Category Archives: Chicago Portage Woods

Looking Back to Fall Warblers

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I’m going back to the week or two in September when the warblers were almost everywhere. Here are highlights from three mornings at the Chcago Portage: September 22, 24 and 29.

On September 22, I first photographed a Nashville Warbler.

Bay-breasted Warblers were finally showing up with some regularity, like the bird at the top of the post. The individual in the third photo below got lucky capturing an insect for the camera.

Blackpoll Warblers were showing up too, and they remained common in the last waning days of fall warbler migration.

American Redstarts are always a cheerful addition. This one looks like a female.

I had a beautiful Black-throated Green Warbler that morning.

Two days later, I was lucky to see two Cape May Warblers in contrasting plumages.

I had a Magnolia Warbler as well.

I barely saw the back of a male Black-throated Blue Warbler near the ground, but later found a most engaging Black-throated Blue female. The third photo shows the white spot on her wing that tipped me off to her presence before she faced me.

I found a Tennessee Warbler too on that day.

If all the variations on leaf-colored warblers are too much for you, here are a few other birds from September 22: an Indigo Bunting, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and a Red-eyed Vireo.

And on 9-24, I saw a Gray-cheeked Thrush.

Next post, I will try to do a little recap of the same period in Riverside by the Des Plaines River. We are starting to get a little rain after a mostly dry couple of weeks. It has been blustery but warm today, which feels like a contradiction in terms. Rare birds have been showing up with the windy irregularities, but I am not chasing them. I hope they reach their intended destinations,

October 17, and A Little More

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As promised, here’s a short post about October 17 at the Chicago Portage. For one thing, it was very special to see a pair of Wood Ducks in with the Mallards.

White-breasted Nuthatches are here all year, but I don’t see them so often.

I had a few Golden-crowned Kinglets.

And a Ruby-crowned Kinglet as well.

This Yellow-rumped Warbler is likely a female, as it’s not so heavily marked. I have come to appreciate the black feet of this species, this year. So elegant.

Mallards had just recently returned to the site.

Here are two more photos of the Wood Ducks. The female is in the lower photograph.

Merlin is always hearing a Swamp Sparrow, and that day, I had one.

I also caught a distant glimpse of a juvenile White-crowned Sparrow.

Tennessee Warblers have been nice to see this year.

And for comparison, I found a very cooperative Orange-crowned Warbler.

Going back a bit to October 6, I got my best look at a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

I also managed to capture a Black-and-White Warbler. I think it came up rare for that day.

And it was good to get a glimpse of a distant adult Bald Eagle.

I am going to try to come back with what now seems like a whole lot of fall warbler photos. There was a week and a half of a lot of activity and apparently I was too busy then to do a report. Keeping my fingers crossed that we get the rain in the forecast later this week. That will keep me from taking more photos and give me time to get caught up a bit. Beyond that, we are so dry, I just want the rain more than anything else.

Fall Migration Winding Down

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The transition to cooler temperatures last week finally made fall feel more real. We came back to warming up for a few days with abundant sunshine. It was enough to wake up the biting midges and reach for the bug spray. But now we are cooling off again.

This little collection is from three mornings at the Chicago Portage the past couple of weeks, starting with October 15. Yellow-rumped Warblers were still abundant.

Tennessee Warblers were still around here and there. The warmer weather is making migration a little more lackadaisical.

A Ruby-crowned Kinglet was available.

I felt lucky to see a male Eastern Towhee.

Here and there, I could see an Orange-crowned Warbler.

Heere’s another Tennessee Warbler – this one also at the top of the post.

White-throated Sparrows are everywhere. I don’t always see them, but I sometimes hear them, especially young males trying out their songs. And I have had at least one in my backyard the last couple weeks.

Two days earlier, I saw an American Kestrel. At first it was perched far away, but it started to fly in, and I later found it devouring its prey.

Palm Warblers have been scarce compared to previous years.

Hermit Thrushes came through in greater numbers. I could see three or four on any given day.

Mallards have returned to the duckweed.

October 17 was Very Birdy at the Portage. I think I’ll come back with a separate post about it. But in the meantime and in the interest of economy, here are a few more choice photos from even earlier, on October 8.

I saw what likely was my last Indigo Bunting of the year.

Blackpoll Warblers like the one below made a decent showing later this fall.

Another Hermit Thrush was present.

White-throated Sparrows have been around now for about three weeks. This one stood out in the sunshine.

I have seen Golden-crowned Kinglets on a few occasions, although not as many as previous years, so I was happy to find I did manage to get a few photos of the field mark for which the species is named.

Here’s one more Yellow-rumped Warbler.

I am not sure if I have really been “insanely” busy or it’s just trying to adjust to the days getting shorter, but it becomes harder and harder to avoid clichés. I spent this last week preparing myself mentally to get up in the middle of the night to drive to the Dixon Waterfowl Refuge at Hennepin and Hopper Lakes close to the Illinois River for an Illinois Audubon Society bird walk that began at 7:30 AM. I am so glad I went. It was wonderful to see the restoration of a beautiful wetland, transformed from farmland. I had been there years ago after the restoration process had just begun. Now the acreage provides for plants, insects and birds – in incredible biodiversity. I will try to do a post about this sooner. I seem to have slowed down in tandem with the slower pace of this fall migration.

Two More Days Trickling In

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It’s been a busy week. While the days are getting shorter, fall weather is suspiciously in exact sync with the calendar, and evidence of passerine migration has picked up on the ground, making for some long-awaited encounters. But first, here’s how the Chicago Portage appeared on September 15, looking back at the bridge near Harlem.

Of course the Portage attracts creatures more than birds. But below the young doe, two year-round residents were present: a Hairy Woodpecker and a female Northern Cardinal.

And then, I started seeing Blackpoll Warblers. A lot of them must have come through our flyway, because I have been seeing them consistently and in numbers. However confusing they may look in the fall, with no “black” poll to relate to, they consistently have orange-to-pink colored feet which always distinguishes them from everybody else. And after a while, maybe, you start to notice what their face looks like, or the way their feathers are arranged, and you can sense their identity before the confirming feet.

Below, a glimpse of a Gray-cheeked Thrush, and a juvenile Indigo Bunting.

I never turn down a Magnolia Warbler.

Then the Black-throated Green Warbler, also at the top of the post, appeared. I especially appreciated his effort to make sure I saw his black throat.

Two days later, on September 17, I observed an American Goldfinch still feeding a fledgling.

I saw Blackpoll Warblers again.

There were several Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. Most seemed to be juveniles, except for what appears to be an adult female in the top right of the first photo below.

I was surprised to see a Lincoln’s Sparrow.

This was the last time I saw a Green Heron.

A Magnolia Warbler brightened up the leaves.

And then, I heard and saw a couple Yellow-Rumped Warblers. This one was a bit too far away to capture well, but they are often among the last warblers to be seen in the fall.

I was still seeing Bay-breasted Warblers.

I caught a brief glimpse of a Chestnut-sided Warbler.

And another Indigo Bunting.

Blue Jays have been very vocal and not so difficult to see, now that breeding season is over.

So with the weather cool and autumn-like, the subtle signs accumulate. I went out back to fill and hang feeders this morning and encountered a bee still asleep in a flower. I am back to wearing jeans and long-sleeved t-shirts. It’s been hard to come by seasonal weather for quite a while, but I am gratefully reminded that fall has always been my favorite time of year.

Fall Warblers Come Trickling In

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Nothing like a rainy day to give me some extra time for a long overdue blog post. I’ve been trying to find some fall migrants in between weather events. The only problem with seeing just a few individuals is that if they are very cooperative, I take too many photos of them. Such was the case with a few birds on September 8 at the Chicago Portage.

The first birds I saw were juvenile “regulars” – a Gray Catbird dealing with feather management, and a Song Sparrow.

There was quite a display of Chicken-of-the-Woods on a fallen log.

Then I found a couple Bay-breasted Warblers.

I later found the Cape May Warbler that is at the top of the post. It was having a fine time gleaning galls from the undersides of hackberry leaves.

I was also happy to see a Green Heron that day.

Two days later, it was overcast and I only saw a few warblers, but I didn’t get many photos usable for anything except identification purposes. But I did see two lovely juveniles: a young Indigo Bunting, an American Robin, and I’m throwing in a likely adult American Goldfinch.

Last was a Blue Jay in flight. I think the Sony excels at this with its 600mm zoom.

Seeing as how tomorrow’s forecast is much like today’s with a lot of rain, I should be back that much sooner with more warblers and other migrants. I am also getting ready for a friend coming to stay a couple weeks, so maybe the rainy weather is good timing.

They’re Coming Back

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On the first day of September, I found eight fall warbler species at the Chicago Portage. I did not manage to get decent photographs of them all, but I was surprised to see how many the Sony did actually capture. I still find the camera to be quite temperamental, but with the extreme heat we have been experiencing, I intend to keep using it when it seems more practical.

This will be a very short post with some of the more engaging photos. I found most of the birds closer to the more northerly entrance to the preserve, so I will have to keep checking that area which, up until now, has been pretty quiet.

Here are some Tennessee Warblers.

I have been seeing American Redstarts off and on for about a week. Sometimes, of course, I saw only their tails.

I am always delighted to see Bay-breasted Warblers.

The big surprise was a Canada Warbler. This must be a first-year bird because it barely has a “necklace.” But the blue-gray color of the back and that bold eye-ring give it away.

The Chestnut-sided Warbler at the top of the post is also below.

Not another warbler, but there were a few Eastern Wood-Pewees – flycatchers – that morning.

One more bird – either a female Orchard Oriole or Baltimore Oriole. I am leaning toward Orchard, but too lazy to prove it to eBird…

So the activity has fallen off over the last few days of extreme heat. The air was so thick this morning I barely managed to walk the Portage for a little less than an hour. But the weekend looks to be cooler with the winds coming from the north, so maybe we will see more migrants. I’ll be back soon with a collection of RIverside sightings.

August Recap from the Chicago Portage

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It’s time to seriously think about fall. The fall migration bird walks have begun, anticipating the birds gracefully bringing us into the autumnal season as they have in the past. August at the Chicago Portage has been quiet, the summer breeding birds having all but left and the migrants from the north starting to pass through. Here’s a little compilation of some birds I managed to see and photograph at the Chicago Portage with the smaller camera.

Starting with August 4, the Bird of the Month has to be an American Goldfinch. They have been everywhere.

On August 8, I got a rare view of a Muskrat.

Indigo Buntings were abundant, the adults were getting ready to leave.

On August 18, I encounted a White-tailed Deer doe and one of her fawns.

Eastern Wood-Pewees have been constant all summer. I will miss their sweet little songs cascading through the woods.

I’m always happy to see a butterfly. This is a Hackberry Emperor.

On August 20, I saw a juvenile Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher and a few Cedar Waxwings.

I found a juvenile Red-bellied Woodpecker.

Turkey Vultures were on the move.

I saw my first fall warblers that day, with a couple Blackburnian Warblers easiest to photograph.

On August 22, right by the little bridge near Harlem Avenue, I was joined by a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird who was enjoying a patch of Jewelweed.

On August 23, I saw a Black-and-White Warbler and a Blackburnian Warbler.

A Northern Flicker was checking the “flicker” tree, perhaps to see if anyone was left behind.

I saw Eastern Wood-Pewees again.

On August 25, I saw a juvenile Indigo Bunting.

And again on August 27, another late Indigo Bunting.

I took note of a Pearl Crescent butterfly.

Northern Flickers will continue to be quite visible throughout the fall.

And just when I had given up on seeing any more birds, this juvenile Red-tailed Hawk flew right overhead and I complied. I have found the Sony RX10 to be great at focusing on birds in flight against a clear background. I am glad I finally got some good use out of this camera. I may have to learn how to use my Canon set up all over again…

Flights of Fancy at the Chicago Portage

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I’ve been getting more and more used to handling the smaller camera, and it’s been a good time to do so with the slower, quieter breeding season. Compared to the Canon camera and lens, the Sony images feel crisp and flat, but I sometimes think it’s the Sony and not me getting better focusing on a bird in flight, maybe easier than getting it to focus on a bird sitting still.

Having said that, here’s a Red-winged Blackbird sitting still. Red-wingeds were ubiquitous in early July, but I strain to see or hear one lately.

Osprey seemed more prevalent earlier too.

Here’s a White-tailed Deer doe I saw behind foliage.

Indigo Buntings have been pretty consistent declaring their territories.

On July 4, somehow the camera focused on the bird and the twigs in front of it.

I saw a well-perched Indigo Bunting that day too.

Then, on July 7, I had a male Red-winged Blackbird in flight, and a female in the mulberry. As I mentioned earlier, I haven’t seen hardly any Red-winged Blackbirds the last week or two. I’m sure they’re still around, but just when it seems like you can ignore them, they vanish. I am sure we are about to see them in large mixed flocks of foraging blackbirds soon.

I was pleased to see an Eastern Comma butterfly. But only just one.

That day several Northern Flickers were hanging out around one well-used dead nesting tree.

A Chipmunk seemed curious.

Northern Rough-winged Swallows gave me several opportunities to track their flights.

The bird striking a reflective pose below is a female Brown-headed Cowbird. I can only imagine what is going through her mind as other species raise her offspring.

The Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are quiet now and hardly discernible, but I found one that day.

And for a moment, I spotted a juvenile Warbling Vireo. As more and more juvenile birds emerge and start exploring their world, things will get more exciting for us humans observing them too.

Standing on the bridge near Harlem, I have often been able to spot a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird perched high on a bare branch overlooking the stream. This is a very tiny bird that is so far away I usually only grab a photo as a momentary record of my sighting, but I was impressed that the camera managed to pick up the color on his throat.

The Green Heron below is the same one at the top of the post.

Today it rained all morning and we are promised more precipitation this afternoon with a possibility of thunderstorms. So I have no good excuses to not at least try finishing this post. It’s also been a good day for doing laundry, eliminating some clutter, and I might cook something while it’s cooler in the kitchen and I consider where to go looking for birds tomorrow.

Tadziu Sent Me

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I went out for a walk at the Chicago Portage this morning. That would not be so unusual, except for the fact that I have been staying inside all week due to the heat wave, and using my recovery from carpal tunnel surgery last Wednesday as further incentive to take it easy.

It rained last night, which brought down the overnight temperature, and we are promised more rain – in fact I heard thunder as I started to write this, threw on my gardening clothes loosely and went out to bring in the feeders just in time. I much prefer thunderstorms to fireworks.

My last time out was on June 28, the day my dressing came off my right wrist. I took the Sony RX10 camera with me, just to start getting used to the feel of it after years of neglect. I captured a Mallard swimming in the duckweed and turtles.

I ventured a photo of a distant Ruby-throated Hummingbird and an Oriole that I think might be the Orchard I heard singing so beautifully – that long, black tail doesn’t evoke Baltimore Oriole to me.

Thia morning, I was greeted by a “red carpet” of seeds strewn over the paved trail, and then while walking in on the dirt and gravel trail, I was stopped by a downed tree that had fallen across the trail during last night’s storm.

So I retreated back to the paved trail, stopping to observe one of several Red-winged Blackbirds.

I must have startled a Green Heron along the way.

By the little bridge, two Osprey flew over. I was able to capture only one at a time, but that’s better than nothing.

My greatest reward this morning was standing on the side of the little bridge, listening to an Indigo Bunting that at first I could not see. But he kept singing, and he was in Tadziu’s tree, so I waited patiently to find him. He dropped down to where I could see him and I got several photos, including the one at the top of the post. If I see this bird again, I will try to record a video.

For those of you who do not know of Tadziu, here’s a link to a post from years past that serves as an introduction. For what it’s worth, Tadziu knew every birder I encountered at the Chicago Portage. He presided over his territory for years. He did not return last summer, but one of his offspring did. Now I have to figure out if this is indeed another Tadziu Jr.

https://musicbirdblog.com/2022/06/08/cool-and-cloudy-at-the-portage/: Tadziu Sent Me

I’ll be back with something else. This short post seem appropriate with so much going on these longer days.

The Portage Lately – and Ottawa Trail North

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It’s been an up-and-down spring. As we approached the summer solstice, I found myself craving shorter days so I don’t feel quite so guilty about resisting an earlier rise. This is a mix-up featuring a few takeaways from several visits to the Chicago Portage and one visit to Ottawa Trail North.

On May 24, I found an Eastern Wood-Pewee and an Olive-sided Flycatcher. I had been seeing the latter species over a couple weeks during migration and this was likely my last encounter.

On May 26, I noticed an American Robin busy gathering nesting material, a Green Heron and an Indigo Bunting. Notice how much darker the bunting’s color is when compared to the bird at the top of the post. It’s all about the light with these guys as their feathers are actually all black, but the reflection as blue is in the available sunlight.

On May 28, I found an Eastern Phoebe, a Red-eyed Vireo and a Tree Swallow.

On June 4, the two Green Herons who have been showing up lately got into some interesting interactions.

On June 9, I spotted a Black-crowned Night-heron and the two Green Herons.

Other birds on June 9 were a bit more subdued. A Brown-headed Cowbird female, a singing Eastern Wood-Pewee, and a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.

That brings me to Ottawa Trail. We had a terrific storm on June 10 and when I got to the Portage on the 11th, it was closed because so many trees had come down and crews had to deal with all the fallen. Here’s a couple photos I took with my phone on my next visit.

Ottawa Trail North can be an interesting spot if you walk along the levy which abuts the Des Plaines River. You’re up high which gives a different perspective of the river and also great open views of the sky. The first thing I noticed was two Great Egrets in the trees across the river. They were at quite a distance, but I haven’t seen any of these birds in Riverside lately so I was delighted to see them here. I then found they had flown down into the marshy area below the levy, where I usually see Green Herons.

I got nice views of a Red-tailed Hawk.

I noticed a Common Grackle, a Green Bottle Fly on thistle and a White-tailed Deer doe cooling off by the river.

I found the Green Herons well-camouflaged in the marsh. I didn’t see the second one in front until I uploaded this cropped photo.

As I was walking back, I barely caught a Blue Jay flying away.

House Sparrows don’t get enough credit for their ventures into the wilderness.

I am about to hear more about my surgery appointment, and I seem to be in the mood to get more rest ahead of it, as many things as I want to accomplish beforehand. Rain was graciously in the forecast today which allows me some time to get household chores done. I hope to be back soon.

P.S. Somehow I missed the image selection for the top of the post in Facebook, my apologies to FB readers if I don’t figure out how to fix it.