Added an Eastern Bluebird and a Least Flycatcher to my spring list, last night. Okay, I was about as certain on the Flycatcher as I could be without hearing its song. Through my Zeiss compact binocular, the prominent eye ring and large head pretty much cinched it and I have seen this bird many times. As always, I will added an asterisk behind this one, as I do for all Flycatchers.

The Bluebird was just where you would expect a Bluebird to be - on a wire, next to an open field and it was truly dazzling in the binocular. This Seeing a Bluebird never fails to bring a smile to my face. My best year on bluebirds was in western Nebraska, where I got all three species - Eastern, Western and Mountain - all in one year. I won't get that done, here in Chicago, but my binocular is ever ready.