I was planning on a post of visits to the Chicago Portage from last week, but I had some special birds Tuesday morning so this is an almost unusually current installment (I was trying to finish it same day and yesterday but didn’t manage it).

The morning started off inauspiciously enough with the American Goldfinches in the duckweed. They nearly match the color of the duckweed this time of year. And then they disappear into the goldenrod blooms.

As I walked beyond the bridge near Harlem Avenue, I began to see a little warbler activity in the vegetation running along the fence that separates the Portage from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. I tried to capture a Magnolia Warbler, but it outsmarted me. And then, I was suddenly looking at a male Black-throated Blue Warbler. This is a special bird in that we don’t see them as often as some other species. I have found them to be a bit more deliberate in their movement which can make them a little easier to photograph. My biggest challenge with this bird was the darkness of the leafy area and the bright sunshine behind it. He graciously moved out more into the open. I’d like to think we had a little conversation.

I next caught a brief glimpse of a Nashville Warbler.

Then along the trail I found a Red-bellied Woodpecker.

I caught up with a couple Magnolia Warblers before the break in the fence. They nearly eluded me but I managed a few furtive fotos.

Next I caught a glimpse of a Swainson’s Thrush. It turned to peer at me in the second photo.

A few young Indigo Buntings were present. I’ll never know if they hatched here or came in from somewhere else.

Tennessee Warblers have been coming through for a couple weeks now. Here’s one individual.

And another. I took way too many photos of this bird but it was close enough and successful catching an insect.

I found a first-year male American Redstart in an unusually quiet moment.

I barely caught a glimpse of an Ovenbird.

Young Red-winged Blackbirds all flew up from the abundant goldenrod and boneset to check me out as I took their class photo.

I spotted a Red-tailed Hawk perched on a tree by the water. The light was better when I got on the other side of it.

On my way back out the paved trail, a bird flew up into a tree in front of me and was not immediately recognizable. After perusing the photos, I was happy to find it turned out to be a Philadelphia Vireo.

Below, the Philadelphia Vireo especially looks like one in the last photo where it’s hanging upside-down.

Below is the last Tennessee Warbler I caught a glimpse of on the way out. It looks nothing like the other two.

Here’s another photo of the one Tennessee Warbler with its catch…down the hatch.

I’ve seen many more birds over the past few days, not to mention the ones from the last two weeks, so I will try to launch those photos soon. We are in the middle of another heat wave of sorts, we haven’t had any rain and there is none in the forecast, so now we are approaching a drought too. I’m refilling the water in the birdbaths twice a day. Luckily there’s still plenty of water in the rain barrels. I guess there is some small relief that the days are getting shorter, too.