Listing Through Life

phasianus (of the river Phasis) colchicus (Colchis, a city at the eastern end of the Black Sea, from which the Greek Argonauts were said to have brought home the original pheasant stock to their own country)

Saturday, March 8, 1980 — 4:00 pm

Barrington, Illinois — Crabtree Nature Center

My wife and I walked out on the prairie trail. I happened to glance back toward the parking lot just as the pheasant took off, flying low over the field with strong wingbeats. It flew a short distance and landed in tall grass near the parking lot.

A week later, I was driving down Algonquin Road on the way to Crabtree. I spotted a male standing in a field about 40 feet from the road. I pulled over to look. It was standing in full early-morning sunlight, and its feathers were glistening in the sun.

eremophila (desert-loving) alpestris (of the Alps)

Saturday, March 8, 1980 — 3:00 pm

Barrington, Illinois — Crabtree Nature Center

My wife and I spotted a Horned Lark foraging on the entrance road, but as we approached, it flew into the plowed field next to the road, singing as it flew. We followed it out into the field, hoping to get a better view, but before we got very far, a park ranger showed up and chased us back to the road. They have rules against going off the paths.

We strolled up and down the road looking for more. A flock of 15 or so flew over a while later, but we saw no more on the ground.

bucephala (ox-headed) albeola (white)

Sunday, February 24, 1980 — 2:30 pm

Wilmette, Illinois — Gillson Park — Lake Michigan

A female Bufflehead was swimming and diving in the harbor.

Seeing it wasn’t nearly as exciting as seeing my first males, about a month later, at Northwestern University, just a mile or so down the lake.

chen (goose) caerulescens (bluish)

Saturday, February 23, 1980 — 4:15 pm

Barrington, Illinois — Crabtree Nature Center

I was sitting in the blind on Crabtree Lake watching the ducks and geese when I heard the Snow Goose calling. I spotted it as it glided down into the small area of open water in front of the blind. It swam around among the ducks. A few weeks later, four blue-phase Snow Geese were sitting on the ice on Crabtree Lake.

aythya (seabird) americana (of America)

Saturday, February 23, 1980 — 4:00 pm

Barrington, Illinois — Crabtree Nature Center

The Redheads were swimming and diving in Crabtree Lake in the open area in front of the blind.