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WP&P RSD-15 #346

The Depot
Life list Nancy's
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Tree's Birding Lifelist

(Birds seen with Nancy, or with her help)

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  I had never been a birder until very recently. My wonderful girlfriend Nancy has turned me on to this hobby, which is mostly about learning a specific appreciation for nature. My professional training has already taught me observational skills, and my other hobbies involve a lot of classification efforts, so it really shouldn't be surprising that it has caught on.

I have borrowed images from other site(s) on the web in order to compile this list. Maybe one day I will have my own photographs to contribute, but for now I will make do with what I can scrounge from the web.  I do have a growing photo collection, but it is hard to get good quality bird photos to use here!  A few of these are taken from my own photos, though.

PHOTO NAME DATE COMMENTS #
European Starling European Starling 02/27/06 Seen in the parking lot of Golden Corral, scavenging right next to my car.  Bright sunlight called out the irridescence on its body, and I thought I might be seeing a rare species.  But as a neophyte, I didn't know what was common versus what was not, so I just paid close attention to it and then looked it up later, with Nancy's help.  This was my first solo bird identification; now I see them all the time!  NOT SEEN TOGETHER WITH NANCY at first, but additional specimens have been shared. 1
Bald Eagle Bald Eagle 01/21/06 I still haven't seen one this close-up, but nancy and I did see a family of them out at Starved Rock State Park in Illinois, nesting out on Plum Island which is a preserve.  I attempted photos with my basic wide-angle lens, thinking that I might be able to enlarge them later on the computer, but even at the highest resolution the birds are too small to see clearly. 2
Blue Heron Great Blue Heron 01/21/06 Seen on Plum Island, a group of about a dozen sat on the strand; I needed Nancy's help to spot them at first.  This is another species I would like to see up close someday.  At the end of May, I did see another one of these fellas chilling in a pond, but again from far off. 3
Robin American Robin 03/23/06 I knew the robin from my youth; it is a common enough bird, and I recognized it readily.  Still, it must get added to the life list at some point, right? 4
Brown-Headed Cowbird - by Michael Rountree Brown-Headed Cowbird 04/01/06 While driving around Cincinnati, looking at houses for sale with Nancy, we chanced upon a group of these distinctive yet common birds, foraging on the ground. This photo was taken by me! 5
Killdeer Killdeer 03/31/06 On a visit to the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky (an open-house sort of thing, prior to their scheduled opening in 2007), Nancy spotted on of these as it swooped in to land in front of the parking lot.  Its black "necklaces" were easy to see, and Nancy had been looking for it after hearing its call. 6
Cardinal Northern Cardinal 04/02/06 On a magical day in Mount Airy Forest in Cincinnati, Nancy and I began our big day together by stopping at a little gazebo by a lake, and in amongst the trees we saw a few birds.  I believe the cardinal was one of the first ones we saw that day. 7
Mallard - by Michael Rountree Mallard 04/02/06 Waddling up out of the lake that day were a single male, handsomely bedecked as you see, and two females in their drab browns.  I told Nancy that I liked that example, two females per one male, and she laughed and did not hold it against me.  Because I was kidding.  I really was.  This photo was taken by me! 8
Red-Winged Blackbird Red-Winged Blackbird 04/02/06 For quite some time, it had been Nancy's primary agenda to show me one of these distinctive birds.  She had heard one out at the Creation Museum, but we were unable to find it in the trees.  Walking uphill through Mt. Airy forest, Nancy picked out its call again, and I trained my ears to it.  He kept calling out, and it became difficult for us to figure out which tree he was in.  Finally, I thought to myself that if the direction is unclear, then maybe he might be right above us, and craned my neck.  Sure enough, there he was; a look through the binoculars confirmed it, as his red and yellow flanks caught the sun just enough, looking up from below him.  Mission accomplished! 9
Brown Thrasher Brown Thrasher 04/02/06 Further into Mt. Airy forest, we found two of these birds chasing each other in flight, and darting from branch to branch in close pursuit, with some impressive acrobatics. 10
Eastern Towhee Eastern Towhee 04/02/06 After seeing some woodpeckers and a lot of deer, we came across a Towhee hopping on the ground; after Nancy pointed him out to me, he leaped into flight and I saw the white on his wings.  Before I even considered birding, I might have taken this one for a Robin, but with the training I am getting I can see the differences much more readily now. 11
Tufted Titmouse Tufted Titmouse 04/02/06 This little guy sat in a tree very close to us, whistling out in monotone calls of 5 or 6 beats, waiting patiently fo rus to find him and then staying put while we each took long discerning looks at him.  My view was very similar to the photograph shown, though with a few more branches in the way, but he was even facing the same way. 12
Pileated Woodpecker Pileated Woodpecker 04/02/06 As if God wanted to place a stamp of approval on our day in the woods, He sent this fine large bird on ahead of us as we were leaving, its dark black body a column of smoke to show us the way in the fading daylight, its bright red head a pillar of fire to guide us into the coming dark.  The bird flew low and kept ahead of us enough that identification was at first frustrating, but then he finally cut across to our left and couched himself on a log, showing us his broad wingspan and the white bars across his wings.  Nancy had never before seen one of these, and so it was a special treat to see her excitement. 13
House Sparrow House Sparrow, Female 04/10/06 From a third floor window at work, I saw a drab brown bird land in the tree outside and then jostle around for a comfortable perch, bouncing on unstable branches.  I studied it as best I could, knowing that as an all-brown bird it may be difficult to identify.  Many species have females which lack the brilliant plumage, so that they stay camouflaged while nesting.  In this case, it was more the body size and proportions which told me that it was a sparrow.  NOT SEEN TOGETHER WITH NANCY. 14
House Finch House Finch 04/11/06 Again from the third floor at work, I saw this male bird land briefly on the fire escape just outside the kitchen window, and he stayed there just long enough for me to note the red-orange head and chest (more orange than this photo, which is a natural variation for the species) and the overall finch proportions, especially the beak.  NOT SEEN TOGETHER WITH NANCY. 15
Yellow breasted Chat Yellow-Breasted Chat __/__/06 Seen perched on the eave of my neighbor's roof, from the third floor window, at first I thought I was seeing an anomolous robin with a yellow chest.  He sat there for a good long time, letting his image sear into my brain, and then it became a quest to identify him.  NOT SEEN TOGETHER WITH NANCY. 16
Mockingbird - by Michael Rountree Northern Mockingbird 07/07/06 From another third floor window, this time at work, I saw this one land on the phone wire outside and knew I had something new. The grey and black body features were noted, but then when he flew off I saw the telltale flash of white on the wings.  Also seen later in Philadelphia, which is the recorded date. This photo was taken by me! 17
Yellow Warbler Yellow Warbler 05/27/06 One of many seen on a stroll through Wooded Island in Chicago, near the Museum of Science and Industry. May be the first time I have been within walking distance of this museum and not gone inside. 18
Crow American Crow 05/27/06 This was actually the first bird encountered at Wooded Island, but there was a better grouping of them later on, cawing together in the branches of a couple trees 19
Cedar Waxwing Cedar Waxwing 05/27/06 Actually some of these were seen previously at the Morton Arboretum, but at Wooded Island I was able to see them much closer and even took a few photos. 20
Barn Swallow Barn Swallow 05/27/06 As we crossed a bridge on our way into the park, we stopped to watch numerous swallows flit and dive and put on an acrobatic show. 21
Caspian Tern Caspian Tern 05/27/06 Also seen from the bridge was a Caspian Tern, who flew directly overhead so that we could see his deeply red-orange bill. 22
Tennessee Warbler Tennessee Warbler 05/27/06 We had to lie flat on our back, on an uncomfortable log, and look way up into a tree to see this guy hopping around. Not being able to see his topside made identification tricky, but because he kept moving we eventually felt confident. 23
Baltimore Oriole - by Michael Rountree Baltimore Oriole 05/27/06 Seen on multiple occasions while visiting Wooded Island. His yellow-orange plumage seemed to change color as the sun dropped in the sky, and so I got excited when I found something that looked orange-red. Nancy let me knnow that it was just another Oriole.  More of these were seen in May 2007, when I was able to take this photo. 24
Gray Catbird - by Michael Rountree Gray Catbird 05/27/06 While resting on the log where we watched the Tennessee Warbler, we spotted a Catbird over to our right. He stayed long enough for me to attempt a photograph, but without a decent zoom the shot didn't turn out to be very useful. This photo was taken by me! 25
Ring-billed Gull Ring-Billed Gull 05/27/06 Several gulls were in the area, and we saw them several times.  Seen again at the Morton Arboretum in April 2007. 26
Eastern Kingbird Eastern Kingbird 05/27/06 Two were spotted perched in the branches of a fallen tree, the lack of leaves affording a rather good view through the binoculars. 27
Night Heron Black-Crowned Night Heron 05/27/06 It had been Nancy's stated purpose to find for me a Night Heron, but as the day wore on our hopes were fading. Then, as we were examining a small island, a big tawny bird came in to land on the far side of a tree. Not having a view, but convinced it was a Night Heron, we scrambled around to find a better vantage - and sure enough, there he was, sitting still on the branch where we saw him land. 28
Green Heron Green Heron 05/27/06 One heron is not enough for my Nancy, so now the goal became a Green Heron. We used the remaining daylight to scan the banks of islands opposite our path for one.  Finally, she spotted one, who was just sitting still among the reeds. 29
Grackle Common Grackle 05/29/06 We went swimming on Monday, and while sitting under a shelter, I saw a dark-colored bird hopping around the perimeter of the pavilion. I knew its indigo head set it apart, and as soon as Nancy told me the name I remembered it, having considered it when I first tried to identify the Starling, my first bird. 30
Chipping Sparrow Chipping Sparrow 06/11/06 To mark the shortest ever visit between myself and Nancy, one of these redheaded chippers bounded through the top of a nearby bush as we both watched, there in the parking lot of the Steak & Shake where we had shared a meal and just one hour of togetherness.  We had each driven halfway, in order to give a friend a ride up to Chicago. 31
Black-Billed Magpie - by Mike Rountree Black-Billed Magpie 08/15/06 One of the first thing Nancy and I noticed when we arrived in Snowmass, Colorado, were the bold magpies!  They seem to love the tourists. This photo was taken by me! 32
Gray Jay Gray Jay 08/16/06 The ski lift took us to the top of "Hula Hoop Mountatin" (really Aspen Mountain), where we saw, while eating lunch, several light gray birds dipping and diving among the treetops further down the slope. They had the audacity of gulls, taking food from the hands of tourists as we watched a man hold out bread to them.  We call it "Hula Hoop Mountain" because there were several such devices for our entertainment, and we all started boogieing.  Nancy has a fascinating hula hoop technique, which frankly defies description. 33
Broad-tailed Hummingbird Broad-Tailed Hummingbird 08/18/06 Attempting to drive out to Maroon Bells, we got turnd back by a gatehouse and a guard who informed us that we would have to pay for bus tickets, as private vehicles were not permitted during the day.  At the gatehouse, there was a bird feeder, and we were told it was there for the hummingbirds.  Sure enough, a few came to grace us with their presence, and so we sacrificed some Maroon Bells time to watch them hovering around. 34
Pine Siskin Pine Siskin 08/18/06 When Nancy and I went out to Maroon Bells (near Aspen Colorado) we chanced upon a few birds... I missed out on the Kingfisher that Nancy saw; I only saw it flying away, briefly.  But we did see a pair of Pine Siskin sitting in a tree, and it was a friendly hiker who told us what they were. 35
American Tree Sparrow - by Mike Rountree American Tree Sparrow 09/25/06 I had to identify this one after snapping the photo, because I didn't get nearly as good a look as my camera did.  Seen at the Morton Arboretum. This photo was taken by me! 36
Double-Crested Cormorant - by Mike Rountree Double-Crested Cormorant 09/25/06 Nancy took me, with great excitement, to the very back of her subdivision, where there was a pond and a roosting flock of cormorants.  We lingered a while, scanning the reeds and bushes around for other specimens, but came up short. This photo was taken by me! 37
Blue Jay - by Mike Rountree Blue Jay 12/18/06 I have seen blue jays before, but this was my first since becoming a birder!  And he was in my own back yard, lingering long enough for me to take this shot.  Later, I would have a chance to see one with Nancy. This photo was taken by me! 38
Brown Creeper Brown Creeper 04/07/07 Seen at the Morton Arboretum, but initially not while Nancy was with me, I saw this fellow clinging to the side of a tree and hopping around, but not inverted like a nuthatch.  I took notice of the variegated plumage on the back and the lighter belly, as well as the shape of its head and beak.  As I described it to Nancy, she immediately said "Brown Creeper"... and then later that weekend we saw another together to confirm it. 39
Red-Tailed Hawk Red-Tailed Hawk 04/07/07 I could say that I have seen several red-tailed hawks before this time, but this was the first time I saw one plainly enough to affirmatively identify it myself.  Most of the other times I had simply seen them soaring as I drive by, and the quick glimpse was never enough.  This time, though, as I drove up to see Nancy there was this one sitting regally on a fence post, red-orange tail prominent in the sun.  Nancy and I later would see another at the Arboretum. 40
Golden-Crowned Kinglet Golden-Crowned Kinglet 04/14/07 With parents in Chicago with me, for a Reds vs. Cubs game, we took a stroll through the Arboretum with Nancy.  Her eyes helped us all to spot a few kinglets in a small evergreen beside the path.  All four of us got a good look at the crown for which it is named. 41
Magnolia Warbler Magnolia Warbler 05/21/07 Nancy got me to join her Birding (Spring Warblers) class for a day, or rather for a very early morning!  We met at the site at 7:30 AM and spent three hours hiking around through fogs of gnats to see a tremendous variety of birds.  I relied on binoculars only, so I was unable to photograph any of the following. 42
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak Rose-Breasted Grosbeak 05/21/07 At the morning birding class.  He was proudly singing his strong song from the very top of a large tree, so my view was from below.  But he stayed put and I saw his plumage colors clearly!  Very attractive bird. If you don't know German, "gross" means "great" or BIG.  This is a "big-beak"! 43
Cape May Warbler Cape May Warbler 05/21/07 At the morning birding class. I was given credit for stopping the group at a particular walnut tree, whose sparse foliage allowed easy views amongst its branches; several warblers, both cape may and tennessee, could be seen, and since the class was about detecting warblers we lingered there long. 44
Philadelphia Vireo Philadelphia Vireo 05/21/07 At the morning birding class. Nancy and I found this one as the rest of the group moved on ahead of us; at first I believed that I had found once again the Tennessee Warbler that I had watched in the walnut tree earlier.  The instructor pointed out, though, the subtle differences, and I gained an ability to distinguish the vireo. 45
Olive-Sided Flycatcher Olive-Sided Flycatcher 05/21/07 At the morning birding class. We were treated to several viewings of the flycatchers; indeed, due to the gnats we were longing for more of them!  Towards the end of the class, though, I was credited with correctly identifying one; it was mostly the shape of the head and beak, combined with knowing their behavior (perching on snags) that clued me in, and later the plumage became visible. 46
Blackburnian Warbler Blackburnian Warbler 05/21/07 At the morning birding class.  The instructor located this for us based on hearing its song.  Soon we all found him, high in the tree, singing out with the sun igniting his orange features. 47
Indigo Bunting Indigo Bunting 05/21/07 At the morning birding class. We saw several buntings throughout the morning, doing all sorts of things.  When in silhouette, they looked like blackbirds, yet from the other side the light on them made them look bright blue.  I was the one who pointed out the first one that we saw that day, though (but I did not make the ID myself). 48
Eastern Phoebe Eastern Phoebe 05/21/07 At the morning birding class. Many of the group had seen glimpses of the phoebe when we first started, but I did not examine it well enough to make my own identification, so I thought I would have to leave it off my list.  But then, at day's end, approaching the parking lot, a phoebe swooped in front and lighted on a clear low branch, lingering just enough for me to examine it in the binoculars! Thank you, Lord, for the Phoebe. 49
House Wren House Wren 05/21/07 At the morning birding class. Seen actually near the start of the morning; its wren-shaped body was apparent (they are kinda boxy, and the tail points up) but it was the instructor who provided the ID. 50
Eastern Bluebird Eastern Bluebird 05/21/07 At the morning birding class. Just a quick glimpse, but it doesn't take much to recognize a bluebird when you see one.  51

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