Strolling Through Lake Shore East Park

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Lisa Rest

White-Throated Sparrow, Lake Shore East Park

Up until the arrival of the famous Harris’s Sparrow in Millennium Park’s Lurie Garden, I was routinely spending my late afternoon lunch hours in Lake Shore East Park. The two parks are not very far away from each other, but there is much less foot or tourist traffic in Lake Shore East Park, so I have been going there more often. Which is not to say it lacks people. There are frequently people walking their dogs or children in baby strollers.

Hermit Thrushes – I counted 11 individuals at one time (here’s 4 of them)

I have been trying to write this post since October 9. On that day, the most numerous birds in the park were predictably White-Throated Sparrows and Hermit Thrushes. The Hermit Thrushes were the largest group I have ever seen. Even going back the next day I counted 12 of them.

Perhaps you’ve seen Robins pull worms out of the earth, but this is the first time I’ve caught a Hermit Thrush in the act.

Hermit

Juncos have shown up here and there, although not in numbers yet.

Dark-Eyed Junco

The fountains have been shut down for the winter, leaving their rocky bottoms free for exploration.

White-Throated Sparrow

Other birds I saw that day were two Brown Creepers and an American Redstart. I did not get photographs of them, though. So here’s a couple more of Hermit Thrushes. The remaining pictures except for the last one are from October 1, but they were also taken in Lake Shore East Park.

Hermit Thrush

But my most pleasant encounter on October 9 was a human one. Soon after I arrived at the park, a woman walking her dog approached me and asked about my camera equipment. This is the second time this month I have met people this way: Canon must have put some new elixir in the 70D! We got to talking about photography and birds and then she let it slip that she was from the East Coast and amazed to see a Redstart in this small park in the city. She said she was in town to sing at the opera.

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Lake Shore East Park

A brief cloud of Opera Guilt wafted over me. (I was a subscriber for several years but gave it up along with my other subscriptions a few years ago because I realized I no longer had the time or energy to do everything, so it was time to focus on birds and music.) When I told her the birds have taken over my life she understood. Then I thought to myself surely I should maybe recognize her but you rarely get to see an opera singer out of costume. I asked, and she said she was Stephanie Blythe. I confirmed later that she is singing Il Trovatore at the Lyric Opera. I didn’t faint, but I will say I haven’t had a brush with fame in many, many years…!

Golden-Crowned Kinglet, Lake Shore East Park

Stephanie stopped me again to ask me about a bird or two she had seen (one turned out to be one of the Creepers I saw later after I talked to her) and I felt so lucky to have made her acquaintance. She also seemed happy to have found a kindred spirit. But as excited as I was to have met her, I was reluctant to write about it, right away. I didn’t want her to be mobbed by opera fanatics. (In retrospect, I’m thinking very few people even know the park exists.)

Northern Waterthrush with bug, Lake Shore East Park

As it turns out I did not see Stephanie again (turning in ebird lists I was tempted to note “no opera singers today” but restrained myself). Chances are her rehearsal schedule and my work schedule kept us from running into each other again. But listening to the Operathon on WFMT on Saturday, October 11th, there was an offer for two tickets to any opera, and a choice of dates, with seats on the first floor, for a donation, the amount of which was much less than the cost of the tickets. This was too good to pass up: it would be wonderful to use this as an opportunity to see Stephanie sing. I have heard her on the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts, but was no longer a subscriber by the time she started singing at the Lyric.

Common Grackle

So I got tickets for opening night for Il Trovatore, an opera I have never seen. I am taking my friend from the former workplace: it will be her first opera. The way this whole thing has turned out really feels like kismet or karma or something.

White-Crowned Sparrow

Ultimately I must give the birds credit for everything. They continue to enrich my life. The birds paid attention to the music, then enticed me into green spaces every day I can manage to hang out with them. The birds know a bird person, and I think kindred spirits do too. One more time, in an entirely new context, the birds have returned the favor and my attention to the music.

Off and Running

Posted on April 25, 2014 by Lisa Rest

Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker

I had another post in mind but it is late, I’m leaving shortly for the airport, if not in the middle of the night this time, for our West Texas birding trip. As for the Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker above, this is the most yellow I have ever seen!

Hermit Thrush and Fox Sparrow – sort of birds “of a feather” – yes there was snow on the ground last week…

So here are a few pictures taken in downtown Chicago over the past two weeks, as the migrants come through. Specifically the location is Lake Shore East Park.

Brown Thrasher

The Brown Thrasher and the Grackles are likely here for the breeding season.

Fountain Baths

The Common Grackles were ready the moment the fountains went on.

White-Throated Sparrows have been around for weeks, if not in the hundreds like they were when Daley Bicentennial Plaza still existed. Now and then one breaks into song.

I’ll be back in about a week and a half. I’m roughing it, not taking the laptop this time. 🙂

Thanks to all who follow or stop by!

Bye, Bye Birdies

Posted on November 16, 2013 by Lisa Rest

Cooper’s Hawk

It’s so hard to leave, but preparation for it has also made it hard to do anything else. I’m leaving for the airport in less than 3 hours and I still have to buy fresh veggies for the indoor crowd and finish packing. So this will be a very, very quick post. The Cooper’s was in Grant Park last Friday when I managed to go down early before work.

Crows in Millennium Park

These pictures were taken over the last few days on my way to work or on a very brief lunch break. I managed to say goodbye to my crows in Millennium (there were about 20 overall) and on the way in to work, to my little friend Lincoln’s Sparrow who was still there as of yesterday. But I fully expect everyone at 155 N. Wacker to disappear over the next three weeks when I don’t show up to shower them with birdseed.

Crows with peanuts

The Hermit Thrush below was last seen a few days ago, but there were still some in Millennium Park as of Thursday.

Hermit Thrush, 155 N. Wacker Drive

Goodbye, little Lincoln’s. He’s been such a good friend. And he gave me an excuse to try out and learn how to use the flash attachment, bless his heart.

Lincoln’s Sparrow

The crows in Millennium have settled in as the crowds are dissipating. I hope I haven’t made them too tame.

I know the crows will be there for me when I return. I look forward to posting all about my trip when I get back.

Thanks to everyone for reading and following my blog!! I’m off on safari…!

“Rare” Late Migrants!

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Lisa Rest

Gray Catbird

Yesterday on my way in to the office I stopped by 155 N. Wacker Drive, as usual, to visit with the White-Throated Sparrows, see if the Hermit Thrush was still around… and to my surprise, a Gray Catbird jumped right out onto the cement edge of the elevated berm, looked me in the eye, and took off for the trees hugging the brick building. Whenever birds fly to those trees I can hardly ever see them and give up on any thoughts of getting pictures.

I heard the Hermit Thrush but did not see it. Incidentally, I hope to record this sound some day because this year is the first time I’ve become aware of it with Hermit Thrushes: it’s a whirry call that almost sounds like a purr, which I first identified by process of elimination a few weeks ago when I found a Hermit Thrush in my yard, then later checked on my Bird Tunes app and confirmed it.

So yesterday morning I figured I had a list of birds to submit to ebird and was not surprised when I had to write in the Gray Catbird. But I was later asked to prove it, at least by description if not a picture, and since I didn’t have a picture, I thought well, maybe I should go back and to see if it was still around on my lunch hour.

White-Throated Sparrow

The White-Throated Sparrows were happy to see me again, and I stood still almost at the edge of the sidewalk so they would not feel pressured by me and my camera. While I was waiting to see who else might show up, the Hermit Thrush dashed out below me.

Hermit Thrush

And then the Catbird came out – cautiously at first – but then got used to me and let me get several pictures in the ever-darkening light. The clouds were moving in fast yesterday afternoon!

Just amazed to stand there and visit with the birdies, alone except for one woman sitting off to the side with her cell phone and cigarette.

And then suddenly I saw a Lincoln’s Sparrow and I knew this was probably going to be another rare sighting.

Lincoln’s Sparrow

The funny thing about the Lincoln’s was after I had taken several pictures of him, he flew up into the tree to my left to give me a better view. Or to check me out, or to say thank you, because by now I had scattered some more bird seed. It was the least I could do for such a cooperative bunch.

When I got back to the office I submitted another ebird report and I had to justify the Lincoln’s Sparrow because yes, it too was a rare sighting at this date. And then last night at the suggestion of the submission monitor, I discovered how to embed photos into my ebird reports, so I added the two rare sightings to support my observations. Now I feel like a citizen scientist…

Lincoln’s Sparrow

Hard to let go of the locals just yet. But a picture is still worth a 1,000 words, heh.

Kinglets Rule

Posted on October 24, 2013 by Lisa Rest

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet

On the way home from Miller Meadow last Sunday, I stopped to explore a very small portion of the Cook County Forest Preserves called White Eagle Woods, of all things. This is a name that would not bother anyone except a birder, in that there is no such thing as a White Eagle, but apparently it’s a common name that has been used for a lot of other things. Whatever the reason, White Eagle Woods is not far from my house, and also not far from the Des Plaines River, so it seemed worth checking out even in the middle of the day.

Golden-Crowned Kinglet on a throne of thorns

There were not many species of birds present but there were a few cooperative individuals. In particular there were a dozen or more kinglets, mainly Golden-Crowned but also a couple Ruby-Crowned Kinglets as well. The one Ruby-Crowned Kinglet who posed at the top of this post was not showing the feathers for which it is named.

Blue Jay

And for all the Blue Jays I have heard and caught glimpses of all year, none have been relaxed enough to let me take a picture until this one.

For whatever reason he flew down to the curb, where he was at least unobstructed.

Hermit Thrush

Also present on my short visit was a Hermit Thrush, which could not seem to decide whether to be seen or not. So although kinglets outnumbered all the other species at this location, the ubiquity of migrating Hermit Thrushes continues.

Brown Creeper Confusion

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Lisa Rest

Brown Creeper

I was late getting in to work this morning. The birds made me do it.

First, I found a dead Hermit Thrush at 123 N. Wacker, the same building where I found the stunned Hermit Thrush last week. It was windy and chilly this morning, so I should not have been surprised, I suppose, but I hate to see dead birds. What a beautiful bird it was too; could not have been dead long. At any rate, what else to do but pull out one of my trusty paper bags and call Chicago Bird Collision Monitors? They were very busy and my ca;; went straight through to voice mail.

Then at 155 N. Wacker right near the entrance to the building, which has an enormous glass-walled facade underneath a portico, I found a stunned Brown Creeper. It’s amazing to me how many people walked by and did not even stop to look at this little gem. He was alive and at first having none of me catching him and putting him into a bag, so I stayed with him as he tried to catch a spider. The spider escaped and I tried to edge it back toward the bird but the spider was having none of it. I started emptying my bag to use it as a net, but the creeper was wise to that and started flying up against the big glass wall until he became exhausted. That was when I caught him more easily and, thinking I was going into work and the Bird Collision Monitors were too busy, I took him over to the albeit-not-so-great trees in the mini-park at 155 N. Wacker. He seemed okay with that and he flew to the trunk of the first tree.

I was then in my usual spot checking out the White-Throated Sparrow population and decided to walk around the back to where there is a bike rack. One White-Throated Sparrow was calling from a bush there. I was then ready to leave, figuring I had seen everybody, when I encountered a stunned Hermit Thrush on the sidewalk. I could not imagine missing him, so he must have just hit the building while I was visiting the sparrow. The thrush was easy to pick up in that state, so I put him in a bag to keep him warm and out of trouble, affixed a paper clip to the top, and called the monitors again. I knew now I was going to stay and wait for help, however long it took.

The monitor taking calls rang me back and said they would send someone right over. Soon Nancy called me and said she was on Wacker Drive in front of the building. I walked over and delivered the two thrushes. One dead, one alive. I watched as she labeled them and made sure she had the correct information for each bird. We chatted a little and I left.

But then I found a Brown Creeper, most likely the same one, splayed on the sidewalk by the windows. I reached down, picked him up, and headed back to Wacker Drive, running north, yelling, “Nancy, Nancy!” When Nancy turned around, I met her with the Brown Creeper. She opened up a little bag to receive him and I reached in with my hand to release him – and he would not let go. He clung on to my warm finger with his tiny foot. I told him he had to leave, that Nancy would take good care of him, and he finally let go with a little prodding from me. I wonder if by then he might have decided his fate was inextricably connected to mine. I trust Nancy got him to a better place where he found his bearings and continued on his journey south.

Here’s a picture of a Brown Creeper I took last week or so, who was not lost.

And another this afternoon, at Lake Shore East Park.

Hermit Thrushes Everywhere

Posted on October 11, 2013 by Lisa Rest

Whose idea was it to call these friendly guys Hermit Thrushes? Maybe on their breeding and wintering grounds they are reclusive, but in fall migration they are downright gregarious. It may be a safety-in-numbers thing going on, but I have had Hermit Thrushes literally come out to see me day after day this past week.

Early in the week on my way into work I found one Hermit Thrush who was definitely not in good shape. That’s him below, seeking solace by my shoe box which I had taken out of my bag so I could extract my cell phone and place a call for his rescue. While we waited for a Chicago Bird Collision Monitor, I took this picture, and then put him inside one a paper bag for the monitor.

If you want to do a little more reading on Hermit Thrushes follow this link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. I just learned something from it: of all the thrush species we see in migration, Hermit Thrushes are the only ones to live in the U.S. I guess that means however far they migrate, they will just winter somewhere south of us until spring. That also explains to me why they tend to come through later than the other species and also why they seem to be taking their time before moving on.

So here are a couple more pictures of different individuals. They do seem to prefer shady spots.

Flesh, Feathers and Bone

Posted on October 4, 2013 by Lisa Rest

Juvenile Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker

Tuesday afternoon while I was taking pictures of this Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker at Lake Shore East Park, so thrilled that I was seeing it with two or three others flitting about in the trees that surround the children’s enclosed play area, a woman stopped to pull her little dog away from something it was interested in. I looked down shocked to see a very dead Lincoln’s Sparrow the sapsuckers had distracted me from. (I picked it up and put it in my bag to get it off the sidewalk, but it was too late in the day to call the collision monitors. It’s now at home in the freezer. Hard to say what caused its death, but its head flopped about as if its neck was broken.)

Then Wednesday morning on the way in I found a dead sapsucker on the sidewalk by 155 North Wacker. I called the collision monitors but they were frantically busy – I was afraid they might not come by the building for another corpse. There were a lot of birds reported on the lakefront that morning, so no doubt there were injured birds that required more attention than dead ones. I hate the carnage that accompanies migration, but this was a reminder that I should be carrying brown paper lunch bags with me again, it’s the only fitting thing to carry a dead bird in. Or a live one that needs assistance, for that matter.

As it turned out, all is well. Wednesday late afternoon a bird collision monitor called me at my work number and I went down and delivered the dead sapsucker. She gave me a special paper bag with instructions and a paper clip to fold it and keep it closed, should I find any more birds on the way home. As it turns out, I have been carrying paper bags with me two days now and have found no more corpses or birds in distress. But I remain prepared.

I then stopped at the security desk to find out if they had given the flicker from the balcony on the 46th floor to the bird collision monitor the day before and when the guard suddenly remembered it, she said “the pretty bird” with emphasis. Yes indeed. And I am impressed with the diligence of the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors team.

Here are pictures of some live birds! Two species that have been numerous in the lakefront parks this past week. Hermit Thrushes – I have yet to figure out why they are called hermits – are always curious whenever I pay attention to them – they run right out to see who’s calling.

Hermit Thrush

Except when they’re busy eating berries off the trees…

Hermit Thrush

And White-Throated Sparrows are increasingly everywhere. Every once in a while a youngster breaks into a little subsong. Never too early to practice for next spring.

White-Throated Sparrow

These little visitors seem to adapt well to the city space.

White-Throated Sparrow

A South American flycatcher’s Earth Day in Chicago

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Lisa Rest

Elaenia Species

This little bird has attracted a lot of attention in Chicago recently. It’s about 7,000 miles away from home. It’s part of the Elaenia genus, that much we know. Elaenias are flycatchers from South America; or at least this one is most likely from that far away. There has been a lot of discussion as far as trying to determine which Elaenia it is. The bird has likely been observed by over 100 people, maybe it’s more like 200 by now, as people are flying in from out of state. I don’t make a habit of chasing birds, but I live maybe 20 minutes away from the park where it is being seen.

I contacted my friend Lesa (by now we felt like the only two birders on the planet that had not gone to see the Elaenia, with work, other commitments and the need to get a good night’s sleep getting in the way) and we went to Douglas Park on the west side of Chicago to look for the bird and see some other, more expected migrants.

Hermit Thrush

I got pictures of some of the more predictable species. There were several Hermit Thrushes. There was a Swainson’s Thrush right at the beginning of our walk but I did not manage to capture him.

another Hermit Thrush

Pied-Billed Grebe

There’s a water feature which had some Blue-Winged Teal, this Pied-Billed Grebe and several species of swallow. I managed to get on a Northern Rough-Winged Swallow.

Northern Rough-Winged Swallow

The Elaenia was likely catching some of the same bugs with several Ruby-Crowned Kinglets, so it was perhaps inevitable I would manage to get a picture of one of them.

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet

After walking around the perimeter of Douglas Park, trying to stay warm on a chilly if sunny day, we went to Columbus Park, another beautiful park on the west side of Chicago, and here is where my memory blurs on what birds we saw where. I think I got most of the next photographs here.

Palm Warbler

Palm Warblers are in town. I usually see them on the ground foraging, pumping their tails as they poke around, but this one was in the trees until he flew.

Palm Warbler

At one point we came upon a convention of Chipping Sparrows, there must have been at least 20 of them. But I couldn’t get close enough to take a group shot of such small birds so you’ll have to settle for one of many.

Chipping Sparrow

Predictably, Yellow-Rumped Warblers were out in force. Even one showing his yellow rump.

Yellow-Rumped Warbler

and another

Y _ _ l _ w-Rumped Warbler

Making it easy for you.

City Migrants

Posted on April 14, 2012 by Lisa Rest

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

Goldbird Variations

Why Birds Sing in Key with Music, or how I finally put perfect pitch to use.

Tag Archives: Hermit Thrush

Strolling Through Lake Shore East Park

Off and Running

Bye, Bye Birdies

“Rare” Late Migrants!

Kinglets Rule

Brown Creeper Confusion

Hermit Thrushes Everywhere

Flesh, Feathers and Bone

A South American flycatcher’s Earth Day in Chicago

City Migrants