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07/29/12
Dickcissel: This Sunday’s Best for the Bird D’pot
Filed under: General, Birding & Outdoors, Illinois, Birding "Patches", Bird D'pot
Posted by: Ken @ 5:59 am

This is my photo submission to the weekly Bird D’pot (Bird Digital Photography) meme hosted by Anni at  I’D-Rather-B-Birdin’.

It is relatively easy to identify birds in their normal habitat. It’s a bit like going to a cafeteria where there may be little variety in the food selections. You just don’t expect to see an exotic dish.

Dickcissels are birds of the grasslands, where I can pick them out at first glance. When this one showed up in a woodland, the game changed. Suddenly it was just a strange sparrow-sized yellowish bird. I struggled to see the shape of its bill as it moved furtively among the leaves of a tall oak tree.

Some kind of vireo came immediately to mind, but this bird jumped from one branch to another as it actively gleaned insects, unlike the methodical movement of vireos. Was its bill long and sharp as that of an immature or female oriole? Thick as would be expected in a tanager, or conical in a finch? Did it have wing bars or tail markings? It seemed to have a faint yellow line over its eye. I kept switching between binoculars and camera, hoping to document it and possibly capture its field marks.

Frankly, I was not sure of this bird’s identity until, in between brief sightings, I enlarged the camera view. Luckily, I caught a partial image as it moved between the leaves. A finch-like bill, sparrow-like back, and chestnut shoulder patches were its distinctive features. This female Dickcissel was roosting in a wooded area in Hawk’s Bluff Park, Batavia, Illinois. There is a small area of grassland adjacent to this section of the woods. I had never before seen a Dickcissel at the park.

Only after being properly identified, it settled on a leafless twig and gave me a dozen nice open views.

Dickcissel female 20120716

Dickcissel female 2-20120716

Dickcissel female 3-20120716

Dickcissel female 4-20120716

7 Responses to “Dickcissel: This Sunday’s Best for the Bird D’pot”

  1. Hanne Bente Says:
    July 29th, 2012 at 6:20 am Cute little bird viewing. I had to look it up online, because I’ve never seen / read about the bird viewing. Wishing you a good Sunday :) Hanne Bente
  2. I'd Rather B Birdin Says:
    July 29th, 2012 at 6:59 am Oh…..absolutely superb images!!! They are very beautiful in color and size…I love seeing birds like this in their own habitat. Incredible job …great photography. Thanks for linking up.
  3. Roan Says:
    July 29th, 2012 at 8:59 am Love the unexpected! Wonderful shots. Rubbish by Roan
  4. Boom & Gary Says:
    July 29th, 2012 at 9:06 am Great find!! They’ve been seeing them west of me. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
  5. NatureFootstep Says:
    July 29th, 2012 at 9:53 am I love the light in these shots. It is a beautiful bird. :)
  6. Pat Says:
    July 29th, 2012 at 12:52 pm Such a cute little bird!
  7. Carole M. Says:
    July 30th, 2012 at 1:11 am a beautiful bird; wonderful captures; thanks for sharing

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