Here is my last little offering of photographs from last August. They afford a stark contrast to the present cold January days. We are in the single digits today with a steady creep into the teens. The sun is shining brightly and it’s not too windy, but looks are quite deceiving. It was windy overnight and I woke up in the middle of it, aware that the furnace was running continuously. I turned the indoor temperature down a degree. I am prepared to go out in my long underwear, and I can wear it indoors if need be. My indoor birds will be warm enough. They are delighting in the sunshine anyway.

Below are two less-conventional Cedar Waxwing photos. The second photograph is a juvenile bird.

Here are two adult male Baltimore Orioles and a couple shots of an immature female.

It was nearly always possible to find a goldfinch in the duckweed.

Red-winged Blackbirds were not all that easy to see all summer but they were definitely present. The birds below appear to be juveniles.

Below, a Red-bellied Woodpecker.

And here is a Warbling Vireo. They are frequently heard, but rarely seen at the Portage.

A distant view of a Great Egret on the Des Plaines River.

I haven’t seen one Chipmunk all winter, so I’m glad I caught this one in a rare pose.

I can’t resist juvenile American Robins.

It’s hard to resist a summertime male American Goldfinch too.

I never paid attention to the sticker on the back of the sign below where the Indigo Bunting is sitting with his back toward me – “Tadziu” – but apparently on the Internet there are enough definitions, from the slang “chode equipped moron” to a given name meaning “represents idealism, intuition, romance, generosity, creativity, wisdom and tolerance.” Thanks to the bunting for adding to my vocabulary.

I will be back shortly with the realities of winter. I did manage a walk yesterday morning in Riverside before I went swimming, but it was brief, with more ice than birds. There was a partial thaw the day before, which hardened into slick ice as the temperature fell again. I’m going to settle for grocery shopping today and maybe I can walk tomorrow. There’s always plenty to do at home. I can only put off the chores (I promised myself I would accomplish once I retired) for so long…