I need to spend more time looking out my window and in my yard. This
afternoon, while walking by the window, I see a gorgeous male SCARLET
TANAGER in our bird bath. I called my wife, but the tanager flew the coop
before she could get there. About 2 minutes later, I was walking by again,
looked at the birdbath. Nothing. Of course, the male ROSE-BREASTED
GROSBEAK on the platform feeder was OK. Shortly thereafter, I was working
in the yard and a male TOWHEE flew by me, went straight to the birdbath, and
sprayed up a storm. This is not to mention (oh, I guess it is . . .) the
multiple yellow-rumps, robin, goldfinch, house finch, chickadee, hermit
thrush, and white-throated sparrow in or around the birdbath at other times
this afternoon. Or the female PURPLE FINCH on the feeder.
Life is good. Sometimes, of course, I actually go looking for birds. So
this morning, I watched dawn arrive at the platform at the end of the
Hike/Bike Trail at Huntley, and later met up with Jason Waanders, Peter
Frechtel and two of Peter's friends. We had a good morning: I heard or saw
72 species. Highlights included NASHVILLE WARBLER, 3 BLUE-WINGED WARBLERS,
BLUE GROSBEAK, and INDIGO BUNTINGS, all of which are year birds for me, and
at least six individual owls. There were also boatloads of shorebirds and
rusty BBs.
Other notable species:
GW teal 6
BW teal 2
Hooded merg 1
Glossy ibis 1
Sharpie 1 (probable)
Snipe 2 (probably more)
Solitary 20+
Greater y-legs 10+
Lesser y-legs 10+
Spotted 1
Least 5
Killdeer 1
Barred owl 4
Great horned 2
Hummer 2
Phoebe 1
Great crested 1
White-eyed vireo 3
REV 10
Waxwing 12
Catbird 1
Thrasher 2
Mocker 1 (may be my first in the middle of the Park)
House wren 2
Gnatcatcher 15
Tree swallow 10+
NRW swallow 2
RC king 4
Blue-winged warbler 3
Nashville 1
Parula 1
Yellow-rumped 30+
BTG 2
Pine 1
B&W 4
Redstart 1
Ovenbird 3
Yellowthroat 15+
Swamp sparrow 8
WT sparrow 10
Field 4
Towhee 4
Blue gros 1
Indigo 2
Rusty 200+
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