Friday, March 28, 2008

Downy Softness!

Downy Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker, visiting my feeders

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

They're back, alright!

Common Grackle

Common Grackle - don't mess with this guy!

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Turn off the lights for an hour

Turn off your lights for an hour on Saturday, March 29th, from 8-9pm.

Created to take a stand against the greatest threat our planet has ever faced, Earth Hour uses the simple action of turning off the lights for one hour to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on global warming.

This simple act has captured the hearts and minds of people all over the world. As a result, at 8pm March 29, 2008 millions of people in some of the world’s major capital cities, including Copenhagen, Toronto, Chicago, Melbourne, Brisbane and Tel Aviv will unite and switch off for Earth Hour.

On 31 March 2007, 2.2 million people and 2100 Sydney businesses turned off their lights for one hour - Earth Hour. If the greenhouse reduction achieved in the Sydney CBD during Earth Hour was sustained for a year, it would be equivalent to taking 48,616 cars off the road for a year.

This year, Earth Hour is a global event.

Make a difference. Turn off your lights. Support Earth Hour.

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Duck Story

This is what happens when you sit in one place on the ice for too long:

Hmmm, there seems to be a puddle forming.
Duck Melt: 1 of 3

QUACK! The ground has dissolved beneath my feet! Get me out of here!
Duck Melt: 2 of 3

I can haz solid ground now pleez? K thx bye.
Duck Melt: 3 of 3

Red-tailed hawk

Red-tailed hawk

A red-tailed hawk, perched across the pond. He's (she's?) pretty far away, so it's a bit of a grainy shot, but he didn't sit still long enough for me to get the scope on him. I just love their tails, and their dark faces. Just gorgeous!

Monday, March 17, 2008

FeederWatch Mar 14-15

Weather and Effort: March 14, 2008
When did you watch your feeders?
Day 1: morning
Day 2: afternoon
Estimated cumulative time: 1 to 4 hours
Daylight temperature: -9 to 0° C (15 to 32° F) low
1 to 10° C (33 to 50° F) high
Daylight precipitation: None - -
Total depth of ice/snow cover: - -

Checklist for FeederWatch Illinois Birds

Mallard4
Cooper's Hawk1
Mourning Dove18
Downy Woodpecker2
American Robin2
European Starling38
American Tree Sparrow2
Dark-eyed Junco13
Northern Cardinal1
Red-winged Blackbird8
Common Grackle2
House Finch5 (0 with eye disease)
American Goldfinch1 (0 with eye disease)
House Sparrow10

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Rumblings of Spring

The red-winged blackbirds came back March 2nd. The robins came back March 6th.

On March 10th, their grackle buddies showed up, and on March 11th, the mourning doves started cooing again.

Spring is in the air!

Grackles are Back!

Saturday, March 8, 2008

FeederWatch Mar 7-8

Weather and Effort: March 7, 2008
When did you watch your feeders?
Day 1: morning
Day 2: afternoon
Estimated cumulative time: 1 to 4 hours
Daylight temperature: -9 to 0° C (15 to 32° F) low
1 to 10° C (33 to 50° F) high
Daylight precipitation: None - -
Total depth of ice/snow cover: Under 5 cm (under 2")

Checklist for FeederWatch Illinois Birds

Red-tailed Hawk1
Mourning Dove20
Downy Woodpecker1
American Robin8
European Starling4
American Tree Sparrow5
Song Sparrow1
Dark-eyed Junco12
Northern Cardinal1
Red-winged Blackbird4
House Finch5 (1 with eye disease)
American Goldfinch1 (0 with eye disease)
House Sparrow10

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Pledge

Pledge to Fight Animal Cruelty

Look who stopped by

The First Robins of 2008

Look who stopped by today!

Woohooooo!! C'mon, spring!!!

The first robins of 2008!

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Red-winged Blackbirds Return

The red-winged blackbirds have returned! They arrived in my yard on March 2, 2008.

I finally pulled the pictures off of my camera, and holy cow, I'm in love! I'm so glad they're back!! I swear it's the same one that came back first last spring. They're my "spark bird" - the bird that got me into birding. He's so handsome!!!

First Red-winged Blackbird of 2008
Click the photo to see more - there are a handful of pics of him up on my Flickr.

I heart the red-winged blackbird!!

Please, spring, come soon!

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Project FeederWatch Feb 29 - Mar 1

Weather and Effort: February 29, 2008
When did you watch your feeders?
Day 1: morning
Day 2: afternoon
Estimated cumulative time: Less than 1 hour
Daylight temperature: -9 to 0° C (15 to 32° F) low
1 to 10° C (33 to 50° F) high
Daylight precipitation: None - -
Total depth of ice/snow cover: Under 5 cm (under 2")
Snow cover is patchy (less than 50% cover).

Checklist for FeederWatch Illinois Birds

Cooper's Hawk1
Mourning Dove12
Downy Woodpecker1
European Starling8
American Tree Sparrow3
Dark-eyed Junco12
Northern Cardinal3
House Finch4 (0 with eye disease)
American Goldfinch1 (0 with eye disease)
House Sparrow8