I have been going to the Portage just about every weekend this month, and I’ve also been working my tail off during the week, so it’s been hard to sit down and make sense of anything. These few pictures are the highlights from this past Sunday morning.
Right away I was suddenly engaged following a hungry vireo as it foraged not too far away, right about eye-level. It was a Warbling Vireo, but I had never seen such a wide-eyed one before. He looked surprised to see me as well.The Portage has five or more nesting pairs and I hear them singing all the time, but rarely see them. This is the closest and longest I’ve ever observed a Warbling Vireo.
Summer brings out lots of dragonflies and some other critters I don’t often see, like this Bullfrog.
The frog fanciers were present too, although instead of fishing, I saw them only perched or in flight this time.
Green Herons 
Maybe you’ve noticed how bouncy goldfinches are in flight, they seem to propel themselves through the air, and that’s exactly what they were doing on Sunday. The only goldfinches I saw were flying, below.
American Goldfinch 
Not seeing many butterflies, but there seem to be a reasonable number of dragonflies. And then there was this metallic turquoise beetle…
Common Whitetail (female) 
Six-Spotted Tiger Beetle 
Juvenile robins are gawky and spotted and just generally at an awkward stage…
American Robin (juvenile)
In general, the Baltimore Orioles weren’t posing, and if they were still for a moment they were still quite far away. They weren’t even bothering to sing hardly at all. Everybody is busy rearing youngsters.
After crazy busy at work I am looking forward to the four-day weekend. Weather permitting, I hope to venture a little farther than the Portage; I feel the need to at least attempt to see some grassland birds. But if the weather doesn’t cooperate, there’s plenty more to do – like finish processing the Texas pictures and those from my previous visits to the Portage this month. One cannot plan ahead anymore. The weather changes ever five minutes, so I am going with the flow. It’s been thundering and raining tonight as I write. Even if we’ve managed to totally mess it up, weather is still something we cannot control. Haha.
I wish that I could find dragon flies that would stand still.
It’s true, they don’t rest often, or when they do it’s usually on the gravel path or somewhere obstructed by a million stems… I think maybe after all the rainy weather we’ve had they were just enjoying the sunshine.
We are going through a heatwave right now, aren’t you?
The portage is going to fill with many birds of all kinds, to alleviate the harshness of the high temperatures. There they can find plenty of water, shelter and plenty of food. Good captures, Lisa. 🙂
Thanks so much, H.J. We have warmed up but we keep falling back into rainy weather so it hasn’t been consistently hot yet. If this keeps up we may turn into a tropical rainforest… 🙂
I just came in from outside and I don’t think I’ll be out and about in the heat again until things cool off. The rain may be a little annoying and unpredictable but at least it keeps things cooler!
I’m always amazed that you not only see so much but also get pictures. Enjoy your weekend!
Thanks! I went out this morning before it got too hot and now rain isn’t likely until tomorrow. I was out in a grassland so any time it got a little cloudy I was thankful! I woke up from a nap a little while ago and went out into the yard for a few minutes but had no intention of staying out. Came in and heard on the radio the heat index is 100 degrees.
Really like the photos of the goldfinch in flight.
Thanks! I was kinda surprised because I didn’t remember taking them. 🙂