Day 13, Monday, May 4, 2020

Osprey photo by Jane Masterson

Washington Park is a 372-acre gem on the South Side, at the western end of the Midway Plaisance. The park has a bit more vegetation and diverse habitat than many city parks, especially on its south end, where there are mature trees, thickets and lagoons. When taken with the Midway and the adjacent Jackson Park, it’s quite a large amount of contiguous green space.
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Ospreys, sometimes described as “fish hawks,” are found on every continent except for Antarctica. They’re a distinctive raptor, the only member of the Family Pandionidae, and one of the few birds you’re likely to see plunging into the water feet-first for fish. Recently, one showed up on the west side of one of the lagoons at Washington Park. Hyde Park resident and nature guide Jane Masterson was there to take its picture on a rainy late April day.

Migration is near its peak this week and buds are bursting all over - share your photos with us with the hashtags #NatureLovesChicago and #NaturalezaAmaChicago.