Summer in the City

Posted on August 18, 2015 by Lisa Rest

Hanging out at the water fountain

Last week was hot and for all practical purposes, dry. It was almost hard to find motivation to trade the too-cold office air conditioning for hot-and-muggy outside but sitting around all day doesn’t suit me, so when there was time available for a stroll, I took one. Things calmed down at the office considerably by Friday and that was my longest outing.

Ovenbird, Millennium Park, 8-11-15

Earlier in the week, however, as I sat in my chosen shady spot near the bike racks, the Ovenbird reappeared looking much more adult.

The new crows were molting.

And the Monarchs were still sallying.

Friday, because I had some extra time, I decided to go down to the lakefront, where even the Canada Geese were trying to stay out of the sun.

Juvenile Mallard

I had almost forgotten Friday was the day before the annual Air and Water Show put on by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, but the roar of jets overhead soon reminded me. This was their practice session, inspiring awe on the ground.

On the way back to the office, as I stopped to take a picture of some Chicago Lego-style architecture, the unknown young man below insisted I take his picture. By the time I got him in focus his friend put his hand behind his head. I don’t know what he thought I would do with this picture, but if you recognize him, let him know I didn’t simply delete it and this could be 2 of his 15 seconds of fame. (I’m used to people handing me their own cameras or cell phones and asking me to take pictures of them, in fact, I did so for someone that day.)

Do you know him?

The sad story is that on Saturday, the first day of the actual event, a midair accident befell two parachutists in the Air and Water Show. (The parachutists, from the Navy Leap Frogs and the Army Golden Knights teams, were not present on the Friday practice runs.) Tragically, one of them died the next day. The Sunday show was cancelled. I missed hearing about this until Monday because my TV service has been down since Friday night. It’s still down, but I am glad I didn’t post all these pictures before hearing about the tragedy.

Post-pourri

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Lisa Rest

Apologies for the bad pun. It’s been a busy, fragmented, hot week and a half or so. Also, the past weekend was one long party, with no birds in attendance. I am not used to being much of a social butterfly.

A moth casts a shadow at Lurie Garden

I haven’t been out much during the day either. If I didn’t know better I might think the crows have given up on me, but I suspect it’s lack of the quiet shady spots we used to have, where we could convene without a steady stream of human beings. Pigeons are much less picky about habitat but definitely not used to having their pictures taken.

On the days I have gone out, I have managed to keep amused. One bright spot, for instance, was finding some Monarch Butterflies in Lurie Garden.

There are other interesting pollinators too. I think the wasp below was more black than blue, but lightening it up made it interesting.

One afternoon last week standing outside the northern entrance to Lurie, I heard some earnest chirping and determined it was coming out of the small oak tree before me. There were a couple security guards talking to each other totally oblivious to the Robin’s nest I soon located.

American Robin nestlings

I suspect the Northern Cardinal below is a young bird as well because it seemed to know the peanut was for eating but was perplexed by it anyway.

On hot, boring days at Lake Shore East Park, as long as I could find a bench to sit on, I took to photographing the fountains.

Then a few days ago I was sitting in the shade across from the east side of the Pritzker Pavilion, waiting for crows, and the little bird below darted out of the yews. The shade was so dense it was hard to get a decent picture, but this is the first time I have seen a juvenile Ovenbird at Millennium Park at the end of July. I was so surprised I thought I was going to get a rare bird alert but Ovenbirds breed in this part of the continent so even though I think it was rare for Millennium Park it’s not unlikely. This is the same spot I heard a White-Throated Sparrow singing a couple weeks ago, which is rare, so maybe just going to sit in this spot isn’t such a bad idea. Crows or no crows.

Ovenbird, Millennium Park, 7-27-15

The greatest reward perhaps is still seeing Monarch Butterflies. I have seen fewer than 20 individuals this summer, at least two of them flying around the cement canyons of LaSalle Street. I hope the Swamp Milkweed is making them feel welcome.

Stragglers in the City

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Lisa Rest

Unexpected. There are reports of migrant warblers every now and then, here and there, but the warblers are, for all practical purposes, gone except for the few that stay to start families. But after reading every day about a Connecticut Warbler that continued to hang out, for over a week, in the parking lot of a Holiday Inn downtown, I finally got on the subway last Wednesday afternoon and went to see it for myself. It was not my first Connecticut Warbler, but its sheer persistence persuaded me.

Connecticut Warbler, Holiday Inn, Chicago parking lot

If I regret anything about my visit it was my failure to record his song, because he was a strong, adamant singer and he would knock off a few phrases every five minutes or so.

For those who are into identifying warblers by their undertail coverts…

For all I know the Connecticut could still be there, although there have been no reports since Saturday. Below is a handsome Gray Catbird that popped out at the Holiday Inn parking lot as well.

Gray Catbird

The stragglers I encountered almost every day the past two weeks were White-Throated Sparrows. Yesterday they were gone from 155 N. Wacker, but I still heard one singing, of all things, at Union Station. I tried to report it in ebird on my phone app but gave up when it kept challenging me. So much for citizen science.

A lingering White-Throated Sparrow

Perhaps my favorite late warbler in terms of chutzpah was the little Ovenbird below who made the berm by the bicycle rack at Union Station his territory. He was still singing last week. His habitat wasn’t all cigarette butts but I found it rather poignant that he could endure them.

OVEN with cigarette butts, Union Station 6-3-15-4381

Ovenbird at Union Station

Also last week, there was a Chestnut-Sided Warbler at 155 N. Wacker. That was a special treat, even if that space, always in the shadows, made him difficult to photograph.

Chestnut-Sided Warbler

There was a female Common Yellowthroat too: a furtive, not-always-so-common sight.

Common Yellowthroat

Below is my last first-year male American Redstart at 155 N. Wacker.

The Union Station Ovenbird was just a delight to hang out with. I miss his cheery song already.

I haven’t heard or seen him this week, so I hope he has moved on to better territory.

The forecast is for hot, rainy, muggy weather this week. I don’t know if I’m quite ready for the mosquito onslaught.

City Visitors, or Where the Birds Are

Posted on May 20, 2015 by Lisa Rest

Black-and-White Warbler, Lake Shore East Park

Apologies to all my followers for not posting sooner (and all those I follow for not showing up), but I have been busy with work and trying to spend every free moment paying attention to birds indoors and out, so by the time I get around to reviewing photos I fall asleep. So there have been about 10 potential blog posts running out of my head over the last two weeks before I could hang onto them.

American Redstart, 155 N. Wacker Drive

So before I fell asleep again last night as it was past my bed time, I decided to simply share with you some of my favorite subjects over the past week from a couple city parks and green spaces. Except for the Least Flycatcher, I have limited this post to warbler species.

Black-Throated Green Warbler, Union Station

The first day I found the Black-Throated Green Warbler at Union Station, there was also a Black-Throated Blue Warbler singing and a Baltimore Oriole singing as well. Actually it was the Baltimore Oriole’s song that drew my attention to the now-fenced-in-for-no-obvious-reason garden area. The fact that the garden area was inaccessible to me and the smokers who like to sit on the benches probably made it more attractive to the bugs and the birds who were eating them. I did not get a great picture of the Black-Throated Blue, but was glad to see him. The Oriole was coy but uncooperative.

Male Common Yellowthroat, Lake Shore East Park

Lake Shore East Park has been my most constant afternoon destination, and there were a couple good days, but it doesn’t seem as birdy as last year or the year before. The weather has been a factor all spring too, with alternating warm fronts and cold fronts confusing everything. We are presently about thirty degrees cooler than we were on Monday. Monday was hot.

Least Flycatcher, Lake Shore East Park

Least Flycatchers were fairly common for a couple days. Catbirds have been regular sightings in every nook and cranny.

Gray Catbird, Lake Shore East Park

Male American Redstarts come in two plumages. The first-year males still look a bit like the females, only orangey instead of a paler yellow. The after-first-year males are black and orange-red.

American Redstart

American Redstart, first-year male

Hardly a day has gone by that I have not seen or heard a Northern Waterthrush. I usually see them on the lawn, so it was nice to catch one resting on a branch.

Northern Waterthrush, Lake Shore East Park

Ovenbirds are still around, too.

Ovenbird, Millennium Park

Spring would not be spring without male Magnolia Warblers.

Magnolia Warbler, Millennium Park

Redstarts are everywhere now. The adult males seem to like to show off.

Below is a first-year male, looking eager to start his first breeding season.

I hope to get another post or two in order over the Memorial Day weekend (thunderstorms are predicted for Memorial Day). As always I think I will be able to conquer my entire to-do list because I have an extra day. So far Saturday’s weather looks best, so that will be a birding day. Passerine migration is nearly over, but I need proof.

Sunday’s Remainder

Posted on September 12, 2014 by Lisa Rest

Gray-Cheeked Thrush, Ottawa Trail Woods

I wrote most of this last night…It’s hard to believe–as I sit here with the windows closed not because it is too hot but because it is unseasonably cold outside–that Sunday was hot and buggy. Every time I stopped to get a photograph or look about for telltale movement, I was sampled by some mosquito accessing a bug-spray-free spot on me. At some point one merely gives up or gives in. The insects know the end is nigh for them, so they partied hardy, like 1999.

Cedar Waxwing Tree, Chicago Portage

Juvenile Cedar Waxwing

The birds certainly know something is up. Large flocks of Blackbirds, Robins, Cedar Waxwings and Mourning Doves assembled at the Chicago Portage last Sunday. I also had perhaps ten Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds, finally, although it was still not possible to photograph them.

American Robin, Portage

Red-Winged Blackbird

Mourning Dove

Female Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

Of course I was looking for more warblers. There were not very many. Three views of a Magnolia Warbler…

Magnolia Warbler

I sometimes do not know how the camera finds these birds when I can barely see them. A few views of a Confusing Fall Warbler…see if you can find the bird in this tangle! At first I thought it was a Bay-Breasted, but then on closer inspection it is likely a Blackpoll. We affectionately refer to these quandaries as Baypoll Warblers. (You will have to click on the pictures to enlarge them.)

Likely Blackpoll Warbler

Among a few other species present, I managed to catch a Tennessee Warbler and an Ovenbird.

Tennessee Warbler, Chicago Portage

Ovenbird, Chicago Portage

My hunch that there might be more warbler action at Ottawa Trail, over by the Des Plaines River, did not prove to have any merit whatsoever. There were fewer birds altogether. But I did get a rather nice look at a Red-Bellied Woodpecker. Juvenile Indigo Buntings were present in both places and also Gray-Cheeked Thrush, which is a less common thrush to see.

Juvenile Indigo Bunting

Another Gray-Cheeked Thrush, Chicago Portage

It was only fitting to have a Red-Tailed Hawk fly by and put its stamp on the end of my outing.

Red-Tailed Hawk, Ottawa Trail Woods

Tomorrow I plan on going on Chicago Ornithological Society’s walk at Columbus Park. I haven’t been there in a couple years, even though it’s not far away. It will be interesting to see what we find. I was really looking forward to the original plan, which was to go to Humboldt Park as I have never been there, but the Chicago Park District has organized a weekend event called “Riot Fest” there, which makes conditions less promising for the birds and those who watch them.

Tempering the “Riot Fest” and maybe even our bird walk will be the forecast for early rain and cloudy skies! We are cloudy, rainy and in the 50’s today, so I can get in the mood when I go out later. Oh well.

A Bird in the Hand…

Posted on March 19, 2014 by Lisa Rest

White-Eyed Vireo

If anyone knows how much birds hate to be handled, it’s me. My indoor birds remind me of this constantly, and I don’t pick them up unless I absolutely have to. I’m not trying to offend anyone by posting these pictures.

Ovenbird

But before I get on to writing in a future post about the primary reason for why I was in Belize–which was to be part of a group of 7 volunteers that helped Operation Rubythroat set up mist nets to catch and band Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds and transcribe banding data…and all the reasons why they are doing this…

Black-and-White Warbler

I wanted to share some pictures of other birds banded that I never could have seen so closely.

Hooded Warbler

Suffice it to say I learned a lot in 8 days.

Northern Parula

For those of you still uncomfortable with the handling of the birds, we checked the nets constantly, moving birds still captive and waiting to be banded or shown out of the sunlight, and they survived well. I believe there was one casualty in a net on our last day, which was cut short due to inclement weather. I suppose the biggest testimonial to survival was the birds, already banded, recaptured from previous years.

Northern Waterthrush

Louisiana Waterthrush

The Northern Waterthrush was one of perhaps three or more we banded, but the Louisiana Waterthrush was the first one ever seen at Crooked Tree in Belize. See if you can tell the difference this close up. The distinguishing features are still subtle, but the Northern looks more “yellow” than the Louisiana and has denser streaking.

Tennessee Warbler banded 3-9-14

Tennessee Warbler banded 3-10-14

Compare the difference between these two Tennessee Warbler individuals. The one above is a male not finished with his molt and the one below is most likely a female. Banders can consult The Identification Guide to North American Birds: Part 1 and Part 2 by Peter Pyle to help distinguish between the sexes by length of the wing and tail feathers.

Male Yellow Warbler

You may have noticed that all the migrant warblers are not quite as decked out as they will be by the time they reach us. This Yellow Warbler was just developing his rufous streaks.

Clay-Colored Thrush, National Bird of Costa Rica

The last bird on this post is not a neotropical migrant and therefore was not banded. But I thought it best expressed any indignation at being handled, for all the other birds banded on this page. And I probably never would have seen the beautiful streaking on its throat, in the field.

A Few Fall Warblers

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Lisa Rest

Bay-Breasted Warbler

If the Osprey from my last post and a few other interesting water-oriented birds had not kept me occupied on Sunday, I might have been gone before these warblers came to life. Indeed I had turned back when the sun came out from behind the clouds around 11:00 a.m., which is usually when everything starts to slow down. Enter the Chickadees, Redstarts, and these few characters.

Bay-Breasted Warbler

The Ovenbird below was a little too far away.

Ovenbird

But the female Magnolia Warbler spent a moment or two preening before seeming to ask me just what it was I found so interesting about her.

Female Magnolia Warbler

The weather is suddenly beastly hot, but I am hopeful the cool front predicted for the end of the week will bring a few more tropical jewels my way.

City Visitors…Part Two

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Lisa Rest

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

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

Here’s one of the White-Crowned Sparrows.

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

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!

Hungry Birds

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Lisa Rest

American Robin – Chicago Portage

Fall is upon us. The days are ever shorter, and there’s a chill in the air, all that much more unexpected after the summer heat wave. Although I feel energized by the cooler weather it was not so easy to get up as early as planned yesterday morning to visit the Portage. But maybe my timing was right after all, because I got to see a flock of robins descend into my young Hawthorn Tree to devour its bright red berries. The robins have all but disappeared from the neighborhood, their breeding season over, they’re moving in flocks looking for fruit. I feel honored that they chose my yard (and relieved that the squirrels have not eaten everything). A little piece of heaven on earth.

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet

There were kinglets in good number at the Portage, both Golden-Crowned and Ruby-Crowned. The Golden-Crowned were a little harder to see.

Golden-Crowned Kinglet

Tennessee Warbler

Many warblers were feeding low, the available insects half-asleep and staying closer to the ground.

Northern Waterthrush

A contemplative empidonax flycatcher, most likely a Least, although he refused to vocalize to confirm his species.

Empidonax Flycatcher – most likely a Least

Magnolia Warblers thickened with the Tennessees…

Magnolia Warbler

and a very curious-looking Ovenbird paraded up and down this branch.

Ovenbird

My old friends, White-Throated Sparrows, are returning.

The White-Breasted Nuthatches have been around all summer, but I have never seen one upright.

White-Breasted Nuthatch

And the juvenile Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks are brimming with the promise of their first migration.

Rose-Breasted Grosbeak

A post showing other sides of the Portage will follow shortly.

More City Visitors Part I

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Lisa Rest

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.

Goldbird Variations

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

Tag Archives: Ovenbird

Summer in the City

Post-pourri

Stragglers in the City

City Visitors, or Where the Birds Are

Sunday’s Remainder

A Bird in the Hand…

A Few Fall Warblers

City Visitors…Part Two

Hungry Birds

More City Visitors Part I