A Spring Walk

Buds are bursting out everywhere, along with our recent gift of record warm temperatures. Many beautiful trees are showing signs that spring is full speed ahead. Recent buds and blooms include crab apple, prickly ash, and redbud trees. Another spring blessing is new birds in the area. I saw my foy (what birdwatchers call their first sighting of the current year) Yellow-rumped Warbler during this visit to Lake Shabbona. I am also still seeing Junco on March 30, 2012. They are winter sparrows in our area and should be migrating back to Canada and western mountains soon.

This is called an Eastern Towhee. A good place to look for one is under bushes and trees with lots of old dried up leaves. They are fun to watch as they bounce and use their feet like rakes. This clever technique of kicking back the leaves reaps rewards of insects and seeds. Today I was lucky enough to see this male perched in a bush singing happily to it’s mate. The song sounds like “drink your tea!” This was a VERY exciting sighting for me today. I have been wanting to see this beauty for a few years. When you see a bird for the first time in your life it is called a life sighting in a birdwatchers world. In addition to this being a life sighting, it was my first sighting today at Lake Shabbona. Oh happy day! I didn’t see the female, but heard her. She wasn’t too far from this male. He was singing to her and she responded. It was a glorious sound and sight.

A hungry chipmunk gathers last years walnuts as new growth emerges on this years newest walnut trees.

There is never a dull moment watching American Coot. I find it is comical to watch their heads bob back and forth as they wiggle and guide their bodies forward. I think they have a little Charley Chaplin wiggle in them. I love watching them. Their wings, feet and bodies are really just too coot for words. Coots are members of the rail family and can be seen foraging along the edges of Lake Shabbona shorelines. They are very social waterfowl and will most likely be seen in groups.

Blog post by Debbie Miller.
Connect with her on Twitter @HooootOwl
or visit her personal blog http://nature-allybeautiful.blogspot.com/

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