My last two visits to the Chicago Portage this past week have been pretty quiet. It’s getting harder to find the flock, if you will. But the walk still fortifies my spirit. The photos in this brief post are from November 23 and November 25.
Inevitably a Black-capped Chickadee will make itself heard if not immediately seen. But without leaves on the trees it’s getting harder to hide, and they don’t really try to hide anyway. I call them my Greeter Birds.
The American Goldfinches have been better at hiding lately, but I am beginning to see more of them at my thistle feeders.
Northern Cardinals are good at concealing themselves as well.
A small group of Mallards has been hanging out.
When I thought I’d seen everything, I heard and then saw about 30 Sandhill Cranes fly over.
After trying to capture the cranes which were soon obscured as they flew over the trees, I looked down from the sky and saw an Eastern Bluebird pop into view.
Also present was a White-breasted Nuthatch who gave me the evil eye, and then the “Go-Away” look.
Yesterday, the 25th, the cloud cover was what my mother would have called “glismal.” Also, being the last Saturday of the month, the volunteers were busy sawing and burning on the trail that leads to the bridge near Harlem, so I didn’t walk in that way.
We seem to always be discussing American Robins now and how they tend to disappear. However, there was a flock of about 40 of them when I first arrived, if by the time I left there were only a few individuals remaining.
My photos revealed a distant Hairy Woodpecker.
I sometimes hear more Dark-eyed Juncos than I see. This one was barely visible but I like the photo anyway.
Also foraging in the vegetation were some American Tree Sparrows. I was happy to see them even if it was hard to capture them clearly.
This visit I had a cooperative Greeter Bird.
Later in the day, the sun came out, but I was already busy with housework. I noticed the Fullersburg Limpkin was reported by several observers.
Today it was snowing all morning and predicted to continue practically until dusk, which will seem much sooner and darker in the cloud cover. I just marked my calendar for the Christmas Bird Count on December 16th. The immediate forecast is for below freezing temperatures tomorrow. I’m glad I have located my long underwear.
Long underwear sounds like a must. I have had mine on for weeks (but I am old).
I wear men’s jeans because they tend to be heavier weight fabric (and they are much less expensive) but I will need an extra layer if the temperatures are below freezing. I am a big fan of layers, even inside the house.
I loved the sequence of photos you took of the junco and tree sparrows in the goldenrod. They have a dreamlike quality to them.
I second your comment about the men’s long underwear- I appropriated my husband’s set, which I wear A LOT during the winter. Merino wool is amazingly warm!
Thanks, Ann! Yes, the goldenrod has been hosting sparrows and goldfinches for weeks, and sometimes I get lucky if the flock isn’t too far from the trail. As for long underwear, I needed it this morning – the windchill was 14 degrees F. I have been wearing silk long underwear for years. It’s lighter in weight and fits underneath my jeans. But merino wool sounds fantastic!
You did a very nice job picking up a number of our winter favorites. Many lurking in the brush and/or quickly and noisily flying overhead. A great shot of the cranes. Alas, a sign that winter is arriving here and they head south.
Thanks, Bob, for your encouraging words! This is the time of year when any bird can be the focus of my attention. But the cranes are a special delight. The numbers at Jasper-Pulaski are over 32,000 so I will be venturing that way on Thursday. At least it will be warmer, although with clouds in the forecast. But this seems like a good time to go.