World Migratory Bird Day is Saturday, May 12th. Put a bird feeder in your yard!

You will probably already see some new species just passin' through, but you'll see many more in the next two weeks. It's awesome--my backyard sounds like it's wild Africa back there with all the chattering. Next week is usually the big week, when the orioles, hummingbirds, grosbeaks, hermit thrushes, tanagers, and several kinds of sparrows hang out for a week before leaving. Even robins eat a seed or two. In addition to the goldfinches, cardinals, and mourning doves (and the undesirable species, like house sparrows, house finches, and starlings), it gets loud and colorful out there. We used to get Quaker parakeets, too, but they stopped coming this year.

That's the only problem; after two or three weeks of activity, most (besides the hummingbirds and, if you get lucky, the orioles) leave or just stop feeding in your yard. It's like the day after Christmas--a complete letdown.

Around here it's falcon time.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

This thread is for the birds.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Those grossbeaks are cool, seen 2 of the tiniest finches I've ever seen last week with little mohawks. The Quakers will be by when dandelions start popping up.

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I saw this thing yesterday in an alley in Albany Park yesterday. It was making an odd screeching sound.



It could be a limpkin or a bittern. He was pretty far afield.

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The Court will accord substantial deference to the government's immigration policies, particularly those that implicate matters of national security.

I seen one of those last summer for the first time ever..very distinct call and swims completely under water. I looked up the name last year..see if I find it again..not sure wtf he's doing in an alley.

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Is that the census day Tommy?i need to write that one down so I know why there are a bunch of friends folks looking at my scrub ground and old hedge trees.

those asshole black and orange birds will be back to attack me while jogging.

Orioles?

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Red Wing Blackbirds. They are assholes. Very territorial. I run into them all the time on the golf course, especially at Coyote Run.

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I see those RWBB all the time while I'm fishing, never seen any aggressiveness. I've read many stories of magpies blinding people in one eye. Id stay away from those MFers.

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looks like a bittern--probably is one if it was making that annoying sound! are there wetlands around there or something?

Last couple of years I have seen quite a few Perigrine Falcons. I guess they have a bunch of them that nest at the big coal power plant
in Pleasant Prairie. Seen them flying around my neighborhood from time to time and I just stop dead in my tracks and watch them.
It's one of the fastest birds in the world, I guess they have clocked them diving at well over 200 mph.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Redwings are notorious for it during s short time each year. Very territorial. They’ve been back for over a month though. Almost a pest bird but not in the starling realm. There is an area on the farm that if you walk around this time of year you are going to get buzzed by them.

Magpies were fine when I lived in Montana. Just colorful crows.

You must get amazing birds out there.....

Friday is the Global Bird Day, but I think they did a census in February. The other place (Cornell) does one near Christmas.

This has been my favorite to see the last 6 months. Endangered in Illinois. Short eared owl.

It was a few blocks from the river. I'm guessing he just got off course a little.

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The Court will accord substantial deference to the government's immigration policies, particularly those that implicate matters of national security.

I had one land on my balcony. And I saw one in a territorial dispute with a red-tailed hawk over the field behind my house. The Peregrine chased the hawk and wouldn't let him land. I could see the hawk was exhausted. Eventually, the hawk had to give it up and fly away.

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The Court will accord substantial deference to the government's immigration policies, particularly those that implicate matters of national security.

I built a little birdhouse in my soul.

and they never shut the hell up...

TMBG

We spot red-tailed hawks (or sharp-shinned; hard to tell sometimes) in the backyard about once a month. Pretty amazing. I'd die if I saw a Peregrine falcon, though.

I'm surprised that you don't always get them in your neighborhood. We get plenty of them here and the odd sighting of bald eagles thanks to the nests around Wolf Lake

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

I read once that the structure of the peregrine falcon's breathing system has been replicated in jet planes. That's pretty badass.

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So am I--the Dan Ryan Woods are at the north edge of the neighborhood, too....but zilch.

It's like the simple genius in DaVinci's work being based on the forms found in nature.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

I was riding my bike the other day and thought I saw a kestrel. I was staring up looking at it and suddenly saw I was about to hit the curb. I grabbed the front brake and I guess I was going faster than I thought because next thing I know I'm going right over the handlebars. Insult to injury, the bird turned out to be a crow.

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The Court will accord substantial deference to the government's immigration policies, particularly those that implicate matters of national security.

Being near the Fox River, there are some bald eagles around here.

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I'm pretty sure a nesting pair are back in Busse Woods.

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The Court will accord substantial deference to the government's immigration policies, particularly those that implicate matters of national security.

Have you seen them? I always hear they're around here, but I never see them, even when fishing. I don't have a good eye for that stuff, though.

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