Mondays with Mike, 9/29/25 - 2 more Mourning Warblers

This is definitely turning out to be the “Year of the Mourning Warbler”.  We had 2 more on the 9/29 Mondays with Mike walk, with one giving us close-range extended views.  Those are our 2nd and 3rd of the series, with at least 6 total reported at Jackson Park this Fall.  By comparison, there were only 4 Mourning Warbler reports at the Park in the prior15 years from 2010 to 2024. 

We’re also witnessing the progression of fall migration with our first Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Palm Warbler of the season.  Thrush and Rose-breasted Grosbeak numbers are also picking up as we head into October.  And some of our earlier warblers (like Worm-eating and Blue-winged) are almost done passing through.  Plus one other highlight of the walk – a surprising Great Egret feeding in one of the small ditches.

Our 9/29 walk ended with 53 species, 13 of which were warblers.  The checklist for the walk can be found here:  ebird.org/checklist/S276355954

And through 4 Mondays with Mike outings we are now up to 84 species featuring 24 warbler species.  The eBird Trip Report combining these 4 walks can be found here:  ebird.org/tripreport/412271

Mourning Warbler by Joshua J. Cotten