Tag Archives: Gray Catbird

City Visitors…Part Two

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Ovenbird

Ovenbird

The Chicago Loop migrant watch continues. There was a lone Gray Catbird at 155 North Wacker Thursday morning, but yesterday he was gone. Mostly the last couple days I have been enchanted solely by Ovenbirds at the train station and Lake Shore East Park. However many times I have seen them downtown before, they never cease to bring a smile to my face. The one above was at Lake Shore East Park yesterday afternoon, blown about by blustery, cold north winds. Hey, it’s only May…!

What I don’t understand is why small birds I have never seen before seem to want to engage, interact, communicate with me on some level, once they have gotten over the fact that I am paying attention to them. Perhaps they are just curious, as I am. Why would I be bothering to pay attention to another species when all those other big clumsy humans milling by noisily never notice?

Lake Shore East Park IMG_5848_1

Lake Shore East Park IMG_5847_1

Above, a couple views of Lake Shore East Park from the street level before I descend down the steps to get to it. I’ve decided the steps are good exercise and I can already feel a slight difference in agility and strength. The crumbs you hang onto with age!

Northern Waterthrush

Northern Waterthrush

The only other warbler since the Kentucky last week is a Northern Waterthrush, who was still there yesterday, when I counted two Ovenbirds, one Waterthrush, about 37 White-Throated Sparrows and maybe 10 White-Crowned Sparrows. I didn’t see the Red-Breasted Nuthatch that’s been hanging out in the pine trees, though he might still be there. Not to mention that he was barely visible last time I saw him, below.

Red-Breasted Nuthatch

Red-Breasted Nuthatch

Here’s one of the White-Crowned Sparrows.

White-Crowned Sparrow

White-Crowned Sparrow

And I will never, ever be done taking photographs of White-Throated Sparrows. They seem to be clamoring for their own post soon.

White-Throated Sparrow

White-Throated Sparrow

The white blossoms blown off the trees yesterday reminding me of snow, combined with the frigid temperatures. To get back to warmer thoughts, here are a couple more Ovenbird photos.

Ovenbird IMG_5882_1

Ovenbird IMG_6674_1

Think Spring!

Urban Gray Catbird

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Gray Catbird

Yesterday morning on my way into work I stopped at 155 N. Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago to see if any new birds had blown in with the winds that were downing tree limbs in my neighborhood the night before. My friend of the past couple weeks, one of the two or three Gray Catbirds that’s been hanging out in this little patch of park, immediately came out to greet me.

So while there was bright sunshine except when he perched in a low branch of one of the trees against the building, I decided to take his picture. He almost seemed to demand it. Perhaps he was even a bit irritated with me for coming to look for other birds. Why should I need to look for other birds, if I could see him?

Mind you, I don’t feed this bird, I only acknowledge his presence. He trots out to greet me every morning when I stop to see if he’s still around. There is a connection here, and I don’t claim to understand it, but I think it’s a wonderful thing. It must have something to do with the way in which I notice him. I recognize him, and he recognizes me, and it’s a lot like the person you see on the train every day, smile and nod at, even if you never exchange words. Whatever this bird is up to in this park, he’s enjoying the bugs and I’m enjoying seeing him hunt for them.

I am a bit puzzled by the length of his stay, because Gray Catbirds breed in the savannah areas of the forest preserves around Chicago and more rural areas, and I can’t help but think he’s made himself at home. Wouldn’t it be something to have Gray Catbirds breeding in downtown Chicago!

Anyway, I thought I’d see if I could get a better picture of his gorgeous undertail coverts and he obliged. Then it seemed like almost every picture I took, he was showing off.

Don’t forget to get a picture of my beautiful black crown!

I talk to him, but he’s silent. He hasn’t sung or said a word. I am used to hearing Catbirds in the “wild” and usually, if they’re not singing, they at least let you know they’re watching you by uttering their characteristic “meow”-like vocalization. Maybe that’s why this Catbird likes me. He knows I know who he is without him having to tell me.

More City Visitors Part II

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Scarlet Tanager

Daley Bicentennial Plaza, my old haunt, has been as slow as everywhere else with this year’s tepid migration. But it’s still my favorite place to go at lunch, and over the last week or so, I’ve had some nice birds.

Yellow-Throated Vireo

Like this Yellow-Throated Vireo capturing and swallowing a crunchy bug.

A day or two later, there were two male Scarlet Tanagers haunting the ash trees. One of them appears at the beginning of this post.

Today just as I entered the park, I heard a singing Tennessee Warbler. I found him and managed to capture him with my point-and-shoot. Not an easy task, but I have been taking a couple days off from the heavy camera this week, the power of suggestion planted by NATO preparedness. Monday I won’t be able to carry a backpack on the train, so it will be the small camera or nothing.

Tennessee Warbler

Perhaps the birds find the smaller camera less intimidating. This Brown Thrasher was in the park yesterday, and although he was trying to avoid me and preen under this bush, he wasn’t too bothered by my picture-taking.

Brown Thrasher

Then yesterday morning two of my now-buddies from 155 N. Wacker managed to ham it up in the same frame.

Gray Catbird and White-Throated Sparrow

Yesterday was hot and steamy. Today was on the chilly side. Tomorrow is predicted to be sunny and moderate in temperature. The quest continues.

More City Visitors Part I

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Common Yellowthroat, Millennium Park

In the downtown parks and green areas I frequent on Wacker Drive, outside the train station, everywhere it seems, migrant birds have been showing up. Every area seems to have a Common Yellowthroat. I went to LaBagh Woods today, but there are so many photographs from last week to get through, today’s will have to wait a bit.

Ovenbird, 155 N. Wacker Drive

Ovenbirds are ubiquitous this year.

Ovenbird, Union Station

This one was taking advantage of the garden crew’s rototilling the planters outside the station after plants were removed. This is a designated smoking area and apparently even the plants couldn’t breathe well enough to clean the air. The next morning new plants were in and the Ovenbird was gone.

Northern Waterthrush, Grant Park

Northern Waterthrushes are abundant as well.

Lincoln’s Sparrow

I’m glad Lincoln’s Sparrows are everywhere. I can’t resist them.

Lincoln’s Sparrow

There are also lots of Gray Catbirds.

Gray Catbird, 155 S. Wacker

One thing, though: you don’t get to see their brightly colored orange undertail feathers too often.

Gray Catbird, 155 N. Wacker

A bit flashy. There were two Gray Catbirds at this location for two days. On Friday, two Brown Thrashers took their place, but they wouldn’t pose for the camera.

Least Flycatcher

I toiled over the identification of this Least Flycatcher early in the week, but was aided by many experts on the IBET (Illinois Birders Exchanging Thoughts), a local list-serve.

Don’t know how much I will be able to seek birds this week. Much fuss is being made over the NATO Summit and even though it’s far away from my work location, there are so many coinciding planned demonstrations it seems impossible to avoid. I will find out pretty quickly whether I can go downtown with a backpack loaded with binoculars and camera equipment. Needless to say I won’t be happy if I can’t get my bird fix.

If I have to stop birding downtown for a week, I’ll relive past experiences right here. I wouldn’t mind having the extra time to do so…it’s just that there’s this life-slipping-away feeling about spring migration that makes you wonder what you might be missing!

More pictures to come. Maybe music too if I get around to it.