Category Archives: breeding birds

Summertime at Goose Lake Prairie

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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.

After the Fireworks

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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.

A Three-Walk Roundup

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I was hoping to make this post manageable and not too long. These are some of the birds from the last three spring migration walks of the Oak Park Migration Bird Walkers, starting with Thatcher Woods on Thursday, May 30. We got a glimpse of the Great Blue Heron by the Trailside Museum.

Last Thursday was yet another challenge in flycatcher identification. If only it were possible that when these guys all show up at once, they at least announce themselves vocally. We got very distant looks at what turned out to be an Alder Flycatcher. Henry actually heard it.

There was also a Willow Flycatcher.

And I am thankful for Eastern Wood-Pewees having long, fluted tails.

For the record, an American Robin and a Northern Cardinal.

A pair of Blue Jays showed up and put on a little show.

It was a cool and cloudy morning but the lack of light did not dim the plumage of an Eastern Bluebird.

The now-Northern House Wren blended into its preferred surroundings.

We had a somewhat obscured view of a Great-crested Flycatcher, matching the colors of the branches and leaves.

The next day we were at Miller Meadow. Ir’s a huge expanse dominated by non-native, extremely invasive teasel. Somehow the birds tolerate it, even if it frustrates us. We saw one or two Willow Flycatchers.

The wide open expanse often makes this location a favorite of raptors. We had a pair of American Kestrels. They appeared to be using a nest box.

An Indigo Bunting provided a brief glimpse in the teasel.

Wide open spaces are good for Eastern Kingbirds as well.

And a Song Sparrow serenaded us as we walked by.

We had an Eastern Bluebird here too. This is the same individual at the top of the post.

I followed a Killdeer as it flew by.

Someone’s excellent spotting led to the discovery of a female Orchard Oriole by a nest, which I did not see, but I did manage a couple photos of the male when we caught up with him.

And a Red-shouldered Hawk made an appearance at the end of the walk.

The last gathering was on May 31 at Columbus Park. I saw a rather conspicuous Great Egret.

There was a Red-shouldered Hawk here too, perched on the fishing line recycling station by the larger body of water.

A Double-crested Cormorant was drying off its feathers.

We had a first-summer Black-crowned Night-heron in addition to a few adults.

The Great Egret started flying and landed in a tree.

We found a Black-crowned Night-heron in a tree as well.

We had a Least Flycatcher, conveniently identified after the Merlin app heard it first.

Here are two more Black-crowned Night-herons.

We will resume the Oak Park Migration Bird Walks at the end of August. Now that Henry is back in town, I will get a break from leading most of the Saturday walks, but I will likely join the group for most of them.

We are experiencing pleasant temperatures, but have also been under an air quality alert due to the Canadian wildfires. I try not to think about the added pressure on the migrants heading in that direction.

In spite of the anticipated quiet during breeding season, there are still a lot of birds we don’t get to see in the colder months, and I will continue to try to keep up with them. To be continued.

Farther Afield

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After three days birding with the Oak Park Migration Bird Walkers and the three early rises that facilitated those walks, you might think I’d had enough for a while. But I found myself thinking about the Goose Lake Natural Area in McHenry County, a/k/a the Hebron Trail, and the Yellow-headed Blackbirds that breed there every summer, and after checking recent reports on eBird, I decided to go there Sunday morning.

I love this place, but it takes me an hour and a half to get to it, so that’s 3 hours of driving already built into an outing. On top of it, with the long walk along the trail, I managed to spend close to another 4 hours while I was there. But as luck would have it, just as I reached the parking lot, I encountered Keith, another birder with camera, and we walked the trail together, eventually running into Barb and Laura, two expert birders that he knows who frequent this trail, so I was in good company and I am sure I saw more than I would have on my own.

The gravel road trail begins advances through farmland on either side, well-shaded by trees. Red-eyed Vireos have been singing everywhere lately, and they were no exception here. We managed to see this one.

As we approached a clearing, we found a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird perched on a bare branch. It was quite far away, and being a small, backlit bird didn’t help these photos, but still it was nice to see. And if memory serves me correctly, I have seen this bird or one like him at the same spot before.

A Killdeer flew by as we walked out into the open area.

Common Yellowthroats are seen easily here, unlike in their more secluded urban habitats, so it wasn’t too surprising to see one perched and singing immediately.

Willow Flycatchers are also prevalent at this location. Although I saw several after this one, for some reason I was intrigued by this guy when we first saw, maybe because he was singing, loudly proclaiming his “Fitz-pew.”

It’s breeding season and with that comes the need to find bugs to feed the nestlings. Red-winged Blackbirds dominate the landscape and it’s hard to ignore them, especially when they’re doing something interesting.

Not to be outdone, Song Sparrows were busy gathering food as well.

There were quite a few Yellow-headed Blackbirds, but they were far away. But they were singing, which is always a delight to my ear, and I did manage to get a few slightly-clear distant shots. I am already considering a return-trip, when the young have fledged. If eBird reports and my memory serve me correctly, I should go back early next month.

Reminding us that the Yellow-headeds are not the only yellow-and-black birds, male Common Yellowthroats popped up constantly and conspicuously.

We spotted a distant Swamp Sparrow in the marsh. We were looking for Marsh Wrens which we heard but could not see.

A Green Heron flew by and then a Red-winged Blackbird chased it further.

Another little Red-winged Blackbird display

After hearing a few Yellow Warblers, we did finally see one perched in the distance.

We also heard and started seeing Brown Thrashers here and there along the trail.

It’s difficult to see the flycatcher surrounded by all the twigs in the photos below, but I managed to get some shots clear enough for Merlin to decide that it was an Alder Flycatcher. It seemed different from the Willows to me, but it didn’t vocalize. I’ll call it an Alder.

Butterflies are starting to emerge. We saw a Pearl Crescent and a Tiger Swallowtail.

On the way out, an Indigo Bunting flew quickly into a tree.

I had been expecting to see a Great-crested Flycatcher in the wooded area and sure enough, we heard one. Thanks to Keith for spotting it. I couldn’t resist the last photo as it left, showing off that gorgeous tail.

I was thoroughly exhausted even the next day, but I am starting to revive. I will be back soon with the Oak Park walk roundup as promised. Birding will get a lot quieter now, but there’s always something happening. And the indoor Zebra Finch Chorus doesn’t hesitate to announce sunrise at 5:00 AM as the days get longer.

Another Portage Post

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July 25 was a good morning to observe behavior and juvenile birds trying out their wings, if you will. I first spotted the European Starling clan that nested in the statue.

Butterfly action was confined to the Pearl Crescents that I have seen frequently this season.

Eastern Kingbirds were busy that morning. From the youngest…

…to an adult wrestling with what looks like it might have been a cicada.

Then I spotted a raptor across the water. It didn’t look like a Cooper’s Hawk. but it was so far away and difficult to see, I couldn’t be sure.

I followed it as it flew from its perch. It turned out to be a juvenile Merlin. I admit to even asking the Merlin app on my phone to identify the Merlin from one of my photos. I wondered if it could be objective.

It kept flying and I managed to follow it.

Another Pearl Crescent was resting on the path in front of me.

Tadziu the Indigo Bunting was sitting patiently on his newest favorite perch. He wasn’t singing. He just seemed to be asking me something…

Back to the Eastern Kingbird at the top of the post, who flew in the photo below.

Then two birds interacting, both juveniles, could be an Eastern Kingbird and a Baltimore Oriole.

A few more of the Eastern Kingbirds…

Juvenile Cedar Waxwings were available, but I didn’t see any adults.

American Goldfinches posed in the duckweed.

And Baltimore Orioles were here and there.

I will be back with more from recent visits. Beyond that, I have run out of ways to use the weather as an excuse. Yesterday I drove around the Morton Arboretum with a friend in an air–conditioned car, to see a sculpture exhibit that spans the acreage. This morning I tackled some more of the overgrowth in my yard while I await a promised visit from my tree trimming person. It takes a leap of faith to visualize fall, cooler temperatures and more birds but the days are getting shorter.

Fruits of the garden come indoors

Summer Back at the Chicago Portage

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I would have gone to the Chicago Portage this morning if it hadn’t started raining. The rain stopped early, however, and did not amount to much. I am tired of living under the threat of heat and rain, but the humidity is certainly real. In cooler weather, these decisions would not consume so much of my mental energy. Suffice it to say after I refilled the birdbaths and one of the hummingbird feeders, I decided to devote myself to grocery shopping. I need to get over feeling guilty for not taking a walk, so I will try to do a blog post instead.

My last visit to the Portage was on Tuesday morning. In spite of the fact that I encountered perhaps 10 cyclists on the paved parts of the trail, it was otherwise relatively quiet and I saw quite a lot in a little over an hour of a slow summer morning.

Pearl Crescent butterflies were prevalent.

It was nice to see this Delaware Skipper.

I have been following a snail’s progress for a few visits. The photos below are from July 23, July 25 and then on July 30.

A Chipmunk appeared on a branch close to the trail and insisted I take its photograph.

I did manage to capture a couple Indigo Buntings. First, a juvenile, and later, Tadziu on his latest favorite perch off his bridge.

There were a couple Red Spotted Purple butterflies. The one in the third photo unfortunately had some chunks taken out of its wings.

The Northern Flicker below blends so well into the tree stump, it’s a challenge to see it.

I haven’t seen or even heard too many Red-bellied Woodpeckers lately but I did find this young-looking one.

The challenge this time of year is often with identifying some juvenile birds. This Baltimore Oriole wasn’t hard to identify but it was quite far away.

American Goldfinches have been attracted to the duckweed.

When I went back to check the bridge near Harlem before I left, I saw two ducks I quickly assumed were Mallards but later when I cropped the photo, I realized they were actually Blue-winged Teal. Could be a pair, with the male in eclipse plumage looking just like the female.

This is the same Blue Jay at the top of the post. It looks like a young bird to me.

This Red Admiral butterfly on some blooming burdock was not shy. For as much burdock as the volunteers have removed, it still persists in a few spots.

I was done then, I was sure, but I decided to walk back along the paved trail and out the other side. My extra walk was rewarded by a look at a Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

Not too easy from this distance, but I managed to get a few images before another pair of cyclists came through. You have to use your imagination on the last photo.

My last reward was a Tiger Swallowtail on the paved trail, attracted to one of several piles of dog poop. I have cropped out as much as I could so you could see the butterfly. I had seen someone coming out from the trail walking three dogs when I first arrived. But I have never seen this much mess left on the trail. I’m hoping for enough rain to at least wash it away.

So that’s it for my last visit. Next, I will backtrack through some others that proved interesting. The forecast for tomorrow morning is again for rain, but I’ll believe it when I see it.

Lazy Days at the Chicago Portage

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Heat. humidity and bugs are making even early visits to the Portage less inviting, if not quite prohibitive. In spite of shorter visits, I have managed to see a few interesting birds as they navigate their summer residence. What’s even more interesting lately is seeing more juvenile birds.

Walking in Thursday morning rather late, I heard a fracas in the trees which turned out to be two young Cooper’s Hawks that had just landed.

I observed them for a moment or two while they tried to figure out what they were doing there.

It was a cloudy morning, not ideal for photographs, but I managed to see a young-looking Baltimore Oriole.

Then I spotted a juvenile Gray Catbird.

A young Northern Cardinal lurked in the branches.

Most lovely was a female Indigo Bunting who stayed on a nearby branch long enough to check me out.

I also saw a juvenile Eastern Wood-Pewee.

Even the rabbits were youngsters.

On the way out, I saw a House Wren hanging off its nest tree.

When I got home, I checked the front yard briefly. We’d had a little rain. That’s a Red Admiral butterfly on the Joe Pye Weed and two of several Wild Petunias in bloom.

Two days later, it was only partly cloudy. I stopped to take a photo of some Tall Bellflower which is blooming all around the Portage. I have some in my backyard as well.

Red-winged Blackbirds are seen sporadically as their young start to leave the nest.

I caught a very brief look at a Cedar Waxwing from far away.

I had a somewhat closer look at a Blue Dasher Dragonfly perched on a stump off the bridge near Harlem.

Just as I was on my way out after not seeing much else, a Black-crowned Night-heron flew in and disappeared into the vegetation. I reminded myself that for all the times I don’t see these birds they could easily just be hiding. I did relocate it briefly when someone flushed it and it took off.

I found an American Goldfinch checking out the profuse duckweed.

A Red-bellied Woodpecker flew by

Tadziu, the Indigo Bunting, made an appearance in his tree and sang for me.

And I got a rare look at a Blue Jay.

My very last photo was of a young American Robin taking a break as the heat started to build.

There’s more to come. I’m starting to see some more birds in Riverside as well. The prospect for an early morning walk is a toss-up weather-wise, but if I can’t go for a walk I could find more time to address my backlog of photos.

Annual Visit to Goose Lake Prairie

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Saturday morning was absolutely beautiful. In anticipation of its cooler weather, I got up a bit earlier so I could drive to Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area for my annual July visit. If I can believe my eBird checklists, I have been visiting every July since 2012. This place has rarely seemed to be anyone else’s destination for the 4th of July weekend, so I was not too surprised when I drove into the empty parking lot. The visitor’s center is not open on holiday weekends. But I go there for the trails, so it doesn’t matter.

I took a photo of the trail map so I would have a better idea what direction I was headed in. Starting out, the “Interpretive Trail” shown with numbers on the map is easy enough to follow, but I wanted to walk back to the water, or the Goose Lake, if you will, without getting lost because even if you can see the Visitor Center in the distance, it can get a little difficult to gauge distance and direction.

A phone photo of the Visitor Center

Right off the bat I saw a rabbit on the trail, and then followed a Barn Swallow to its perch behind the Visitor Center.

I then encountered a pair of Brown Thrashers. I was delighted to see them as I don’t seem to see this species all that often.

There were many more Tree Swallows than I could photograph.

I found a Willow Flycatcher close to the trail.

On the way to Cragg’s Cabin, I saw an Eastern Comma Butterfly.

I did not walk behind the cabin to see the windmill as I have in previous years. I did sit down on the bench that looks over a pond next to the cabin where I have seen birds before, but there was nothing to report. So I continued on the Interpretive Trail and encountered a Song Sparrow.

By this time on previous occasions I would have heard and seen fairly well at least a couple Dickcissels, but this time I was surprised by the lack of them. I did manage to barely capture one far away on his thorny perch.

Two Eastern Meadowlarks appeared briefly. Unfortunately they were distant and backlit.

There seemed to be more Common Yellowthroats everywhere, though not quite as easy to capture as they had been in Hebron. I could let most of them go.

But then, I was quite surprised to see a Bell’s Vireo. This is a bird that’s often very difficult to see. Although this one was at some distance, it did me the favor of staying pretty much in the same place long enough for me to capture its image. It seemed that almost every time I had passed by a bush I heard a Bell’s Vireo’s scratchy-sounding little song, never for the bird to appear, but now I was actually seeing one.

I then reached the water, where I found only Tree Swallows and an Eastern Kingbird flying around after my approach flushed a Great Blue Heron.

I encountered a closer Bell’s Vireo.

Then a Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly caught my attention. Bergamot is very attractive to butterflies.

The vegetation in this location is notable. It is the largest remaining stand of Tall Grass Prairie in Illinois. I made note of some old favorites and others I don’t recall seeing before.

St. John’s Wort
Great Mullein
Little Bluestem
Rattlesnake Master
Rudbeckia and Raspberries

I found an American Goldfinch with nesting material. The bird flying away in the last photo appears to be a different individual, however.

Then I encountered a first-year male Orchard Oriole.

And caught a brief glimpse of a Baltimore Oriole.

Red-winged Blackbirds were everywhere but not posing. I did manage to capture what looks like a female on the left and a juvenile on the right.

A young Gray Catbird popped out to see what was happening.

And I got a closer look at an Eastern Kingbird.

I finally caught a glimpse of some of the Field Sparrows I had been hearing, only these appeared to be juveniles.

And then the most exciting part of the visit occurred when I saw a flash of a goldfinch-sized yellow bird with an insect in its beak. Since goldfinches don’t eat bugs, I wondered … could it possibly be a Yellow-breasted Chat, a Nemesis Bird if there ever was one, the most annoyingly elusive grassland species one hears 99.9% of the time but nearly never sees?

Much to my delight and for whatever reason, the Chat decided to come out from behind its cover and show off its catch.

I can’t help myself. This is the best birthday gift I’ve had in a long time.

Young Field Sparrows flew in and I checked them out while the Yellow-breasted Chat was still there.

After that, I was done for the day. Thanks for making it through this long-on-photos post. Here’s one more of an Orchard Oriole.

Return to the Hebron Trail

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The last day of June was beautiful: clear sky, sunshine, refreshingly cool in temperature, definitely not a day to be wasted indoors. The day before was brutally hot, so this was a blessing. I crossed out mentally any other activities I had penciled in and got up early to visit the Hebron Trail and Goose Lake Natural Area, where I had last been on June 2nd.

Encouraged by my 5-mile walk around Orland a couple weeks earlier, I embraced the long trek down the trail to the open area. It’s not as long a walk as it seems. My entire roundtrip, according to my eBird report, was 2.73 miles. However, it seems never-ending while you’re walking it as cyclists whiz by. There were a couple dog walkers too. For the most part, at 8:30 in the morning, it was pretty quiet and, being in the midst of breeding season, I heard a few birds but didn’t see hardly. any on my way in.

Hebron Trail

I hoped to see more Yellow-headed Blackbirds, and perhaps the Black Terns I had missed on the previous visit as they were reported seen recently.

On the way in, I made note of a couple creatures.

Eastern Pondhawk Dragonfly
Black-capped Chickadee

As I emerged from the tree-lined part of the trail, the birds seemed scattered and somewhat distant, but then a few expected residents started to appear.

Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat

I first heard a Willow Flycatcher and then located him easily.

Since Red-winged Blackbirds have fledged several juveniles, I was wondering if it was also time for the Yellow-headed Blackbirds to take to the air. The Yellow-headeds hadn’t emerged yet as far as I could tell, so I think I will just have to go back in two or three weeks to see them, before they start migrating back south and west. For the record, here are a few Red-winged Blackbirds.

Common Grackles were busy with offspring. That’s a female in the last photo.

As I approached the overlook platform, I flushed a Green Heron. The heron soon returned to what appeared to be its favorite preening perch nearby.

A few male Yellow-headed Blackbirds were close enough for photos.

A Red-tailed Hawk flew over the marsh.

I walked a bit farther from the platform and found a bee on a rose.

Then, Black Terns started flying over the marsh. I haven’t seen them in so long, I had forgotten how small they are.

More photos of their aerial exploits.

I finally got some better views.

On my way out, I took some parting shots of a Green Heron, a Willow Flycatcher and a Yellow-headed Blackbird.

I also encountered a couple American Goldfinches.

Song Sparrows were here and there, singing.

I had heard Indigo Buntings, especially on the trail walking in, but did not see them until as I was leaving, I stopped to listen to this one who flew into view, perched and posed for me.

I had met a group of birders on the platform, and at their invitation, I followed them after they decided to look for some Black-necked Stilts that had been reported at a “fluddle” in the area. We found the the Stilts, and I managed a few photos somehow, even though they were barely specks in my 400mm lens.

Here are a few more Common Yellowthroat pictures,. This is about the only place I am able to photograph them.

I have been taking it easy over the 4th of July holiday. I always dread the noise of fireworks, but it wasn’t as bad in the neighborhood this year. My indoor birds are never bothered by it.

I spent some time yesterday entering historical data into my eBird account from trips I took years ago. This is a project I’ve been contemplating for a while, as it would be nice to have all my lists in one place. It seems a bit difficult to identify locations precisely from my checklist notes, but so far I have been having more fun with this project than I anticipated. Oddly enough, I may have even entered some valuable data.

I was in the Galapagos on a Field Guides tour in 2016, and we saw Sharp-beaked Ground-Finches on July 11, 2016 when we were on Genovesa Island. But eBird pushed back at the sighting, and on Cornell’s website, they said this species occurs only on Fernandina, Santiago and Pinta islands. I found my archived photos which were labeled the date we were on Genovesa, and then found the tour guide’s trip report which was broken down by species seen, and he definitely noted that Genovesa was the only place where we saw this species.

I don’t think Cornell will revise their findings on my account, but it was fun to take this trip down memory lane. Now I am looking forward to entering the rest of my checklists from the various trips as I realize it is wonderful to revisit these sightings in my memory. I consider this my birthday gift to myself. Today I am 76. Here goes another year.

Here and There

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Last Thursday morning it was nice outside, so I decided to go to the Chicago Portage, but it was closed. I continued on to McGinnis Slough to see if maybe I could check on the Trumpeter Swans or the Wood Ducks. As it turns out, I saw neither. The slough is incredibly overgrown. I definitely heard more birds than I saw.

When I opened the hatch of my car to take out the camera, I was dismayed to discover I had grabbed my older camera body with the smaller lens attached, so perhaps it’s just as well that there weren’t too many birds to focus on.

McGinnis Slough

What few photos I managed are here.

American Robin – juvenile

A young-looking Downy Woodpecker was figuring out its feathers.

A Great Blue Heron flew past me. There was also one Great Egret in a tree but I could not capture it adequately with the smaller lens. It appears in my header for this post.

Another Great Blue was standing in what is left of the water.

A few Mallards had gathered as well.

I managed to capture a couple dragonflies.

Common Whitetail
Blue Dasher

The moon stood still for me.

Then, just as I was leaving, a Green Heron flew into a tree, and out again to another perch

When I came home, I found some activity in the front yard. The Common Milkweed is in full bloom – and scent – and the Pink Coneflowers have opened up as well.

Later on when I was in the backyard, I was thrilled to see a Hummingbird Moth, also known as Clearwing, on the Bergamot I planted last year. Everything has grown so tall in the yard this year, it was often at eye level. With my phone, I captured glimpses of the moth in the video below.

My next visit to the Portage clarified the reason for the closure. The lines between the parking spaces all received fresh paint. There are also new plantings around the statue.

I will be back with more slow summer adventures soon. We have been in the midst of a cool-down which is blissfully welcome. Even the predicted increasing temperatures don’t look so terrible, yet.