
Juvenile Black-Crowned Night-Heron
I miss my crows. Terribly. I miss their inventive, gentle camaraderie and sense of humor. And their joy for peanuts. I will have to see if I can find them one of these weekends when I’m not conscripted to be elsewhere and it’s not pouring rain.
I started writing this in the midst of a constant downpour. Contemplating how I am getting more used to the new workplace. My mood improved about the new gig after managing to get out for a couple short walks along the river last week. Birding along the river wasn’t half bad.
It turns out the Black-Crowned Night Heron at the top of this post was a rarity for this time of year. I had no idea what it was when I took the picture, I only pointed my camera lens at it and followed it as it flew by. It was darker than a first cycle gull and that’s all I knew about it until I took the picture. And then checking it on the camera when I got back into the office I misidentified it, but kept thinking it over and later it occurred to me that it was a juvenile Black-Crowned Night Heron.
Below, a more likely suspect for a darker bird – a first cycle Herring Gull.
Not to be confused yet, at least, with the more prevalent adult Ring-Billed Gulls that have not yet left the area.
I got over to the Boeing garden a couple times last week. On Thursday I was faced with convincing two security guards that I was not taking pictures of the building, but of birds. Not sure if showing them my American Birding Association cap helped, but they left me alone after kindly admonishment.
I pondered a spy novel about a terrorist disguised as a bird photographer but decided it wasn’t worth the effort. The Yellow-Rumped Warbler above was still hanging out in one of the young oak trees. (No suspense in that sentence.)
Below is one of my favorite migrating sparrows, a Lincoln’s Sparrow. This one has been hanging out by the train station.

Lincoln’s Sparrow
Likely the last Golden-Crowed Kinglet I will see before spring.

Golden-Crowned Kinglet
A Gray-Cheeked Thrush…

Gray-Cheeked Thrush
And a more ubiquitous Hermit Thrush…

Hermit Thrush
The White-Crowned Sparrow below flew into a plexiglas barrier and then I found it hiding in a dark spot by some low vegetation on Friday morning. I called Chicago Bird Collision Monitors and then, following their instructions, dropped it off in their parked vehicle, after placing the bird in a paper sandwich bag I have been carrying around for weeks just for this very purpose. It was taken with other survivors to Willowbrook Wildlife Center for rest and rehabilitation.

White-Throated Sparrow requiring help
Below, another White-Throated Sparrow and a Hermit Thrush foraging in the not-so-pristine leaf litter at Boeing.
Thursday was the last time I saw the Blackpoll Warbler that was there for a few days.

Blackpoll Warbler
At last we are experiencing fall-like weather, finally, following the spate of weekend thunderstorms. As the weather changes, so will migration. I hope to find more birds following the river’s path.

Ring-Billed Gull
so beautiful…….
Thank you!
Splendid flying birds, in fact splendid birds all round.
Thank you. I am glad I got to see them when I did as now we’re getting that push from the north that is urging everyone to move on.
You’re such a great sport Lisa. That wounded bird was fortunate to have found you…the woman with the heart of gold! Special thank you for that. 🙂
Aw shucks HJ, you’re making me blush. The volunteers for the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors are the ones to thank. They are out there every morning during migration helping birds. It’s true I can’t pass up a bird in distress but without CBCM it would be a lot harder.
Lovely pictures. I hope the White-crowned sparrow will be okay. It’s a treacherous world out there for birds.
Thank you for your gracious comment. For what it’s worth, the sparrow started fussing inside the paper sack so it was coming back to life and likely was going to be okay, but much safer to be released away from the city distractions.
Brilliant! A perfect cover for espionage!
And yet nobody bothers me when I feed crows. I mean, if ever there were perfect companions for schemes, it would be crows.