Category Archives: North America

Illinois Hearing Next Week on Species Protection

by Amy Posted on 17 January 2009

The Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board will have a public hearing in Springfield on January 23rd at 12:00pm. The purpose of the meeting is to take public comments on proposed changes to the Illinois List of Threatened and Endangered Species.

Several changes are proposed, including removing three bird species from threatened status: Bald Eagle; Henslow’s Sparrow and Sandhill Crane.

Participants must register if they would like to make a statement. More information, including registration instructions and a full list of proposed changes, can be found here.

Share the birds, share the love!
Posted in Endangered, Extinct, Illinois | Leave a comment

Searching for Ivory-billed Woodpeckers in Illinois

by Amy Posted on 14 January 2009

The Ivory-billed Woodpecker Research Project at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology will focus this year’s search in southwestern Florida. The search starts in January and goes through March and covers areas of Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, and others.

Other groups will lead searches in the Florida panhandle, as well as Arkansas, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and southern Illinois. Read more about the project here.

Share the birds, share the love!
Posted in Endangered, Extinct, North America | Leave a comment

Ruby-crowned Kinglet showing crown

by Amy Posted on 11 January 2009

This is a really nice video of a male Ruby-crowned Kinglet showing his red crown while feeding. At first glance, it’s hard to tell why this bird is called ‘Ruby-crowned’ but you’ll understand about 7 seconds into the clip.


Find more videos like this on North Carolina Wildlife Federation

Ruby-crowned Kinglets summer across much of Canada and parts of the western United States. For the most part they winter in the southern half of the U.S. You can see the full range of this bird and more details at Cornell’s All About Birds: Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Looks like we have a chance to see them during the migration as they’ve been reported in our area in April-May and October.

Share the birds, share the love!
Posted in North America, Video | Leave a comment

First visit to Jarvis

by Amy Posted on 31 December 2008

Today we visited Jarvis Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Lincoln Park. I read on the local listserv that a Great Horned Owl has been sighted there the last few days so we went to look for it. Unfortunately we came up empty. Came home and read another note on the listserv that the GHO was still there and easy to spot. Grr.

We did see at least three furbirds of unknown variety, holed up in trees (literally). Here’s one of them.

Jarvis is an 8 acre area close to the lakefront that is protected by an 8 foot perimeter fence.

Visitors may not enter but there is a path around the sanctuary and an observation platform on the east side.

Around the sanctuary we did see a couple of Hooded Mergansers in the lake, like this lovely lady.

We also spotted a few pigeons huddling against the cold. It was about 25F. There was a bit of a breeze but the sun was shining.

Jarvis is a stop on the 20-mile-long Chicago Lakefront Birding Trail.

Share the birds, share the love!
Posted in Illinois | Leave a comment

The Big Sit 2008

by Amy Posted on 13 October 2008

Yesterday we participated as Team Birdorable in the 14th annual Big Sit birding event. The Big Sit involves observing as many different bird species as possible while remaining basically in the same place. Big Sit participants find a good birding spot and remain within a 17 foot diameter circle during the event.

We are lucky enough to live within walking distance of a county preserve: Prairie Wolf Slough in Lake County, Illinois.


Prairie Wolf Slough
Prairie Wolf Slough in Lake County, Illinois


Prairie Wolf Slough
Our view of the slough from our Big Sit circle

Team Birdorable member Amy
Amy looks for birds during the Big Sit

Team Birdorable member Arthur checks out Prairie Wolf Slough during the Big Sit 2008
Arthur explores the slough outside our Big Sit circle


We arrived at our ‘circle’, a picnic table, shortly before sunrise. Our first bird was a Mallard flying over, and then the first of many flocks of Canada Geese leaving the slough for the day. Other flyovers included Herring Gull, American Crow, Great Egret and Great Blue Heron. American Goldfinches and Red-winged Blackbirds were the most abundant species.

Canada Geese
Canada Geese leave the slough for the day

American Goldfinch
An American Goldfinch snacks on seeds

White-crowned Sparrow
A White-crowned Sparrow poses for the camera

Our total species count was 16, nowhere near fellow Illinois Big Sitters Birdfreak’s impressive total of 42. We had a lot of fun during our first Big Sit and we are looking forward to participating again next year!

Share the birds, share the love!
Posted in Birdorable, Festivals & Events, Illinois | Leave a comment

The National Schoolyard Birding Challenge

by Amy Posted on 25 October 2007

Students from across the United States are participating in The National Schoolyard Birding Challenge (NSBC). The NSBC is a monthly competition that introduces the interesting and educational hobby of birding to students.

Students learn how to identify birds by observing the various species found on school property. Besides encouraging students to become more familiar with the natural world, the competition also benefits participants who must practice patience, teamwork, and communication.

The NSBC is supported by the National Biodiversity Parks, a 501(c)(3) non-profit groups. Donations can be made via post or online at the Fledging Birders website.

Share the birds, share the love!
Posted in North America | Leave a comment

Falcon Eggs Relocated From Bridge

by Amy Posted on 9 April 2007

Well-known falcons George and Gracie were victims of an unusual robbery last week as biologists removed eggs from their nest, located precariously under the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

The move was made to prevent the chicks from dying during their fledge from a car collision or drowning.

George and Gracie have raised several clutches from a nest site on a downtown skyscraper. This year the birds relocated to the place of George’s 1999 birth. George was rescued shortly after hatching and raised by humans until his release into the wild.

The eggs will be incubated and the hatchlings will be raised by adoptive Peregrine Falcons until they are ready to be released in the wild.

Read more about George and Gracie.

Share the birds, share the love!
Posted in North America, Offbeat | Leave a comment