Black-capped Chickadee

The Black-capped Chickadee...  a year-round Chicago resident who is inquisitive, friendly, chatty in a nasal sort of way, busy-bodied, hungry, seemingly happy and energetic even through harsh winter weather, and apparently in possession of some brain super-powers. When you put up a feeder they're usually the first to find it.  They have many variations of their  "chick-a-dee-dee-dee" call to communicate about the severity of a threat from a predator.  One of few bird species that can hang upside down on foliage or tree branches, they're very busy finding food but end up stashing quite a bit of it for the winter.  They'll remember thousands of hiding places and then eat up to 20 times in the winter what they eat in the summer.  I guess it takes quite a bit to keep that body warm and that brain juiced to remember so much!  Oh, and scientists have found that in the fall as they're feverishly stashing their seeds, their hippocampus grows 30% by adding new neurons.  Then, in the spring it shrinks back.

Other interesting adaptations to survive the harsh cold?  They'll drop their normal body temperature of 108 degrees F to 85 in order to conserve energy.  They have especially dense feathers to fluff up and trap body heat when it's cold out.  They replace their feathers at the end of the summer with heavier plumage in preparation for winter.  And as it gets worn out over the next year it's shed yet again.

Now I know why it's so easy to approach these birds for a close-up shot with my sub-par equipment.  They're too busy gathering food and prepping for the winter to worry about me.  Much to do about a lot!

Mother's Day Weekend 2017

Camera is in the shop. Not sure why I waited until the peak of migration to do that... BUT, it turned out to be kind of liberating to not have to juggle gear and choose between a good look and maybe a picture.

I did Montrose Bird Sanctuary Saturday am.  I don't keep a life list anymore except in my head and I don't really have the motivation right now to keep a list of what I see on a given day or report to eBird. Maybe one day I'll have time for that.  So, I don't really remember everything I saw but scarlet tanager, warbling vireo, swainson's thrush, rose-breasted grosbeak, palm warbler, and lincoln sparrow were some highlights. Swainson's thrush is one of my favorites - check out this ethereal song.  We heard this often on our trips in the Boundary Waters which is at the southern edge of its nesting zone.  I also got a chance to catch up with my friend Jerry - check out his pics, amazing.

Sunday am kicked off a kick-backside mom's day when I just so happened to show up at LaBagh parking lot at the same time as (later I learned) legendary birder Al Stokie.  As he was starting off his hike I strolled over and struck up some talk.  Birders are usually super helpful and friendly so I don't ever feel weird about doing this.  Upon realizing I was unsure about the route to take he invited me to hitch a hike. A good route is essential knowledge in a place like LaBagh with many trails that you likely won't know exist.  I wouldn't have seen half the birds I saw without him.

We met some folks he knew who were so bummed at how dead it was they said they were out. He told me to be patient that some days it's just harder to find the birds.  Then we walked up on "warbler pockets" and just kept seeing more. Here is his post on IBET from his day, he tells it better. Now, I only saw 9 or 10 of the warblers that he saw because I peeled off too soon but the highlight for me was definitely the black-throated green warbler.  I had only seen this bird once before, so to hear it then search  and keep searching then finally see it - a close friend once told me he was way into finding hidden treasure (?) and when I explained what birding was like, he was like oh my god, it's like finding hidden treasure.  I said yeh, I guess you could say it is.  And finding it with master scouts who slowly help build your knowledge base each year about all the different kinds of treasures and the maps to use and way more makes it an exciting annual adventure that no-doubt will good surprise most who give it a try.  It's a short window that is closing soon at least in a place like this.  Al says after May 20th or so the leaves in LaBagh are too big to see much of anything.  Places like Montrose will still be good for 2-3 weeks more....   THIS is the time.

May 2014 Birds

I didn't expect my first May with a baby to be so productive but with relatively few trips, I happened to make them on the right days, right places.  Feeling pretty good about it.

My long-awaited Prothonotary Warbler was spotted at Skokie Lagoons after Jerry guided us through the flooded, wooded lake's edge.  As the male suddenly flew in close I got greedy and lifted my camera spooking the bird.  So I failed at getting a good long stare or a photo. >: / (Here's a video I found on YouTube) But with that bright yellow it's quite hard to miss.  Such a beauty...  I'm not sure why I wanted to see this one so badly but then turned my nose up at waiting around LaBagh Woods for a glimpse of the much more elusive worm-eating warbler.  Perhaps it's the huge, dark eyes that contrast with the consistently soft yellow head, neck, and chest. The blue-gray wings and white underbelly.  Looks a little cartoony.  And, we're at the far northern range of their breeding territory so not-so-common.  They're the only eastern warbler to nest in tree cavities.  And their "sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet" song is about what you'd expect.

Anyway, others worth noting..  My favorite new spot produced a female Scarlet Tanager and my first Hooded Warbler (pair) :O.  I was at LaBagh Woods May 13th around 9am before work. Dropped W off with Lhatso and got in probably my best solo session ever.  Such a serene setting and trail.  The slope down to the river allows for good visibility (compared to areas where you have to look up into tall trees).  Perfect temp. and amount of shade with just enough sunlight for some decent shots.  Once I saw a birdy spot I just leaned against a tree with camera up and waited.  It's an intense feeling to start seeing exactly what you came for but then lose it...  finally see it again, struggle to ID another at the same time,  then hold your breath while trying to capture an image.  Birds popped everywhere - chestnut-sided warblers, hooded warblers, magnolia and wilson's warblers, canada warblers, scarlet tanagers, redstarts, blue-winged teals, thrushes, great-crested flycatchers, eastern phoebes, the list goes on.

Almost a week later, I was lucky enough to show up at Montrose on what a bunch of pros were calling the birdiest day of the year - May 19th around 9am.  I didn't write down my list, but saw tons of warblers.  I caught a brief glimpse of a Connecticut Warbler and then saw my first Clay-colored Sparrow.

And, finally, a fairly entertaining wounded display from a Killdeer at Montrose Beach .  Not the greatest pics but you get the idea.  This adult was acting all broken-winged and unable to fly away, slowly moving away from me hoping I'd follow.  Apparently I'd come to close to its nesting site.  Pretty goofy-looking theatrics.  (oh, and on this day I had some company <3)

The Farm - Missouri

First time away from my girl.  :(  We're at Nathan's farm/woods near Bowling Green, MO.  I'm sitting in the shade, it's 65 degrees.  Staring into the woods right now.  I'm hearing an Eastern Wood Peewee, Blue Jay, Red-bellied woodpecker, and a cardinal.  The Barn Swallows overhead occasionally fly through the window of an old and tattered abandoned home next to our tent.  A pair of brown thrashers (pictured below) were visibly concerned that had encroached on their domain.  Cool breeze, cloudless day.  We woke at 4:45, whip-poor-wills still calling.  It's a strange bird that's difficult to spot but easy to hear and ID throughout the night. Fact: they migrate up for the Summer from the Gulf Coast or Central America and lay eggs in phase with the lunar cycle to capitalize on an insect feeding frenzy during a full moon. :D

Sean headed one way this am and at sun-up and I headed the other, my bird quest involving a bit more biodiversity and leisure, his more..  hmm..  I want to say "skill and determination" which is true, but I know a thing or two about birds.  He just happens to know a LOT about one particular bird.  We'll probably be eating some wild turkey soon.

The bird that pops in early May

When I caught up to a birding group at North Park Nature Center packing in a 10-month old with a bright pink hat I wasn't met with a warm welcome but perhaps I was paranoid.  A few ladies finally quietly giggled with me that they had spotted a pink-crested cutie baby, lol.

She was pretty quiet for the first 20 minutes or so as I crept along behind the crowd of ten.  As soon as she started squawking I peeled off and headed back the way we came, toward the entrance. I knew what I was attempting was a stretch, it was worth a try.  Figured I'd try to spot a few more on my way out.  It was only May 2nd, very few leaves out on the trees so imagine my panic/elation when I saw this orange and yellow sun-spotlit first-ever what-the-hell bird is that against the drab brown and gray of the surrounding woods.  Trying to keep her quiet and still so I could get a proper focus was a challenge but to be honest I mostly remember my fumbling with my gear.  Do I get the shot and risk not getting it, do I sacrifice the shot and just get a better look with binocs?  How is that bird still sitting so low and close with us making all this movement/commotion? 

Upon doing a little research this is a first-spring Summer Tanager.  These birds migrate up from Central & South America but aren't all that common this far north.  They are bee and wasp specialists, usually catching them in flight as they sally from branches high in the forest canopy - another reason I'm lucky to have seen one up close.  Fun fact - they beat the insects against a branch before eating them.  And another fun fact - they are commonly nest-parasitized by brown cowbirds.  This involves the cowbird mom laying eggs in the tanager's nest then the unsuspecting tanager raising all the young only to have her own often kicked out by the bigger, stronger cowbirds.  Doesn't that make you love them even more?

I walked out feeling like hell yeah.  That was a good session.  I was thankful the pink-crested chatty baby hitched a ride or it probably wouldn't have happened.

'Tis the Year for Many Snowy Owls

Jerry alerted me to one of the Gyllenhaal's Snowy Owl sightings this am.  I was headed back from Montrose and had to call home to get the ok for my extended outing ;).  Pretty exciting and he was fully supportive..  Apparently this Gyllenhaal had seen eight?? of them at 31st St. Pier.  I got there as others were arriving and we were sure to keep our distance.  I spotted the first one out on the rocks then over the next half hour or so three more came into view.  Just specks to the naked eye out on the breakwater rock wall.  But I got a few pics with Jerry's super-camera that he sent to me and a few more with mine.  Idyllic creatures...  and not bad for a first wild viewing.

Willow May

Here's why I've not been out birding as often this past migration season...  Willow May was born July 6th at 5:37pm and weighed in at 6lb 11oz.  She's a good girl, learning her lessons as my mom would say.  One day she'll learn all about the kinds of critters that grace our willow trees each May ♥