Last night WordPress let me know I haven’t been posting enough lately by requesting identification from me when I tried to sign in. So we went through the identification-code-by-text-message routine this morning and I guess I’m back in business for a while.
I seem to have caught my biennial rhinovirus too, which is keeping me from living too dangerously. I made it through choir rehearsal last night without any significant coughs or wheezes but this morning I am draining miserably.
There are next to no birding opportunities on my way in to the office for now and I haven’t been out too much lately, but here are a few pictures taken last week on December 1.
I had stopped at the northwest corner of Millennium Park to see if I could grab a picture of a Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker but that wasn’t going to happen. However there were cooperative Black-Capped Chickadees and White-Throated Sparrows.
At home over the last week or two, I had been trying to grab a picture of the newest arrivals while they were still relatively clueless, but it was difficult to find them sitting in a spot with enough light, and when I did, their immediate reaction was, “No, we are NOT cute! Don’t point that thing at us!” I managed to grab the fuzzy picture below before they started to disperse.
Pet birds being what they are, it’s easier to take a picture of a wild bird like the Hermit Thrush below, who was also with the little group of birds at the northwest corner of Millennium. He came down to sit and stare at me to see if maybe we could figure out what was so interesting about each other.

Hermit Thrush
That’s about it for the moment. I’ll try to be back sooner. ‘Tis the season and all that too, hard to escape holiday revelry.
I haven’t been out yet this week but I think I will go out today and continue the hot dog experiments. In case you’re wondering, no, the squirrels are not interested in hot dogs. Just waiting for the crow to leave so he can sneak a peanut.
You should stay at home Lisa, if you’re not feeling 100%. It’s better to be nice and warm ’till the virus completes the cycle of discomfort… and don’t try going to go downtown with the protest going against the Mayor. Anything could happen, G-d forbid! 🙂
Thanks, HJ! I’m okay: the protest was yesterday and by the time I left it was not blocking any streets I was walking on (I must say I was glad I didn’t go out yesterday). Our weather is pretty warm, we’re nearing 60 degrees today, I’m okay, seriously! I can’t go swimming, is all. It’s caused me to slow down a bit but that’s okay. Every once in a while the body says: S.T.O.P. 🙂
Thanks for the post Lisa. Your photos always make my day (and I learn something too!)
Thanks, MaryLee! 🙂
I hope that you are back in full swing shortly.
Thank you. I had just bragged to a friend on Sunday that I rarely get sick so I deserve it!
Hope you feel better soon. There’s something so satisfying about seeing a goldfinch feeding on seedheads.
Thanks. I agree about the goldfinch and gladly leave my “snack food” up as long as possible.