Luck and persistence lead to backyard milestone
(published 7-5-06)
In 2002, when Sammy Sosa was still a Chicago icon, the former Cubs slugger finished the season with 499 career home runs. He had to wait until the following spring to hit the Big One.
I thought of that last fall after a black-throated blue warbler appeared in my yard. It was a completely unexpected bird, and it raised my all-time yard list to 99 species. Now, like Sammy, I’d most likely have the whole winter to ponder my date with destiny.
I’ve had my sights on 100 yard birds for the last few years, when hitting the century mark began to look like a realistic goal. I started keeping the list in 1997 when we first moved to Glen Ellyn. Since reaching about 80 species, the “game” has been a lot more challenging—growing the list now depends far more on luck than identification skills.
I was determined this spring to be in ready when a new bird came along. Almost every morning before work I spent at least an hour on the back patio, waiting and watching. That meant getting up at 5:00 a.m. but it was always worth it. I welcomed many beautiful and interesting birds, including a blue-headed vireo, scarlet tanager, Blackburnian warbler, Wilson’s warbler and veery.
The best bird of all, a male common yellowthroat, arrived on May 21. No. 100 at last! Seeing that bird—a species I’ve seen dozens of times in other places—was a special moment.
I’m still a bit surprised that my yard hadn’t produced a common yellowthroat before. The species—a striking member of the warbler family with a bright yellow breast and black mask—usually prefers wetland habitat. But like many migrating songbirds, yellowthroats can turn up just about anywhere in May. I guess it was just my turn.
Two weeks after spotting No. 100, I received a bonus. While outside watering some new grass, a pair of green herons flew in low and landed in a neighbor’s tree. After getting over the shock of just seeing these out-of-place birds, I watched for several minutes as they rested and preened. Those herons made my day, and they raised my yard list to 101.
For me, “keeping score” is part of what makes birding so much fun. I love the challenge of seeing new birds, especially in the yard, where the birds must come to you instead of you going to them. It still amazes me what can be seen and heard right outside our doors.
Of course, some doors lead to greater possibilities than others. If your yard overlooks a lake or pond, for instance, you’ll see more species. But you work with what you have. My property is small and unremarkable. It is surrounded by other houses. I’ve always felt fortunate, however, that our back patio faces west. That puts the morning sun at my back, making it easier to see and identify the birds.
When something special comes along, a bird you’ve been waiting for, it’s nice to see it in the best possible light.
Jeff Reiter is a Glen Ellyn, Ill., resident who enjoys birding at home and in the field. You can reach him at jreiter@wordsonbirds.com.
Copyright 2006. All Rights Reserved.
Swainson’s hawks in Illinois? Now I’m a believer
(published 6-1-06)
Is this Colorado? No, it’s Huntley, and that’s a Swainson’s hawk up there.
I had to say this to myself, because the sight I’d driven 40 miles to see was still a bit unbelievable. Along with a dozen other birders, I was watching one of this region’s true avian specialties from our position in the northeast corner of the Huntley Outlet Mall parking lot. The location seemed almost disrespectful of the bird’s majesty, but nobody was complaining.
I’d seen a Swainson’s hawk once before, on a visit to Pawnee National Grassland northeast of Denver. You’d expect to see one there—Swainson’s are fairly common on the Western plains and prairies. Their breeding range is vast, stretching from Alaska to Mexico, and California to central Iowa. But there is one exception. For reasons not fully understood, a few Swainson’s hawks make their spring and summer home in parts of Kane and McHenry counties. They are the only Swainson’s known to nest east of the Mississippi River, and they’ve been doing it since at least 1973.
This spring, an important research project was initiated with the goal of learning more about the lives and needs of our “local” Swainson’s hawks. Vic Berardi, a veteran hawk watcher from Gurnee, is the project’s coordinator.
“In a broad sense, the project is very important for gaining knowledge of how and possibly why these hawks are living 400 miles east of their usual range,” Berardi told me. “We don’t know if this population is a remnant population or an accidental population. We’re hoping to get a better idea in the coming years.”
The study area spans more than 1,000 square miles—as far south as Sugar Grove, Huntley and I-88, and north to Harvard, near the Wisconsin border. About 30 volunteers are conducting the field surveys. (To learn more, visit the project website, http://bcnbirds.org/shp.)
There are probably 10 or fewer Swainson’s hawks living in northern Illinois. No surprise, then, that the species is on the state’s endangered list. But while further land development poses a constant threat to habitat, Berardi has a positive outlook.
“I believe the Kane/McHenry Swainson’s hawks and humans can live side by side,” he says. “We just have to make sure we approach it correctly and avoid disasters. I’ve been watching the hawks for 11 years now and I can’t imagine driving over to the Huntley area and not being able to see them.”
Luck was with me the morning I joined Berardi and the others for some “hawk shopping” at the outlet mall. I was on the scene less than 30 minutes when a beautiful Swainson’s appeared overhead against a clear blue sky. The soaring bird was unmistakable from below with its long pointed wings with light-colored linings and dark flight feathers.
It was a fabulous morning for raptors of all kinds. Along with expected species like red-tailed hawks, Cooper’s hawks and turkey vultures, we saw two kinds of falcons—American kestrel and merlin—plus an osprey. Two sandhill cranes also flew by.
But the main attraction was the Swainson’s hawk. We only saw one, but we saw it well. In Huntley, not Colorado. It was a great day to be a birder.
Jeff Reiter is a Glen Ellyn, Ill., resident who enjoys birding at home and in the field. You can reach him at jreiter@wordsonbirds.com.
Copyright 2006. All Rights Reserved.
(published 6-1-06)
Is this Colorado? No, it’s Huntley, and that’s a Swainson’s hawk up there.
I had to say this to myself, because the sight I’d driven 40 miles to see was still a bit unbelievable. Along with a dozen other birders, I was watching one of this region’s true avian specialties from our position in the northeast corner of the Huntley Outlet Mall parking lot. The location seemed almost disrespectful of the bird’s majesty, but nobody was complaining.
I’d seen a Swainson’s hawk once before, on a visit to Pawnee National Grassland northeast of Denver. You’d expect to see one there—Swainson’s are fairly common on the Western plains and prairies. Their breeding range is vast, stretching from Alaska to Mexico, and California to central Iowa. But there is one exception. For reasons not fully understood, a few Swainson’s hawks make their spring and summer home in parts of Kane and McHenry counties. They are the only Swainson’s known to nest east of the Mississippi River, and they’ve been doing it since at least 1973.
This spring, an important research project was initiated with the goal of learning more about the lives and needs of our “local” Swainson’s hawks. Vic Berardi, a veteran hawk watcher from Gurnee, is the project’s coordinator.
“In a broad sense, the project is very important for gaining knowledge of how and possibly why these hawks are living 400 miles east of their usual range,” Berardi told me. “We don’t know if this population is a remnant population or an accidental population. We’re hoping to get a better idea in the coming years.”
The study area spans more than 1,000 square miles—as far south as Sugar Grove, Huntley and I-88, and north to Harvard, near the Wisconsin border. About 30 volunteers are conducting the field surveys. (To learn more, visit the project website, http://bcnbirds.org/shp.)
There are probably 10 or fewer Swainson’s hawks living in northern Illinois. No surprise, then, that the species is on the state’s endangered list. But while further land development poses a constant threat to habitat, Berardi has a positive outlook.
“I believe the Kane/McHenry Swainson’s hawks and humans can live side by side,” he says. “We just have to make sure we approach it correctly and avoid disasters. I’ve been watching the hawks for 11 years now and I can’t imagine driving over to the Huntley area and not being able to see them.”
Luck was with me the morning I joined Berardi and the others for some “hawk shopping” at the outlet mall. I was on the scene less than 30 minutes when a beautiful Swainson’s appeared overhead against a clear blue sky. The soaring bird was unmistakable from below with its long pointed wings with light-colored linings and dark flight feathers.
It was a fabulous morning for raptors of all kinds. Along with expected species like red-tailed hawks, Cooper’s hawks and turkey vultures, we saw two kinds of falcons—American kestrel and merlin—plus an osprey. Two sandhill cranes also flew by.
But the main attraction was the Swainson’s hawk. We only saw one, but we saw it well. In Huntley, not Colorado. It was a great day to be a birder.
Jeff Reiter is a Glen Ellyn, Ill., resident who enjoys birding at home and in the field. You can reach him at jreiter@wordsonbirds.com.
Copyright 2006. All Rights Reserved.
See nesting herons and more at Glen Ellyn’s Churchill Woods
(published 5-3-06)
As a birder, there are some spots you never forget—places where good fortune prevailed and you found something special. I could show you the exact tree, for example, where I saw my first yellow-billed cuckoo, a bird I’d been hoping to see for years. It was at Churchill Woods Forest Preserve in Glen Ellyn.
I’ve been visiting Churchill more often lately, not for the “cuckoo tree” but to check on some other trees containing giant nests made of sticks.
If you’ve never seen great blue heron “rookery,” now is a fine opportunity. A small nesting colony of great blues is easily visible from the parking lot just off Crescent Boulevard, the south entrance to Churchill Woods. Look across the DuPage River to the small islands and you’ll see five active nests. Four of them are clustered near the top of a tall dead tree.
Great blue herons are large, long-legged waders. They are usually seen alone, feeding along the edges of ponds and streams. So it’s almost a shock to see the birds congregating up in trees. Herons are believed to nest in colonies primarily to protect their eggs and young from predators such as raccoons.
The Churchill rookery is fairly new, according to Scott Meister, animal ecologist for the DuPage County Forest Preserve District. He told me the first nest was noticed in 2003, two appeared in 2004, and a third in 2005. So the colony is growing—a positive sign for the preserve’s ecosystem.
Visit the rookery in May and some fuzzy-headed hatchlings should be in the nests. But that’s just one reason to go birding at Churchill. The 270-acre preserve offers great habitat diversity, including mature forest, wetland, savanna and prairie. This attracts many kinds of birds. Colorful warblers, orioles and tanagers will arrive on the scene this month.
Glen Ellyn resident Jim Hedges spent all of 2005 monitoring bird populations at Churchill for the Forest Preserve District. In 88 total hours of observation, he recorded 103 species. One of his most surprising finds, he told me, was nesting red-headed woodpeckers. They are not at all common in DuPage County, and Churchill Woods is one of the few places I’ve seen them myself in this area.
Other “goodies” Jim observed last year at Churchill were alder flycatcher and nesting chestnut-sided warblers. He finds the most consistent bird activity to be along the north side of the river from the youth campground west and north to St. Charles Road. You can park at the main entrance to the preserve off St. Charles and pick up a map at the trailhead.
A unique feature of Churchill Woods is the 60-acre native prairie on the north side of St. Charles Road. Henslow’s sparrows have been seen here during breeding season in recent years. And thanks to a tip from Jim Hedges, I was able to observe American woodcocks on the prairie in early April. (I took my kids along that evening and they were far more impressed by the white-tailed deer we encountered.)
Also in April, I twice found a singing Carolina wren in the woods adjacent to the parking lot that overlooks the rookery—a very nice bonus.
Churchill Woods is a place worth exploring. For more information, go to www.dupageforest.com, or call (630) 933-7200.
Jeff Reiter is a Glen Ellyn, Ill., resident who enjoys birding at home and in the field. You can reach him at jreiter@wordsonbirds.com.
Copyright 2006. All Rights Reserved.
(published 5-3-06)
As a birder, there are some spots you never forget—places where good fortune prevailed and you found something special. I could show you the exact tree, for example, where I saw my first yellow-billed cuckoo, a bird I’d been hoping to see for years. It was at Churchill Woods Forest Preserve in Glen Ellyn.
I’ve been visiting Churchill more often lately, not for the “cuckoo tree” but to check on some other trees containing giant nests made of sticks.
If you’ve never seen great blue heron “rookery,” now is a fine opportunity. A small nesting colony of great blues is easily visible from the parking lot just off Crescent Boulevard, the south entrance to Churchill Woods. Look across the DuPage River to the small islands and you’ll see five active nests. Four of them are clustered near the top of a tall dead tree.
Great blue herons are large, long-legged waders. They are usually seen alone, feeding along the edges of ponds and streams. So it’s almost a shock to see the birds congregating up in trees. Herons are believed to nest in colonies primarily to protect their eggs and young from predators such as raccoons.
The Churchill rookery is fairly new, according to Scott Meister, animal ecologist for the DuPage County Forest Preserve District. He told me the first nest was noticed in 2003, two appeared in 2004, and a third in 2005. So the colony is growing—a positive sign for the preserve’s ecosystem.
Visit the rookery in May and some fuzzy-headed hatchlings should be in the nests. But that’s just one reason to go birding at Churchill. The 270-acre preserve offers great habitat diversity, including mature forest, wetland, savanna and prairie. This attracts many kinds of birds. Colorful warblers, orioles and tanagers will arrive on the scene this month.
Glen Ellyn resident Jim Hedges spent all of 2005 monitoring bird populations at Churchill for the Forest Preserve District. In 88 total hours of observation, he recorded 103 species. One of his most surprising finds, he told me, was nesting red-headed woodpeckers. They are not at all common in DuPage County, and Churchill Woods is one of the few places I’ve seen them myself in this area.
Other “goodies” Jim observed last year at Churchill were alder flycatcher and nesting chestnut-sided warblers. He finds the most consistent bird activity to be along the north side of the river from the youth campground west and north to St. Charles Road. You can park at the main entrance to the preserve off St. Charles and pick up a map at the trailhead.
A unique feature of Churchill Woods is the 60-acre native prairie on the north side of St. Charles Road. Henslow’s sparrows have been seen here during breeding season in recent years. And thanks to a tip from Jim Hedges, I was able to observe American woodcocks on the prairie in early April. (I took my kids along that evening and they were far more impressed by the white-tailed deer we encountered.)
Also in April, I twice found a singing Carolina wren in the woods adjacent to the parking lot that overlooks the rookery—a very nice bonus.
Churchill Woods is a place worth exploring. For more information, go to www.dupageforest.com, or call (630) 933-7200.
Jeff Reiter is a Glen Ellyn, Ill., resident who enjoys birding at home and in the field. You can reach him at jreiter@wordsonbirds.com.
Copyright 2006. All Rights Reserved.
Binoculars 101: Sample the goods, spend the money
(published 3-2-06)
I’m no expert on binoculars, but I can offer this advice: Get some good ones. You’ll never regret it.
That’s certainly been my experience. The first few years I was birding, seriously birding, I used a pair of inexpensive Bushnells that seemed just fine. I was seeing a lot of new birds and never gave much thought to my optics. Then something happened. On a visit to Indiana Dunes State Park, a fellow birder allowed me to peak through his “high end” binos. Wow! At that moment I knew the game had changed. I had to trade up.
I was tempted to go buy the same binoculars that I’d been so impressed with in Indiana. Then came sticker shock—they would cost about $1,000. So I started shopping around and ultimately acquired a Pentax 8x42 roof-prism model for less than half that amount—“free,” actually, because they were a 40th birthday present from my parents! They are wonderful binoculars that I think perform on par with costlier brands like Leica, Swarovski and Zeiss.
I knew the Pentax were right for me because I’d sampled a pair in a camera store. They felt good in my hands, delivered a bright image and, best of all, I could use them without taking my glasses off. That was quite a revelation. With the Bushnells, I’d been accustomed to whipping off my glasses before putting them to my eyes. It was a nuisance, and I’m sure I missed a few birds because of it. If you wear glasses, look for binoculars with good “eye relief”—18mm or more.
Eye relief, like roof prism, is one of the technical terms you’ll encounter when shopping for binoculars. A little basic knowledge is helpful, and a great source is Eagle Optics, a retailer that caters to birders, primarily via mail order. The company’s catalog features a buying guide (also posted online) with everything you need to know. Call 1-800-289-1132 or visit eagleoptics.com. You can also learn a lot by studying the many binocular ads in birding magazines. Some even include pricing.
For good quality binos, plan on spending at least $200. If you can go a bit higher, a nice model to consider is the Audubon Equinox HP. I picked up a pair last summer at Eagle’s store in Middleton, Wis. (It was on our way to Minnesota—I couldn’t just drive by!)
Binoculars are very personal. Everyone has their preferences. I mentioned good eye relief, and for me another key feature is twist-up or pop-up eyecups, which are superior to the rubber fold-down kind. More generally, I like a full-size, 8-power binocular that isn’t too heavy—26 oz. or less. And I wouldn’t buy anything that isn’t waterproof and fogproof.
Birding is a pretty cheap hobby when you think about it. Binoculars and a field guide are the only “required” equipment. So if your budget allows, consider investing in some better optics. The birds will look even more amazing.
Jeff Reiter is a Glen Ellyn, Ill., resident who enjoys birding at home and in the field. You can reach him at jreiter@wordsonbirds.com.
Copyright 2006. All Rights Reserved.
(published 3-2-06)
I’m no expert on binoculars, but I can offer this advice: Get some good ones. You’ll never regret it.
That’s certainly been my experience. The first few years I was birding, seriously birding, I used a pair of inexpensive Bushnells that seemed just fine. I was seeing a lot of new birds and never gave much thought to my optics. Then something happened. On a visit to Indiana Dunes State Park, a fellow birder allowed me to peak through his “high end” binos. Wow! At that moment I knew the game had changed. I had to trade up.
I was tempted to go buy the same binoculars that I’d been so impressed with in Indiana. Then came sticker shock—they would cost about $1,000. So I started shopping around and ultimately acquired a Pentax 8x42 roof-prism model for less than half that amount—“free,” actually, because they were a 40th birthday present from my parents! They are wonderful binoculars that I think perform on par with costlier brands like Leica, Swarovski and Zeiss.
I knew the Pentax were right for me because I’d sampled a pair in a camera store. They felt good in my hands, delivered a bright image and, best of all, I could use them without taking my glasses off. That was quite a revelation. With the Bushnells, I’d been accustomed to whipping off my glasses before putting them to my eyes. It was a nuisance, and I’m sure I missed a few birds because of it. If you wear glasses, look for binoculars with good “eye relief”—18mm or more.
Eye relief, like roof prism, is one of the technical terms you’ll encounter when shopping for binoculars. A little basic knowledge is helpful, and a great source is Eagle Optics, a retailer that caters to birders, primarily via mail order. The company’s catalog features a buying guide (also posted online) with everything you need to know. Call 1-800-289-1132 or visit eagleoptics.com. You can also learn a lot by studying the many binocular ads in birding magazines. Some even include pricing.
For good quality binos, plan on spending at least $200. If you can go a bit higher, a nice model to consider is the Audubon Equinox HP. I picked up a pair last summer at Eagle’s store in Middleton, Wis. (It was on our way to Minnesota—I couldn’t just drive by!)
Binoculars are very personal. Everyone has their preferences. I mentioned good eye relief, and for me another key feature is twist-up or pop-up eyecups, which are superior to the rubber fold-down kind. More generally, I like a full-size, 8-power binocular that isn’t too heavy—26 oz. or less. And I wouldn’t buy anything that isn’t waterproof and fogproof.
Birding is a pretty cheap hobby when you think about it. Binoculars and a field guide are the only “required” equipment. So if your budget allows, consider investing in some better optics. The birds will look even more amazing.
Jeff Reiter is a Glen Ellyn, Ill., resident who enjoys birding at home and in the field. You can reach him at jreiter@wordsonbirds.com.
Copyright 2006. All Rights Reserved.
Flocks of robins: A sure sign of winter?
(published 2-9-06)
Two years ago, shortly after my first column, I received an e-mail from a reader in Winfield. He’d just seen a robin in his backyard and wondered how that could be so in the dead of winter. Why didn’t the bird fly south? Well, turns out it probably did, and I’ll get to that in a moment.
The subject of wintering robins recently came back to mind when I was birding at Herrick Lake Forest Preserve in Wheaton. I was participating in the Audubon Society’s annual Christmas Bird Count, surveying the area with two other heat-challenged souls. Mid-morning, we encountered hundreds of American robins—far more than could be expected on a bitter cold December day.
Most of us think of robins as one of the traditional heralds of spring, and local robin populations do indeed skyrocket in March and April. But robins are in fact a fairly common winter resident in DuPage County—they just keep a lower profile. To find food, primarily berries, they hang around thickets and woods instead of our frozen yards.
So robins are with us now if you know where to look. Still, like the Winfield reader, I wondered why any robins would be here during the winter. Most robins spend the non-breeding months in the southern states and Gulf Coast. Some go as far as Guatemala.
For answers, I turned to Doug Stotz, conservation ecologist and ornithologist at Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History. He explained that the robins we see in winter are likely not the same birds that bred here last spring and summer. Our local breeding robins tend to migrate south, so the birds we see now came from up north. Chicagoland winters are no bargain but life could be worse in places like northern Wisconsin. Makes sense. But why stop here?
“It’s true that farther south one’s life would be easier,” Stotz said, “but there are advantages to wintering farther north. One is that migration is a dangerous business. It’s probably more dangerous than getting through the winter if the minimum you need to survive is present.
“Probably more important is that by migrating less far, birds have a head start on getting back to their breeding sites. The earlier they get back, the better the selection of territories.”
Most robins we see in winter are males, Stotz says, adding that males of just about all migrating songbirds return to their breeding grounds before the females. So staying here gives them a jump on things in early spring. Male robins are easily distinguished from females by their bolder orange breasts and darker heads.
There is evidence that the “winter range” for American robins has been extending northward in recent decades. Stotz credits milder winters, more fruiting ornamentals in our yards, and increasing fruiting bushes (mostly non-natives like buckthorn and honeysuckle) in forest preserves.
Increasing overall robin numbers play a role, too. Residential areas are ideal habitat for breeding robins, so increasing land development has helped the species thrive.
For Stotz, for me and many other area birders, the first avian sign of spring is not the appearance of robins but red-winged blackbirds. In late February, males will begin establishing their territories. Visit a local marsh to see and listen for yourself—it’s a wonderful show! But let’s appreciate our robins, too. Especially the hardy ones that brighten the winter landscape.
Copyright 2006 by Jeff Reiter. All rights reserved.
Car birding on Kane County’s country backroads
(published 1-12-06)
In “Diary of a Left-Handed Birdwatcher,” author Leonard Nathan recounts his frustrating quest to see a snow bunting. It’s a neat little book that I relate to closely because his “nemesis bird” is also one of mine.
A nemesis bird is a species that, against all odds, continues to elude you. These are birds that other people see but you don’t, mainly due to bad luck or timing.
On a bitter cold day last January I went looking for two species that somehow had never landed on my life list—snow bunting and Lapland longspur. In the days preceding my search I’d seen online reports of these birds in the farmlands of northwest Kane County. Directions to the best spots were very specific, so my confidence level was reasonably high when I gassed up and headed west.
This would be a day of “car birding”—not my favorite kind, but necessary. There was a lot of ground to cover, plus staying behind the wheel can be the best way to observe roadside birds in open country. The car acts as a moving blind, allowing a closer approach. A clean windshield is essential.
Well west of Geneva I began to see flocks of horned larks. They were foraging on the snow-free road shoulders and some strolled out on the road itself. At times I was close enough to see the little feather tufts or “horns” that give this bird its name.
The larks were an encouraging sign because buntings and longspurs often associate with them. With patience, and by scanning enough flocks of roadside birds, I would find my quarry.
Turns out I was half right. A few hours into my rural odyssey, near the town of Hampshire, I enjoyed good views of several Lapland longspurs. The birds were more skittish than the larks but I still managed to creep within 15 or 20 yards for a good look.
I never did find a snow bunting, so that’s one nemesis I still need to resolve. Maybe this month I’ll take another run at it. But my disappointment on that score was easily offset by the Lapland longspurs, a true winter specialty that was well worth the effort (and 97 round-trip miles). It’s getting harder for me to see a “life bird” in this region, so whenever I do it’s a very good day.
My Kane County wanderings produced two other interesting sightings. Most notable was an Eastern meadowlark—a nice find in the middle of winter. I also spotted an American kestrel, our smallest falcon, sitting on a utility wire with a mouse or shrew dangling from its bill. (Yes, it’s amazing what you can see from a moving vehicle.)
If you try car birding yourself this winter, please be safe. Country roads usually have narrow shoulders. Pull over as far as you can, use your hazard lights and be alert for other cars. Safety is another reason why it’s best to keep inside your vehicle.
Patience will come in handy, too. Birds along the road naturally flush every time a car goes by. Some birders throw some seed down to keep them coming back to the same spot. In any case, be prepared to do some waiting and lots of creeping along at less than 5 mph. Hey, at least you’ll be warm!
Jeff Reiter is a Glen Ellyn, Ill., resident who enjoys birding at home and in the field. You can reach him at jreiter@wordsonbirds.com.
Copyright 2006. All Rights Reserved.
(published 1-12-06)
In “Diary of a Left-Handed Birdwatcher,” author Leonard Nathan recounts his frustrating quest to see a snow bunting. It’s a neat little book that I relate to closely because his “nemesis bird” is also one of mine.
A nemesis bird is a species that, against all odds, continues to elude you. These are birds that other people see but you don’t, mainly due to bad luck or timing.
On a bitter cold day last January I went looking for two species that somehow had never landed on my life list—snow bunting and Lapland longspur. In the days preceding my search I’d seen online reports of these birds in the farmlands of northwest Kane County. Directions to the best spots were very specific, so my confidence level was reasonably high when I gassed up and headed west.
This would be a day of “car birding”—not my favorite kind, but necessary. There was a lot of ground to cover, plus staying behind the wheel can be the best way to observe roadside birds in open country. The car acts as a moving blind, allowing a closer approach. A clean windshield is essential.
Well west of Geneva I began to see flocks of horned larks. They were foraging on the snow-free road shoulders and some strolled out on the road itself. At times I was close enough to see the little feather tufts or “horns” that give this bird its name.
The larks were an encouraging sign because buntings and longspurs often associate with them. With patience, and by scanning enough flocks of roadside birds, I would find my quarry.
Turns out I was half right. A few hours into my rural odyssey, near the town of Hampshire, I enjoyed good views of several Lapland longspurs. The birds were more skittish than the larks but I still managed to creep within 15 or 20 yards for a good look.
I never did find a snow bunting, so that’s one nemesis I still need to resolve. Maybe this month I’ll take another run at it. But my disappointment on that score was easily offset by the Lapland longspurs, a true winter specialty that was well worth the effort (and 97 round-trip miles). It’s getting harder for me to see a “life bird” in this region, so whenever I do it’s a very good day.
My Kane County wanderings produced two other interesting sightings. Most notable was an Eastern meadowlark—a nice find in the middle of winter. I also spotted an American kestrel, our smallest falcon, sitting on a utility wire with a mouse or shrew dangling from its bill. (Yes, it’s amazing what you can see from a moving vehicle.)
If you try car birding yourself this winter, please be safe. Country roads usually have narrow shoulders. Pull over as far as you can, use your hazard lights and be alert for other cars. Safety is another reason why it’s best to keep inside your vehicle.
Patience will come in handy, too. Birds along the road naturally flush every time a car goes by. Some birders throw some seed down to keep them coming back to the same spot. In any case, be prepared to do some waiting and lots of creeping along at less than 5 mph. Hey, at least you’ll be warm!
Jeff Reiter is a Glen Ellyn, Ill., resident who enjoys birding at home and in the field. You can reach him at jreiter@wordsonbirds.com.
Copyright 2006. All Rights Reserved.
‘Tis the season to look and listen for owls
(published 12-1-05)
In the birding world, 2005 will rightly be remembered for the ivory-billed woodpecker. The announced rediscovery of the phantom bird in Arkansas last spring was truly remarkable—like an “extinct” bird rising from the dead.
But if not for the ivory-bill news, this might have been the Year of the Owl. The invasion last winter of 2,500 or more great gray owls into northern Minnesota attracted birders from throughout the country. The mass movement was triggered by a shortage of voles and other prey in Canada. Few great grays ever venture so far south, so it was a prime opportunity to see one of North America’s most sought-after birds. Northern hawk owls and boreal owls were also seen in uncommon numbers.
I didn’t make it to Duluth last winter—a fact I’m sorely reminded of when I see local birders wearing sweatshirts that commemorate the owlfest up north. So enough about great grays. Let’s talk about the owls we can enjoy close to home, starting in the backyard.
Great horned owls and eastern screech-owls are year-round residents in DuPage County. Of course, they are primarily nocturnal, and more often heard than seen. Now is the perfect time to be listening for great horned owls, in particular, as early winter marks the beginning of their mating season. Their “hooting” is loud enough to get your attention even at 3:00 a.m. If the bird sounds close, throw on a coat and go outside. These are big, chunky birds, so spotting one in a bare tree can be easy, especially on moonlit nights.
Every now and then you might encounter a great horned owl in broad daylight. When walking in one of the forest preserves, be alert if you hear crows or jays making a big fuss. They may be harassing a roosting owl in a behavior known as “mobbing.”
The other owl on my yard list tends to be more elusive. I’ve heard the eerie call of a “screechy” on just two occasions, a few days apart in August 2002. It was dusk, but my attempts to see the bird failed. Screech-owls are known to use nest boxes if you’re feeling lucky.
Other owl species can be observed in this region if you know where to look—and if you’re willing to pursue them on short notice. The owl everybody hopes to see is the snowy. This is an arctic tundra bird that wanders south in small numbers; a few usually turn up on Chicago’s lakefront every winter. The first snowy I ever saw was perched on a dock in Montrose harbor. Snowy owls in DuPage County are extremely rare.
The northern saw-whet owl is another winter specialty. Unlike the snowy, this species conceals itself during the day, roosting in dense evergreens. The traditional local “hot spot” for saw-whets is Morton Arboretum in Lisle, where the same trees and shrubs seem to attract them year after year.
Yet another winter resident is the short-eared owl, which hunts low over open fields around dusk. Good places to search include Pratt’s Wayne Woods and Tri-County State Park in Bartlett, and Fermilab in Batavia.
You can track local owl sightings by monitoring the free online list-serve for area birders. To join the network, send a blank e-mail to ILbirds-subscribe@yahoogroups.com, wait for the response, then follow the instructions. To study owl sounds and learn more about these fascinating raptors, try www.owling.com.
In the meantime, keep an ear open when you go to bed. Owls are in your neighborhood, and hearing is believing.
Jeff Reiter is a Glen Ellyn, Ill., resident who enjoys birding at home and in the field. You can reach him at jreiter@wordsonbirds.com.
Copyright 2005. All Rights Reserved.
(published 12-1-05)
In the birding world, 2005 will rightly be remembered for the ivory-billed woodpecker. The announced rediscovery of the phantom bird in Arkansas last spring was truly remarkable—like an “extinct” bird rising from the dead.
But if not for the ivory-bill news, this might have been the Year of the Owl. The invasion last winter of 2,500 or more great gray owls into northern Minnesota attracted birders from throughout the country. The mass movement was triggered by a shortage of voles and other prey in Canada. Few great grays ever venture so far south, so it was a prime opportunity to see one of North America’s most sought-after birds. Northern hawk owls and boreal owls were also seen in uncommon numbers.
I didn’t make it to Duluth last winter—a fact I’m sorely reminded of when I see local birders wearing sweatshirts that commemorate the owlfest up north. So enough about great grays. Let’s talk about the owls we can enjoy close to home, starting in the backyard.
Great horned owls and eastern screech-owls are year-round residents in DuPage County. Of course, they are primarily nocturnal, and more often heard than seen. Now is the perfect time to be listening for great horned owls, in particular, as early winter marks the beginning of their mating season. Their “hooting” is loud enough to get your attention even at 3:00 a.m. If the bird sounds close, throw on a coat and go outside. These are big, chunky birds, so spotting one in a bare tree can be easy, especially on moonlit nights.
Every now and then you might encounter a great horned owl in broad daylight. When walking in one of the forest preserves, be alert if you hear crows or jays making a big fuss. They may be harassing a roosting owl in a behavior known as “mobbing.”
The other owl on my yard list tends to be more elusive. I’ve heard the eerie call of a “screechy” on just two occasions, a few days apart in August 2002. It was dusk, but my attempts to see the bird failed. Screech-owls are known to use nest boxes if you’re feeling lucky.
Other owl species can be observed in this region if you know where to look—and if you’re willing to pursue them on short notice. The owl everybody hopes to see is the snowy. This is an arctic tundra bird that wanders south in small numbers; a few usually turn up on Chicago’s lakefront every winter. The first snowy I ever saw was perched on a dock in Montrose harbor. Snowy owls in DuPage County are extremely rare.
The northern saw-whet owl is another winter specialty. Unlike the snowy, this species conceals itself during the day, roosting in dense evergreens. The traditional local “hot spot” for saw-whets is Morton Arboretum in Lisle, where the same trees and shrubs seem to attract them year after year.
Yet another winter resident is the short-eared owl, which hunts low over open fields around dusk. Good places to search include Pratt’s Wayne Woods and Tri-County State Park in Bartlett, and Fermilab in Batavia.
You can track local owl sightings by monitoring the free online list-serve for area birders. To join the network, send a blank e-mail to ILbirds-subscribe@yahoogroups.com, wait for the response, then follow the instructions. To study owl sounds and learn more about these fascinating raptors, try www.owling.com.
In the meantime, keep an ear open when you go to bed. Owls are in your neighborhood, and hearing is believing.
Jeff Reiter is a Glen Ellyn, Ill., resident who enjoys birding at home and in the field. You can reach him at jreiter@wordsonbirds.com.
Copyright 2005. All Rights Reserved.
No debate about DuPage County’s birdiest yard
(published 11-3-05)
When you spot a magnificent frigatebird soaring over Dupage County, you’re a pretty lucky birder. And that’s just what happened to Bob Fisher in September. The frigatebird, a Florida Keys and Gulf Coast native, was evidently carried here by the winds of Hurricane Katrina. It was the first documented occurrence of the species in Illinois since 1988.
For Fisher, perhaps the only thing unlucky about his frigatebird sighting is that it happened two blocks away from his south Downers Grove home. If he’d spotted it from
his own property, it would have been species No. 196 on the yard list he keeps with his wife, Karen, who’s also an avid birder.
Building a yard list of nearly 200 species is ridiculous, and I mean that in a good way. This is DuPage County, after all, not southeast Arizona or some other famous birding hot spot. I’ve been watching birds for eight years in my Glen Ellyn backyard and I’m up to 99 species. Not bad, but my list feels short when I think about what the Fishers have achieved.
“The Yard in Downers Grove,” as local birders reverently call it, it quite simply a bird magnet. And it’s much more than a yard. The Fishers home sits on 3.5 acres with many bird-friendly features, including a small creek. Trees, shrubs and flowers were planted with birds in mind, and brush piles offer further cover.
As for feeders, Bob keeps about 20 of them stocked year-round with a variety of treats. In the winter, he activates two heated birdbaths.
No wonder The Yard is a virtual aviary. It has hosted every possible eastern warbler—35 species in all. When I asked Bob about his favorite all-time sightings, he cited several. Like the time three northern goshawks were in the yard at once. And the day when an osprey landed in the willow tree, clutching a fish in its talons.
Fisher estimates that about 15 percent of his yard species have been flyovers. These include bald eagle, Mississippi kite, peregrine falcon, tundra swan and black tern. Again, ridiculous.
The Fishers like to share their sightings, so when a rarity is spotted in The Yard other birders are welcomed. Many got to see a prairie warbler that once hung around by the creek, and others came to witness an evening grosbeak.
As you would expect, the Fishers are accomplished field birders as well. Last year they set out on a “big year,” to see how many different species they could see in Illinois. Bob tallied 322 for a new state record. Karen saw 316.
The Fishers are active with the DuPage Birding Club, with Bob currently serving as president and Karen helping organize field trips. Bob also volunteers with the Bird Conservation Network.
But getting back to The Yard, Bob modestly points out that time has worked in his favor. He and Karen have been in their current home for 35 years and feeding birds the whole time. Being semi-retired also frees up more hours for observation. But luck still plays a role. Sometimes you just need to be outside at the right moment, like Bob was when those tundra swans passed over in 2003.
It’ll take more good luck, and perhaps years, for the Fisher yard list to hit 200. It will be a magnificent milestone.
Reiter is a Glen Ellyn, Illinois, resident who enjoys birding at home and in the field. You can reach him at jreiter@wordsonbirds.com.
Copyright 2005. All Rights Reserved.
(published 11-3-05)
When you spot a magnificent frigatebird soaring over Dupage County, you’re a pretty lucky birder. And that’s just what happened to Bob Fisher in September. The frigatebird, a Florida Keys and Gulf Coast native, was evidently carried here by the winds of Hurricane Katrina. It was the first documented occurrence of the species in Illinois since 1988.
For Fisher, perhaps the only thing unlucky about his frigatebird sighting is that it happened two blocks away from his south Downers Grove home. If he’d spotted it from
his own property, it would have been species No. 196 on the yard list he keeps with his wife, Karen, who’s also an avid birder.
Building a yard list of nearly 200 species is ridiculous, and I mean that in a good way. This is DuPage County, after all, not southeast Arizona or some other famous birding hot spot. I’ve been watching birds for eight years in my Glen Ellyn backyard and I’m up to 99 species. Not bad, but my list feels short when I think about what the Fishers have achieved.
“The Yard in Downers Grove,” as local birders reverently call it, it quite simply a bird magnet. And it’s much more than a yard. The Fishers home sits on 3.5 acres with many bird-friendly features, including a small creek. Trees, shrubs and flowers were planted with birds in mind, and brush piles offer further cover.
As for feeders, Bob keeps about 20 of them stocked year-round with a variety of treats. In the winter, he activates two heated birdbaths.
No wonder The Yard is a virtual aviary. It has hosted every possible eastern warbler—35 species in all. When I asked Bob about his favorite all-time sightings, he cited several. Like the time three northern goshawks were in the yard at once. And the day when an osprey landed in the willow tree, clutching a fish in its talons.
Fisher estimates that about 15 percent of his yard species have been flyovers. These include bald eagle, Mississippi kite, peregrine falcon, tundra swan and black tern. Again, ridiculous.
The Fishers like to share their sightings, so when a rarity is spotted in The Yard other birders are welcomed. Many got to see a prairie warbler that once hung around by the creek, and others came to witness an evening grosbeak.
As you would expect, the Fishers are accomplished field birders as well. Last year they set out on a “big year,” to see how many different species they could see in Illinois. Bob tallied 322 for a new state record. Karen saw 316.
The Fishers are active with the DuPage Birding Club, with Bob currently serving as president and Karen helping organize field trips. Bob also volunteers with the Bird Conservation Network.
But getting back to The Yard, Bob modestly points out that time has worked in his favor. He and Karen have been in their current home for 35 years and feeding birds the whole time. Being semi-retired also frees up more hours for observation. But luck still plays a role. Sometimes you just need to be outside at the right moment, like Bob was when those tundra swans passed over in 2003.
It’ll take more good luck, and perhaps years, for the Fisher yard list to hit 200. It will be a magnificent milestone.
Reiter is a Glen Ellyn, Illinois, resident who enjoys birding at home and in the field. You can reach him at jreiter@wordsonbirds.com.
Copyright 2005. All Rights Reserved.
Bird-friendly Hidden Lake Forest Preserve is worth a visit
(published 10-6-05)
Considering its proximity, I really should visit Hidden Lake Forest Preserve in Glen Ellyn more often. I’ve always known it’s a “birdy” place, and after spending a morning there last month, I appreciate it even more.
The Sept. 17 outing, sponsored by the DuPage Birding Club, had high potential written all over it. We were visiting Hidden Lake during the peak of fall migration and the weather was ideal. Plus, there were 27 birders in our group. With that many eyes, the chances of seeing something good are vastly improved.
Habitat is the most important thing, of course, and Hidden Lake has plenty. At 390 acres, it’s one of the more compact local forest preserves. But what it lacks in size it makes up for in diversity.
“Within steps from the parking lot you can experience diving ducks on Round Meadow Lake, marsh birds in the cattails and shorebirds along parts of the river,” says Scott Meister, animal ecologist for the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. “All of this is in addition to the numerous songbirds dwelling in the woods and the prairie upland surrounding the lake. Sharing a border with the Morton Arboretum can’t hurt either.”
Meister told me that Hidden Lake Forest Preserve gets its name from the lake on the south end of the preserve that’s invisible from nearby Route 53. A wide trail encircles the lake, and on the day we visited the most exciting bird activity was concentrated on the west side, where the path runs along a birm between the lake and the DuPage River. We encountered a nice pocket of migrants that included a brown thrasher, scarlet tanager, yellow-throated vireo and several warbler species. Further down the trail we spotted a Philadelphia vireo—the “bird of the day” for most of us. A red-headed woodpecker was another nice find.
The wetland areas of Hidden Lake are well-known for attracting wading birds and various shorebirds. Several birders could recall the time about eight years ago when a pair of American avocets visited the preserve. That was a freakish event, to be sure, but it supports Hidden Lake’s reputation as a shorebird magnet. Meister says the preserve’s open water and mudflats occasionally draw Caspian terns as well.
Mid-September is well beyond the peak period for migrating shorebirds, so our sightings along the river edges were limited to greater yellowlegs, killdeer and several Wilson’s snipe. We searched unsuccessfully for a sora or Virginia rail skulking along the cattails, settling instead for terrific views of several marsh wrens.
Our group tallied about 55 species in all, including a baker’s dozen of migrating warblers. The most numerous species was cedar waxwing—the most I’d ever seen in one day.
When visiting Hidden Lake, don’t expect serenity. It’s located, after all, across from a Wal-Mart. Massive utility towers are in plain view, and traffic noise is constant. But the birds don’t seem to mind, so you shouldn’t either. Just enjoy the show, and be ready for anything.
The preserve entrance is on the east side of Route 53, just south of Butterfield Road. After entering, turn right and park in the south lot. From there, walk 50 yards south to the bridge. On most days, you could stay at this spot and see a great variety of birds. Go another 100 yards or so through a woodland corridor and you’ll come to the “hidden lake” described earlier.
Reiter is a Glen Ellyn, Illinois, resident who enjoys birding at home and in the field. You can reach him at jreiter@wordsonbirds.com.
Copyright 2005. All Rights Reserved.
(published 10-6-05)
Considering its proximity, I really should visit Hidden Lake Forest Preserve in Glen Ellyn more often. I’ve always known it’s a “birdy” place, and after spending a morning there last month, I appreciate it even more.
The Sept. 17 outing, sponsored by the DuPage Birding Club, had high potential written all over it. We were visiting Hidden Lake during the peak of fall migration and the weather was ideal. Plus, there were 27 birders in our group. With that many eyes, the chances of seeing something good are vastly improved.
Habitat is the most important thing, of course, and Hidden Lake has plenty. At 390 acres, it’s one of the more compact local forest preserves. But what it lacks in size it makes up for in diversity.
“Within steps from the parking lot you can experience diving ducks on Round Meadow Lake, marsh birds in the cattails and shorebirds along parts of the river,” says Scott Meister, animal ecologist for the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. “All of this is in addition to the numerous songbirds dwelling in the woods and the prairie upland surrounding the lake. Sharing a border with the Morton Arboretum can’t hurt either.”
Meister told me that Hidden Lake Forest Preserve gets its name from the lake on the south end of the preserve that’s invisible from nearby Route 53. A wide trail encircles the lake, and on the day we visited the most exciting bird activity was concentrated on the west side, where the path runs along a birm between the lake and the DuPage River. We encountered a nice pocket of migrants that included a brown thrasher, scarlet tanager, yellow-throated vireo and several warbler species. Further down the trail we spotted a Philadelphia vireo—the “bird of the day” for most of us. A red-headed woodpecker was another nice find.
The wetland areas of Hidden Lake are well-known for attracting wading birds and various shorebirds. Several birders could recall the time about eight years ago when a pair of American avocets visited the preserve. That was a freakish event, to be sure, but it supports Hidden Lake’s reputation as a shorebird magnet. Meister says the preserve’s open water and mudflats occasionally draw Caspian terns as well.
Mid-September is well beyond the peak period for migrating shorebirds, so our sightings along the river edges were limited to greater yellowlegs, killdeer and several Wilson’s snipe. We searched unsuccessfully for a sora or Virginia rail skulking along the cattails, settling instead for terrific views of several marsh wrens.
Our group tallied about 55 species in all, including a baker’s dozen of migrating warblers. The most numerous species was cedar waxwing—the most I’d ever seen in one day.
When visiting Hidden Lake, don’t expect serenity. It’s located, after all, across from a Wal-Mart. Massive utility towers are in plain view, and traffic noise is constant. But the birds don’t seem to mind, so you shouldn’t either. Just enjoy the show, and be ready for anything.
The preserve entrance is on the east side of Route 53, just south of Butterfield Road. After entering, turn right and park in the south lot. From there, walk 50 yards south to the bridge. On most days, you could stay at this spot and see a great variety of birds. Go another 100 yards or so through a woodland corridor and you’ll come to the “hidden lake” described earlier.
Reiter is a Glen Ellyn, Illinois, resident who enjoys birding at home and in the field. You can reach him at jreiter@wordsonbirds.com.
Copyright 2005. All Rights Reserved.
Wanted: A thirsty hummingbird to call my own
(published 9-8-05)
Please do me a favor. If you have an extra hummingbird hanging around your yard, send him over to my place.
I’m having a terrific year in terms of yard birds. My annual list is up to 63 species and includes such first-time visitors as yellow-billed cuckoo, northern parula and blue-headed vireo. Those birds stopped by in May. In July, the big surprise was a red-breasted nuthatch—a bird that until this year had never appeared in the summer. Amazingly, though, I still haven’t seen a ruby-throated hummingbird whizzing around the yard.
Hopefully my luck will change this month. September can be great for hummers so be sure to keep your sugar-water feeders clean and full. Consider leaving them out well into autumn, too. In 2002 a ruby-throat visited my yard on Oct. 27! Unfortunately, I’d put away my feeder at least a month earlier.
Hummingbirds sure are fun to watch, and I took full advantage of the opportunity last month when vacationing in Minnesota. The lake resort where we stayed, near Brainerd, had a fabulous garden loaded with the tubular flowers that hummingbirds can’t resist. The birds were enjoying the cardinal flower and bee balm in particular. Now I’m more motivated than ever to do a better job of landscaping our yard for hummingbirds in 2006. Sugar-water should really be viewed as a supplementary food source; red, trumpet-shaped flowers are what the hummers like best.
The volume of advice on how to attract hummingbirds to your yard is astounding. Entire books exist on the subject, which says a lot about how much people cherish these unique birds. The Internet is a great resource too. For interesting facts and answers to all your hummingbird questions, try www.hummingbirds.net.
Although it’s possible to see about 20 kinds of hummingbirds in the United States, only one species, ruby-throated, is common east of the Mississippi River. So if you see a hummingbird around here it’s almost certainly a ruby-throat. But do look carefully because rarities are quite possible. Just last month there was a confirmed sighting of a white-eared hummingbird in Brighton, Mich. That species is normally found on the U.S.-Mexico border.
The most likely vagrant species in the Chicago area is the rufous hummingbird. Several years ago a rufous was discovered at a backyard feeder in Elgin. The very generous homeowner invited birders to come see it for themselves and many jumped at the chance.
My own appreciation of hummingbirds took a big leap three years ago when I birded in southeast Arizona for the first time. At least 15 hummer species call that region home during all or part of the year. My visit was frustratingly brief but I still managed to see seven varieties. The most memorable was a calliope hummingbird, North America’s smallest bird.
Meanwhile, back here in Glen Ellyn, I wait. There’s something very special about hummingbirds, and I’ll be disappointed if one doesn’t stop by for a drink this month. The bar is open.
Mark your calendar: Tri-County State Park in Bartlett will host a two-hour bird hike starting at 8 a.m. on Sept. 24. The event is part of festivities to celebrate the designation of Pratt’s Wayne Woods as an Illinois Important Bird Area. The entrance to Tri-County is on the north side of Stearns Road, west of Route 59. For more information, call (847) 429-4670.
Reiter is a Glen Ellyn, Ill., resident who enjoys birding at home and in the field. You can reach him at jreiter@wordsonbirds.com.
Copyright 2005. All Rights Reserved.
(published 9-8-05)
Please do me a favor. If you have an extra hummingbird hanging around your yard, send him over to my place.
I’m having a terrific year in terms of yard birds. My annual list is up to 63 species and includes such first-time visitors as yellow-billed cuckoo, northern parula and blue-headed vireo. Those birds stopped by in May. In July, the big surprise was a red-breasted nuthatch—a bird that until this year had never appeared in the summer. Amazingly, though, I still haven’t seen a ruby-throated hummingbird whizzing around the yard.
Hopefully my luck will change this month. September can be great for hummers so be sure to keep your sugar-water feeders clean and full. Consider leaving them out well into autumn, too. In 2002 a ruby-throat visited my yard on Oct. 27! Unfortunately, I’d put away my feeder at least a month earlier.
Hummingbirds sure are fun to watch, and I took full advantage of the opportunity last month when vacationing in Minnesota. The lake resort where we stayed, near Brainerd, had a fabulous garden loaded with the tubular flowers that hummingbirds can’t resist. The birds were enjoying the cardinal flower and bee balm in particular. Now I’m more motivated than ever to do a better job of landscaping our yard for hummingbirds in 2006. Sugar-water should really be viewed as a supplementary food source; red, trumpet-shaped flowers are what the hummers like best.
The volume of advice on how to attract hummingbirds to your yard is astounding. Entire books exist on the subject, which says a lot about how much people cherish these unique birds. The Internet is a great resource too. For interesting facts and answers to all your hummingbird questions, try www.hummingbirds.net.
Although it’s possible to see about 20 kinds of hummingbirds in the United States, only one species, ruby-throated, is common east of the Mississippi River. So if you see a hummingbird around here it’s almost certainly a ruby-throat. But do look carefully because rarities are quite possible. Just last month there was a confirmed sighting of a white-eared hummingbird in Brighton, Mich. That species is normally found on the U.S.-Mexico border.
The most likely vagrant species in the Chicago area is the rufous hummingbird. Several years ago a rufous was discovered at a backyard feeder in Elgin. The very generous homeowner invited birders to come see it for themselves and many jumped at the chance.
My own appreciation of hummingbirds took a big leap three years ago when I birded in southeast Arizona for the first time. At least 15 hummer species call that region home during all or part of the year. My visit was frustratingly brief but I still managed to see seven varieties. The most memorable was a calliope hummingbird, North America’s smallest bird.
Meanwhile, back here in Glen Ellyn, I wait. There’s something very special about hummingbirds, and I’ll be disappointed if one doesn’t stop by for a drink this month. The bar is open.
Mark your calendar: Tri-County State Park in Bartlett will host a two-hour bird hike starting at 8 a.m. on Sept. 24. The event is part of festivities to celebrate the designation of Pratt’s Wayne Woods as an Illinois Important Bird Area. The entrance to Tri-County is on the north side of Stearns Road, west of Route 59. For more information, call (847) 429-4670.
Reiter is a Glen Ellyn, Ill., resident who enjoys birding at home and in the field. You can reach him at jreiter@wordsonbirds.com.
Copyright 2005. All Rights Reserved.
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