I haven’t been able to get out for a walk for a number of reasons the past two weeks. Much of it has been due to the weather. But now we are finally going to warm up, so I have to get out and start walking earlier.

Yesterday morning was beautiful with plenty of sunshine. I got over to the Chicago Portage at 8:30. I was thrilled to encounter a Muskrat having breakfast right off the little bridge near Harlem. He or she was irresistible.

A look through the break in the fence at the Des Plaines River showed how much the rain affected the bottomlands.

I heard more birds than I saw, and Merlin heard even more. But eventually birds started to appear.

Northern Flickers have been busy – and pretty far away.

I did manage some photos of a male Red-bellied Woodpecker. If you click on the pictures below you will be able to see the red on his belly.

I was surprised to still see an American Tree Sparrow.

I had a nice encounter with a Brown Creeper. I have been seeing these birds in Riverside for a month or so but they’re still special.

I was surprised to see my FOY Tree Swallow. Swallows are hard enough to photograph when they’re in close, so I didn’t do this one justice but I had to try.

There were turtles…

I heard the Eastern Phoebe I have been seeing since March 16. I call him Feebs. He has been hanging around the other bridge that I like to call Tadziu’s bridge after the Indigo Bunting I hope to see return this spring. I will be back later with some of the earlier photos of Feebs.

On my way out I found a Fox Sparrow.

Then there was a White-breasted Nuthatch who wouldn’t stop posing.

And I was almost at the parking lot when a Turkey Vulture flew over the trees.

My last photo was not of a bird, but of a young doe near the parking lot.

I don’t know which bird this was, but I liked the image. It looks like a Dark-eyed Junco to me.

And here’s one more of the Muskrat.

My friend is staying with me until Wednesday when she will fly back to California. It has been good to support her during this trying time. My indoor birds have gotten used to having her around and they aren’t trying to play with her hair as much anymore! I did give her a buff and a baseball cap to protect herself. 🙂

The Oak Park bird walks start this coming Saturday at Columbus Park. I have to practice my alto parts for Choir Sunday on the 14th. It will be a busy week. And the birds are coming back.