Chicago Bird Watching

Nashville Warbler

2011-05-04T05:04:00.000-07:00

I've only seen Nashville Warblers high up in trees. So I never really saw the little rufous cap that they have. I actually checked the photo in my Sibley's book because I wondered if, perhaps, this little guy had been injured on the top of his head. Not to worry, Nashville's do wear a little rufous cap.

Hey Camera Girl! Turn up the heat, please!

Like my profile?

Can you see my little red hat?

Maybe I'll just snuggle under this flower

with some Chai Tea until the weather warms up

I'm so outta here!

Black Throated Green Warbler

2011-05-02T16:37:00.000-07:00

I find it very unusual to see a warbler flitting around the ground instead of high up in the trees. But this has been a very unusual migration season (has it really even started yet?). Anyway, this little Black Throated Green Warbler was flitting around the grass and low bushes in Grant Park on Monday. I got the impression that he was expecting temperatures higher than the mid 40s.

Hey! Down on the ground is less windy than up in the trees.

I REALLY thought it was time to migrate.

How could I be so off schedule?

Who are you and WHAT did you

do with the Spring Weather?

I know I packed my Migration Mittens. Where are they?

I may have to fly back south for awhile longer!

Yellow-Rumped Warbler

2011-04-26T09:17:00.000-07:00

Happy 226th Birthday Mr. Audubon!

Don't you love it when a bird's name is sooooooo descriptive. Of course, this is a Yellow-Rumped Warbler. But he also has yellow shoulders and, if you look really closely at the second photo, you can see a hint of a yellow crown.

I hope the sighting of my first warbler of the Spring is a sign that Spring is actually here.

Migration 2011: Early April

2011-04-13T04:13:00.000-07:00

A sample of the birds that are currently coming through Chicago during the 2011 Migration:

Clockwise from top left: Eastern Phoebe, Brown Thrasher,

American Goldfinch (in its Motley Phase of Color Transition),

Yellow Bellied Sapsucker, a hungry Black Capped Chickadee, Hermit Thrush

Loony Tunes

2011-04-09T13:40:00.000-07:00

I can't believe this Loon let me take so many photos of it swimming around a channel off Lake Michigan. That is, until another Loon arrived and in typical Loon fashion bellowed (seriously it was LOUD - perhaps because of an echo effect from the channel and because it, too, was quite close)

"Watch out for the camera"

Both loons, then, dove under and were next seen at the farrrrrrrrr end of the channel swimming further away from the nosy camera lens.

Snowy Owl

2011-03-16T03:16:00.000-07:00

This Snowy Owl put on quite a show for awhile in a little town in Northern Illinois. (These were taken in January. Yeah, I'm a little late posting these.) It's not that it is a rare visitor to the area - Snowy Owls do reside here in the winter. The rarity was that it sat out in the open like this - periodically switching telephone/electric poles for a change of scenery - daily for weeks.

It garnered A LOT of attention. On the day we were there, the side road nearest to it - which was still a farm field away - had at least a dozen cars. On the plus side, the people who came to see it were generally pretty respectful of the bird and didn't try to get too close. On the down side, some watchers started releasing mice in the area so they could get "action shots" of the owl. Not that she (I think it is a she) needed any help getting dinner.

Long-Tailed Duck

2011-03-12T14:09:00.000-08:00

Chicago had another rare visitor recently. This little guy, with the very striking markings, is a Long-Tailed Duck. He hung around Burnham Harbor for a few days. According to the All About Birds description, this is a non-breeding male. They typically do not come this far south, preferring the upper Great Lakes and Canada region. I love his coloring and the way his tail curls up.

Cooper's Hawk

2011-01-28T06:25:00.000-08:00

The watcher got watched! We went over to the Magic Hedge last Sunday. There had been a light snow and we were hoping to see any of our Winter Residents out and about.

I was a little un-nerved though to glance up and see this Cooper's Hawk sitting on a lower branch calmly watching me. He has a "young" look to him so perhaps he hasn't seen too many people tramping through the snow.

I got the feeling, from his expression here, that he somehow blamed US for the gust of wind that blew the new snow off the tree and onto him.

Harlequin Duck in Costume

2011-01-14T01:14:00.000-08:00

About two months ago, I posted some photos of immature (or female) Harlequin Ducks. They were fun to watch, but I missed seeing their cool winter plumage. This weekend, I got the chance to see a Harlequin Duck all decked out for Winter.

Enjoying the waves

Surf's Up, Dude

Oh No! A Camera! Gotta Go!

Where'd He Go?

This Cold Weather Makes Me Sleepy

Naptime!

Red-Tailed Hawk

2011-01-10T13:10:00.000-08:00

This Red Tailed Hawk got his feathers ruffled. By the wind ... but not by me. In fact, I think he was more than happy to get his photo taken. Initially, he greeted us at the entrance (where he then captured a snack). Later, he flew over to the other side of Northerly Island where we were walking to grab another snack. He seems to be eating well and becoming quite the urban Hawk.

Northern Shrike

2011-01-03T01:03:00.000-08:00

Where else would a Northern Shrike be but on ... Northerly Island. And, of course, only a possible sighting of a cool bird like a Northern Shrike would lure us out on a cold winter day. This one seemed to be enjoying the sun (as we were as well) in between food reconnaissance missions.

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

2010-12-12T05:41:00.000-08:00

Found this Red-bellied Woodpecker on a recent trip to Ryerson Woods. His colors - the red "hood" and the beautiful black and white striping - are so striking. And, upon closer inspection of the photos, the holes in the tree seem to indicate it is a favorite of the local woodpeckers. The very last picture in this series shows a little view of why he is called a Red-bellied Woodpecker.

Harelequin Ducks

2010-11-06T15:07:00.000-07:00

Chicago has some interesting visitors. Some Harlequin Ducks are visiting the lakefront. Now, last year there was a single Harlequin Duck sighted at various lakefront locations. He must have enjoyed himself because this year he brought along two friends. I think these are immature ones, based on the description on the Cornell website so they don't have the interesting breeding colors but if they stay around long enough, perhaps we'll be treated to their winter costume.

What are you looking at?

Hey! I can see the Hancock Building if I stand up like this.

Getting your ducks lined up

Splash Fest!

Splish! Splash! He was taking a bath

Splash Fest! The Sequel!

Red-Breasted Nuthatch

2010-09-29T10:19:00.000-07:00

Grant Park seems to have been overtaken by the pecking birds: Sapsuckers, Flickers, Creepers, and Nuthatches. This particular one indulged my camera and I for quite awhile.

This sun feels good on

my tired old migrating bones

I wonder if the bugs on that tree

over there are more tasty?

Me and My Shadow

Defying Gravity

This looked easier when that Sapsucker

was doing it

Welcome Back Little Warblers

2010-09-21T19:45:00.000-07:00

I shouldn't be surprised. The human bird watchers figured out a while ago that Grant Park was a great spot for bird watching during the Spring and Fall Migrations. It was only a matter of time that the birds of prey figured out that Grant Park would be a good spot for watching for little birds as well.

This guy swooped by me on Tuesday morning. Sparrows, warblers, thrushes, and finches all headed for cover. He landed in a tree and, as his expression shows, caught sight of a potential mid-morning snack. He swooped away a few seconds later -- I didn't see if he caught his target or not. I do know that it was pretty quiet, bird-wise, in Grant Park after that.

Warblers on the Move, Part II

2010-05-22T05:22:00.000-07:00

A few more of this week's warbler convention

Prothonotary Warbler

(Not to be confused with a Yellow Warbler -- unless you just see the head)

Wilson's Warbler

(Not to be confused with Mr. T -- though the hairstyle is similar)

Common Yellowthroat

(Not to be confused with The Hamburglar - though they both have that mask)

Warblers on the Move, Part I

2010-05-21T06:47:00.000-07:00

Lots of migrating warblers coming through Chicago. These were posing for me. (A few others - such as the elusive Canada Warbler and the Black Throated Blue - refused to sit still enough in a well lit area for me to get a decent photo.)

Palm Warbler

Magnolia Warbler

(Singing to greet the sun on a beautiful May morning)

Black Throated Green Warbler

(who doesn't quite blend in with the green leaves)

A Rush of Thrushes

2010-05-13T08:25:00.000-07:00

These three thrushes,

flushed from a rushed migration,

were in the brush,

crushing mushy bugs and making quite a hushed fuss,

not wanting to gush about their lush location.

OK. That's enough. I'll stop. ;)

Wood Thrush

Veery

Hermit Thrush

Ovenbird

(Although it LOOKS thrush-like, the ovenbird is actually in the Warbler family)

Rose Breasted Grosbeak

2010-05-11T19:03:00.000-07:00

The Rose Breasted Grosbeak is a pretty cool looking bird. I first saw one last year, around this time, high up in a tree. This one was nice enough to perch on a lower limb and sit still for its portrait. Truth be told, the "sitting still" part doesn't seem too out-of-the-ordinary for the Grosbeak. They seem to be a rather "laid-back" bird - nibbling on leaves and seeds - compared to the crazed flitting and jumping of the warblers and flycatchers.

Male Rose Breasted Grosbeak

Female Rose Breasted Grosbeak*

* I REALLY wanted to believe this bird was a new "life list" sparrow or longspur that I hadn't seen before. The more I took pictures, though, the more the beak looked familiar - even though the rest of the bird looked very sparrow-like. Then I saw the male grosbeak with that very telltale beak and realized my "cool new sparrow" was a female Rose Breasted Grosbeak.

Nature plays a joke on me ;)

Tale of Two Cities

2010-05-07T08:26:00.000-07:00

A visit to Seattle gave us the opportunity to see the western versions of some of our Chicago birds. Both versions are shown below.

Western Difference: Darker head, Back and Sides are brown

Western Difference: Wings have white spots instead of white bars

Western Difference: Yellow throat instead of White throat

Sparrows of the Week

2010-04-30T19:30:00.000-07:00

These sparrows were having a convention in Chicago this week.

Clockwise from top left

Chipping Sparrow, White Crowned Sparrow,

Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Tree Sparrow

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher

2010-04-28T07:31:00.000-07:00

Look! A Blue Gray Gnatcatcher! Well, wait look over there. No, over there. No, over there. This is one of the early "flitty" birds. It flits quicker than the little gnats it goes after.

I'll spare you ALL the photos of empty branches, leaves, and blue-gray blurs that I had to take in order to get these three. (I am surprised to have gotten two of this little bird sitting still!) But at least it gets us in practice for the flitty warblers soon to return.

House Sparrow

2010-04-27T04:27:00.000-07:00

Couldn't resist snapping a photo of this House Sparrow. He seemed to be so proud of the fancy little pink feather he found. Many of the resident birds around here are in the process of building nests, so, presumably, he's going to "feather his nest" with this bright little doo-dad.

Hermit Thrush

2010-04-24T04:24:00.000-07:00

Well, never let it be said that a bird can't get a good meal in Chicago. This Hermit Thrush must have started hitting all the good restaurants and bakeries as soon as he landed.

I guess migration is similar to a marathon: before a long flight, you gotta bulk up on the carbs and calories.

Do you think he'll even be able to take off?

Caspian Terns

2010-04-20T04:20:00.000-07:00

Another early bird: the Caspian Tern. These two were having a debate on Montrose Beach this past weekend.

"Tastes Great"

"Less Filling"

"Whatever"

Brown Creeper

2010-04-18T04:18:00.000-07:00

Oh this poor little Brown Creeper. So close and yet so far. Apparently the poor little guy was so delirious from his migration trip that he confused almost every vertical item for a tree. He scaled almost every stair railing and decorative metal bar in the Bloch Cancer Survivor Park before he found a tree.

In reality, I didn't need to worry about him too much as those railings and metal gates probably house a good number of small insects and spiders which, for the Creeper, are a tasty treat.

A tree? No a stair railing!

A tree? No a fence post!

A tree? No a gazebo!

(But at least there is a flower)

A tree? No a cement barrier!

SUCCESS! A Tree! Hurray!

Brown Thrasher

2010-04-16T04:16:00.000-07:00

The Brown Thrashers are coming through Chicago. They haven't been around since last fall. This one was over by Burnham Harbor last weekend, enjoying some very mild temperatures. It was great to be able to observe him for awhile; they swing their head from side to side using their long curved beak to stir up leaves while looking for food (probably why they are called Thrashers?).

He then treated us to a song - which I hadn't heard before. I guess I expected it to be more of a gravelly "AACK" type sound but it is a very pretty and melodic song.

WHAT are you looking at?!?

What's back there that you are taking a picture of?

Are you still here?

Oh forget it! I'm going back to eating!

I'm ready for my close-up.

Eastern Towhee

2010-04-13T19:16:00.000-07:00

Spring Migration Season has barely started and I feel like I am way behind in posting. I will really try to catch up during the rest of this week.

I don't usually see the Eastern Towhee up in a tree. I usually see them scratching around on the ground. I realized, today, that I had not heard their song. Until this afternoon. It was the song that made me go looking for the bird. They have a loud song - I heard it across the park - that is more a chirp with a nice tone. I guess this one was alerting all the other birds to the pretty setting that is Grant Park. Either that, or he was intentionally distracting me from trying to find that Eastern Meadowlark I had seen earlier. ;)

Winter's Ending Water Fowl

2010-04-08T07:47:00.000-07:00

As winter comes to a close (maybe?), the water fowl move back north. Of course, they stop in Chicago for a little while to enjoy our harbors and marinas before the boaters come back.

This interesting looking bird is a White Winged Scoter. I love the swooshy eye marking and the way the water beads up on its back.

This is a Northern Shoveler, named, I presume, because of that beak that looks like it could plow some streets in the winter, too.

A pair of Northern Shovelers doing what they do best: shoveling the water for lunch.

Early Birds

2010-03-26T07:35:00.000-07:00

A few of the birds that have arrived in Chicago so far this Spring.

Clockwise from top left

Male House Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, male Red Winged Blackbird,

Robin, Song Sparrow, House Finch, White Throated Sparrow,

Common Grackle, female House Sparrow

Common Grackle

2010-03-16T19:01:00.000-07:00

Another early bird is the Common Grackle. They are hard to miss because they are quite loud.

Almost hidden in a nest

Out in the open -- enjoying some early Spring sunshine

Red-winged Blackbird

2010-03-15T14:44:00.000-07:00

It's interesting. All of a sudden - around the beginning of March - the bird activity jumps up a notch around here. You first notice it with the residents: the house sparrows and robins are a little more active and noisy.

The red-winged blackbirds, an early bird, appeared over the weekend.

Male Red-winged Blackbird

Female Red-winged Blackbird

Vermillion Flycatcher

2010-02-05T07:22:00.000-08:00

Since today is National Wear Red Day, I thought I'd post some photos of some Vermillion Flycatchers that I took at a bird/nature area in San Juan Del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

Organized by the American Heart Association, the purpose of Wear Red Day is to raise awareness of women's heart disease.

Red Tail Hawks

2010-01-04T07:25:00.000-08:00

While driving up to Wisconsin this past weekend, we felt like we were being monitored by red tail hawks. It seemed like they were lining the road - almost like a welcoming party.

The Ornaments are Alive

2009-12-07T17:30:00.001-08:00

This little white-throated sparrow and several of his friends were enjoying Chicago's Official Christmas Tree in Daley Plaza. They have a steady stream of food from the Christkindlmarket that is also underway (brat bun scraps, pretzel pieces, etc.). I hope they stay out of the gluhwein, else they'll be flying a bit crooked.

Ruby Crested Kinglet

2009-11-06T06:22:00.000-08:00

I've posted a few pictures of the Ruby Crested Kinglet in the Spring. Now the little guy is heading back south, but not before he stopped at Grant Park for some road trip snacks.

In the Spring, we saw the Kinglets in trees. This little one was foraging in the leaves on the ground. Good thing he flits around a lot because he could risk being stepped on.

He is so tiny, he could hide behind a leaf.

He moves faster than the shutter - maybe trying to get a better look at my camera?

I almost deleted this photo - thinking he had flitted away and I missed him - until I saw him, close to the left edge of the photo - looking right into the camera.

American Crow

2009-10-31T02:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!

Wood Duck

2009-10-29T07:04:00.000-07:00

The male Wood Ducks at North Pond recently molted to their "colors" just in time for Halloween. The males have interesting and beautiful markings to begin with, but when all their feathers are new, they are just so much more intriguing.

A pair of Wood Ducks at North Pond

This one is sitting so quietly that it
seems like a decoy instead of a real bird.

The females don't get the colors and patterns that the males do,
but they do get some eye make-up to give that "come hither" look.

I guess the new feathers are still itchy!

P.S. My Apologies -- I've been watching and photographing the birds more than posting. I have lots of bird photos from the Autumn Migration that I will be getting to this site.

Swainson's Thrush

2009-10-10T19:31:00.000-07:00

This little guy took a break during his long migration to take a quick bath in a Grant Park puddle.

Nashville Warbler

2009-09-25T08:18:00.000-07:00

Fall Migration seems to be picking up based on the variety of birds that are hanging out in Grant Park. Here is the Nashville Warbler. I think he might have arrived a little too early -- next week is the Country Music Fest in Grant Park.

(Click to Enlarge)

But he's still on time for the morning yoga sessions. Here he is doing a side triangle pose.

Cardinal Phases

2009-09-18T09:04:00.000-07:00

I don't mean to be mean but young cardinals did not fair well in the plumage department. It's one thing to be drab, as many juvenile and/or non-breeding versions of birds are. It's another to be mottled and splotchy.

Perhaps it is like the gawky teenager who becomes a model - it's just a phase they have to go through. And they seem to sense it, too. The ones in Grant Park were squawking up a storm earlier this month. It was almost as if they were all commiserating about how pitiful they looked in comparison to the adult birds.

But then they finish changing colors and they are the most brilliant, sleek red.

You better not post this picture.
I'm not in my good outfit yet.

Can't you wait until I've completely
changed colors to take my picture?

Don't look at me!
Almost there ...
Who? Me?
Mottled red and gray?
Never!
That was some OTHER bird.

Down by the Shore

2009-09-11T10:45:00.000-07:00

A trio of shore birds spent Labor Day at Montrose Beach (along with the seagulls, volleyball players, and sunbathers)

This Sanderling looks big ...

... until you see it in perspective to a plastic cup. He's a small guy but large for sandpipers.

When it is sitting, the Least Sandpiper looks a lot like a Semipalmated Sandpiper ...
... but when it is up and about you can see the distinguishing greenish legs.
So happy to be back in Chicago, this little Semipalmated Plover ...
... broke into a high-kicking chorus line routine.

Cooper's Hawk

2009-09-05T11:02:00.000-07:00

Totally surprised by a Cooper's Hawk just sitting quietly in a shrub in the Magic Hedge by Montrose today. We knew one was in the area as we saw it last week in a "flyby". But it is so much more satisfying to be able to watch one, close up, for awhile.

It eventually flew over to a taller tree and kept an eye out - in all directions - for brunch. There was also a kestrel in the area (we only saw it as a "swoopby", though). Two raptors in the area sure kept the warblers, flycatchers, and sparrows on their toes. They were all fairly quiet and kept somewhat still and hidden behind leaves. The notable exception were the goldfinch. They never are quiet -- I think they are singing out "We taste like lemons - you don't want to eat us." ;)

Eastern Kingbird

2009-08-28T05:12:00.000-07:00

I really like the Eastern Kingbird. They have lovely markings and are enjoyable (and easy) to watch because they remain in the same general area for awhile. They perch and watch. Fly off for a bug and then return to the same (or nearly the same) perch.

While they usually strike a rather stately pose, as the last photo shows, they are quite capable of an occasional goofy look.

Dickcissel

2009-08-21T07:03:00.001-07:00

This happy little bird, a Dickcissel, was singing away on Northerly Island in downtown Chicago. He's got great coloring - I think it looks like he's wearing a snazzy suit with a black ascot. It's actually not hard to catch him in mid-song since he opens his beak so widely to sing out (which he does often).

Caspian Tern

2009-07-31T06:39:00.000-07:00

The Caspian Tern has a real "Joe Cool" Surfer look. There have been a few lingering by Montrose Beach throughout the summer. (There were more in the Spring but, I believe, they've moved further north now.)

These next four shots were of one of the terns looking for lunch. They hover, a little, while looking down into the water.

This one took offense, I think, when I suggested that it looked more like Moe of the Three Stooges than a Joe Cool Surfer.

Mallard Duck

2009-07-28T04:36:00.000-07:00

This Mallard and her duckling were swimming around Burnham Harbor. The mercury-like appearance of the water is due to a boat's reflection. The little duckling stayed very close to its mother. I have a feeling that's because there were a lot of seagulls around looking for wayward ducklings.

Savannah Sparrow

2009-07-17T06:26:00.000-07:00

This Savannah Sparrow, at Northerly Island, seemed only too happy to mug for the camera.

"Hey! You with the camera! Take my picture!"

"This is my dramatic look!"

"Uh-Oh! That feather is out of place. Every one has to be just right!"

"I'm ready for my close-up"

"I can't believe I ate the whole thing!"

Killdeer

2009-07-10T07:38:00.000-07:00

We've seen some Killdeer at two locations in Chicago: Montrose Beach (near the Magic Hedge) and Northerly Island. I like their very clean clear markings. They're fun to watch as well. They tend to run and then suddenly stop and sit. Apparently they stop to see if they've scared up any bugs to eat.

At Montrose Beach

Taking in the view at Northerly Island

AAACK! A Photographer!

Red, White and Blue for Independence Day

2009-07-03T11:32:00.000-07:00

Red Eyed Vireo

2009-06-26T05:30:00.000-07:00

It was this picture of the Red-Eyed Vireo that finally enabled us to identify it. Its red eye is pretty clear in this photo (especially if you enlarge it). And then it was obvious (to us finally) because it was the only bird in the Chicago area with a red eye, dark eye stripe, grayish crown and white body.

Black and White Warbler

2009-06-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

Saw this little Black and White Warbler in Grant Park. They stick very close to the tree trunk - and, depending on the tree and the light, can really blend into the trunk.

Green Heron

2009-06-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

This Green Heron was lunching at Eggers Grove Forest Preserve (a surprisingly lush green oasis in the middle of a primarily industrial area on the southeast side of Chicago).

How A Bird Flies

2009-06-05T04:30:00.000-07:00

Over the last two months of photographing birds, I've managed to document their secret. They don't flap their wings to take off and fly. Instead, they launch themselves like miniature jet-propelled rockets. Here's the proof.

Red Eyed Vireo ................ Blackpoll Warbler

Blackburnian Warbler

Black and White Warbler ........... Black Throated Green Warbler

Cape May Warbler

American Goldfinch

Least Flycatcher

2009-05-31T17:24:00.000-07:00

Least Flycatchers, which we've seeing at The Magic Hedge and in Grant Park now, are fun to watch. They swoop out, flutter a bit as they catch bugs, then swing back to sit in wait for the next unsuspecting fly (or gnat or mosquito) to flit by.

Blackburnian Warbler

2009-05-29T07:37:00.000-07:00

These Blackburnian Warblers were all over Grant Park last week. They are still around - I saw a male one just this morning.

The first two photos are of a female Blackburnian Warbler. I have to admit when I first saw it, I thought it was a new warbler - one to add to my list ;). Then I looked it up and realized it was a female. So here's a birdwatching tip: Study what the males and the females look like since sometimes they look very different. The last two photos are of a male Blackburnian Warbler. His throat and chest are very bright orange and when the sun hits it, he's a little neon light.

Spotted Sandpiper

2009-05-28T06:51:00.000-07:00

This little Spotted Sandpiper was enjoying a day at the Montrose Beach last Saturday. When you compare him to the Ringbilled Gull (typically 17.5" tall) in the lower picture you get a fairly good idea of how little the Sandpiper (typically 7.5" tall) is.

Magnolia Warbler

2009-05-22T09:03:00.000-07:00

Today, we're watching the Magnolia Warbler.

He sits quietly in flowers.
(OK - he sits quietly for maybe 2 seconds and then starts flitting around again)

He sits quietly in trees.
(Again - for 2 seconds - resting before another flitting spell.)

He swings precariously on small branches.
(While looking for another place to flit around.)

He slides down shrub branches.
(So he can flit around in the leaves away from the camera.)

He glares menacingly at the photographer.

He flies away.

Female Ruby Throated Hummingbird

2009-05-21T04:59:00.000-07:00

I thought it was a big dragonfly the way it zipped by me. Then it sat on a limb for a nano-second and somehow I got lucky and got a "fairly" clear picture of this female ruby-throated hummingbird at The Magic Hedge.

American Redstart (Immature)

2009-05-18T07:09:00.000-07:00

It's hard enough to identify some adult birds in the first place. It gets a lot harder when you mix in the immature ones, which haven't developed their adult colors yet. We studied this bird - and a multitude of photo angles of it - for awhile before settling on identifying it as an immature American Redstart. I think the yellow blotches and the tail "design" are the identifying features.

A few days ago, I posted a photo of the adult version. It is quite a contrast.

(Click to enlarge the photos)

Yellow Warbler

2009-05-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

This is a Yellow Warbler. We've been seeing them around the Magic Hedge and in Grant Park for the last few weeks. "Adorable" just seems like a good word to describe this bird - perhaps due to its remarkable resemblance to a Marshmallow Peep.

Bald Eagle (Immature)

2009-05-14T03:40:00.000-07:00

Every so often, we need to be reminded to look in the sky for the birds. Sounds obvious. But, it is easy to forget when we get in the habit of looking in trees, hedges, water and the grass. Who'd think the birds would actually be flying in the sky?!?

And, who'd think there would be a Bald Eagle flying over Montrose Beach and the Magic Hedge. But there he was soaring around on Sunday morning. The immature versions have fairly distinctive lower body/wing patterns and their flight "posture" is different enough to make identification pretty straightforward.

So please remember to look up every once in awhile. You might see something interesting.

(Click on the pictures to enlarge them)

Wood Duck

2009-05-13T05:50:00.000-07:00

Wood Ducks have great plumage - like an abstract interpretation of a duck. This one was just enjoying the afternoon at Jarvis Migratory Bird Sanctuary.

Bird migration is picking up around here. Chicago has a program called Lights Out Chicago that encourages owners/managers of high-rise buildings to dim their lights during the spring and fall migrations so birds don't collide with the buildings during their night flights. There is also a group called the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors that works to rescue stunned (or exhausted) birds and educate people on how to make it safer for birds to migrate through Chicago. Their slogan is "Helping Migratory Birds Safely Navigate the Loop". Their website has information on what to do if you find an injured bird.

American Redstart

2009-05-12T03:52:00.000-07:00

This little American Redstart was a surprise and a challenge at the Magic Hedge. We were just standing around gazing at the area by the dead tree in the Hedge when I saw a flash of red. There wasn't enough red to be a Cardinal but too much to be a Redwing Blackbird (which had been the only birds with red that we'd seen).

When it did show itself, it jumped around a bit - apparently it is quite the "flitty" bird. But, it did end up sitting - maybe it was tired from migrating - enough for a picture and identification. I think we were lucky to catch it when we did since we haven't seen one since at the Hedge or anywhere else.

Cedar Waxwing

2009-05-11T07:45:00.000-07:00

We saw this pair of Cedar Waxwings (actually there were four in total but the other two were camera shy and hid behind leaves) at the Lake Katherine Nature Preserve. Their markings are so interesting.

My favorite is the bottom one: The female seems to be considering whether or not it is worth the effort to move down the branch to munch on the leaves.

White Crowned Sparrow

2009-05-09T10:07:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we'd never seen a White Crowned Sparrow so seeing this one at the Magic Hedge was quite an event. Now, they seem to be all over the place - Magic Hedge, Erie Park, Grant Park. I guess they send a few trailblazers out first to check out the good spots before they all come through on their migration. We're just starting to see a few varieties of warblers, so in a week or two, they'll probably be "swarming" around here.

This White-Crowned Sparrow seems to say "Oh No! Caught by another Paparazzi. Better fluff up my feathers and make sure I look presentable." After preening on the branch, he hopped around the ground - making sure I got his best side.

I mentioned that the White Crowned Sparrows seem to be coming through Chicago in force now. There were quite a few in Grant Park yesterday and they seem to LOVE to eat dandelions.

Yellow-Rumped Warbler

2009-05-08T06:09:00.000-07:00

The yellow-rumped warbler has some pretty distinctive markings. So once you get a good enough view, it is easily identified. The key is getting a good enough view. It tends to move around a lot. It's a lot harder to aim binoculars at where you are looking - and have them be focused - than we had realized. We're getting better but it is still a challenge. We spotted this one at the Magic Hedge on a rainy Sunday morning. I have found that patience helps -- eventually the birds do take a rest between flitting/feeding fits and even seem to pose for the camera.

But, after a short rest, they need to eat again and the wild flitting begins all over again. This photo hints at how the Yellow-Rumped Warbler got its creative name. You can just barely see that the bird's lower back (or upper rump) has bright yellow feathers.

Northern Flicker

2009-05-07T08:46:00.000-07:00

Northern Flickers were quite plentiful in the Magic Hedge area in mid-April. We're now seeing them on Northerly Island and in Grant Park as well. First the Flicker was posing for us in the Magic Hedge's big dead tree. Next, I found a pair doing a little Flicker Dance (I would have shot it as a movie if I'd known how to do that with the new camera.)

Ruby Crested Kinglet

2009-05-05T06:05:00.000-07:00

As we're new bird watchers we don't often know what we're seeing right away. It takes a lot of photographing and studying through binoculars to figure out the bird. On the plus side, though, once we've studied it so long we're pretty good at recognizing it again.

This was the case with the Ruby Crested Kinglet. We watched this little bird at the Magic Hedge for at least a half-hour as it flitted (oh these are quite the fast movers) around a little shrub and a small tree. Lots of pictures (many of empty branches as it had flitted away as I snapped the picture) helped us identify it.

Of course, then we started seeing the little Kinglet everywhere. And, we finally got to see it with its ruby crest raised.

Cape May Warbler

2009-05-04T07:17:00.000-07:00

Although I started this blog in late April, I intended to post all the birds seen in April first. However, I seem to be posting the most recent "cool bird" we've seen.

So the chronology is going to be a little off. Especially today because I can't resist posting these pictures of a Cape May Warbler that we saw yesterday morning (May 3) in Grant Park. Its coloring is so interesting - with its reddish cheeks, bright yellow highlights and dark stripes.

Its tinny seet-seet-seet-seet-seet call attracted us to this tree (not that we knew WHAT we were looking for until after we found it). And after about 50 photos of it with its head in the flowers, it finally rewarded us by posing out in the open.

Baltimore Oriole

2009-05-02T19:56:00.000-07:00

We visited the Lake Katherine Nature Center this weekend and saw a number of birds, including this Baltimore Oriole.

The Baltimore Oriole, like all other birds,
eventually gets tired of being photographed
and turns its back on the photographer.

Red-breasted Merganser

2009-05-01T06:18:00.000-07:00

I photographed this Red-breasted Merganser pair in Monroe Harbor. I think the dark rings around the eyes and the spiky crest wet from a recent dive makes the female (lower left picture) look like BeetleJuice.

Eastern Towhee

2009-04-30T06:29:00.001-07:00

We saw a pair of Eastern Towhees at both Northerly Island and The Magic Hedge last weekend. They create quite a fuss on the ground - leaves shuffling and flying up as they scratched and foraged for food.

Male Eastern Towhee

Female Eastern Towhee

Birdwatchers Tip
When first trying to identify birds, make sure you get pictures/views of all sides of the bird you are trying to identify. This helps when comparing what you've seen to books or the Internet.
It would help more if "Bird Books" included pictures of the side of the bird that I usually get.

Oven Bird

2009-04-29T05:40:00.000-07:00

Saw this little Oven Bird at The Magic Hedge. Took several pictures so we'd be able to identify it. That orange crown seems to be the identifying feature.

American Coot

2009-04-28T07:12:00.000-07:00

I was experimenting with the new camera. I wasn't LOOKING for birds. But there were several American Coots in DuSable Harbor and this one was putting on a little diving show. It really was just dumb luck that I ended up with this series.

Welcome

2009-04-27T14:37:00.000-07:00

It starts out innocently. You're at a book store and you pick up a book called "A Supremely Bad Idea". It's about how a guy got wrapped up in his bird watching hobby with a couple of his friends. Sounds like a perfect summer read.

So you read the book. Laugh at the guy as he tumbles into the world of life birds, lists, nemesis birds, birding vacations, studying bird songs, debating the subtle variations of warblers. Nice, but you live in Chicago. All that's around here are pigeons, robins, sparrows, ducks and a heck of a lot of Canadian Geese. Right?

But, then it's a lazy summer afternoon and you happen to notice a bunch of birds in a park. You look closer and you realize some of those sparrows are more gray than the other ones. Some have yellow markings. Others have white striped heads. Why do they all look different? Aren't sparrows just sparrows?

Hmmmm. Better look that up on the internet. Wow. There are over 50 different types of sparrows? There really is a difference between gulls and terns? Who knew? Can you see these in a major urban city?

What's this "Magic Hedge" thing that gets mentioned a lot. Maybe that's worth a visit? There are a lot of trees by the Chicago River. Think there are any birds over there? There's a lot of chirping in Grant Park. Could there be birds hanging out there? Is anything still landing at Northerly Island since Miegs Field got closed down? Maybe it's not just Mallards, seagulls, and Canadian Geese that swim around the harbor?

Let's just take the binoculars. Wait, better bring the Sibley's book. Oh, and just in case there's something there, I'll take my camera, too.