The "Magic Hedge"

Allan Sander
Apr 27
4 min read

Updated: Jun 13

Comes the month of May, the lakefront parks along Chicago’s eastern boundaries become magnets for our neotropical migrants; the contour of Lake Michigan’s shoreline is a corridor for these migrants. They are guided by the stars, heading for their breeding grounds in North America with some flying several hundred miles in one night! Think about it, a journey that began in Central/South America/Caribbean for a ‘feather weight’ of only four ounces. “Heck, that weighs no more than a fifty-cent piece!”

From an aerial perspective, landscapes are the roadmaps of bird migration. Lake Michigan’s western border becomes a water barrier that these feathered masses choose not to cross. First light unveils shoreline parks along the Chicago lakefront. One special area juts out like a giant hook into Lake Michigan marking the eastern edge of the Montrose Beach Dunes Natural Area. Adjacent is the Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary, of which the most notable

(Or most ‘referred’ to... ) landmark is the “Magic Hedge!” Historically, it began with a row of Tatarian Honeysuckles, Lonicera tatarica, planted as a fast-growing fence. This was to provide privacy for the military barracks constructed as a defense site during the Cold War era. Fast forward: the combined efforts of the Chicago Park District with the local community’s time and money, it is now a city treasure; especially for the birds -- providing a place to rest and refuel within the sanctity of its flora.

*Here is a map designed by the late Jim Landing appointing bird landmarks at Montrose Point. [ Feel free to contact me for a manuscript written by Jim Landing recounting the origin of "The Magic Hedge," ]

Now, which images do I choose from - the thrushes, sparrows, orioles, flycatchers, vireos? The list goes on, after all there has been over 340 species of birds tallied for this location! Most people's favorites are the regional wood warblers (Parulidae); they are the most flamboyant, not just in their erratic feeding behavior, but in their combination of brilliantly colored vestments. Let us do a chronological order, based on the arrival times for each week of the month. These pictures were taken during the start of the 3rd millenium, or the first year of the 21st century, i.e., the year 2000.

First off are a couple of year round residents typifying most urban landscapes for the area. The Northern Cardinal, (Cardinalis cardinalis) and...

...the Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus).

Sometimes the American Robin (Turdus migratorius) will spend the year with a desirable niche, but it is usually the first migrant to appear.

Of the passerines, the sparrows are usually the earlier migrants.

White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)

Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)

Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)

Others that challenge the unpredictable weather include:

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

Common Grackle (Quiscalis quiscula)

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)

Yellow-rumped {Myrtle} Warbler, (Setophaga coronata)

Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)

The tally picks up with the second week, along with the colors of flowering trees and feeding warblers.

Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina)

Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla)

Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) are usually found year round, too, but their movements are based on available food - berries.

The American Goldfinch (Spinus tristus) migrates periodically in search of seeds.

Another member of the finch family, the Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea).

Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens)

Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)

Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracencis)

Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)

Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)

American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)

Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) arrive and search out pools of water, collecting mouthfulls of mud to construct their nests under the eaves of nearby buildings.

Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)

Peak numbers are to be had comes the third week.

Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica)

Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens)

Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)

Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)

Veery (Catharus fuscescens)

Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)

Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina)

Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)

Eastern Whip-poor-will (Anstrotomus vociferus)

Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea)

Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca)

King Rail (Rallus elegans)

Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)

Comes week number four, there is a lot of overlap from the prior week with the later arrivals. Plus more females of the species start passing through.

Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata)

Kentucky Warbler (Geothlypis formosa) - female

Mourning Warbler (Geothlypis philadelphia)

Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)

Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea) - female

Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius)

Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis)

You never know what might pop out on one of the trails, like this

Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens)

Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) - female

Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) - female

Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla)

This is a small sample of the aviafauna to be found at this magical place. If you are in the neighborhood for late April through the end of May, treat yourself to an unforgettable experience. FYI, the month of September is also a good time to visit for the reverse migration - birds heading down to their wintering grounds. Enjoy!

Scroll down for additional images from more recent visits.

Location: Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary, Chicago, Illinois

Date: May of 2000

Check this website for an introduction to the Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary:

https://www.birdingplaces.eu/en/birdingplaces/united-states/montrose-point-bird-sanctuary

For a checklist of birds:

https://dnr.illinois.gov/education/wildaboutpages/wildaboutbirds/wildaboutbirdswoodwarblers.html

*James Edward Landing, PhD. member of the Department of Geography at the University of Illinois Chicago

Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca)