Archives For Birding

Make a Bird-Nesting Bag

Kathy J. —  March 16, 2013 — 1 Comment

Spring is here and the birds are returning from their winter homes. Some birds fly through the Chicago area to their nesting habitats up north, while others return and stay in the area.

Spring is the season for laying eggs, because it gives the juvenile birds all summer to mature and become strong before they need to migrate in the fall. Also, as spring turns to summer, the growing chicks require more food. The trees grow leaves, insects hatch, fruits ripen, and other food sources become more plentiful. The birds’ habits are perfectly synchronized with the seasons. 

At this time of year, recently returned birds will be looking for material to build a nest and lay eggs. You can provide some bling for a lucky bird family with a few things you have around your home.

You will need items including these:

  • A plastic netting or mesh bag, like the kind oranges and apples are sold in
  • Scraps of yarn or strips of fabric cut 1/4 inch wide and at least 6 inches long (longer is fine)
  • Optional — dryer lint, metallic thread, any other attractive loose materials
PHOTO: supplies to build a nesting bag

Let’s put this empty apple bag and some leftover fabric scraps to good use!

Put all of the scrap materials into the mesh bag. Tease out the ends of the material through the holes in the netting all around the bag so it looks like a bundle of loose stuff. Tie the top of the bag. Hang the bag securely on a tree branch where a bird can perch and pluck pieces of material from the bag.

PHOTO: The finished nesting bag

Wall art or condo furnishings? Hang your bag outside and watch for birds!

Now you will be ready for International Migratory Bird Day, which is Saturday, May 11, this year. Watch the bag for signs that a bird is using the material. Look around your neighborhood for nests to see if any bird used the materials to build its nest. And have a happy bird day!

PHOTO: our bird nesting bag in situ

Let’s see where our fabric scraps end up this spring…

In Birding, Ecology & Wildlife, Education, How-To, Youth Education , , , , , ,
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The One That Got Away

In Search of the Hoary Redpoll

Carol Freeman —  January 28, 2013 — Leave a comment
PHOTO: Common Redpoll ©Carol Freeman

The common redpoll is a cute finch that visits the Garden in winter. ©Carol Freeman

For several months now I’ve heard about a hoary redpoll that has been visiting the Garden. This is an uncommon, very pale, “frosty” version of the common redpoll that often visits the Chicago area in winter. Some say it’s a color variation, and some say it’s a separate species altogether. Either way, I want to see it for myself. This would be a “lifer” bird for me, one I have never seen in my life.

All I had to do was find and photograph the bird. Easy, right? I had done this before with other birds, and I knew that this one likes to hang out near the Regenstein Center and on Evening Island. It also likes to eat the seeds of birch trees, and I know that this is a very pale bird compared to the common redpoll. Piece of cake. Well, that was two months ago…

Many other birders have seen this bird, and some of their comments to me have been…

“Oh, you just missed it. It was feeding here and it just flew off a few minutes ago.”

“There are 100 common redpolls flying around. You just have to check each one to see if it’s the hoary.”

“Take a look at the great shots I got of the hoary. It practically flew right in front of me.”

ARRRRGGGGH! Lately, I am lucky to find any birds at all, maybe a few ducks, geese, or juncos. The Garden seems to have gone quiet. A few times, during my many visits, I spotted some small flocks of the common redpolls, which the hoary redpoll likes to hang out with — each time I hoped to find the “silvery” bird in the flock, and each time I walked away empty handed. Every time I read about a sighting at the Garden, I rushed over in the hopes of seeing this bird for myself. “No luck. Well, maybe next time,” I told myself. And the weeks went by without a sighting. Sigh…what am I going to write about now?

PHOTO: Common Redpoll enjoying the birch tree seeds outside Regenstein Center. ©Carol Freeman

Enjoying the birch tree seeds near the Regenstein Center. ©Carol Freeman

O.K., I thought, I’ll try one more time, maybe I’ll get lucky. Surely today I will see the bird. After a little searching, I do find a small flock of common redpolls. I carefully check each one to see if the hoary is mixed in. No luck. But hey, these guys are really cute: hanging from the trees, swinging in the breeze, feeding on the seeds. As I admire their beauty, they slowly make their way toward me. They seem to know that I pose no threat, and I feel accepted by these tiny birds. What a gift to be able to stand so close to them and to have them behave naturally. They show no signs of stress, and I feel totally connected to nature in this moment. I forget all about the hoary, and instead remember why I do what I do. It is for this feeling — this feeling of connectedness and appreciation of all of nature. Thank you, common redpolls, for this reminder. I am forever grateful for your beauty and for your trust.

All of nature is there for our enjoyment and appreciation, from the commonplace to the exotic. We just need to get out there to see it.

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Bohemian Waxwing: Lifer

Carol Freeman —  November 27, 2012 — 2 Comments

For those birders who keep lists, a Lifer bird is one that you see in the wild for the first time in your life. Always exhilarating, often amazing, and really pretty cool when you think about it.

I love birds. I know a bit about the local ones, and I know enough birders to know when a rare bird is around. Thankfully birders like to share info—a nice trait.

I had heard through the grapevine that a Bohemian waxwing had been seen at the Chicago Botanic Garden for the last two days. This is a bird that spends most of its time in the boreal forests of Canada, and only very rarely visits Illinois in the winter. Similar to the cedar waxwing, which can be found here year round, it is larger, lacks the yellow on the belly, and has lovely reddish markings on the face and under the tail.

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©Carol Freeman, all rights reserved.

Birds don’t sit still, and this particular bird had been seen in several different locations at the Garden. No telling where it would be today, or even if I would see it.

Luckily, when I headed toward its last known location near the Enabling Garden, I came upon several birders. They were pointing to the top of a tree. I look up. Yep, there’s a bird about 20 feet up, backlit against a white sky. Hmmm, not the view I was hoping for. But I can just make out the identifying marks of a Bohemian waxwing. Ok, there it is, my Lifer. Hmmm, kinda anticlimactic. In case this is the one and only time I ever see this species, I take a few obligatory shots. I personally don’t count a bird on my list unless I have a photo, and now I have a few. They aren’t going to win any awards, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. 

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©Carol Freeman, all rights reserved.

Just after I get my shot, the bird flies to another clump of trees a short distance away. Then it flies out of sight. A few birders go off to see if they can relocate it. I chat with the others who have stayed behind. Some had seen the bird before today. But for many, this is a Lifer for them too.

While waiting for the bird to hopefully make another appearance, I take a moment to photograph the many cedar waxwings that are enjoying the abundant berries nearby. Suddenly I hear shouts from the birders. The Bohemian waxwing has just flown into the trees where the cedar waxwings are feeding, not far from where I’m standing. The bird is a few trees back and blocked by branches. I don’t want to move and scare it off, risking the wrath of the birders, so I just wait. Soon the Bohemian waxwing makes its way toward me. Wow! It’s hopping onto branches, closer and closer to where I’m standing. Oh my! Now it’s right in front of me. Whooo, hoooo! I couldn’t have gotten any closer if I had tried. Click, click, click, wow, wow, wow, amazing! I’m stunned. What an incredible encounter. This is one Lifer experience I’ll never forget. And…I have the photos to prove it!

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©Carol Freeman, all rights reserved.

In Birding, Ecology & Wildlife, Nature in View , ,
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The Magic Tree

Carol Freeman —  November 7, 2012 — 1 Comment

The Magic Tree is the Holy Grail for photographers. It’s the sweet spot where all the wildlife seems to magically appear for minutes or sometimes hours at a time. If I’m lucky I will find it a few times each year. The trick is I never know when or where the Magic Tree will be. The Magic Tree doesn’t just reveal itself to everybody. You have to show it respect. You can’t just walk up to it and start firing off pictures – that breaks the magic, and all the birds will scatter.

Whenever I pull into the Garden, the first thing I do is roll down my windows and drive very slowly down the entry road. I’m looking and listening for any clue as to where I might find something interesting to photograph.

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Cedar Waxwing eating a berry. ©Carol Freeman

On this particular day I hear a few chirps and see the flash of a bird. I park in the first lot and quickly grab my gear and head for the place where I think I saw it.

As I get close, I hear Cedar Waxwings conversing. Wow, there are dozens of them, hopping from branch to branch grabbing ripe berries and gobbling them down whole. They move so fast that it’s hard to get a shot before they move on to the next branch or bend down for another berry— but it’s fun to watch! I take many shots, attempting to get one where the Waxwing has a berry in its beak. Timing is everything here. Too soon and all I see is the top of the bird’s head; too late and the berry is gone.

There are many young Waxwings who have not yet mastered the art of grabbing the berries, so many are dropped onto the ground. That’s good news for birds like the Hermit Thrush, which like to scavenge on the ground. The Waxwing’s loss is the Thrush’s gain. Seems like a good compromise – and there are plenty of berries to go around.

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Robin getting in on the action. ©Carol Freeman.

Joining the Waxwings are Robins. They, too, can grab berries and swallow them down whole. Along comes a couple of Cardinals. They love berries too, but it seems like they get more on their beaks than they eat. Even the squirrels are getting in on the action, climbing out on the thin branches to get the delicious fruit.

I stand here for over an hour. The birds begin to accept me like part of the landscape. I’m able to inch closer and closer to the birds without them minding me at all. This is what nature photography is all about for me: being accepted by the wildlife that I’m photographing.

I realize today I have found The Magic Tree. I thank the tree and all the critters for letting me in on such a wonderful experience. I am grateful that I have been allowed to share in the magic of The Magic Tree.

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Cardinal “Do I have something on my beak?” ©Carol Freeman.

All photos were shot with a Nikon D300s camera, Nikon 80-400mm lens, hand-held.

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Warbler Spotted in McDonald Woods

Carol Freeman —  October 8, 2012 — 1 Comment

I love Warblers! They are amazing and beautiful little birds. They migrate thousands of miles each year. A few of these jewels breed in the Chicago area, but most only pass through for just a few weeks each spring and fall on their way to breeding grounds. I marvel at their journey. They fly when the winds are favorable, and look for green spaces to spend the day fueling up on insects before heading out again for the next leg of their journey. I can only imagine how good the Chicago Botanic Garden must look to these tired birds as they approach the city. It’s a green oasis with trees, prairies and water.

My choices of possible warbler locations in the Garden are many. Mary Mix McDonald Woods, near the entrance, is a likely place to spot many birds so I head there first. As I approach, I’m greeted by a lovely female cardinal – a nice start to my walk. I slow my pace. Many birds can be found along the edges of the woods, and I don’t want to scare them off. I walk in a few feet and I hear the chirps of white-throated sparrows, another migrating bird. After a few minutes I see the flittering of small birds. Yes, here are my beloved warblers. They are first-year yellow-rumped warblers, hopping from tree to tree picking off bugs. One poses just long enough for me to focus and fire off a few shots. Another migrating bird makes a brief appearance, the Brown Creeper, scooting quickly up one tree and then another. I hear a call from the top of the trees. I focus my camera lens on the sound to find a yellow-bellied sapsucker. So many birds, and I have yet to make it off the first bridge! – All this in less than half an hour! I am anxious to see what else is around, so I start walking the paths. The rest of the woods are surprisingly quiet. I remind myself that when the birds are “hopping,” THAT is the place to be. It is not “better” someplace else. It’s good lesson in life as well. The grass is not greener on the other side!

I hope to see more warblers before the fall is over. There will be birds moving through for weeks to come. A good time to check for warblers is after a night of winds from the north. The birds will fly with the wind and will drop down onto the Garden in the morning. The woods, prairie, and top of the waterfall garden are all great places to check for new arrivals.

Warblers move so fast and are often hidden behind leaves and branches. It is a real treat for me when I get a good shot of these tiny birds. I probably toss 2/3 of all the shots I take. The best advice I can give to you is to get out often and to practice as much as you can. It WILL be worth it!

Photo shot with a Nikon D300s camera, Nikon 80-400mm lens, hand-held, 1/500, f7.1, ISO 800.
©2012 Carol Freeman

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