Monthly Archives: January 2026

Braving the Cold

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I couldn’t stand being cooped up any longer, even though we’re still flirting with single-digit temperatures. Yesterday morning was full of bright sunshine and it wasn’t too windy, so I put on all my layers and attempted a walk in Riverside Lawn on my way to the pool.

I could not have gotten a better greeting than to see an adult Bald Eagle flying in my direction over the frozen Des Plaines River. I was walking the snow-packed trail in the woods. Wearing thick polar fleece gloves, not to mention stuffed into my puffy jacket, I had no idea if I would be able to wield the big lens toward the eagle in time for a few photographs. I think I got lucky.

Snow and ice on the river

I heard and then saw a Red-bellied Woodpecker.

A female Northern Cardinal sat still for a moment.

I walked to the swinging bridge, determined to take a look and then just walk back. I saw a Red-shouldered Hawk fly behind the police/fire station. The hawk eventually found a place to perch and look over the river.

A Mourning Dove had been disturbed by the hawk flying through, but the hawk seemed uninterested in what looked like at least 20 doves lined up on the wall behind the station.

The woods were quiet on the way back to my car, so I was happy to see a few familiar faces, if you will, approaching the Hofmann Tower.

I will be going for walks in the cold more frequently now, as long as it’s not too windy or snowing. For what it’s worth, I felt better swimming after that walk. An important part of my life had fallen back into place.

Poking Around the Portage

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Several days ago, before the -20 F. windchills – it was possible to go for a walk and see a few birds or other creatures at the Chicago Portage. I returned this morning when it was a balmy 10 degrees. The sun was shining brightly and there was less wind than yesterday, but it was still awfully cold. Somehow the cold is making everything else worse, as difficult as that might be to comprehend. But here we are.

January 6 was the last time I saw a number of sparrows. Below: a Song Sparrow and an American Tree Sparrow.

I was delighted to see – and hear – a Winter Wren. Although the wren was quite far away, I managed to get a couple reasonable photos of such a small bird.

The Red-shouldered Hawk was around that day.

At least Northern Cardinals have been pretty consistent.

A muskrat made an appearance.

On the same day, the sun hid behind the clouds at one point.

American Goldfinches were about. As happy as I am to see them in my yard, I’m glad they were at the Portage too.

Two days later, no birds to photograph, but a muskrat and an opossum. I haven’t seen an opossum here before,

Then on January 11, only one bird stood out, however distantly, for a photograph: a male Belted Kingfisher.

On January 13, I photographed only a Dark-eyed Junco. But I was attracted to the water runoff underneath the bridge closer to Harlem. That day was particularly warm.

After that we started to get cold. And this morning, I heard and saw only a few species, and was able to capture just one male Northern Cardinal while I was wearing heavier gloves. We had some snow two nights ago. We are promised some more, and temperatures will be even colder this weekend.

So now we are warming up enough to fulfill tne snowy forecast overnight and into tomorrow morning. I will at least be getting some exercise shoveling my walks. I’m also starting to write a little music inspired by my indoor birds. Anything to take my mind off…

Last Week on the River

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It’s turned really quiet over the last few days with hardly any birds to see or hear anywhere. All the robins disappeared and seem to have taken nearly everybody else with them. So I am here with photos from last week on the Des Plaines River, when there were still birds to be found.

In Riverside on January 5, more ice sculpture. These resemble trivets to me.

A Northern Flicker and two Mourning Doves made brief, calm appearances.

I decided to walk further along the river from the paved trail. as it was a nice day and I had heard about some Common Goldeneye in that direction. A Herring Gull passed by me with something quite substantial in its bill that I can’t identify.

Then I saw a Bald Eagle across the river.

I did find six Common Goldeneye closer to the bridge at Ogden Avenue. Only five fit into the photo below, but the renegade who was swimming far in front of them is at the top of the post.

I found some fungus in the wooded area where I was now on a dirt trail.

I also found a Brown Creeper. I’m thinking this extended walk is definitely going to be on my agenda come spring migration.

I took a look back at the swinging bridge and decided it had definitely been worth the extra distance.

As it turned out, I encountered only a Downy Woodpecker on my way back through Riverside Lawn.

Two days later, back in Riverside, I was surprised to see a Great Blue Heron standing in the river. It was a few degrees warmer that day.

I decided not to walk all the way down, but instead took a view of the bridge at Ogden.

I did see a couple of Common Goldeneye close enough.

I’ll be back with a few observations from the Chicago Portage, again before everything got so quiet. We are enjoying a brief warmup today before we plunge into single digits and below by the end of the week. Thanks for stopping by.

January Two, Three and Four

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Three more days into the year, I embraced walking on icy trails, struggling to focus a heavy lens with gloves on. It wasn’t all bad. There were still birds.

On January 2, I was in Riverside. and I found myself attracted to an Ice chandelier hanging low over the water.

A Red-shouldered Hawk was sitting in a tree.

Northern Cardinals brightened up the bare branches.

And then that evening, I found the moon irresistible so I stepped outside to take a few photos.

On January 3, I went to the Chicago Portage. It was intensely quiet on the trail walking in, so I decided to check out the Des Plaines River and I found some Common Mergansers there.

I walked around to the train tracks and the railroad bridge to see if I could get a better look at the Mergansers, but the only photos I took were of the tracks themselves and of what looked like some burdock seedpods wedged in the rocks between the ballasts on the tracks.

On my way back to the trail, I saw two Bald Eagles flying in the distance.

Then, I started to find the birds, among them this Downy Woodpecker and a Red-winged Blackbird.

I have seen White-throated Sparrows fairly often this winter.

I spotted a Red-bellied Woodpecker. I’ve heard these birds more often than I’ve seen them. There were also an American Tree Sparrow and two American Goldfinches that were not in my backyard.

Here’s a White-breasted Nuthatch.

And there were also several Dark-eyed Juncos. I imagine it’s a good time of year to be a black and white or gray bird.

Jan 4 was.a Sunday that I didn’t have to sing, so I decided to do something a little different and visit the Little Red Schoolhouse Forest Preserve. I was delighted to see three Eastern Tufted Titmouse at the feeders, or Titmice if “three mouse” hurts your ears. One of these is also at the top of the post. I was so thrilled to see them, I didn’t manage to record their lovely vocalizations, some of which I don’t recall hearing before. I will have to try to go back again and record them.

Blue Jays were everywhere and not a bit shy about it. I guess the feeder birds in these locations are just used to the extra attention.

I walked the Black Oak Trail which is about a mile and three-quarters. The adjacent slough was frozen over, so there were no waterfowl. But in the woods, there were two, maybe three Red-headed Woodpeckers. The first one I saw still had a little juvenile plumage.

Just as I was finishing the trail, I spotted an Eastern Bluebird in the distance, and the Red-tailed Hawk that I had heard earlier.

I’ll finish with a handsome White-throated Sparrow.

I’ll try to be back soon. I had some nice surprises the past week, before the weather rolled the dice.

New Year’s Day – Briefly

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I determined it too cold to go for a walk today, so the best I could manage was to go out in the yard to hang feeders and then return a bit later to take a few photos if the birds would put up with me standing there. As it turns out, the American Goldfinches are most used to this.

I did spot one of the Dark-eyed Juncos that’s been hanging out for months under the sunflower seed feeder in the middle of the yard. Earlier through the kitchen windows I saw a male Northern Cardinal and later, a Blue Jay, but they were no longer available. I’ll have to wait for better weather.

I discovered some older photos on the card that I had taken with that camera, but they weren’t fit for publishing, except for some captures from August 16, 2025, that remind me of what’s possible come summer.

Google identifies this as a Red-legged Grasshopper. I was delighted to find it on the stalk of a Common Milkweed in the front yard.

The bees were crazy for the Cup Plant flowers last summer.

Two flies caught my attention that day: a Common Flesh Fly and a Common Green Bottle Fly. They were both on unopened blooms of the Tall Ironweed.

The Tall Ironweed was just starting to bloom along with the goldenrod by the back porch steps (photo below). Although this is one of my favorite color combinations in late August and September, I will have to tame the patch this year if I want to grow any chiles. I’ve already pre-ordered my chile plants, so I will have my work cut out for me.

The idea of digging in the yard was very attractive while sitting here on the futon writing this earlier in long underwear and heavy socks. The birds encouraged me to get up and play piano and serve them an evening snack. I’m warmer now, but the day is gone. Does it feel different yet, this 2026? Somewhere, something is turning over.