Fluddle season in northern Illinois! Got lifers Brewer’s blackbird and Hudsonian godwit!

European starling!!!!!!

Dupage birder solidarity ✊

LeConte's Sparrow!

Tracking Connecticut warbler in fall, not so much. I’m on day four of an anxiety-riddled quest. My actual therapist will be hearing about this…

*that’s my third round of avocets, I think there were a few more records round here this summer.

Third round of American avocets in the Chicagoland area this summer, seems different. Three red-breasted nuthatches, which is three times as many as my only other 25 tick. Warbs coming in hot already too. And if we count Thursday, swallow-tailed kite downstate!

Big weather blowing things in to the Chicago area

Lifer Black-necked stilts (with chick!) and American avocets in one week! And Black-bellied whistling duck the week before!

Equally exciting was staking out my first elusive Sedge wren, perfectly mimicking it's reedy habitat. As I age, I'm leaning more into my Earth sign browns.

Mimicking the peak brilliance of spring woodland blooms, the dazzling migrating warblers are arriving. After searching for a week, I saw my first Blue-winged, which is more yellow than blue. Then an even brighter golden warbler, the Protonotary, beaming it's own pure sunshine.

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New birds: Blue-gray gnatcatcher, Yellow-throated warbler, Broad-winged hawk, Warbling vireo. New friends: Randy, Vince, and Eva.

Spring migration is in full swing and so are the birders. What was a solitary activity has suddenly become social (not a bad thing!) Birders are mostly very generous folks (unlike shroomers, ha.) I'm seeing new birds almost everyday with assists from cool new friends.

Kinda dystopian but gives me some hope that birds can adapt to whatever slivers of natural-ish habitat we leave for them.

Been picking up new sandpipers in odd places – Solitary sandpiper in a ditch behind a fire station, Spotted sandpiper back at the reservoir by O'Hare (also Pine warbler!), and lots of dudes I knew before Lesser & Greater yellowlegs & Pectoral sandpipers at frisbee golf course.

Oh and earlier I went out to see the purple martins at the golf course.

The family let me loose for a little moonrise birding tonight. Mid-spring Midwestern marshland was abuzz with rattles, whistles, and laughter. Barred owl asking "Who Cooks For You?" Woodcocks with their peents – this one motherfucker was so horny in his mating calls, he let me walk right up to him.

Then today I’m literally 2 miles from the house at my favorite little duck swamp. Lo, a Bonaparte’s gull cruising around with the ducks! Under appreciated aspect of birding is the uncertainty – learning to tolerate disappointment while relishing surprise.

New level of birding dorkery unlocked – finally crossed the gull threshold. Drove up to OHare area yesterday to see my first Bonaparte’s gull. 1st reservoir no Bonaparte’s, over 500 red breasted mergansers tho! Braving miserable April weather spotted 3 at next reservoir!

My 8 year old is home on spring break, which has slowed down my birding. I convinced him to come with me today & we did 2 walks, abt 2.5 miles & he did great! I saw my first Vesper sparrow, a recent spring arrival. I promised I'd play Minecraft with him to reciprocate – it's all about attention.

Once again so grateful for the birds.

Best part of loon journey was sharing with my four year old. He's home sick with the flu (doing way better today.) Had been fretting that my week was shot (productivity be damned.) There's a real post-pandemic PTSD for parents here, tho better lesson is stay home when you're sick! Or go birding!

Lots of fun early migrant viewings this week – jaunty Eastern phoebes, a surprise flushed American woodcock, such an awkward beast (bonus American mink sighting on that walk!) Crown jewel this morning was my first close sighting of a Common loon, surprisingly not shy in its iridescent glory.

For those that know me raising an eyebrow at a sudden turn toward plant-based-edness, I still eat flesh and occasional trash, in fact, I had White Castle a few weeks ago. Pleasure is complicated. Do your best, do better! But allow yourself joy in food.

You can find me eating (vegan!) utthapam and idli with my hands.

All of this. Been queasy with so many dining (and food media) trends that inadvertently push rw ideals – comfort and nostalgia can be seriously regressive. The fetishization of fast food, especially, has to stop! The red meat agenda is bad for the body, spirit, and earth!

Damn, RIP

Birds are on the move. Had a stunning day swarmed by 100s of ducks and geese on a windswept restored prairie today. Caught my first views of two gorgeous winter residents before they trek to the Arctic – Snow bunting and Greater white-fronted goose.