The prettiest bird in North America (IMHO)

[SeilerBird]

Tom,

We should be able to do Corkscrew one day if you want to make the run. It is about 3 hours over to there.

That sounds like a great idea! Count me in.

 

[therealsimpsons]

Tom,

Someone here in northern IL where we live has 8 pink flamingos in his from yard. They are pulling a Santa sleigh as surrogate reindeer. We get rare species here too!!

;D ;D

 

[SeilerBird]

Someone here in northern IL where we live has 8 pink flamingos in his from yard. They are pulling a Santa sleigh as surrogate reindeer. We get rare species here too!!

Wow, I will have to get up there to photograph them. ;D I am from northern Illinois. I was born in Elgin in the shadow of the watch factory. I returned there about 10 years ago and the watch factory was gone. The Fox River was a canal. There was a casino and a ski resort in town. I hardly recognized the place.

 

[Wendy]

Tom, I'd love Gulls 101 for the juveniles. The adults I have a pretty good handle on. Saw and identified all of those you mentioned in the flock in the adult version along with a whole bunch that were juveniles of some sort.

 

[SeilerBird]

Juveniles are definitely harder. Many of the first and second years of different breeds look alike. The third years look a lot like adults. However the interesting thing is that there is a whole lot of new gulls hatched every year and most of them don't make it though the first year. So the largest percentage of the gulls you will see will be either first year or an adult. Once you know what adults are in the area then it is pretty easy to figure out the juveniles.

Have you ever seen a Mew Gull? They are the tiniest gulls in North America. Smaller than crows. Really cute, kind of a miniature gull. They are also in your area but extremely rare. Usually they are loners so you only see one at a time. They are also the only gull without any colors on the beak making them very easy to ID.

 

[ArdraF]

Tom,

I thought the Vermillion Flycatcher photo was really neat - until I saw those three Lady Gouldian Finches.  Wow, what colors!  But the detail on the flycatcher is superb.  Definitely one cool photo!

ArdraF

 

[wylie]

Thanks for the info,very interesting. We stopped every night to listen to that bird,it was very enjoyable listening to his serenade. We plan on going back to camp ground to tape him again,hope he is still there. When I retire im going to take up some birdwatching ,will be a newbie,but im sure will find some informative people along the way.

 

[wincom6]

Thanks Tom,  That is a beautiful bird. I have always had a soft spot for birds.  I feed the local ones when there is snow or coldest part off the winter. The kids and now G-kids enjoy watching them with me. We have a nice variety, some we would never see unless I fill the feeding station. 
There is a peaceful easy feeling, looking at Gods beautiful patterns that is illustrated in his living things.  The closer you look the more aware and filed with the awe you become.  My favorite? The female cardinal.       

 

[therealsimpsons]

Wow, I will have to get up there to photograph them. ;D I am from northern Illinois. I was born in Elgin in the shadow of the watch factory. I returned there about 10 years ago and the watch factory was gone. The Fox River was a canal. There was a casino and a ski resort in town. I hardly recognized the place.

We spent most of our adult lives living in the Elgin area. I worked at a suburban Chicago bank. First we lived in Hanover Park, then Bartlett, and then west of Elgin between Hampshire and Genoa. Back in my home town of Rockford now, waiting for it to get warm so we can get the coach out of storage and go look for birds and other colorful creatures. Great picture, Tom!