Category Archives: birds

After the Rain

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I started this post over a week ago – after a lot of rain caused some significant flooding along the river – before my daily routine took a hit. It’s been a challenging two weeks. However, things are slowly but surely starting to look up. I’m having a hard time typing at the moment, which I will try to explain later, so this post will be mostly photographs. Now if I can just remember what I was doing to begin with.

On May 1, some Solitary Sandpiipers were busy in the flooded area in Riverside called Swan Pond.

Barn Swallows were also busy over the flooded area.

A Red-tailed Hawk made an appearance.

On my next visit, May 4, things were perhaps a little calmer. I was surprised to see only two goslings with this Canada Goose.

Even a Rock Pigeon seemed a little stunned to be taking it all in.

I never know when I will see a White-breasted Nuthatch, so I became interested in this one.

There were still a number of White-throated Sparrows.

I sometimes think the Northern Cardinals feel like they’re being overlooked as the migrants start coming through.

On May 11, I found a Northern House Wren enjoying a worm snack. These birds are more often heard than seen.

A Great Blue Heron was not too far away.

I managed a photo of a Northern Waterthrush which is a better depiction of how you typically see them than it is of the bird itself.

Palm Warblers were abundant, as usual.

On May 13, I found another House Wren near the top of a tree by the river.

I got a decent look at a Magnolia Warbler. The winds were still coming from the north and we weren’t feeling that big warbler push yet. But Yellow-rumped Warblers like the one below the Magnolia, for comparison, have been around for weeks.

I observed some interesting courtship behavior with two Tree Swallows.

An Osprey flew over to check things out. I wonder if the water in the river was still too high to make fish visible.

I found a first year male American Redstart.

Here’s one more Palm Warbler in action.

So now to a brief (?) story about my situation, such as I can barely type it. I received two citations from the city concerning my property. One was for too many bird feeders and the other was for what was termed yard waste, which was simply the dead stalks leftover from last year’s growth which I have been advised by naturalists not to remove until the temperature is a consistent 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Even though we have warmed up considerably over the past few days, the extended forecast is still for some overnight temps in the 40’s. The bees and butterflies and other pollinators need the old growth and the soil to remain undisturbed while they use it for shelter during the winter.

I began to clean up what I could and decided to completely remove the feeder pole. I also wanted to meet with the person who had inspected my property before my court date, so I went to City Hall, got his card and left him a voicemail. I subsequently had a terrible sleepless night and woke up with a swollen right hand and wrist. I’ve been wearing a brace to sleep for a couple years as what I am sure is carpal tunnel syndrome has now gotten progressively worse.

So I met with the inspector a couple days later and he made note of my improvements, but I still had to pay fines. However, given the rising price of birdseed, this could be a blessing in disguise. I am viewing this as an opportunity to test the native landscape. As for my right hand, I am looking forward to an appointment with a hand surgeon this week. I also have to find a better way to process photos. Lots to think about. More than I can handle typing with my left hand for the moment. I have been teaching my left hand to be more independent with household chores. I could start learning some new Bach pieces just practicing the left hand parts…

I hope to return soon with less drama and more birds.

Fall Warblers and Others

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The fall warblers are trickling in. Here are a few warblers to get started with from morning walks in Riverside and the Chicago Portage. On August 27 in Riverside, I saw a female American Redstart.

Also present was a Cedar Waxwing. I included the middle photo because if you look closely at the yellow tip of the tail, it appears to have a serrated edge.

I caught a Chimney Swift and a Double-crested Cormorant in flight.

A Great Blue Heron and a Great Egret were available for long views.

On September 1 at the Chicago Portage, I briefly saw a Blackburnian Warbler.

I also had a Cape May Warbler, but only got a glimpse-and-a-half.

The next day, September 2, at the Chicago Portage, I had only a Nashville Warbler.

But I did get an interesting photo of a young Hairy Woodpecker.

And I made the acquaintance of a Chickweed Geometer Moth.

Back again on September 4 at the Chicago Portage, I had an American Redstart that could be a young male.

I then saw a Bay-breasted Warbler.

And I got some fair looks at a Magnolia Warbler or two.

I also had Tennessee Warblers.

I caught a glimpse of a Gray-cheeked Thrush.

And a Field Sparrow sat still for a moment.

Also that day, Bob and I saw a Broad-winged Hawk and a Cooper’s Hawk. They were both in the air at the same time, and then the Cooper’s Hawk made a return solo visit.

Broad-winged Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk

In Riverside on September 5, I saw the Chestnut-sided Warbler who is also at the top of this post.

I also had an American Redstart, again, a young male.

Great Egrets were here and there..

On my walk through Riverside Lawn, I came across a Green Heron perched by the river close to where I was walking.

And I heard and then saw a Northern Waterthrush.

I just had a very interesting morning at the Chicago Portage, so I think I will be back with that recap as soon as possible before I go back a little bit to the five days in between. Anything can happen during fall migration, even when it’s least expected.

A Sneak Preview of Fall Passerine Migration

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Last weekend I tagged along with Joann and Steve to two locations in Chicago. Saturday morning we went on an organized walk in Horner Park. Sunday, we visited LaBagh Woods, a place I have been to before, but not for a long time. There were hints of fall passerine migration all around us.

Horner Park is a huge space, the birdiest spots being along a walk that follows the Chicago River. We had a flock of Cedar Waxwings early.

I noticed a pair of European Starlings in the same tree the waxwings had just left. They are not fall migrants per se, but I thought they looked interesting.

Then I spotted a Chestnut-sided Warbler. Unfortunately, it was really hard to get a decent photo as the bird was quite far away.

But soon, there was a lot of excitement about a very bright male Blackburnian Warbler that did not appear to be out of breeding plumage. My clearest shot of this bird did not show his orange breast all that well, but you can use your imagination.

More excitement occurred when we found a Red-breasted Nuthatch. This bird was close enough to see and photograph very well.

A Downy Woodpecker and a White-breasted Nuthatch were trading places in another tree.

I found a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher.

Then later, I found a mysterious bird in my photos. I didn’t report it because neither I nor Merlin had any clear idea what it was. It has a very large beak, too large for a House Finch which was my first thought because it was brown and streaky. But it wasn’t a Rose-breasted Grosbeak. It’s been haunting me for days. Then I started to think maybe it was a juvenile Blue Grosbeak. Here are a couple photos. The bird was distant and lighting wasn’t perfect for detail. But that beak, that profile…

I took note of an Orange Sulphur Butterfly.

There was a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird perched distantly in front of us.

Then I started following a yellow bird that turned out to be another Blackburnian Warbler. This individual is also at the top of the post.

On to LaBagh Woods on Sunday. An Eastern Wood-Pewee was the first bird we saw.

There was a young Gray Catbird nearby,

Then one of several Ruby-throated Hummingbirds we saw that morning started flying around. We saw only females.

A Hairy Woodpecker showed up. Not a migrant, but less frequently seen.

A young-looking American Redstart made a brief appearance.

A Red-bellied Woodpecker is always nice to see.

I thought I saw a Philadelphia Vireo in a vireo cluster, but they all turned out to be Warbling Vireos.

There were several Red-eyed Vireos as well.

We saw a couple Bay-breasted Warblers. Here’s the first one I captured.

We determined the bird in the photos below to be a Yellow-rumped Warbler, based a lot on its undertail. I have to get a “Yellow-rumped” face back in my head as well.

We saw a couple Tennessee Warblers.

Here’s another Bay-breasted Warbler.

I thought this was an interesting look at a Northern Flicker from the back.

We had one or two Nashville Warblers.

Another Red-bellied Woodpecker. This looks like a juvenile.

And we saw another Yellow-bellied Flycatcher.

The Indigo Bunting below appears to be a juvenile.

We caught a glimpse of a Great-crested Flycatcher. I have missed seeing enough of these birds this summer.

Here’s another Tennessee Warbler in too much light.

Tomorrow is August 30, it’s a Saturday, and the start of the Oak Park Migration Bird Walks for this fall season. We will be at Thatcher Woods in River Forest. The event has been publicized so well I almost tend to think we will have more people than birds, but I hope we get to see some migrants and some interesting behavior. The early fall-like weather is a plus,

Home, Home in the Yard 🎶

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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.

Sunday at the Chicago Portage

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Sunday morning was full of sunshine and the temperatures were warmer than the cold cloudiness of previous days. I decided that a visit to the Chicago Portage was in order and it turned out to be fruitful. I had 39 species on my eBird list. One in particular was the Blue-headed Vireo at the top of the post.

That said, things started out a bit slowly as I stood by the same Box Elder Maple tree as last time, watching for movement. A male Northern Cardinal sat patiently.

Then I barely saw a Warbling Vireo, but they are nearly always elusive, so I settled for a small photos anyway.

Warbling Vireo

I spotted a Pine Warbler.

A Yellow-rumped Warbler appeared and disappeared into the foliage.

I caught a female Red-winged Blackbird in a furtive moment.

There was only one Blue-winged Teal in the open water, but I later discovered some in the flooded marshy area, although they were too far away and obscured by vegetation to photograph properly. For what it’s worth, there was also a Solitary Sandpiper. So the Blue-winged Teal are still present.

Here’s what I saw later from the paved trail looking out onto the marshy area.

Solitary Sandpiper and Blue-winged Teal in the background

And a close-cropped view of two Blue-winged Teal.

Solitary Sandpiper with Blue-winged Teal

I heard and saw several Blue-gray Gnatcatchers.

Then I was pleasantly surprised to see my first Black-throated Green Warbler of the season, even if I had only obscured views.

It took me a while to find a Yellow Warbler, but I managed to capture one rather distant individual.

The turtles were enjoying the abundant sunshine.

I barely saw an American Kestrel as it flew in the distance.

Here’s another Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.

And I found a Ruby-crowned Kinglet – with just a tiny bit of red in the third photo

One more Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. They will quickly become increasingly difficult to see.

Next, I found a Black-and-White Warbler foraging on a Hackberry Tree.

Then a couple Orange-crowned Warblers appeared. They became more evident in my photo review later.

Another Orange-crowned Warbler.

And another Black-and-white Warbler appeared.

I was quite happy to see a Nashville Warbler.

One more Orange-crowned Warbler. They are sometimes confused with other “drab” warblers, such as the Tennessee Warbler. One definite clue to an Orange-crowned is the yellow undertail coverts. Don’t bother looking for an orange crown…

I took a photo of a nearby Palm Warbler, even as I already feel like I have seen enough of them. They don’t try to hide themselves too well, which probably encourages our tendency to dismiss them, but they are still beautiful.

There was yet another Black-and-White Warbler.

My last Ruby-crowned Kinglet of the morning…

As I started to walk along the paved trail toward Harlem, a male Eastern Bluebird came to see me. I wonder if it was my turquoise windbreaker that attracted him.

I went down to the picnic tables by the water and sat down on the one directly under the tree. As I sat there, a Blue-headed Vireo flew into the branches above me.

A male Red-winged Blackbird displayed close to the shore.

On my way back out on the paved trail, I spotted a Field Sparrow.

And the next-to-last bird I photographed was a male Baltimore Oriole.

I apologize for the photo overload. It’s just been so long since last spring. I went back to the Portage this morning and it was warm, cloudy and windy. My Merlin app heard more warbler species than I saw. But the week is young and more birds will continue to appear. To quote Emily Dickinson, “Hope is the thing with feathers.” Indeed.

Here’s the last bird!

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

After the Rain

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The rain stopped Wednesday and it was still mid-morning, so I decided to take a look around Riverside Lawn before I went swimming. I’m glad I did. Even though the light was poor, I had some birds I hadn’t seen among all the Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers.

I was first greeted by a beautiful female Eastern Towhee.

I saw two Chimney Swifts returning from Chile.

There were a couple Yellow-rumped Warblers bathing in a puddle on the trail.

I noticed a couple Northern Flickers getting ready to make more flickers.

A Yellow-rumped Warbler seemed interested in posing for me.

There were so many Palm Warblers I found it hard to estimate, but eBird would only allow me to enter 20 without requiring documentation, so that was the number I entered. I’m sure there were more than 20, but I would have needed an assistant with a counter to keep track of them all.

Ruby-crowned Kinglets have been abundant. I haven’t been seeing any Golden-crowned Kinglets lately.

Here’s another Palm Warbler and a Yellow-rumped Warbler.

I then felt lucky to see a Swamp Sparrow on the muddy trail.

I heard and then saw this Northern Waterthrush. It sang and posed on a branch right ih froht of me.

Palm Warblers were still pretty to look at.

A couple female Red-winged Blackbirds were hanging out.

This Ruby-crowned Kinglet was cooperative, but I have yet to get a photo with one displaying the crown.

Then I was delighted to see my first Gray Catbird. It was totally silent, but the quiet won’t last as soon as a number of them come to nest. Then I will more likely hear than see them.

Not to be outdone by the Palms, another Yellow-rumped Warbler.

I was going to end the post here, but because the last few days have been increasingly birdy and I am accumulating too many photos already, I have decided to include Friday morning’s visit to Riverside as well.

That morning, before I left, I put out my oriole feeder. Moments after I came back inside, I looked out the kitchen window and saw a male Baltimore Oriole on the feeder. He had first been attracted to the hummingbird feeders that I had put out the night before, but then he saw his preferred color and got busy. I managed to get a few photos through the back porch windows.

When I got to Riverside and parked my car by the Hofmann Tower, I looked out on the rock “island” and saw a Solitary Sandpiper.

This time I walked first on the Swan Pond side of the river following the paved trail. I spotted a Pine Warbler.

Then I encountered a Yellow-rumped Warbler who thought he looked spectacular in a Redbud tree. I agreed and took too many photos of him. Here’s one.

A Great Blue Heron flew to the top of a tree on the other side of the river to survey his options.

The male Eastern Bluebird who knows me came to say hello.

While I was paying attention to the Bluebird, the Great Blue Heron decided to try fishing on my side of the river.

I took note of what appears to be a female Yellow-rumped Warbler.

I found a White-throated Sparrow on the dirt trail that leads to the library. I then stopped to have an engaging conversation with a man who was fishing at the bend in the river.

As I approached the swinging bridge, I heard and saw an Eastern Phoebe. Not far from him, perched on a cable of the bridge was a Tree Swallow making chattering sounds. I mused that they were exchanging bug stories and did a quick recording on my phone (below). The Eastern Phoebe sings his name, “Fee-bee.”

An American Robin thought I should take its picture as it stood on one leg.

On the trail, I sat down on a fallen log and after a moment or two, a male Common Yellowthroat popped up in front of me.

I also got a very good look at a Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

One more Ruby-crowned Kinglet

I finished walking Riverside Lawn with a Black-capped Chickadee, two Downy Woodpeckers and another White-throated Sparrow.

Other highlights of Friday morning’s walk were several more conversations with humans. Maybe we are all eager to talk with each other a little bit more these days. I am always ready to trade bird and (when appropriate) music stories. Spring migration gives us all something to look forward to.

Here’s one more photo of that hammy Yellow-rumped Warbler. I hope to be back soon as there’s lots more to report. Warmer temperatures and rain are in the forecast this week. More birds are on their way.

Earth Day at the Chicago Portage

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I was working on another post about what’s been going on at the Chicago Portage lately, but it seems only fitting to quickly make note of yesterday morning’s walk as the birds return. And I’m just a little rained out this morning…

The first bird I saw when I walked in was a Palm Warbler on the ground. It flew into a tree for a couple quick photos. I’ve seen a couple of these in other places the last few days, but there seemed to be a few more individuals yesterday.

As I walked in, just beyond the bridge by Harlem, I found a burst of activity in a big Box Elder Maple tree. There were several Yellow-rumped Warblers, and then I heard and saw a Yellow Warbler. This spot is generally where I have encountered the first returning Yellow Warblers who come to stay for the summer.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

I always think of my birding instructor’s comment years ago, that Yellow Warblers have yellow on every single feather.

Next a Downy Woodpecker flew in to join the loose flock.

It was hard to tear myself away from the activity in the tree, but I was curious to see what else was going on. I saw only one male Blue-winged Teal in the water, where just a few days ago there were a dozen. Although they are good at hiding, I’d be surprised if the others haven’t left. As things progress it will be interesting to see who’s next.

I heard and managed to just barely see my first Warbling Vireo of the season.

I discovered an Orange-crowned Warbler later in my photos. The second photo is a confusing preening shot which didn’t help much in the poor light.

I took one more photo of the Blue-winged Teal.

Then I saw a hawk flying in the distance. It turned out to be a Red-tailed Hawk. I also heard a Red-shouldered Hawk later, but did not see it.

It was nice to see more species returning, even if there were not many individuals and they were staying high in the treetops. It’s already a bit of a challenge as the tree buds open. Here are a few so-so photos of a Pine Warbler I encountered.

Hearing Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers and not seeing them was frustrating. But eventually I managed to see one or two.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

A couple female Brown-headed Cowbirds were low to the ground and making a lot of noise. When I refused to bother looking for them, they flew right up in front of me into the tree hanging over the trail to make sure I couldn’t miss them.

A Song Sparrow had its back toward me until it struck this pose.

After hearing them sing, I found one of a few White-throated Sparrows.

After I turned around to meet Bob on the trail, I saw the Yellow Warbler again.

I had an appointment to take my car in for an oil change, so I had to leave. My walk ended as it began, with another Palm Warbler.

Anything could happen in the coming days. We have several daytime highs in the 70’s and some storm activity is predicted. Strong winds are blowing birds considered vagrants into the area. I will try to keep up with some of this in my little corner of the world. I start leading walks this Saturday. For the moment, the Saturday forecast is for sunshine. I wish you some sunshine in your life.

Elsewhere on Sunday Morning

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I decided to visit Little Red Schoolhouse, a Cook County Forest Preserve in the Palos Area, for a change, just to take a bit of a longer walk and perhaps see a different bird or two. I did not see the Common Loon there (at the top of the post), but I’ll get to that later.

Almost immediately as I walked around the back of the nature center along the path close to Longjohn Slough, quite a large body of water, there appeared an abundance of Tree Swallows. These days, an abundance is anything three or more…

Observing the slough from a small platform blind, waterfowl was dispersed and distant, but things perked up quickly when an Osprey flew in. The Osprey picked up something that appeared to be nesting material and flew off with it.

Ironically, there is a nesting platform for Osprey in the middle of the slough, but it was serving as an observation deck for some Double-crested Cormorants. This Osprey must be nesting somewhere else.

A little while later, a Bald Eagle was flying around very distant, I couldn’t make it out until I went through my photographs. It looks like a first-year bird. The cloudy sky didn’t help.

I did manage to capture a couple Wood Ducks that were not out too far.

I also found a female Bufflehead. There were several Common Mergansers and likely a few other species but they were too far away to capture well.

I started to walk the trail through the woods and found a willing Song Sparrow.

I encountered a couple Tree Swallows up close.

I looked back out toward the slough and saw that two Canada Geese had taken over the osprey platform.

After a while I found some Yellow-rumped Warblers. There may have been half a dozen of them in a loose group.

I have seen a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets the last week or so, but they’ve all been hard to capture in poor light and this one was no exception.

Then when it seemed like there was nothing else, a bright Pine Warbler sang and hung around long enough for a few photos. Lack of light added to the fuzziness of these photos, but it was just so nice to see a new bird for the season.

Done with this location and ready to go home, I looked at my phone and noticed Lori from the Oak Park Bird Walkers had been trying to contact me to tell me there was a Common Loon in the lagoon by the Trailside Museum parking lot at Thatcher Woods. At first I dismissed the idea of going up there to see it, but then I thought it over, realized it was only a 25-minute drive, and that the bird would likely not be going anywhere soon as it was off course and stuck there for whatever reason. So that explains the photo at the top of the post, and here are a few more.

There were plenty of other people with large lenses taking pictures of the loon and I didn’t feel like hanging around. It always upsets me to see a bird that has somehow gotten lost. Lori was kind enough to let me know later that the bird was eventually seen trying to cross Chicago Avenue which is quite a busy street, while being protected by people who thought it might be injured, and was taken eventually to DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center. That was probably the best possible outcome.

Our weather is still on the chilly side of things, but we are starting to green up, and I am still taken by surprise with the ever-increasing daylight hours. This is perhaps a side-effect of messing too much with reality. (/s) More encounters to follow.

What’s Up at the Chicago Portage?

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We are presently experiencing a brief warmup with highs around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Along with that we have been promised rain, but that remains to be seen as we always seem to be on the outer edge of the forecasted systems and we remain quite dry. Monday the temperatures will drop again for a few days. The photos in this post are from the past week and a half.

Two days before Official Spring on the 20th, birds were getting ready. I saw a Cooper’s Hawk.

I found a Red-bellied Woodpecker and a Downy Woodpecker in the same spot.

Poor light didn’t do much for these photos but it was good to see a couple Fox Sparrows.

I found one American Goldfinch.

And it was a definite sign of spring when a Great Blue Heron flew by.

The Cooper’s Hawk returned.

And then I saw a Red-shouldered Hawk after that.

Then, on the first day of Spring, snow was the main attraction.

I found a White-breasted Nuthatch.

American Robins have been consistent.

And I exchanged looks with a White-tailed Deer.

I barely managed to capture a Golden-crowned Kinglet.

Five days later, the snow was long gone, although we were still under cloud cover. I noticed Cooper’s Hawk action early. After watching for a while, there were two Cooper’s Hawks, and they seemed to be checking out a nest. I have not seen them return to it since, but I am keeping an eye on it.

More views of a Cooper’s Hawk.

There were also three American Crows harassing a Red-tailed Hawk in another area. I didn’t figure out who they were going after until I zoomed in on my photos.

Here’s the Red-tailed Hawk. I found the third and fourth photos in the panel below to be particularly interesting as the hawk flew behind some golden buds in a tree that made its underwings look like they were lit up.

Beyond that, three Mallards took to sitting on top of one of the muskrat huts. I haven’t seen a muskrat at all lately, but I can’t imagine it would tolerate this behavior. The hut looks pretty beaten up by all the weather.

That’s it for the moment. I’ll try to report back soon, as migration continues slowly but surely changes the avian landscape.

Riverside Morning

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I have what feels like a million things going on all at once and it seems never-ending. The past weekend alone was life-changing. More about that later. But this week I have to remain focused on our upcoming flute-and-piano recital Sunday afternoon. Even my birds seem to know it’s important.

So here are some photos from my walk in Riverside yesterday morning. I had several other things planned but they will have to wait. I can be more current for a change.

The first bird I saw, as it was trying to hide from me, was a bird we tend to associate with the coming of winter – a Dark-eyed Junco.

(I’m trying to finish this on my phone while I am at the car dealer for service. I hope I don’t become incomprehensible.)

As I continued to walk on the Swan Pond side of the river I encountered a Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

Then a female Northern Cardinal assumed that she blended in well with some changing leaves.

Then of course it was time for Yellow-rumped Warblers. They are everywhere in substantial numbers. It’s not unusual to see several at a time and I have become quite accustomed to their little “click” sounding contact calls.

What was even more impressive yesterday morning was their behavior. They seemed to be emulating some Cedar Waxwings who were flying over the river to catch insects in the air. I had never seen Yellow-rumps do this before.

This vine always turns bright red, and can be counted on even in a drought to provide some fall color.

More Yellow-rumpeds up close and personal.

I managed to get a Golden-crowned Kinglet to slow down long enough for a photo or two.

Killdeer were busy in mudflats that have sprung up everywhere in the shallow waters of the river.

Then, as I was crossing the swinging bridge, I saw a Spotted Sandpiper on the shore below. I have seen one or two of these birds at this spot before so I just dutifully tried to get the best photos I could without thinking too much about it, but then when I entered it on my EBird list it came up “rare.” All the better to have the photos.

In Riverside Lawn I saw a White-throated Sparrow.

Then I encountered a young doe having breakfast.

Of course there were more Yellow-rumped Warblers, if not much else. The individual below the flying bird appeared to be drying off its feathers after a bath in the river.

The Killdeer were busy flying around and I finally managed to capture them that way.

Flying to the rocks by the Hofmann Tower

That’s about it for yesterday’s birds. When I got home after swimming, I noticed Milkweed Beetles all over the seed pods in the front garden.

So I have been in a dream all weekend and I am reluctant to wake up from it. My favorite singer-songwriter over the last several years has been Peter Mayer (from Minnesota). I discovered his music when my friend Cory Anderson sang Peter’s iconic song, “Holy Now”, at what I think was the first or second Spring Music Festival that I performed in with my flute playing friend Linda Rios. Just Googling “Holy Now” led me to YouTube videos and eventually Peter’s website where I found albums on CDs galore. I eventually bought them all and fell in love with more songs than I ever imagined could be written with such incredible lyrics and beautiful tunes and arrangements. Peter Mayer also is a fantastic guitarist and singer. And he somehow manages to find hope for humanity through storytelling and metaphor, which is in such short supply these days.

Years ago, before the pandemic, I did get to see him in concert at a church in the northwest corner of the state. I started a small one-person campaign to see if we could get him to come to Unity Temple for a concert. If nothing else, he has a song in one of the hymnals called “Blue Boat Home.” But my request got lost in the myriad other things going on.

During the pandemic, Peter resorted to doing YouTube concerts periodically from his basement. It was a great experience for me to see him more often and get to know him more personally, or so it seemed. And I think it was also rewarding for him in a way as he could continue to write more songs and try them out on his larger following. He is now releasing singles instead of albums, as CD players become relics of the past.

So why am I telling you all this??? It’s because, thanks to our developmental minister Roger, who knows Peter from another congregation where he served, Peter Mayer played a concert at Unity Temple on Saturday night and the next morning, he sang for the service, sang with the choir, and gave the sermon – twice! – as we have now resumed two services. I Was In Heaven!! It was a transformative experience. Up there with the discovery that birds sing with music in key and they are listening to us. And even better than that, after Peter’s sermons about mindfulness and connection with the universe, I thought he should know about the birds and the music. I could see the wheels turning in his head as I told him about it. And I left him with the thought that, after the Big Bang, there was a Big Chord. Music is indeed the beginning of everything. And with luck, it just might be our salvation.

Thanks for listening. I will resume regular programming in my next post.

Oh, and by the way, if you are at all curious about Peter Mayer, he is at PeterMayer.net, to distinguish him from the other one who is “.com” and, as Pete joked about it at his concert, “is also very good looking.”