winter home birds and the state of spring, cook co.

[Suzanne Coleman]

I had a nice winter with plenty of uncommon visitors!  I kept food out regularly including shelled sunflower, peanuts, pumpkin seeds and whatever other things are in that mix, plus thistle (nyger) seed.  The native berries were long gone!  I don't have enough to support much animal life in that way, yet.

I had American tree sparrows here for a long time, and I thought they were gone, but one showed up again today!

Good numbers of juncos, today 5 or more, had 13 to 15 previously.  They've been singing and making their cool electric sounds for a month or so now.

A red-breasted nuthatch was here for a long time!  I thought it left (maybe he did) and then had it or another male come back again recently.

This past week or so I had my first ever pine siskins!  And a couple of days ago I got to listen to them call, which was so cool!  It's a very loud rising electrical sound, like zzZZTT! but very long.  They use the nyger feeder.  I had 2 males today and think there were 2 females before.

I also have had a pair of white breasted nuthatches a lot and they were back yesterday, we have plenty of possible nesting sites so I hope they nest here!

Last year's local nest new baby female red-breasted woodpecker was around but then left very early spring.  I have heard a woodpecker the last couple of days but I don't think it's her.  We also get downy and hairy, flicker and who knows?!  Our mossy old stump has some pretty good damage to it this spring, and previous years there was also a good amount removed by someone around this time of year.

A cowbird pair was here yesterday as well, and I heard a male a while ago.  There are now 2 or 3 bluejays, we had 5-6 last spring courting up in a native honey locust tree, and one pair had 4 young, 3 survived last I knew.  Before recently I only had one for quite a while so I'm glad they may breed again.

Cardinals, to me a very sad story.  The adult girl who sang and was here for 5? years or so and who would almost land on me when I put out food in the feeder was eaten by someone who will remain nameless who was politely asked repeatedly to NOT EAT THE CARDINALS!! 

Her mate survives and their one surviving female baby keeps getting chased away by him which is pretty funny!  There is another adult male who was around for a couple of weeks, so maybe they will mate.  I haven't seen another adult female yet for sure, but recently I think I may have (so hard to be sure!).  The young girl has the coolest crest ever so I think I can ID her.  I am hoping her dad finds a new mate to continue the saga of our cardinals as they bring us so much joy.  He also churrs when he sings which is so cool!

Saw 2 likely kestrels together late winter near the highway (previous sightings there as well, and here which is not far from there relatively).  Hoping they stick around and nest. 

Cooper's hawks enjoy my feeder especially late winter.  One is pretty tame-ish. 

Haven't yet seen any of the to remain unnamed as of for now this season for sure, had one unIDd acrobatic flyer the right size.

House finches have returned, I don't know where they go in the winter.  Goldfinches also, at least one of each gender.  Had a purple finch once this winter too, I think it was a new yard bird.

No winter wrens yet or other "spring migrants," except one golden-crowned kinglet last week.  (I did have ruby at Linne woods 2 d ago.)

Starlings are around.  No grackles here yet, they do nest nearby.

Squirrels are in their tree nest.  The black squirrels have been gone now for over a year.  One was elderly, the other not.  I did see my first ever (I think) black one up at air station prairie this year, so that was cool.

Ah yes, and the crows are around too!  Had a good sized group in the winter which seems to be an annual tradition, I think this year was 13-15.  Now I hear or see one, but there had been 3-5.

Spring tiny bees are out today and flying around the early violets.  I learned I have two kinds of violets, native IL state flower ones, and non-native non-invasive/aka not a problem scented violets, which explains the nice smell they have (natives do not smell so I was confused lol!).

Had 2 mourning cloak butterflies flitting around together maybe 10 d ago, hadn't seen any in years and I think only 1 then.

No other butterflies yet, we get red admirals, cabbage whites, little blue ones pretty early usually.  I've had about 30% of all the possible Illinois butterflies seen here since I planted native prairie and forest understory plants.

The elderberry is leafing out!  The black chokeberry is just opening and the serviceberry is getting close.  The bur oak waits the longest, but its buds look healthy!  yay :)  Chokeberry, wild black current all have mini leaves already.  Many of the prairie native plants have leaves up already, some stay up at ground level all winter!  These are all natives and most of them produce berries for the animals and birds and flowers for pollinators.  The bur and red oaks eventually will support thousands of living native animals, but it will take decades, if they make it.

The pasque flowers are in full bloom.  Bluebells are up and the strongest has its buds.  The spring beauty is budding as well.  Thus begins another year of one small lot fighting the destruction of all of our native habitats.  Please help out and plant some native plants!!  Thank you!

Suzanne Coleman

Park Ridge

[Karen Avery]

Great narrative!

Karen Avery

Chicago

"Good forestry practice is not magic but the result is."

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