The One That Got Away?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Feather Friends

While the warblers have all moved on a few months ago, Chicago is still a big bird watching destination. Although, this Kingfisher was a little flat ... must be the heat.

On the Avenue

Some Spring temperatures and sunshine has the birds getting active and chirpy. While walking down Michigan Avenue, I heard a House Sparrow singing quite loudly. Looking up, I found him sitting in his A-line home. You can see him a little better in the second photo.

National Wear Red Day

Today is National Wear Red Day. Organized by The American Heart Association, National Wear Red Day aims to raise awareness of women's heart disease.

This cardinal wears red everyday and seems to be enjoying a good diet of fruit and grains.

Feathered Friends: Watching the Watcher

This Cooper's Hawk, at the Magic Hedge, caught us bird-watching last Sunday. He must have been out people-watching.

Another photo of this hawk is at my Chicago birdwatching blog, which is here.

Feathered Friends: Getting All Your Ducks in a Row

Chicago currently has a few rare visitors: Harlequin Ducks. They usually don't come to this area. There was one around last year, though, so maybe he recommended our fair city to his duck friends.

They were displaying some interesting activity. One of the three would start splashing. Then the other two would splash and all three would dive.

More photos of the Harlequin Ducks are at my bird-watching blog, here.

Welcome Back Little Warblers

I shouldn't be surprised. The human bird watchers figured out a while ago that Grant Park was a great little 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 - um, shall we say - culinary destination?

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.

Feathered Friends: A New Batch

A new batch of migrating birds have stopped in Chicago.

Clockwise from top right

Brown Thrasher, Eastern Towhee, Caspian Tern, Brown Creeper

A few more pictures of each are at my Chicago Birdwatching blog, which is here.

Feathered Friends: The Next Wave

The next wave of migrating (and some Summer residents) birds have arrived in Chicago.

Top row

Northern Flicker (top), Killdeer (bottom), Long Eared Owl, Dark-Eyed Junco, Downy Woodpecker

Bottow row

Fox Sparrow (top), Hermit Thrush (bottom), Eastern Phoebe, Field Sparrow (top), Vesper Sparrow (bottom), Ruby Crested Kinglet (top), Yellow Bellied Sapsucker, Song Sparrow, Hermit Thrush

Click on the photo to enlarge it

The individual photos will, over the next day or so, get to my Chicago Bird Watcher site, here.

Feathered Friends: Early Birds

I thought the saying was "The Early Bird Catches the Worm" but maybe it is "The Early Bird Catches the Slush". After a brief visit, Spring decided it wasn't ready to commit full-time to Chicago yet so winter is back (slush is falling from the sky, it's in the 30s).

But the mid-week Spring conditions did get the birds moving around a bit. Here is a pictorial summary of bird sightings this past week.

Clockwise from top left

Male House Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, very noisy Red-Winged Blackbird, Robin, Song Sparrow, House Finch, White Throated Sparrow, Common Grackle, Female House Sparrow

Feathered Friends: Wearing Red

Since today is National Wear Red Day, I thought I'd post some photos of some Vermillion Flycatchers. These were taken 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.

Feathered Friends: Hiding In the Leaves

I almost deleted this photo. I thought I missed the little Ruby Crested Kinglet that was hopping around in Grant Park. Then I saw him in the photo - definitely keeping an eye on me from his "hiding place". He really blended in with the leaves.

More photos of the little Kinglet are at my bird watching blog: from Autumn and from Spring.

Feathered Friends: Trick or Treat

Happy Halloween!

Feathered Friends: In Costume

The male Wood Ducks at North Pond recently got their adult feathers. They have amazing colors and patterns. They look like they are in their Halloween Costumes.

More pictures of the Wood Duck are at my bird watching blog, here.

Feathered Friends: Splish Splash

Birds aren't too picky. They don't need an official bird bath to freshen up during their long migration trips.

Feathered Friends: Stretching

With a long flight still ahead, this migrating Nashville Warbler is getting some dinner and doing a little yoga stretching so he's limber enough to get down to Mexico.

More pictures of the Nashville Warbler are at my bird-watching blog, which is here.

Feathered Friends: It's Just a Phase

Pity the poor Cardinal.

They go through so much ...

... a mottled mess of gray and red ...

... a Bozo the Clown Orange Phase ...

... before getting their beautiful red, adult colors.

A few more pictures of the Cardinal's "transitional"phases are at my bird blog, here.

Feathered Friends: A Chorus Line

This little Semipalmated Plover was so happy to be spending last weekend at Montrose Beach that it broke out into a high-kicking chorus line routine. A few more shorebirds were at Montrose this past weekend (they declined to join in the chorus line, though). Pictures of them are at my bird-watching blog, which is here.

Feathered Friends: Serious and Goofy

The Eastern Kingbird usually strikes a very stately pose. But every so often, he can get a little goofy. More pictures of the Eastern Kingbird are at my birdwatching blog, right here.

Feathered Friends: Open Wide and Say ...

... skee-dlees chis chis chis*

This is a Dickcissel. I think he's a classy looking bird. I think his coloring gives the impression that he's wearing an ascot and a snazzy yellow shirt with a grey vest. And he sings a lot. This one was at Northerly Island in downtown Chicago. More pictures of this little guy are at my bird watching blog which is here.


*Sibley's provides this as the phonetic spelling of this bird's song