Birds of Illinois

I love days like this. For a start, it was a day off work. It was also a very pleasant morning to be out. On Saturday I went to Grant Woods as part of the Spring Bird Count. I returned today to see if I could capture on digital film some of the birds we saw.

Blue-winged Warbler Blue-winged Warbler

Great-crested Flycatcher Great-crested Flycatcher

Ovenbird Ovenbird

Scarlet TanagerScarlet Tanager

Pretty much everything we saw there was still there, with a few additions such as a Northern Parula, Hairy Woodpecker and Scarlet Tanager. We had seen & heard the Ovenbirds (there seemed to be several) but today I got the best photos I have ever gotten of them. I heard an Ovenbird calling close to the path and got myself set up [read kneeling down] ready in case he came out. Sure enough he did! The shots above are the results.

I did also manage to get shots of a Great-crested Flycatcher, Blue-winged Warbler and Scarlet Tanager. The Tanager was particularly difficult as it was always high in the trees and there always seemed to be a brach or three between he & I. I have several shots of Blue-winged Warblers now but it is always one of my favorite warblers.