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.

Movie you’ve watched more than six times using gifs.

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

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

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

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.

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!

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.