Hullo from Illinois! I'm an extremely new birdwatcher, though I've always enjoyed nature. I had been taking a lot more outdoor walks lately, and kept seeing birds that I wanted to know the name of. Finally, there was a bird sitting on the fence next to my car, allowing me a good, long 10 minute look. It was small, and quite pretty. I headed to the library, and identified it as a House Sparrow, lol. When I realized how common they are, and yet still so pretty, I could only imagine how much beauty I was missing. So I'm here.. kudos to the House Sparrow.
-May 9, 2009-
After identifying the House Sparrow, I started by looking at the other birds that showed up in my yard (and my neighbor's).
1. House Sparrow
2. American Robin
3. Red-Winged Blackbird
Then my boyfriend and I headed to his daughter's soccer game, and sat next to the teeny "lake" at the park, with my old cheap binoculars in hand.
4. Mallard (roadside, on the way there)
5. Mallard (roadside, on the way there)
6. Tree Swallow
7. Barn Swallow
8. Brown Headed Cowbird (I was amused by this character's name, and interested in reading about it's parasitic behavior.)
-May 10, 2009-
Sam (boyfriend's daughter) had another soccer game, and we sat next to the reservoir.
9. Common Grackle
10. Killdeer (I love the two black neckrings!)
11. American Crow (on the way home)
12. Northern Cardinal (home)
-May 11, 2009-
Spent a few hours birding on Monday.
I road with my boyfriend to Starbucks, and saw..
13. European Starling
14. Herring Gull
15. Great Egret (Super excited about this! And he seems to have taken up residence at McCollum Lake, even though he should be migrating. I've seen him a few times since Monday..)
Then I took my dog for a walk around my neighborhood.
14. Blue Jay
15. Bank Swallow (sitting on a line with many tree & barn swallows)
16. Song Sparrow
17. Chipping Sparrow
Afterwards, I spent 3 hours as Moraine Hills State Park on a half mile nature trail.
18. Gray Catbird
19. Veery (Also excited about this.. almost misidentified it as a hermit thrush, but he sat there for a good 20 minutes hopping around on a log, letting me look at him)
20. Dark-Eyed Junco
21. Common Yellowthroat
22. Black-Capped Chickadee
-May 12, 2009-
23. Great Blue Heron (Seen from a vehicle, but he flew just in front of us and then landed next to the road, looking gorgeous the whole time)
Another long walk around the neighborhood yielded:
24. American Goldfinch (A male & female couple, sitting on a feeder)
25. House Finch (Same..)
26. Baltimore Oriole
27. Palm Warbler (This guy was hiding in an evergreen, and was super cute.)
-May 9, 2009-
After identifying the House Sparrow, I started by looking at the other birds that showed up in my yard (and my neighbor's).
1. House Sparrow
2. American Robin
3. Red-Winged Blackbird
Then my boyfriend and I headed to his daughter's soccer game, and sat next to the teeny "lake" at the park, with my old cheap binoculars in hand.
4. Mallard (roadside, on the way there)
5. Mallard (roadside, on the way there)
6. Tree Swallow
7. Barn Swallow
8. Brown Headed Cowbird (I was amused by this character's name, and interested in reading about it's parasitic behavior.)
-May 10, 2009-
Sam (boyfriend's daughter) had another soccer game, and we sat next to the reservoir.
9. Common Grackle
10. Killdeer (I love the two black neckrings!)
11. American Crow (on the way home)
12. Northern Cardinal (home)
-May 11, 2009-
Spent a few hours birding on Monday.
I road with my boyfriend to Starbucks, and saw..
13. European Starling
14. Herring Gull
15. Great Egret (Super excited about this! And he seems to have taken up residence at McCollum Lake, even though he should be migrating. I've seen him a few times since Monday..)
Then I took my dog for a walk around my neighborhood.
14. Blue Jay
15. Bank Swallow (sitting on a line with many tree & barn swallows)
16. Song Sparrow
17. Chipping Sparrow
Afterwards, I spent 3 hours as Moraine Hills State Park on a half mile nature trail.
18. Gray Catbird
19. Veery (Also excited about this.. almost misidentified it as a hermit thrush, but he sat there for a good 20 minutes hopping around on a log, letting me look at him)
20. Dark-Eyed Junco
21. Common Yellowthroat
22. Black-Capped Chickadee
-May 12, 2009-
23. Great Blue Heron (Seen from a vehicle, but he flew just in front of us and then landed next to the road, looking gorgeous the whole time)
Another long walk around the neighborhood yielded:
24. American Goldfinch (A male & female couple, sitting on a feeder)
25. House Finch (Same..)
26. Baltimore Oriole
27. Palm Warbler (This guy was hiding in an evergreen, and was super cute.)
