We had our first really nice day today in Chicago - what timing! I packed up all the camera equipment (new lenses!!) and headed for the museum about an hour early. I decided to take the bus when I realized that my pack was quite heavy. I think I’ll have to sort of recondition my body to be able to carry all this stuff around this year - let me tell you, that won’t be a bad thing.

I got off the #146 at the museum stop and hurried towards the northern face of the building with hopes that I’d see our museum pair. Before I could even round the corner, I noted a commotion. Our local crow gang perched in the top of one tree making all sorts of noise. I scanned up first - looking for a peregrine, of course - saw nothing and then scanned down. An absolutely immense raptor perched on a low branch in the crow’s tree. I blinked and watched as it took off, heading around the corner to the northern face with a murder of crows in hot pursuit.

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Two months ago, my brilliant husband Sean received an award at work for his exemplary performance. Along with a nice plaque, he got a bit of a cash bonus! Because Sean is a good man, he offered to put his bonus in savings to go towards eventually fixing a bit of an electrical problem we have in our house. I said, “Nonsense! You won this, blow your spoils on something fun that you want!”

As an illustration of just how much the photography bug has bitten us both, he didn’t even hesitate before deciding on a new lens of some sort. He spent the next month pouring over reviews, price lists, etc… before settling on a few items.

1 - Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Lens w/ Hood
1 - Canon EF Extender 1.4x II
1 - Bogen Manfrotto 055XPROB Black Tripod Kit with 322RC2 Grip Action Ball Quick Release Head & Tripod Case
1 - Bogen 4 Section Light-Weight Monopod
1 - B + W 77mm Kaesemann Circular Polarizer Coated Glass Filter

We got the 70-200mm lens and 1.4 extender today. Yipee!!! Neither of us can wait to use it. The only thing that worries me (slightly) is the weight - daaaaaang, is that whole thing heavy. Lucky a monopod is on its way!

I’m not sure if I mentioned that over the winter, I bought a digiscope adapter to attach my Nikon Coolpix to my spotting scope. Last year, I managed to get one or two digiscoped pictures by holding the camera up to the eyepiece of the scope and attempting to stand very, very still. That technique wasn’t only highly difficult, but it produced so few usable pictures as to be useless. I vowed to get a digiscoping rig and found on from Eagle Optical that works fine.

This is going to be a BIG learning curve for me this year. Let’s hope I get some usable pictures!

What a crisp, clear and sunny morning, though brutally cold, I must say. It was about 15 degrees out with a good, solid wind coming from the NE.

The male was again on the Board of Trade Annex when I arrived. I got set up as quick as I could and tried using my new telephoto in hopes that I’d get his legband numbers. Alas, he kept his body between me and his left leg at all times, causing his left legbands to be drowned in deep shadow.

He was vigorously plucking another flicker and proceeded to eat the thing with gusto, his back turned my way. I saw yet more flicker parts on the stairwell roof, so it looks like they are still using that as an eating perch. And, wow, they are also doing their part to keep the flicker population in check!

As I was walking home through Grant Park later that afternoon, I saw hundreds of flickers, so I can see why they are picking on them right now.

At some point, the female swooped in and the male took off. She landed, hopped to the remains of the flicker and took off with it, flying to the south, around the jail and out of sight.

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