Purple Chickadee

This afternoon, Bob and I looked out the window, and he spotted something “different” – turned out we had 3 baby boy NORTHERN FLICKERS in the yard with their dad!!! I have never seen baby Flickers, let alone in our yard, so this was very exciting. Bob and I both snapped photos. Click the ones below to take you to the full album:

About 2 weeks ago, we had a mamma Turkey in the yard with 7 babies. They were eating under our feeders and chasing the Pigeons away. Two days ago, they all came back for another breakfast! Click on photo for full album:

We had such a special time at this festival and we met so many wonderful people: birders, trip leaders, and festival organizers alike. You can view our large photo album (all taken by Bob) by starting here at the beginning – just click this photo. Below this photo are special highlights from the trip, which you will see within the album too:

Here are some special highlights:

I asked Bob to drive the car slowly past Crystal Lake in Englewood today to see what I could spot. Well, my NON-BIRDING husband gets a prize for pointing out the GREEN HERON fishing on the bank of the lake! He was able to snap a wonderful photo. I wonder if they will be nesting here….I have never seen one at this lake before:

Roxie was lunching directly under my window today. Click on any photo to bring you to the whole gruesome album:

On a lighter note, Mary the Groundhog has been seen in my yard nearly every day for the past week or so. Again, click on any photo to bring you to the entire album:

Our immature Cooper’s Hawk, Lindsay, is at it again. Lindsay dove straight into the top of some shrubs and came out the bottom with this unfortunate Starling. After a few minutes of crushing it to death, Lindsay flew off with it:

Also, we have an Opossum in our yard! Click on this photo for all 4 Opossum photos in the album:

I saw the cutest owl ever today, a Northern Saw-whet Owl, in Central Park. This was one of my most wanted life birds. I had a good spot standing on a bench peering through a gap in the tree about 30 to 35 feet away. I zoomed all the way in, but still these are cropped and maybe just a tad blurry. Click on ANY photo to take you to the full album – more photos than are shown here:

I went to the front of the path to snap a few quick ones, but didn’t want to stay and bother it:

Then I went back to my original spot:

We are happy to report that the little fellow has returned today, so hopefully he will continue to be a regular for a little while. Bob and I both snapped a few pics – click any photo below to take you to the full album from today:

We also had quite a show from Harry and Harriet, our Hairy Woodpecker pair. Harry was drumming up a storm, and Harriet responded with sounds I’ve never heard from a Hairy Woodpecker before – many little chip and chirp sounds in rapid succession.  Then they both came in for suet:

Mr. Led-belly was also ever present today:

And finally, even though it’s “just a Starling,” the plumage is so gorgeous:

I had a funny feeling that I was going to have a great yard bird today, and so it came to pass! As I glanced up and looked out the window, a flash of black wings with big white wing patches came and went within a second. I immediately had the impression of a Grosbeak, but hardly believed it, especially when I saw a Downy Woodpecker in approximately the same place as the bird had flown. But not a minute later, out came the male Rose-breasted Grosbeak to my amazement and delight! I cracked open my back door to snap a few pics (please click on any photo to bring you to the entire album):

His breast is not a bright, hot pink color, but more a lighter pink. He was happily eating with the Pigeons and House Sparrows – hahahaaa! These pics were taken through the window because I didn’t want to disturb him:

In other yard news, my Fox Sparrow is still here – it’s been about a week now:

Along with our usual yard crew, the blizzard brought in 2 American Tree Sparrows and a Fox Sparrow this morning! We got at least a foot of snow, so the feeders were a happy refuge for everyone today. Click on any photo to bring you to the full album:

Bob and I went for a walk at Losen Slote on Sunday looking for White-winged Crossbills that had been reported, and with much thanks to Mike Newhouse for taking us to the spot they had been seen, we located two beautiful males high in the sweet gum trees. Bob snapped some photos of them while they ate: