Two Days in May

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The long-awaited spring warbler migration got off to a rocky start, with a brief burst of activity while prevailing winds were still trying to make up their minds, and suddenly after a cold spell when the warm air seemed to be back in earnest, the warblers took advantage of the southerly winds and got closer to their destinations without visiting us.

I am here with two mid-May days of heightened activity, and there are one or two more posts coming from this migration, but it’s been rather frustrating unless one managed to visit well-known hotspots. I have to wonder if even those places experienced a bit of downturn.

On May 16, the Oak Park Migration Bird Walkers were at Thatcher Woods. We saw some warblers there.

Northern Waterthrush

As we walked down the steps off the trail that runs along the back of Trailside Museum, we were greeted by a very friendly male American Redstart.

There were several other American Redstarts in various plumages.

The birds were now high in the treetops which made photographing them more challenging. We briefly saw a Black-throated Green Warbler.

There’s no mistaking a Blackburnian Warbler.

A Chestnut-sided Warbler was also spotted by someone else after I kept hearing him sing.

We had a few Magnolia Warblers for good measure.

Beyond warblers, we found a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher with its back to us.

Three days later I was at the Chicago Portage, where I was pleased to see a Great Egret if only briefly. Large waders are infrequent here.

Baltimore Orioles have moved in for the summer. That’s a female on the left.

I found a nearby Red-eyed Vireo.

I had heard Scarlet Tanagers were in town, so I was glad to see a pair.

I found an Orange-crowned Warbler.

I couldn’t resist photographing a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. They are already getting impossible to see in all the leaves, and that will continue most of the summer.

I then found the very engaged Canada Warbler who is also featured at the top of the post. He was singing and showing off his lucky worm.

I saw a Nashville Warbler that day too.

Shortly before I left, I took a quick photo of a Red-bellied Woodpecker. These birds are also harder to see now, so it was nice to catch his color in good light.

I’m going to spread out a little and visit some places I haven’t been to in a while. I went to McGinnis Slough yesterday and I plan to visit what is now called Goose Lake Conservation Area in McHenry County tomorrow as the number of Yellow-headed Blackbirds reported is substantial and there are other birds there too I don’t get to see often. We are experiencing beautiful, cooler weather before a warm up and accompanying rain, so I may as well explore while I can.

Early May at the Chicago Portage

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In spite of life’s challenges, confirming existence itself, not to mention sometimes extreme ups and downs in the weather, spring migration continues to inspire hope and reassurance that not everything is over yet. A lot has been happening, lately with a lot of singing, at the Chicago Portage.

On May 2, the Baltimore Orioles were arriving, perched far away. I was leading my annual auction walk for the Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation. We stopped along the trail to listen to the orioles and several other singers, many of which we could not see, but the birdsong was entertainment in itself.

A Cooper’s Hawk flew over.

At one point later in the walk, an Eastern Warbling Vireo came right down in front of us and started gathering nesting material.

On May 5 before I left for the Portage again, I took a photo of one of the White-Crowned Sparrows that had been spending a few weeks in my backyard.

It was rather quiet at the Chicago Portage when I got there, but I was delighted to see a Wood Thrush sitting in a tree right beside the unpaved trail.

Then I found a Black-throated Green Warbler.

Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were everywhere. They still are omnipresent, but less visible as they are busy nesting.

On May 12, I saw a Northern Waterthrush.

An Osprey flew overhead, and a Great Egret made an appearance.

I was able to get a better view of a male Baltimore Oriole.

I was very happy to see a Blue-headed Vireo.

I caught glimpses of a Barn Swallow and a Northern Rough-winged Swallow.

On May 14, I found an enthusiastically singing Northern House Wren.

The Green Heron at the top of the post was back.

I saw a Veery and a Swainson’s Thrush.

I managed to capture a couple Eastern Warbling Vireos.

A Bald Eagle flew over rather distantly, but was still easy to capture with the 400mm lens.

I’d forgotten about this flycatcher which Merlin seems to think is a Least Flycatcher.

Chestnut-sided Warblers were all over the preserve that day. I wish I’d thought to record them as they were singing like crazy.

I found a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

It’s been a little harder to see White-breasted Nuthatches lately. I suspect they are very busy.

Indigo Buntings are arriving. I expect to see them a lot more frequently the next week or two.

Every migration season is unique or so it seems, with the appearance of certain predominant species varying. We seem to have a boom in Canada Warblers this spring and I will be back with them and others in my next post.

I am feeling hopeful and much better since my diagnosis of carpal tunnel was confirmed – add in some arthritis – and I expect to get a date for the outpatient surgery soon after the holiday weekend. It’s tremendously encouraging to know relief is on the horizon. And while I’m still being careful and trying to avoid pain, I am finding it just a little easier to type. That’s a relief in itself.

After the Rain

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I started this post over a week ago – after a lot of rain caused some significant flooding along the river – before my daily routine took a hit. It’s been a challenging two weeks. However, things are slowly but surely starting to look up. I’m having a hard time typing at the moment, which I will try to explain later, so this post will be mostly photographs. Now if I can just remember what I was doing to begin with.

On May 1, some Solitary Sandpiipers were busy in the flooded area in Riverside called Swan Pond.

Barn Swallows were also busy over the flooded area.

A Red-tailed Hawk made an appearance.

On my next visit, May 4, things were perhaps a little calmer. I was surprised to see only two goslings with this Canada Goose.

Even a Rock Pigeon seemed a little stunned to be taking it all in.

I never know when I will see a White-breasted Nuthatch, so I became interested in this one.

There were still a number of White-throated Sparrows.

I sometimes think the Northern Cardinals feel like they’re being overlooked as the migrants start coming through.

On May 11, I found a Northern House Wren enjoying a worm snack. These birds are more often heard than seen.

A Great Blue Heron was not too far away.

I managed a photo of a Northern Waterthrush which is a better depiction of how you typically see them than it is of the bird itself.

Palm Warblers were abundant, as usual.

On May 13, I found another House Wren near the top of a tree by the river.

I got a decent look at a Magnolia Warbler. The winds were still coming from the north and we weren’t feeling that big warbler push yet. But Yellow-rumped Warblers like the one below the Magnolia, for comparison, have been around for weeks.

I observed some interesting courtship behavior with two Tree Swallows.

An Osprey flew over to check things out. I wonder if the water in the river was still too high to make fish visible.

I found a first year male American Redstart.

Here’s one more Palm Warbler in action.

So now to a brief (?) story about my situation, such as I can barely type it. I received two citations from the city concerning my property. One was for too many bird feeders and the other was for what was termed yard waste, which was simply the dead stalks leftover from last year’s growth which I have been advised by naturalists not to remove until the temperature is a consistent 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Even though we have warmed up considerably over the past few days, the extended forecast is still for some overnight temps in the 40’s. The bees and butterflies and other pollinators need the old growth and the soil to remain undisturbed while they use it for shelter during the winter.

I began to clean up what I could and decided to completely remove the feeder pole. I also wanted to meet with the person who had inspected my property before my court date, so I went to City Hall, got his card and left him a voicemail. I subsequently had a terrible sleepless night and woke up with a swollen right hand and wrist. I’ve been wearing a brace to sleep for a couple years as what I am sure is carpal tunnel syndrome has now gotten progressively worse.

So I met with the inspector a couple days later and he made note of my improvements, but I still had to pay fines. However, given the rising price of birdseed, this could be a blessing in disguise. I am viewing this as an opportunity to test the native landscape. As for my right hand, I am looking forward to an appointment with a hand surgeon this week. I also have to find a better way to process photos. Lots to think about. More than I can handle typing with my left hand for the moment. I have been teaching my left hand to be more independent with household chores. I could start learning some new Bach pieces just practicing the left hand parts…

I hope to return soon with less drama and more birds.

Spring, Starting All Over Again

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It’s been a busy month at the Chicago Portage and I can’t seem to get caught up. So I’m going to do a quick spree through some memorable photos. The weather has been up and down and it feels like spring migration is likewise in fits and starts. We are still feeling the effects of a lot of April rain. Here we go…

Two Wood Ducks flew over on April 12.

Two days later, I saw a Muskrat, an Osprey, a Golden-crowned Kinglet and a Chipping Sparrow.

On April 16, I got good looks at a White-throated Sparrow and a Yellow-rumped Warbler.

On April 20, I caught a moment between two Brown-headed Cowbirds.

A Golden-crowned Kinglet was practicing its acrobatic skills.

And there was a Ruby-crowned Kinglet whose crown I nearly saw.

I am already not paying much attention to Red-winged Blackbirds, but this one was tempting in flight.

Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are coming back.

Here’s another beautiful male Yelloiw-rumped Warbler.

And on April 23, I managed some action photos of the male Belted Kingfisher, also at the top of the post, who has shown up more frequently.

I am a little or a lot worn out, depending on the moment, from a very busy weekend with both mornings starting out at 4:30 AM. Sunrise getting earlier makes it a little easier. We are still experiencing cooler temperatures which are frustrating my attempts to keep up with the surge of green going on in the front and back yards. I try to remind myself I will soon be complaining about the heat. More Spring to follow…

Our First Spring Migration Bird Walk at Columbus Park

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We were scheduled to start our Saturday walks at Thatcher Woods, but the flooding from recent downpours will make walking, not to mention parking there, prohibitive for quite a while. So we went to Columbus Park. It was a chilly and windy morning, but we saw a lot of birds anyway. I found it especially nice to have good views of a Pine Warbler, the bird at the top of the post.

We always start off walking across the big lawn to the edge of the water to see what’s up. There were Wood Ducks and a Black-crowned Night-heron, for starters.

There was also a very chilly-looking Tree Swallow.

Ruby-crowned Kinglets are still happening.

This Brown Creeper was not daunted by the weather,.

White-throated Sparrows are to be expected.

Here are a couple more photos of the Pine Warbler.

Palm Warblers are comparatively easy to see, so maybe that’s why we tend to pass them over later in the season, but I still find them beautiful.

I caught the Black-crowned Night-heron relocating to another spot.

It was a treat to see two Greater Yellowlegs toward the end of the walk.

For what it’s worth, we had some Yellow-rumped Warblers.

We got nice looks at a Great Blue Heron and a Pied-billed Grebe.

As spring always tests my memory for vocalizations I haven’t heard for months, I invariably learn something new. I now recognize the chattery calls of female Red-winged Blackbirds, in addition to the various vocalizations that the males produce.

I will be back with more spring migration photos as the birds start showing up. For the moment, my focus is on preparing for and playing in the annual Spring Music Festival this Saturday night with Linda Rios on flute and Ray Holdsworth and Kate Burch on percussion. I’m looking forward to playing and also to hearing the other performers, especially those I have never heard before. It will be a fun evening for all.

More Lakes to Look At

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Onward to small lakes in northern Cook County. On April 4, we joined a Chicago Ornithological Society outing to five small lakes off the Des Plaines River. Beginning at Axehead Lake, we saw more Common Loons, Lesser Scaup, some Bufflehead.

At Lake Opeka, we saw an interesting Common Loon that was not in breeding plumage.

A Double-crested Cormorant flew by.

And so did an Osprey, eventually. It’s always exciting to see the return of these birds.

And a Great Blue Heron swept by my lens. On the return trip, it was carrying a fish.

In the woods, we found a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

And Yellow-rumped Warblers were just starting to appear.

The big surprise was seeing a Greater White-fronted Goose at Beck Lake. It’s a bit smaller than a Canada Goose. We rarely see this bird.

I couldn’t resist this flotilla of Red-breasted Mergansers.

Onward to Busse Woods, with more lakes on April 11. I can hardly believe I have managed to ignore all these wonderfully birdy places in Cook County. And there are so many more… A singing Song Sparrow welcomed us that morning.

Red-breasted Mergansers were a little closer, then later, I forget what flushed a lot of them but I was happy to document their take-off.

We saw Horned Grebes in breeding plumage both days, but with better light and closer views, they were really spectacular looking here. The bird at the top of the post is also one of them.

Mute Swans flew in.

We had a beautiful Vesper Sparrow, another less-common species.

American White Pelicans were in flight over the lakes.

I caught this Double-crested Cormorant in a pensive moment.

A Swamp Sparrow observed us.

Another Great Blue Heron flew past.

This Osprey was in much better light than the one the week before. I believe there is a nest platform somewhere in the area.

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were here too. I love the way the plumage compliments the catkins of an Eastern Cottonwood. I also realize I never noticed these flowers before.

I managed to catch a quick Caspian Tern in flight.

For the record, Yellow-rumped Warbers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets were seen and have been more frequent the last few days.

We have been experiencing colder temperatures, lots of wind and more rain, the exact opposite of last year. Everything is going crazy in my yard, but I will have a hard time again with clean-up as the overnight temperatures are not yet safe (50 degrees Fahrenheit or above). In anticipation of warmer weather, my first bumblebee appeared in the front yard on Wednesday or Thursday, and I was telling Linda about it as we sat on the front porch waiting for her ride home. As if on call, the bumblebee came to visit us, very sweetly hovering in front of us as if to say hello before it took off. I have encountered bees when the garden is in full bloom and they are always friendly, but this was a very special moment. I feel sometimes like I am living in a bubble or an oasis that provides not just sustenance for wild creatures and plants, but also some sort of spiritual connection between us. Life’s simplest pleasures far outweigh the manufactured ones for me.

Catching Up at the Chicago Portage

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Spring is coming to the Chicago Portage. The buds are starting to open up on the trees. Hints of green shoots are everywhere. Birdsong is constant. One recent arrival is the Hermit Thrush at the top of this post.

Going back to March 24, a pair of Blue-winged Teal stopped by.

Golden-crowned Kinglets have been consistent.

On March 26, I was pleased to see a very active female Belted Kingfisher. I have been seeing a male over the past few weeks, so I’d like to think this is a pair.

I found a White-breasted Nuthatch in a sneaky spot.

The Blue-winged Teal were still around, hanging out with a Canada Goose and some turtles.

By April 7, Yellow-rumped Warblers started to appear here and there.

I was surprised to find a pair of Pied-billed Grebes.

I’ve missed Black-capped Chickadees for a little while, but now they seem to be returning.

American Goldfinches are rapidly becoming more colorful.

An Eastern Phoebe has been around for a few weeks. Sometimes I only hear him, so I can’t resist taking his picture when I can see him.

On April 9, shortly after I entered the preserve, I saw this Cooper’s Hawk surveying everything imperiously from a distance. I later encountered a woman who told me she saw a Cooper’s Hawk and its “baby” a few days earlier, sitting on top of the pavilion. The woman said she knew it was the hawk’s offspring because it was smaller and still had its pin feathers. So maybe this bird is half of the pair I first saw several weeks ago around a nest and they did actually have success. I often checked the nest for activity, but it was up high and so well-hidden I never managed to see much of anything.

Two Tree Swallows flew over the water.

The Mallard pair was still ensconced on their favorite log.

One Pied-billed Grebe was present, but very far away. I sat down on a log close to the water and watched it from afar for several minutes. It then came swimming my way as if to see what I wanted, and then after it checked me out, it turned around a flew off.

I had another curious Golden-crowned Kinglet that day.

Two Turkey Vultures were flying around as I left. I managed to capture one of them.

I have more to share, and the race has just begun… At least it starts to feel like a race. Linda the flutist and I are also getting ready for the Spring Music Festival. So many finish lines!

Loons, Pelicans and Ducks, Oh My!

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I started writing this post trying to take advantage of rainy, gloomy, chilly, stormy weather that followed my participation in “Loonapalooza” on March 28. We traveled around in a bus to six small lakes in Lake County. The first bird greeting us at our first stop at Diamond Lake as we got off the bus was a Bald Eagle flying by.

Our next stop at Columbia Bay afforded close encounters with some American White Pelicans.

We had plenty of Common Loons throughout, but they were distant most of the time. I snuck a few long shots.

We had one very distant immature Red-throated Loon, but it was nearly impossible to see, especially with the glare of the sun on the water.

We had lots of ducks, but most were too far away for decent photos. I did catch one female Wood Duck flying by.

Horned Grebes were at two locations.

More pelicans were at Lake Marie North.

We made an extra stop for an Eastern Screech Owl.

At our last stop, Almond Marsh Forest Preserve, we saw two Sandhill Cranes.

I took a blurry photo of a Tree Swallow, for the record. I had not seen one before that weekend.

One closer Loon gave me better looks at one of the last locations.

The days are getting longer, providing more time to do things, and suddenly there is even more to do. More birds are starting to show up. I will try to be back soon. The sun starts shining and I feel swept into spring madness. Admittedly it’s a delightful delirium.

Winter Waning

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We went from over 70 degrees on Saturday to wind gusts from the north on Sunday up to 32 miles per hour. I went out both days in search of more signs of spring.

On Saturday, I decided to visit McGinnis Slough. The overcast made it even harder to see waterfowl which was typically far away, but I did manage to see a few birds. It was hard to resist a near, displaying Red-winged Blackbird.

Swimming close enough for an identifying photograph, anyway, was a pair of Ring-necked Ducks. I am sure there were at least 100 more that I couldn’t see well enough to count.

There were quite a number of Northern Shovelers as well, and I got lucky when some nearer ones took flight.

A Great Blue Heron flew overhead.

Easiest to see were about 20 American Coots closer to the trail.

Most unusual was an Eastern Comma butterfly.

On Sunday, I was at the Chicago Portage, where I barely saw a White-throated Sparrow.

Not surprisingly, I had a male Northern Cardinal and a male Red-winged Blackbird posing,

Then I saw an Eastern Phoebe. I recall this bird returning at what I consider early to this location last year. For all I know it could be the same individual. I saw him get lucky with a worm.

I was about to leave when I was stopped by a fairly close Golden-crowned Kinglet. I had heard their calls but had not seen one up to this point. While I was photographing this one, two more arrived, and then another five came flying over from the other side of the water. I imagined them saying, “Quick, she’s counting, let’s get in on it.”

I then went to see if there was any activity by what I believe might be a Cooper’s Hawk nest I noticed on a couple recent visits. I did see a Cooper’s Hawk in flight.

It began on March 12, when I saw a Cooper’s Hawk around the nest location and just barely saw another on the nest. I haven’t been able to see anything going on with the nest since, but a Cooper’s Hawk has often been present.

One more photo of a Cooper’s Hawk on March 19.

We are set to experience temperatures all over the place the rest of this week and next, with some rain. I am hoping to set up my rain barrels by Monday if the overnight temperatures stay above freezing. Then I will start looking forward to even warmer overnight lows so I can start cleaning up the yard. Musical engagements are coming up as well. It’s all in the reawakening.

Can We Say Goodbye to Winter – Yet?

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When I first started thinking about this post over a week ago, it was mainly going to be a way to send off an accumulation of photos taken over the last few months that I thought would soon look totally ridiculous as the days get longer and the landscape gets greener. I didn’t envision answering the title question with a yes or no answer, but maybe it’s best expressed as “maybe not” as a wind storm prevented me from going anywhere on Friday and then we eventually had snow last night and temperatures are plunging beyond that.

So, here we go. First, a left-over gray squirrel from January 12 by the Des Plaines River.

On January 17, I went on a walk at Sand Ridge Nature Center in Calumet City with Steve and Joann, and the highlights of the walk for me were ridiculously easy views of a Pileated Woodpecker on a fabulously designed suet feeder, and glimpses of a male Purple Finch.

On Feb 4, in very low light with a lot of ice on the Des Plaines River, I found an American Robin tempted by a frozen berry, and a Muskrat next to the ice.

February 6th in Riverside looked like this. The Mourning Doves made interesting subjects.

On February 9, the Cooper’s Hawk which is at the top of the post flew into a tree by the river and then out again.

I am looking forward to seeing more signs of spring. I know the birds are getting ready in spite of the weather challenges. We do seem to be getting more precipitation lately, which can only be good for growing things. Keep the faith.