At home birding

It took some doing but I think I got them all straightened out. The Juvenile cowbirds were the tough ones as not that many bird books give you what the juvenile birds look like and the cowbirds are very different from the elders. Plus, I caught some males in-between as they were growing in their adult feathers. I couldn't find those at all until I saw a juvenile and adult male together and I worked it out. This backyard birding is tough. Looking forward to see if different types of birds start to visit in the fall. We shall see. Oh, and the damn squirrels figured out how to jump the gap from the fence to get on the plate so I am going to have to move the whole contraption again. Geeezz.....

Going to the Birds!!!

Like most of you, we are mostly stuck at home. Instead of getting a COVID dog or cat, we gone to the COVID birds!!! And after a few days, the birds have taken to our backyard. The feeder has become quite the place for our winged visitors. Sparrows, Cowbirds, Cardinals, and Finches are all frequent visitors. We also get large Blackbirds and the calm and quiet Morning Doves. I am going to have to extend my working years just to pay for all the damn seeds. This is a far more expensive hobby than I anticipated!!!

Comet Neowise from Home

Comet Neowise is making its closest approach to Earth tonight but since it is on its way out of the solar system, it is fading as it moves away from the sun. It was very visible last night with binoculars and with the camera for a 3 second shot, but not visible by eye in bright suburban skies. Tonight it should be below the handle of the Big Dipper, at this point as a fuzzy star with a small tail pointing upwards (away from the sun). I hope you all get a chance to see it. Going to be 6,800 years before it comes back.

Comet Neowise

Comet Neowise is a great sight in a modestly dark sky. However, with binoculars you can see it faintly from any suburban street. If you know where to look, you can see it from downtown Chicago, I bet, although you do need a clear view of the horizon as it is still low in the northeast. It is rising earlier (therefore gets higher and easier to see) each of the nights this week so this is prime time to see it. There are plenty of websites with directions on how to find it, but if you can find the bowl of the Big Dipper, you can easily find the comet with binoculars. In a darkish sky, like the one at the Greene Valley Forest Preserve a close suburbub near our house in Lisle, you can see the comet, just barely, by naked eye. Last night, the comet passed right by a background star, that you can see in this close-up shot (below). Anyway, get out and see it this week as this comet won't be back for 6,800 years. I was able to see it from my driveway two night ago under suburban lights in Naperville. I went to Greene Valley in Lisle to get a darker view. Not a spectacular comet, but well worth seeing.

Three Visitors

I am doing a lot of work sitting outside while the weather is nice. Great place to work and the commute is short. So, I decided to step up our backyard bird feeder. Three species here: On top is the House Finch with the red head. They seem very common but I am embarrassed to say that I have never seen one before. Or I just never noticed. All the small birds just looked like sparrows to me!!! Speaking of sparrows, there are two House Sparrows on the middle rungs, which are very common but the third bird lower, sitting on the plate, I don't know. Much grayer than the brown sparrows. The second shot below almost shows a slight hint of yellow on the wings. The chest has lines where the sparrows are one color. I can't seem to find a match in the bird books. Any suggestions?

You can't really see the hint of yellow in this shot but in others, there is the slightest yellow in the wings. Anyway, don't know what bird that is. 

Hiking the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smokies

Who is up for a little hike? 8 to 10 hours a day for 5 days to get from one end of the Great Smokies National Park to the other, hiking over Clingman's Dome, the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains. 72 miles. Wow! That would be a challenge. Maybe a retirement trip?

Empty Streets

Four months into this pandemic, a few weeks now that Chicago has been mostly open, the street in front of the Nuveen building at lunchtime was still empty. This was on June 30th. Restaurants in the area were mostly going to start opening the next week. I don't know who they are going to serve. It's a sad sight.

Tough Customer

We got a bird feeder for the backyard on my birthday so we have been exploring the wonderful world of backyard birding. Mostly, we want the colorful birds, the elusive cardinal and cedar waxwings and other wonderful birds at the feeder. Mostly we get sparrows and squirrels and cute chipmunks. It has been tough to get this flighty cardinal to sit still enough for a picture, but I finally got him last week. He is one tough customer. So, we are also learning that bird feeders aren't cheap. The sparrows can clean a bird feeder out in a day if they want to. It is not cheap. Anyway, we are having some COVID inspired backyard fun with our local birds.

The mountains call me home.

Nothing better than a mountain view. Blue skies. Green below and blue/green in the distant background. Love those mountain views (especially at turnouts along the road). A bit harder when you have to hike to see them!

Bradley Fork Stream at Smokemont Campground

Just playing around with long exposure shots during the day to get that silky smooth flowing water at a stream near our campsite in the Smoky Mountains National Park. You need a tripod, good footing and the willingness to get a little bit wet if you are going to shoot while in the water--just ankle to calf high at this point. This was a great stream to play in for the kids. Water flow was very low and footing was tricky but the kids at the campsite were playing in that water all day long. Next time we go, I hope to bring the grandkids.

Happy 4th

Happy 4th of July but also a sad one as our family is not getting together today like we have for years. However, better times are coming. Enjoy the day.