christmas bird count

This morning we crawled out early to participate in the annual Christmas bird count in DeKalb county. We met up with our friend Pete and headed out into the new snow to stare up into the trees and see how many species we could accumulate throughout the day. After being away a few winters, it was really exciting to see groups of vibrant red cardinals with a white backdrop.  

We had lunch at a classic Main Street diner, big mugs of diner coffee, refills, and Midwestern hospitality. We counted thirty bird species for the day- not bad for winter in Illinois.

Derek and Pete and cold feet.

collective nouns

Since I've been spending some inside time this summer, I made something to hang on one of our empty dining room walls- a penciled collection of collective nouns for groups of birds. Isn't the language really beautiful? It creates some wonderful images in your mind- a tiding of magpies, richness of martens, bouquet of pheasants, murmuration of starlings, spring of teal, parliament of owls, watch of nightingails...

hello

I've got some catching up to do...but first, I wanted to share these little house martins that live just beneath our roof on the side of the house. It's been fun to watch the parents diving and gliding and listening to their happy chatter outside our bedroom window. They should fledge any day now.

morning spot

This was my morning reading spot in the vineyard. The vines are getting really tall and bright. As I was getting ready to head back to the house for lunch, I heard a distinct low, three whistles...another hoopoe. 

I was so excited to recognize the call, but then it flew past me. So a second hoopoe sighting in the vineyard. I wonder if this is going to become common. Maybe I'll make it a goal to try to snap one's photo...but if you've ever tried to photograph birds, you know how cooperative they can be.

When I got home, I noticed gross aphids all over my rose buds, and the snails (who were my patio friends) were starting to cause some trouble in my hydrangea. A few quick remedies: I washed off the aphids with soapy water and relocated a spider hoping he'll decided to get comfortable in the rose bush to keep the aphids away. Then the snails got evicted to the front side of the barn between our house and the street and coffee grounds spread in the hydrangea and geranium soil. I liked them when they clung to the patio walls, but their goo was getting all over the leaves and causing root mold and the hydrangea couldn't handle the extra weight hanging on their undersides. Sorry snails.

hoopoe hunting

Some much needed rain came this weekend and cooler temperatures. It was actually nice to spend almost all of Saturday hanging around the house...even catching an afternoon nap. When 's the last time you took a nap? It was strange and nice.

Sunday, we made a trip to the Thoiry market and it's special plant sale. I brought home this lovely pink rose bush for the patio. We attempted a bike ride, but it was short...too cold! So on foot we headed out for what ended up being a seven hour vineyard walk, birding excursion, meandering along the river, getting a little lost in the woods in the rain, crossing paths with a pair of scary wild boar (close up), back onto the road, up through the vineyards, and topped off by spotting our very first hoopoe. We were hoping to find one, and finally, just before we reached the edge of town, we heard one call and  saw him land on an open branch. We each got a great view of him perched in a patch of light with his crest up and eating a worm. Exciting/nerdy birding moment.