we’ll check out the pier on Tuesday’s nature walk

On December 17th, we will meet at 3:30 pm for a Free Guided Nature Walk.  We meet at the east door (Space Center) of the Science and Industry Museum .  We will use a spotting scope to look at the winter ducks in the 59th Street Harbor and the Lake (63rd and Hayes, where we will hopefully spot the owl).  We will then drive over to the Point for the 5 pm moonrise. 
The meters are expensive if you park right by the East entrance. It is cheaper ($1 an hour) if you turn left into the parking lot. Parking is free if once you are in the parking lot, you drive south past the boats, over the stone bridge and park near the tennis courts. Hope to see you there!   FREE EVENT.  For more information go to passitonchicago.com or call 773-913-2030×3.   Children welcome. Check here if rain date is needed and  Call if you can’t find us: 773-913-2030×3.