I started writing this post last month: The repeat visitors were starting to stream in. Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles breed in Millennium Park. The males were lining up their territories and showing up for peanuts. They’re going to be regulars all summer for peanuts.
Male Red-Winged Blackbird
These two grackles had a singing competition that got a little out of hand.
This month I have started to see migrants on my way in to the office, outside a skyscraper at the southeast corner of Wacker Drive and Madison. The address is also the name of the building: One South Wacker. First, there was a Hermit Thrush last week.
Hermit Thrush
Then there was a Winter Wren that would not pose for a picture.
On Friday there was a Song Sparrow that fooled me in the shadows with his elusive behavior. I thought he was a Lincoln’s Sparrow because he’s not too heavily streaked. He also has a lot of grey on his face. But his malar striping is too strong and the submoustachial is white. He doesn’t have any golden wash over his breast either. So I guess he’s just a Song Sparrow. Pretty little guy though. And I’ll still be thrilled to see a Lincoln’s later this year.
Song Sparrow
Wow… you have great captures.. the fight pic was simply nice timing! Do the Song sparrows and Thrushes always be such puffed up as if they are going to blow up?!
Thanks for your comment, Hindupur! As to the puffed up look of the passerines, they’re only responding to cold weather, probably something your birds don’t have to deal with. So they puff out their down feathers for insulation to keep them warm, seeing as how underneath all those feathers there isn’t much body there, but they are warm-blooded creatures like us so they need help in cold weather. It’s been chilly and windy on the corner where I took those shots.