Listing Through Life

lanius (butcher) excubitor (sentinel)

Saturday, February 2, 1980 — 12:30 pm

Barrington, Illinois — Crabtree Nature Center

This was a typical Chicago winter day, with snow on the ground, clear blue skies and a cold wind. The Northern Shrike was perched in the top of a tall tree on the prairie trail between the marsh and the prairie. I got fairly close and could see all the field marks (including the light lower mandible and the barring on the breast) before the shrike flew to the top of another tree further away. When it flew, it dropped down off its perch, flew just above the ground and rose up again just before arriving at the next perch.

bonasa (from bonus, good, and assum, a roast) umbellus (umbrella, in reference to the feather tufts on its neck)

Saturday, December 29, 1979 — 11:00 am

McNaughton, Wisconsin — Spider Lake Road

Two Ruffed Grouse flew across the road in front of my car. The flew about four feet off the ground, arrow straight, and disappeared into the woods. I saw a fan shaped tail with a black band.

corvus (raven) corax (croaker)

Friday, December 28, 1979 — 8:30 am

McNaughton, Wisconsin

A friend and I were walking along a road through the woods when this raven flew overhead, croaking loudly. It passed so close to us that I could hear its wings beating.

perisoreus (to heap up food) canadensis (of Canada)

Thursday, December 27, 1979 — 2:30 pm

McNaughton, Wisconsin — West Spider Lake

We threw the remains of a turkey on the ice on West Spider Lake. Our intent was to attract Gray Jays.

Two days later, our plan worked. I watched the birds flying down to the carcass, grabbing a little piece of meat, then flying off down the shore. A minute or so later, back they came for more.

sitta (a nuthatch) canadensis (of Canada)

Thursday, December 27, 1979 — 9:30 am

McNaughton, Wisconsin

I went out by myself to look for birds, and particularly for this bird. Before I began listing, I spotted a Red-breasted Nuthatch in a tree very close to where I was now. I followed it around for a while and managed to get a good enough look that I was able to find it in a field guild later. But I still hadn’t seen one since I started listing, and that was my quest.

I walked along a road that cut through the woods. Along the road was a depression filled with small evergreens. I spotted the nuthatch in those trees in company with a handful of chickadees.