I became interested in birds through music. The birds have helped me discover more about music and more about listening to everything, and my association with birds has opened up new worlds I never knew existed.
I went birding with three friends Monday morning to the far reaches of the southeast side of the city of Chicago known as the Calumet region. It’s a former industrial area with large tracts of undeveloped land near the Little Calumet River that provide habitat for a lot of birds, in particular, waders and shorebirds. Among other species, we hoped to see a Stilt Sandpiper.
We started out walking along the road at Indian Ridge where we saw several Caspian Terns, Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons and a couple Mute Swans.
Caspian TernCaspian Tern with catch
Mourning Doves had gathered in the tops of some dead trees. Here’s a small group.
I noticed a Killdeer flying by.
Then we spotted a Coyote in the distance.
Great Egrets were everywhere.
Some Great Egrets were in unusual places.
There was a pair of Mute Swans…
And a Black-crowned Night Heron in a less-than-lovely spot.
Great Blue Herons were here and there, fading in with their surroundings.
We spotted a couple Green Herons with some Great Egrets.
Below, a little negotiation for space between a Great Egret and a Great Blue Heron.
I took note of a Northern Rough-winged Swallow.
A fetching female House Finch paid us a personal visit.
Onward to Deadstick Pond where we searched for shorebirds. The photo below illustrates how this site got its name. After peering through chainlink fence, we climbed through a decent-sized hole in the fence for better views.
There were some Lesser Yellowlegs.
Then we saw a Lesser Yellowlegs with two Stilt Sandpipers.
We had three Stilt Sandpipers at one time. I was glad to get good photos as I was not familiar with this species.
A Peregrine Falcon swooped in briefly and disturbed all the birds,
I caught a couple Barn Swallows in flight over the course of the outing.
Here’s one more Stilt Sandpiper.
For a grand finale, we visited the Monk Parakeet hangout in a nearby neighborhood.
The heat later this week has been exhausting. But I have managed to go out a few times and it’s generally been better than I thought, which just goes to show you never know what you might see.
While we await the spectacle of fall migration, where thousands if not millions of birds will pass through our area on their way back south to their winter homes, I find myself pleasantly surprised to see there are still a lot of photos that I never managed to process and post from spring migration, and while things have slowed down during the summer breeding season, it might not hurt to look at these birds.They won’t look entirely the same as they did in the spring, but we will still be glad to see them.
These are photos I took in Riverside on May 5, starting with a Yellow-rumped Warbler by the Hofmann Tower parking lot.
I hadn’t gotten very far before I saw the Canada Goose that likes to stand on the wall and then, a female House Sparrow doing a little dance.
Then after I crossed the street and the bridge at Joliet Avenue, I saw a female Baltimore Oriole near the beginning of the paved trail.
Then I encountered a friendly Chestnut-sided Warbler. This is the same individual at the top of the post.
There was a Palm Warbler.
And another female Baltimore Oriole.
A White-crowned Sparrow was close to the trail.
I found a couple perched Tree Swallows. I haven’t seen many of these birds this summer.
White-crowned Sparrows must have been everywhere.
I saw a Great Blue Heron that day. I have expected to see this bird all summer long, but they have been noticeably absent lately.
In Riverside Lawn, I found a Hermit Thrush.
I got a look at a Northern Waterthrush.
Briefly, I saw a Ruby-crowned Kinglet.
Then, a Blue-winged Warbler appeared, a warbler I don’t see very often. The distance between me and the bird made it difficult to get good photos.
I found a White-throated Sparrow. I didn’t see a lot of these guys this year, but sometimes they can show up in good numbers.
Here’s a Blue-Gray Gnat-catcher. There are several still here for the summer, but they are much harder to see now.
And I caught a glimpse at a Black-and-White Warbler.
There were several other birds and my list totaled 45 species that day. I was going to add pirctures from the present at the end of this post, but I think this is enough for the moment. I will return with a more timely post soon. Until then, one more look at the Chestnut-sided Warbler.
Instead of going to the Chicago Portage Sunday morning as I had originally planned, I wound up going to Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary.
I haven’t been to Montrose in years, so when the opportunity arose to go with two friends, I decided it was my duty to get up early and see what it was like after all these years. I’ve never been there in the summer. It’s a popular hot spot during spring and fall migration, and I went several winters ago to see a Snowy Owl, but this time it was especially good to go with others. I had read about the changes made to the landscape, with paved trails and protected areas, but I was not prepared for such dramatic improvements. It’s much better organized and accessible than it used to be, without affecting the habitat space for birds.
Part of the project was to establish a protected area of the beach for the endangered Great Lakes Piping Plovers that have nested successfully the past several years. Our first mission upon arrival was to see this year’s three new chicks. We started to walk toward the beach.
Our first view of the beach was of a lot of gulls, mostly Ring-billed.
Apartment buildings create a skyline view. The lake was very calm.
We managed to find one Piping Plover chick as we stood north of the protected area.
We could see people looking from another vantage point on the other side, so we started walking over there.
On the way, we encountered Barn Swallows and Bank Swallows near a roped-off area that is protected for the Bank Swallows.
Below are photos I took as we walked. We found a Yellow Warbler, and I caught a Barn Swallow in Flight. The third photo is of a Bank Swallow and a Barn Swallow.
Then when we reached the pier structure overlooking the protected area from the south, we found the other two Piping Plover chicks along the shoreline. All three hatched on June 20, and were subsequently named “Bean,” “El” and “Ferris” after a naming contest inspired by names reflecting things Chicago.
Now I had an extended view of the partitioned beach, with lots more gulls in attendance.
Along with the Piping Plovers, we saw a Spotted Sandpiper.
Here are more photos of the other two Piping Plover chicks.
We started walking back through the rest of the sanctuary, and we encountered many more Barn Swallows and five Bank Swallows.
Walking adjacent to a meadow area, we encountered a couple Eastern Wood-Pewees in branches of a distant dead tree,
We also saw a Ruby-throated Hummingbird briefly.
There were a few other birds, rather common species, but I could not get decent photographs of them. I got luckier with what looked like a juvenile female Baltimore Oriole that was close to the trail.
Now that Montrose is no longer a mystery in my mind, I intend to visit more often. Due to the distance and parking options, not to mention crowds during peak migration, I will try to go with other birders. Thanks to Joann and Steve for inviting me!
I couldn’t resist just one Ring-billed Gull flying overhead.
We are promised cooler weather tomorrow. I am looking forward to visiting Riverside in the morning. It’s been a while.
I discovered there’s a name for this stuck-inside summer malaise: Summer Seasonal Affective Disorder (SSAD). I spent most of today inside, expecting rain from the forecast that virtually never happened. But working in the muddy yard after rain we had the night before when half the tall plants were knocked down and spread out sopping wet was not attractive to me, so I stayed inside, got my cleaning done and a little cooking, and then, looking at photos from my last two visits to the Chicago Portage, I realized I miss it terribly. So I plan to go there tomorrow morning, as it’s been over a week. Here’s what I saw on my last two visits.
On July 15, there was ample sunshine.
American Robin
I spotted an American Goldfinch contemplating the duckweed.
On the dirt trail, I noticed the Squirrel-tail Grass where it appears every year.
It was a good morning to see Indigo Buntings.
These days, by the time I get around to the paved trail and the picnic tables that have been placed close to the water, I have made this a destination to sit and observe whatever. And that morning, a Green Heron arrived. At first it was farther away, but then it came to see what was happening directly across the water from where I was sitting. It stayed quite a while, but didn’t catch anything and so it took off eventually.
Beyond that, I barely saw a Song Sparrow.
On July 17, there was some cloud cover.
Red-winged Blackbird
I was pleasantly surprised to encounter an immature Yellow Warbler. I haven’t heard or seen any adult males in quite a while since they were busy displaying and setting up territories earlier. This bird seemed rather curious.
I haven’t seen many Red Admiral butterflies, so I took note of this individual.
An Amerioan Goldfinch took on the green of the leaves surrounding it.
A young rabbit was on the paved trail.
I managed to barely capture a Barn Swallow flying over the duckweed.
Here’s one more of the Yellow Warbler.
I don’t know what awaits me tomorrow morning, but it should be a little cooler early, and it will be good to get out and stretch my index finger on the shutter button. I have new prescription lenses which should make it easier to focus.
I haven’t been to Riverside very often lately. It’s either been too hot or, if after a rain, too wet walking through the tall grasses in Riverside Lawn. Here are some photos from July 18, and then a few from the end of June.
A Double-crested Cormorant flying down river
With the insect apocalypse in the back of my mind, I was encouraged to see a few Chimney Swifts close to the water.
A Double-crested Cormorant was enjoying the sunshine.
I encountered an Indigo Bunting on the paved trail who sang beautifully for me until I tried to record him. I had to follow him as he sought other perches to sing from. I thought he had a rather distinctive twist on an Indigo Bunting song. A short recording is below the photos.
When I got to the swinging bridge, I first noticed a gathering of Canada Geese.
I took too many photos of the male Belted Kingfisher who is also at the top of the post. Between trying to stand on my toes so I did not have the top of the bridge in the photos, I was also having a hard time focusing. I hadn’t gone to pick up my new lenses yet.
A juvenile Common Grackle jumped up for a look.
I had been talking to a fisherman when I first reached the bridge. He called me back to the edge of the bridge to see a Smallmouth Bass sitting in the water. When he told me what it was, I was immediately reminded of Peter Mayer’s song, “Little Jimmy.” If you’re curious, here’s a link to a YouTube version. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_XCOynKJ3M
Smallmouth Bass
So, about the overgrown grasses obscuring the trail. I tried to take a photo or two. Walking through here after a rain is a good way to get soaked. It was dry this time, but I may skip completing this walk for a while during the summer.
From the river’s edge, I tried to capture a Northern Rough-winged Swallow.
I was attracted to the Red-winged Blackbird below. This is either a female or perhaps a juvenile.
On the Riverside Lawn trail, where I always see them, there were a few Blue-fronted Dancer damselflies. I was thrilled to see them, although there were not as many as previous years.
A Northern Cardinal popped up to sing.
The last birds I saw on my way out were three Double-crested Cormorants sitting in a dead tree. The one easiest to focus on is in the cropped photo below.
Way back on June 25, I saw tagged Canada Goose 98H again.
And a Mallard mom was with her offspring. My, how they had grown. I haven’t seen many Mallards since.
I followed a Ring-billed Gull as it flew over the water.
There was also a Killdeer.
I had a female Belted Kingfisher that day but I had an even harder time focusing on her.
I captured an adult male Common Grackle in semi-flight.
And a fly-by American Robin finished my walk.
It has taken me a while to get temporarily accustomed to not going for a walk every morning. Working in the yard has been a somewhat worthwhile substitute, but I can’t help but wonder what I’m missing. I hope to get back to Riverside soon, but with a lot of heat and rain in the forecast my visits will remain sporadic. Storms are possible tonight, which sounds like a nice, if temporary, break in the heat and humidity. Indoors, my birds have been keeping an eye on me to make sure I don’t take too many naps.
Since I’ve been spending so much of my early morning time working in the yard, it seems only appropriate to do a post about what’s been happening there recently.
This morning was particularly rewarding because, after what seemed like a month not seeing a hummingbird in the yard, I was treated to a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird visiting a nearby feeder while I sat on the stone bench under the shade of the Scotch Pine.
This morning was also good for House Finches and House Sparrows.
Here’s what the front yard looked like this morning. I have thinned out the goldenrod considerably, while leaving some for the butterflies and bees to enjoy as it is about to explode into yellow blossoms. I have left most of the Common Milkweed as well.
I found a bee on the Joe Pye Weed. I could barely see it, as it blends in beautifully with the wildness of the blooms.
This afternoon I took a couple quick photos with the phone of the Culver’s Root and a bee on a specimen that is growing close to the neighbor’s fence.
Also in front earlier, there was a Black Swallowtail Butterfly I captured with the phone camera.
Yesterday morning, I found a young House Finch on the birdbath while I sat cooling off on the stone bench.
Going back to Saturday morning, I had a Monarch Butterfly on the Common Milkweed.
The House Finches were enjoying cracking their own seeds in the sunflower seed feeder.
And a Gray Squirrel was showing off his acrobatics on the peanut feeder.
On July 16, there were insects such as this Red Milkweed Beetle.
A Paper Wasp was flying around.
And a Green Bottle Fly shone in the sunlight.
I found bees on a Pink Coneflower and an Eggplant blossom. I’ve never grown eggplant before, but it sure is pretty,
Google identified this as a Two-spotted Bumblebee on the Monarda.
Going all the way back to July 6, things were just getting started. So the last couple weeks have been like an explosion. Below, photos of the Culver’s Root and a Bumble Bee on the Monarda.
I observed an American Goldfinch that day. I haven’t seen them in the yard very often lately. They are busy nesting in places like the Chicago Portage.
And after years of failure, I have finally managed to grow some Rattlesnake Master. I hope I can keep it going.
We are in for another hot spell the next couple days. Then we are promised rain on Thursday followed by cooler temperatures. I have photos of recent outings and a lot more leftovers from May and June. I am also trying to work on my book. Let’s see what happens.
A week later than my usual annual visit to Goose Lake Prairie, I decided to visit. The forecast was for halfway decent weather, partly cloudy and not too hot. I arrived a little after 8:00 AM. There was another vehicle in the parking lot overtaken by weeds, and no sign of a Killdeer to greet me. Just as I started walking the trail, I encountered two well-established birders – so well-established I decided to keep quiet and confirm their identity later. Suffice it to say that the one without the wheelchair rattled off a list of birds they had encountered. I did not find everything they saw, but I had a good walk.
The first bird I met was an Indigo Bunting.
Common Yellowthroats were predictably everywhere. American Goldfinches as well.
American Goldfinch
The Red-winged Blackbird below looked so excited to be singing, I had to pay attention. Meanwhile, a merciful cloud cover was making the increasing heat more bearable.
I always have to take this picture of Cragg’s Cabin
I saw a Tree Swallow or two.
Northern Cardinals were hanging out.
There were several Barn Swallows.
I was delighted to find a Halloween Pennant Dragonfly, and then another later. In the panel below the Halloween Pennant, a Common Whitetail and a Black Saddlebags.
I was intrigued by a Common Yellowthroat in thorns.
Now, I nearly always expect to see Dickcissels, but I heard only two, and barely managed to capture this one too far away to be barely distinguishable even with my 400mm lens. Logically I am trying to make up an excuse for their absence: their territories are already established, they’re busy raising young and it’s none of my business.
I nearly always expect to see an Eastern Meadowlark or two as well. There were some foraging ahead in the grass on the trail, and this one flew by.
I was a little surprised to see a single Cedar Waxwing.
More Common Yellowthroats. In addition to the male posing very nicely below, I encountered a couple youngsters. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen juvenile Common Yellowthroats. I had to refresh my memory when I processed the photos.
I was hearing Field Sparrows but didn’t think I saw any until I realized later the camera had captured a few. All these birds were so far away and the cloud cover made it difficult to distinguish them. The two in the bottom photo appear to be juveniles.
Here’s another American Goldfinch.
I haven’t been seeing many butterflies, but this is an Orange or Clouded Sulphur.
I walked quite a ways before I encountered some very noisy Bell’s Vireos.
Willow Flycatchers were also on hand.
Noticeable flowering plants were Great Mullein and Silphium (Rosin Weed). I think this is the first time I have seen the Silphium there. It’s not a tall plant, which intrigues me seeing as how I have encountered problems with my natives growing tall this year. Maybe this is something I should consider in my backyard.
When I finally got all the way around the trail to a view of the Goose Lake as such, I did not see anything in the water. Previous years there has been at least a heron or two. I also noticed that the blind structure had been removed.
I heard Yellow-breasted Chats and did finally come across a juvenile that was willing to be photographed. i think the last bird in flight might be a different individual.
Also in flight, a Killdeer and a Red-winged Blackbird.
As I was coming to the end of my walk, I noticed an Orchard Oriole on some Great Mullein.
Here’s one more of a Bell’s Vireo. It picked such a beautiful spot to sit in, with the colorful sumac berries.
It shouldn’t have taken me a week to write this post, but I have been busy in the yard, among other things. One thing I have definitely noticed: insects seem to be back. I had been bemoaning the dire lack of insects and consequently swallows, swifts and flycatchers, and I am still sure the number of birds has decreased. But I can attest to the return of insects from one very personal observation. When I got home from Goose Lake Prairie, my legs were covered in bites. I was not aware I was being eaten while I was walking. I had tucked my pants into my socks to oblige the warning sign about ticks at the beginning of the trail, but I did not use any spray as it didn’t seem necessary. Suffice it to say I suffered raging itch for days, more like chigger bites (maybe they were) but the itching has subsided and I will live. Now I am using a little eucalyptus bug spray when I venture out. And I am seeing more birds and dragonflies. Apocalypse Not Quite Yet. To be continued.
I visited the Chicago Portage a couple times last week. I expected things to be quiet, and they were, but there were still a few interesting things.
I am always excited to see the muskrat. and on July 3rd, it was present. At first it appeared to be eating something. Then I saw it take off, shopping for foliage, and in the photos below you might see where it disappeared behind a log and then emerged swimming off with its bounty.
As I was standing at the bridge near Harlem observing the muskrat, a Brown Thrasher briefly came into view in the distance.
Later, I found a female Orchard Oriole again in the marsh.
American Robins, young and old, are always busy.
I had a chipmunk on the paved trail.
And I saw an Indigo Bunting just barely in the grasses.
An American Goldfinch was enjoying the duckweed.
And a juvenile American Robin was overhead.
July 8 started off as usual, with an American Robin on the paved trail. Robins are getting a lot more notice these days.
An Indigo Bunting was singing.
And then I encountered a family of Orchard Orioles that had gathered in a tree. After seeing the female foraging several times, it was nice to finally see the male and his offspring.
I caught a glimpse of a Warbling Vireo.
Then I was treated to a couple male Indigo Buntings, both of which are in the first photo of the post.
Young Red-winged Blackbirds were at the edge of the water.
As I sat on the picnic table waiting to see if someone else showed up, a Green Heron arrived.
Here’s one more of the male Orchard Oriole.
Early July always feels like an unwanted milestone for me. My reward for surviving the fireworks is to add another year to my existence. It’s a peculiar business, getting older. I planned on finishing this post days ago, but I have been preoccupied with a celebration of life ceremony for my dear friend and sister alto Amanda Thomas, who joined her ancestors on May 21. Those of us in the choir who were able to attend the short rehearsal on Wednesday evening were joined Saturday by additional choir members and people from other choirs in the area who sang with Amanda and under her direction. The service was over two hours long. I finished watching the video recording this morning to better see the speakers and the faces of Amanda’s friends in the sanctuary. It was an amazing tribute to an even more amazing woman. She left a lasting, loving impression on every life she touched.
I went to Goose Lake Prairie in Grundy County on Sunday morning. I will try to be back with a recap of that excursion next. In the meantime, here’s a little long shot from the backyard that I took this morning while working in it. I confess to loving the green, tropical shadiness of it all in the summertime.
I went back to Gooselake Natural Area and the Hebron Trail Saturday, getting up early enough to leave so I would arrive by 8:00 AM. I had hopes of perhaps seeing more Yellow-headed Blackbirds among others, but mainly it was just good to get away from everything after the noisy night before.
Unlike my last visit a month ago, there were very few birds to be seen. My list included far more species heard than seen. But I tried to make the best of it and I am glad I made the effort anyway. I first saw a few Barn Swallows such as the one below.
Brown-headed Cowbirds were not shy.
By the time I got to the viewing platform, a Green Heron flew past it.
I decided to walk beyond the platform a bit. Ahead, I saw a Ground Squirrel.
After hearing Song Sparrows but not seeing them, I did finally encounter this disgruntled-looking individual.
Red-winged Blackbirds began to emerge as well, and then as if a switch had been thrown, they were everywhere.
I tried very hard to see any Yellow-headed Blackbirds at all. The few I could make out with my 10×50 binoculars were way beyond the water and barely visible. I remembered trying to take a few photos, but I did not recall capturing any, so I was quite happy to see the two images below after I took them off the camera.
One female Brown-headed Cowbird was close to the trail. I had already started heading back out when her movement – any movement – captured my attention.
I did find a brave male American Goldfinch perched rather calmly. I heard several Common Yellowthroat males, but could not get even one to emerge from whatever bush it was calling from. This is all logical, of course, or so I tell myself. The birds are tending their nests, raising young, and their territories are well-established: they don’t need to advertise anymore.
Right about then, likely the same Green Heron flew in to perch on a nearby dead tree and sat for a while. I took several photographs, and it began to stretch like it was thinking about moving on, and then, when I turned my attention elsewhere, as if it now had my permission to leave, it left.
I spotted a dragonfly, but I haven’t bothered to try to identify it.
Then the most engaged individual bird appeared. I hung out with the Song Sparrow at the top of the post while he sang.
Among the birds heard but not seen were a Vesper Sparrow singing beautifully and a couple Dickcissels. I saw three distant Common Gallinules but I could not get good pictures. I am not discouraged. I will be checking eBird from time to time to see if more birds are being seen and schedule a return trip if possible.
On my way out, I encountered a young Red-winged Blackbird and a juvenile American Crow eating mulberries.
My battle continues with my overgrown yard, but although it will be ongoing, it is no longer so urgent, thanks to the efforts of my alderman to get the citation dismissed. I will receive only a warning, which is as it should be. It was still good to get the wakeup call, and since birding every morning is not so urgent while it’s hot and/or slow, I am committed to taming the beast. And it’s lovely to be out in the yard with the butterflies and bees, even if there are not as many of them.
One day’s worth of photos seems worth going back to look at. These were taken on April 30 in Riverside. Spring migration was beginning, the temperatures were much cooler, and there were only a few leaves starting on the trees. I’m taking a break from the heat.
I first encountered a Killdeer by the Hofmann Tower.
I also took note of a Northern Rough-winged Swallow.
I noticed a Solitary Sandpiper on the rocks, and another on the sloping sidewall of the defunct dam.
Then they took off and I got some flight shots, with both of them in the frame of the last photo.
I was seeing Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers pretty regularly.
Baltimore Orioles stood out.
I found two Tree Swallows perched on the swinging bridge.
A Ring-billed Gull was flying.
More Yellow-rumped Warblers.
A few Black-and-White Warblers were around too. This is the same individual as at the top of the post.
An Osprey flew over.
A female Downy Woodpecker went about her business.
And a Red-winged Blackbird attending to his.
I noticed a Great Blue Heron across the river when I walked through Riverside Lawn. It caught a fish and then swallowed it.
Warbling Vireos were arriving.
I got to see a male Eastern Bluebird who periodically checked with me this spring.
There were Ruby-crowned Kinglets here and there.
Then I noticed a female Scarlet Tanager.
One more of the Great Blue Heron.
Heading back to my car, I found a Northern Rough-winged Swallow on the wall by the Hoffman Tower.
We are promised some cooler weather and even rain later today. I worked in the yard this morning. and slowly but surely, there is more visual breathing space. It seems there is always something surprising going on and it’s not all bad. May we all be surprised by something good these days. I’ll be back shortly with some more recent observations.
