Fall Feathers

This post features several of the beautiful birds I have seen throughout the autumn months.

~ Identification corrections always welcome ~

A most striking raptor ~ Juvenile Cooper's Hawk



A pretty Palm Warbler seen against a colorful autumn background

American Goldfinches are a common sight during the fall months 

Goldenrod offers a nice perch for this stunning White-crowned Sparrow

A beautiful Black-throated Green Warbler forages amid the tree branches

 A gust of wind fluffs the feathers of an American Kestrel

I spotted this Dark-eyed Junco bathing delightfully in a puddle after an early morning downpour

A Horned Lark explores washed up vegetation on the Lake Michigan shore

A handsome juvenile Red-tailed Hawk scans the nature preserve for prey

A Red-eyed Vireo passes through our property on its migration south

A peanut is this Blue Jays snack of choice ~ This particular Blue Jay would repeatedly pick up 4 - 8 peanuts and toss the rejects before it decided on the perfect nut

A Semipalmated Plover enjoys a sunny day at the beach

Floating lazily in the cool pond waters ~ Hooded Merganser

Migration Magic ~ Part 1

The spring season is one of my favorite times of the year. Along with milder temperatures, the greening of foliage and flowering trees, bird migration occurs. Colorful, active birds make regular stops throughout the Midwest seeking nourishment and rest before continuing on their long trek north. Below I feature several of the beautiful birds I have observed over the recent weeks.

A stunning Prairie Warbler uses a prickly branch to assist while foraging for insects

Singing a delightful melody ~ Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)

Posing pretty ~ Warbling Vireo

In the springtime, beautiful Yellow Warblers fill the marsh at the back of our country property

 

A Blackburnian Warbler shows off his brilliant breeding plumage

A sightly Northern Waterthrush looks over the reflective pond

The pond I visited was teeming with sightly Palm Warblers flicking their feathery tails

Peek-a-boo! A Prothonotary Warbler seeks food under a fallen tree limb ~ A life bird for me!

Foraging amongst the budding tree branches ~ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

The lovely colors of a Chestnut-sided Warbler

A Sora balances upon a branch ~ Take note of the extra long toes!

Spring Visitors

With our June wedding just around the corner, I have had little time to visit my favorite bird/wildlife sanctuaries this spring. Fortunately, last week, I was able to squeeze in a couple of birding adventures. The weather was not especially spring-like with temperatures in the teeth chattering 40's. The birds didn't seem to mind the chilly temps and gusty winds along Lake Michigan, as I saw most all of the regular spring visitors.  Below are many beautiful feathered friends often seen in Chicago during March and April.

A striking Blue-winged Teal dabbles in the calm, cool pond

A beautiful Fox Sparrow rests atop a fallen tree limb

A Yellow-rumped Warbler sports spring breeding feather finery

A colorful Horned-Grebe surfaces after diving in the teal blue harbor waters

A well-camouflaged Brown Creepers spirals up the tree

A handsome Northern Flicker scans the nature preserve

A Northern Rough-winged Swallow rests momentarily from its swooping, fluttery flight

A red-eyed American Coot pauses after dipping underwater for a repast of aquatic plants

A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker drills shallow tree holes to access sticky sap (note the many small round holes bored into the bark of this tree)

A Hermit Thrush hunts for insects amongst grass and fallen leaves

Sitting pretty on the fence ~ American Robin

The misplaced Cinnamon Teal is still enjoying the surroundings at North Pond

Cinnamon Surprise

The recent mild temperatures in the Midwest has brought many a smile to winter-weary Chicagoans. I was fortunate to spend a couple of beautiful days visiting a few of my favorite birding spots. Though I mostly viewed the common winter visitors (White-breasted Nuthatches, Black-capped Chickadees, Red-bellied and Downy Woodpeckers), I was in for quite a surprise at North Pond in Lincoln Park. After making the rounds of the pond, a gentleman approached me and excitingly inquired if I had seen the red duck. I had seen many Lesser Scaup, Mallards, Canada Geese and 3 Greylag Geese, but no red duck. I was intrigued. He kindly offered to show me the red feathered beauty and off we trod to an area where there was a large congregation of Canada Geese. There, swimming at a very rapid pace and skimming the water with its long bill was a most stunning creature, a Cinnamon Teal. Its rich ruddy hues, brilliant red eye and lovely iridescent blue and green wing feathers created quite the breathtaking sight. We both observed the little busy teal, captivated by its beauty.

Upon further research, I discovered that Cinnamon Teals are most commonly found in marshes and ponds of western North and South America. Its migration route does not include the Midwest. Where did this lovely dabbling duck come from?

This blog features many of the beautiful sightings seen on a few March outings.

A most unique pond visitor ~ Cinnamon Teal

A striking Red-headed Woodpecker excavates a deep cavity

An attractive Mallard pair wade in North Pond

A common doe-eyed winter visitor ~ Tufted Titmouse

Putting on quite the display for a fellow White-breasted Nuthatch

A Ring-billed Seagull admires its reflection from the edge of the ice

The sightly profile of a Red-bellied Woodpecker

Glorious Sandhill Cranes in flight

On this day, I was fortunate to view hundreds of migrating Sandhill Cranes ~ I heard their raucous trumpeting calls the entire 2 1/2 hours I spent birdwatching ~ I observed smaller groups of cranes at various altitudes come together and form one massive, incredible flock

The magnificent colors of a male Wood Duck

A Lesser Scaup delights in the sunny day

Exquisite feathers ~ Cinnamon Teal

Cinnamon beauty

One last look at the stunning Cinnamon Teal