Nashville Warbler

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

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!

Warblers on the Move, Part II

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

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

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

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 ;)

Eastern Kingbird

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.

Red Eyed Vireo

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

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

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).

Least Flycatcher

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

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

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

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.