Tag Archives: Red-headed Woodpecker

Cook County, Cook County Forest Preserves

Cap Sauers Holding Forest Preserve

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Cap Sauers Holding is one of the larger wooded areas in the Palos Hills forest preserves of southwest Cook County.  It is bordered by State Route 83 to the north, 104th Ave. in the east, McCarthy and Ford Roads to the south and private land to the west.  It is primarily a hardwood forest, sometimes savannah forest in character (open) and has areas of more open scrub.  It is crossed by several trails including the Green Trail that runs more or less east-west along its south border along Ford Road, where it is easily accessed.

The Green Trail gives access to two other trails: the Blue Trail that runs almost directly north from Ford Rd. to Route 83, and the Yellow Trail that makes a loop on the east side of the preserve and connects with Swallow Cliff FP on the south and Teasons Woods on the north (across 104th Ave.).  I usually park along Ford Road to access the trails but you can also park at Teasons Woods or Horsetail Lake FP near where the Yellow Trail crosses to Swallow Cliff.  Right along Ford Road listen for Summer Tanagers that have been found here the last few years.  Near where Ford Road makes a curve to the southeast (west of the caretaker’s house and Bergman Slough) the Green Trail is close to the road.  Go right on the trail.  You will first come to the Blue Trail.  Along this trail you can get Blue-winged Warbler, Ovenbird, Yellow Throated Vireo and Scarlet Tanager.  If you continue on the Green Trail the trail curves south bringing you close to the road across from Bergman Slough.  Red-headed Woodpeckers and a Yellow-throated Vireo have nested in this area for many years.

The Green Trail then heads northeast towards the Yellow Trail.  Eastern Towhee, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Scarlet Tanager and Blue-winged Warblers can be found along this stretch and occasionally a Hooded Warbler or two.  A stretch of scrub just before the Yellow Trail can have White-eyed Vireo, Chestnut-sided Warblers, Blue-winged Warbler and Veery.  The Green Trail meets the Yellow Trail in the apex of its loop.  A small creek cuts across this loop and there are bridges over the creek a short distance from the trail intersection both to the left and right.  The area between these bridges has held Hooded and Kentucky Warblers and a Louisiana Waterthrush has been found near the two bridges for several years.  Taking the Yellow Trail north (left) takes you through more Hooded Warbler territory and those of other forest birds.  Going right (south and east) towards Swallow Cliff is good for more Hooded Warblers, Veery, Wood Thrush and Scarlet Tanagers.

Cap Sauers is one of the better areas in Cook County for Saw-whet, Eastern Screech, Great Horned and Barred Owls.  Pileated Woodpeckers have been observed or heard on the west (Green Trail) and north sides.  For Eastern Whip-poor-will, park on Ford Road after dark in Spring and early summer and walk east/right along the trail for ~100-200 yards and listen.


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Forest Preserve Map, Region 7

Lake County

Almond Marsh

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Located in Northern Lake County, Almond Marsh is an active heron colony and is a part of the Lake County Forest Preserve District. In spring and summer, roosting birds include Great Blue Heron, Double-crested Cormorant, and the only reliable spot to find Black-crowned Night Heron in Lake County throughout the summer months.   Post-breeding wanderers are also a highlight and something to look for at Almond Marsh in season.  Records have included Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron and Neotropic Cormorant.

Besides the rookery, the main attraction is the open water.  During migration, one can find Horned Grebe, American Black Duck, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead and Ruddy Duck.  Breeding waterfowl seen here include Pied-billed Grebe, Wood Duck, Mallard, Blue-winged Teal and Hooded Merganser.   Other marsh breeders include Green Heron, Sora, and Virginia Rail.  By the entrance gate there can be Woodcocks “peenting” in early spring.   In past years, this has been a reliable spot for Yellow-headed Blackbird and Red-headed Woodpecker.  Common Gallinule is also a sporadic breeder.  Both Red-tailed Hawk and Cooper’s Hawk have bred on the preserve, as well as Great Horned Owls.

The oaks surrounding the marsh are a good place to look for spring migrants as they begin to bud, and most regular migrants have been seen.


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Cook County, Cook County Forest Preserves

John Duffy Grassland

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John Duffy Grassland is the part of the John Duffy Forest Preserve south of 131st Street and bordered by Will-Cook Road on the east, Bell Road on the west and private property on the south.  The Red (bridal) trail (download trail map) passes north-south through the middle of the preserve, then heads east along the south edge.  There is a pull-over parking spot on each side of 131st St. where the trail crosses the road but do not block the trail.  There is also a small pull-over parking spot on Will-Cook Rd. on the east side across the entrance to Tampier Lake FP.  On 131st St. to the west of the trail crossing is a parking lot for the bridal trail.  The Forest Preserve District is often slow about opening up the parking lot in the morning.  The preserve consists of larger patches of prairie with several small patches of woodland.

Birds: Look and listen for Dickcissels, Eastern Meadowlark and Eastern Bluebirds in the field south of the parking lot.  A few years ago Henslow’s Sparrows also nested here but disappeared.  However, with the controlled burns at Bergman Slough Field they may return as they have to other places in this preserve.  A mowed trail leads from the parking lot to the Red Trail to the east.  Northeast of the intersection with the Red Trail is a small pond with dead trees.  A number of species nest or visit here.  Nesters include Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, Warbling Vireo, Wood Duck and occasionally Red-headed Woodpecker.  In the field stretching east are often Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, Dickcissel and Savannah Sparrow.  Great Crested Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo and Eastern Towhee can be found in the woodlots here and throughout the preserve.  At the gap in the hedge to the east you can find nesting Brown Thrasher, Indigo Bunting, Gray Catbird (all found throughout the preserve, as well) and, sometimes, Eastern Bluebird.  The grasslands on the eastern half of the preserve are the best for Henslow’s, Grasshopper and Savannah Sparrows and Bobolink.  On rare occasions there has been a Black-billed Cuckoo in the woodlot to the north.  Red-tailed Hawks nest somewhere in this area.  The woods on the south side hold Red-bellied and Hairy Woodpeckers.  In 2012 there was a Ruby-throated Hummingbird at the southern gap in the hedge.  Follow the Red Trail west to where it curves back north.  Along the south end of the north-south leg of the trail there is usually a White-eyed Vireo; in 2012 there were 2 on territory here.  There is usually a Blue-winged Warbler along here, as well.  Cooper’s Hawks have nested in the woodlot on the east side of the trail. 26 June 2010 there was a Prairie Warbler heard singing distantly from the gap between woodlots on the east side of the trail; this was likely a post breeding dispersal but it may be a species to listen for in the next decade.


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Cook County, Cook County Forest Preserves

Ford Road/Bergman Slough/Bergman Slough Field

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Ford Road is north of McCarthy Road between Will-Cook and Wolf Roads.  There are pull-over parking spaces on the south side of Ford Road.  To the south is Bergman Slough Field and to the north is Cap Sauer Forest Preserve.  Near the east most parking space where the road starts to curve south a Summer Tanager has been on territory for the last few summers.  In winter Northern Saw-whet, Eastern Screech, Barred and Great Horned Owls can all be found along Ford Road.  Henslow’s and Grasshopper Sparrows nest near the road in the field to the south (note: the Forest Preserve District has done controlled burns in the field recently, 2011-12, that has caused the Henslow’s to move to the near by John Duffy Grasslands).   In most years Henslow’s can be found throughout the grassland.  Farther back in the field (farther south) are breeding Dickcissels and Bobolinks and usually an Eastern meadowlark or two.  In late summer Sedge Wrens often arrive for a second round of nesting from other locations unknown.  In spring watch and listen for displaying American Woodcocks.  On the west edge of the field on the wooded edge south of the houses there has been a Blue-winged Warbler or two for a couple of years.

Farther east along Ford Road is the caretaker’s house (sometime occupied, sometimes not).  A Yellow-throated Vireo has been found in the woods across the road since 2008.  Listen for the/a Summer Tanager here as well.  An Orchard Oriole can usually be found behind the house.  In the past a Blue-winged Warbler has been found by the house.  On 8 June 2008, 9 June 2009 and 14 June 2012 a male Least Flycatcher has been recorded behind or east of this house, but breeding has not yet been confirmed.  Red-headed Woodpeckers breed in the woods just to the northeast of the house in Cap Sauer.  Ospreys breed at Bergman Slough south of the house.  The area immediately around the lake is off limits from 15 April to August.  Do not park at the small parking space east of the caretaker’s house, even if you are in the woods across the street looking for Red-headeds!  The Ospreys can be viewed with a scope from the parking places mentioned at the beginning of this post.


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Putnam County

Hennepin & Hopper Lakes

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Hennepin-Hopper, as it’s known, is one of Illinois premier birding locations. This restored wetland has some of the best quality cattail marshes in northern Illinois.

There are 3 primary birding spots here:

The boat launch
The boat launch area offers a good vantage point to scope the marsh. Breeding birds here include Yellow-headed Blackbird, Common Gallinule, Least Bittern, American Bittern, Swamp Sparrow, Marsh Wren and other expected marsh species, such as Sora and Virginia Rail. King Rails were calling here in May/June of 2011. Bald Eagle is frequently seen here. In the woods to the south, Red-headed Woodpecker and Carolina Wren are resident. In March and April, thousands of waterfowl congregate here, and White-fronted Goose and Cackling Goose are usually present.

The tower 
The tower offers an elevated overview of the marshes, and many of the same birds. Looking north, one can often spot Northern Harrier, and Sedge Wren nests in the prairie around the tower.

Urnikis Rd.
Another access point, and usually the best for Yellow-headed Blackbird. If the water is low, the gravel trail can be walked for quite a distance through the marsh and out into the prairie to the west. Henslow’s and Grasshopper Sparrows breed here, but the trail is most often under more than 2 feet of water. To access this spot turn west off Rte. 26 at Urnikis Rd. (780E). This is about 1/2 mile north of the main entrance road (795E). Note that there is only room to pull in one or two cars and that the open area that looks like a small parking lot, on the left as you pull in, is private property.

The marshes at Hennepin-Hopper have produced a lot of rare birds including Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Great-tailed Grackle, Ross’ Goose, White-faced Ibis, Black-necked Stilt and Hudsonian Godwit.


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