As promised, here’s my last visit to McGinnis Slough. I have been out birding every morning since, mainly at the Chicago Portage but a couple other places too, and fall passerine migration is in full swing. I don’t know if I will ever get through all my photographs, but I intend to start posting them soon as much as possible.
It was delightful to spend a little time with a Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher at McGinnis.
This Song Sparrow perched nicely for me.
Another bird I felt very privileged to see well was the Marsh Wren below. I could hear wrens in the reeds but they are always nearly impossible to see. Then, while I stood in the same spot looking at whatever waterfowl I could see, this one popped out in a bush to get a closer look at me.
I also saw a Brown Thrasher – a bird I used to see a lot more of but now rarely. And then my first Palm Warbler of the fall season.
A few more of the Marsh Wren…
Finally, a cooperative flower. It appears to be a hibiscus. But I am used to seeing the big pink rose mallow flowers that bloom here every year and they have been few and far between.
More views of the American Redstart that is at the top of the post.
I wonder if the slough will ever have enough water again to host the hundreds of ducks that usually show up in the early spring.
Tall Boneset is now blooming with the Canada goldenrod.
Several Barn Swallows took a break from scooping bugs out of the air…
And there was one lone Tree Swallow.
I managed to barely see the Trumpeter Swans – and noticed there was only one Cygnet. I fear the other two did not survive. I suppose the likeliest predator would be a coyote.
Peter Mayer has just written a beautiful song called “Trumpeter Swans” which I have already listened to maybe a hundred times…
The Herons were all hanging out in what little water is left.
And I caught a Wood Duck in flight.
I was a little surprised to see Northern Shovelers.
These fuzzy-looking acorns caught my eye. They are not acorns. They are called “hedgehog galls” and are formed by wasps.
This Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher is probably halfway to its winter home by now.
Okay. I hope to be back very soon with a feast of warbler photographs. There have been other interesting birds too. Thanks for checking in!
Thank you, Lisa. This started my Sunday morning beautifully. I have been observing the hummingbirds at our feeders of late as they load up on their migration nectar. A lot of jousting but one pair has been doing an almost ballet as they rise and drop and move around the feeder together. Mesmerizing.
Thanks so much, Jim! Lucky you with all your hummingbirds! I have had one or two females visit my feeders all summer but haven’t seen them for a few days, it could be they are already on their way south.
Congrats on your retirement Lisa! Wonderful to see what good use you’re making of your new-found spare time. Lovely photos! Best, Babsje
Thanks, Babsje! Fall migration is making me feel like I’m going to work every morning – I am slowly retraining myself to get up before dawn. 🙂
Oh boy arising before dawn is indeed work! Hard to believe the migration is underway but the Canada Geese over my home at 6am drove that fact home. Take care!
Ironically my indoor crowd is very adaptable and they are ready for breakfast even in artificial light – so I can’t even use waking them up so early as an excuse to go back to sleep 😴!
You’re fortunate about that. There are no acceptable excuses to keep a person from getting a little more sleep.
I wonder if the fuzzy acorns are in fact oak galls.
I thought so too but either I couldn’t find anything about them or I got too lazy to look further. 🙂
I know that feeling.
I just found them! They are called hedgehog galls, formed by wasps.
Well done.