Listing Through Life

mustela vison

March 23, 1982 — 5:00 pm

Barrington, Illinois — Crabtree Nature Center

I first saw this Mink in brush along Sulky Pond. It crossed under the path through a drainage pipe. It foraged about the roots of trees at the edge of the pond for about five minutes. It then ducked under the ice and swam toward the island. It poked its head through the ice, crawled out, and walked to the island, disappearing into the brush. At one point, I was within 15 feet. It was about 20 inches long, very thin, narrow and low to the ground. Its tail was about eight inches long. The fur was a warm chocolate-brown.

marmota monax

March 20, 1982 — 9:30 am

Barrington, Illinois — Crabtree Nature Center

This woodchuck was foraging in grass in the meadow by Sulky Pond under a large oak tree. I spotted a few of its holes in the area. It was approximately two feet long. It was fat with a short furry tail. Its fur was silver brown.

tamias striatus

March 20, 1982 — 9:00 am

Barrington, Illinois — Crabtree Nature Center

This particular Chipmunk was foraging in brush and leaves along entrance path near a feeder full of cracked corn. It was approximately nine inches long with prominent stripes ending at a reddish rump. Its tail was bushy.

melanitta (from melos, black, and netta, duck) fusca (dusky)

Sunday, February 14, 1982 — 2:35 pm

Racine, Wisconsin — Wind Point — Lake Michigan

A flock of about 15 White-winged Scoters were flying south approximately a quarter mile off the point. They flew in single-file, just above the surface. They bunched up close together for a while, then stretched out in a long, stringy line, then bunched up again. They continued in this fashion until they disappeared from view.

A second flock was also headed south, led by a female for a while. As I watched, they slowed and landed, gliding in near a flock of Red-breasted Mergansers. They floated, usually hidden behind the waves. The Mergansers took off, followed by two scoters. I couldn’t find the others. I imagine they took off below wave level. I also saw individuals and small groups headed north and south.

loxia (crosswise) leucoptera (white wings)

Tuesday, February 2, 1982 — 11:00 am

Volo, Illinois — Volo Bog State Natural Area

I heard about the White-winged Crossbills on the Audubon hot line and decided to stop. It was a cold, windy day with seven inches or so of snow. In places, the wind had piled up drifts of two feet or more.

I was the only person at Volo Bog. I parked in the lot and waded down the trail around a small pond surrounded by a bog, which in turn was surrounded by a ring of tamaracks. I wandered for 30 minutes and was beginning to get discouraged.

I stood on the platform overlooking the pond. I heard a bird calling and spotted a female flying (undulating) while giving a two- or three-syllable “chee-chee” call. She landed on the tip of a tamarack at the edge of the bog, Soon, another female and a flock of Common Redpolls landed nearby. After a few minutes, they took off out of sight.

Approximately 20 minutes later, a flock flew calling into the trees. They foraged near the treetops, hanging at all angles while picking at cones. The Common Redpolls foraged in nearby trees for a while, then took off across the pond. Immediately afterwards, the Crossbills began calling, and then took off over the woods in the opposite direction, still calling. I waded back to the car and headed up to Racine with cold feet.