Tag Archives: Green Heron

Longing for a Calm Walk at the Chicago Portage

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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.

Back at the Portage

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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.

Looking Back a Bit

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While I’ve been stuck inside, more or less, during the heat wave, it’s been almost refreshing to look back at photos from the end of April still on the laptop. Spring migration was starting, and even though many of the trees did not yet have leaves and the temperatures were chilly, birds were on the way.

But first, I found even more photos I didn’t know I still had, from April 17 at the Chicago Portage. Below, an American Robin sneaking nesting material, and a late American Tree Sparrow.

Northern Flickers were coming back.

An Osprey flew over.

A Song Sparrow was checking out the marshy area.

On April 21 in Riverside, Yellow-rumped Warblers were easy to find.

A Northern Cardinal, a Song Sparrow and a White-throated Sparrow made the cut.

On April 24 at the Chicago Portage, I found two American Robins preoccupied.

Yellow-rumped Warblers were easy to find.

I noted the return of a Green Heron.

Blue-winged Teal had been at the Chicago Portage for weeks.

Palm Warblers were showing up too.

Palm Warbler

On April 28 in Riverside, I saw an Eastern Bluebird. While they were setting up a territory, I saw the bluebirds quite frequently, but now that they are busy raising young I haven’t seen them lately at all.

An interesting fungus

Palm Warblers were showing up everywhere.

A pair of Northern Cardinals were enjoying the sunshine.

And a Great Blue Heron was in the river.

Then on April 29, back at the Chicago Portage, I had a Field Sparrow.

Warbling Vireos were arriving and claiming territories.

One of several Palm Warblers…

A Yellow Warbler was most likely heard first and then seen. There are at least two if not three breeding pairs at the Chicago Portage this year.

A Green Heron first appeared in a tree and then flew down to the water.

An Osprey flew over.

Then, the surprise bird at the top of this post, a beautiful male Rose-breasted Grosbeak. I don’t believe I have seen one since. If they are nesting here, they are extremely well hidden.

White-throated Sparrows didn’t seem to be as plentiful this spring.

Just before the leaves would make them nearly impossible to see, Warbling Vireos were singing and reminding me they were going to be everywhere.

I managed to go for a walk yesterday before the heat increased again. We did get some rain last night and we’ve cooled off a bit, so I will go for a soggy walk by the river and then immerse myself in the pool. I will be back with more current reports, and I still have a lot of notable leftovers from spring warbler migration to share.

Lately at the Chicago Portage

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The Green Herons are back. I’d been seeing one on occasion the last few weeks, but now I have seen at least one at the Chicago Portage regularly.

In addition to the Green Herons, it’s been interesting to see the summer residents now that they have moved into their territories and are busy raising families. Here are photos from two visits last week. June 3 started out quietly. The European Starlings are nesting in the statue’s cavities, I spied a baby rabbit, and a distant Ruby-throated Hummingbird sat on a dead branch.

An American Goldfinch was among the cottonwood seeds.

A female Red-winged Blackbird had a peaceful moment.

I encountered a chipmunk on the trail and spotted a female Yellow Warbler.

I noticed an interesting-looking Oriole which I assumed was a Baltimore Oriole until I started writing this post, looked up Baltimore Oriole on my Sibley app, and found that I had photographed a hybrid Baltimore Oriole-Bullock’s Oriole. I added the species and photos to my eBird list. Another rarity.

I was photographing the Eastern Kingbird below and didn’t notice until later that a Green Heron was sitting directly underneath it in the reeds.

Brown-headed Cowbird males are all hanging out like guys on street corners.

We have noticed lately that House Sparrows have taken to the wild as well.

Two days later, on June 5, I thought this American Robin was worth noting.

I barely caught a distant Gray Catbird in flight, but I think it makes an interesting image.

From the bridge, I saw an American Goldfinch and an Eastern Kingbird.

I also saw some iris virginica or Blue Flag Iris, a native species.

I identified the Cliff Swallow below later in my photos.

I never turn down a female Northern Cardinal.

A Great Blue Heron flew overhead and landed in a tree for a moment before taking off again.

Blue-gray Gnatcatchers aren’t easy to see now that leaves are in the way, but I got a bit of luck with this one.

More views of the Eastern Kingbird, and some turtles.

I wondered if the Eastern Phoebe below was a juvenile.

An Osprey flew overhead.

I noticed a Muskrat and, later, I just barely made out a Common Watersnake in the reeds to its left.

Then the Green Heron was posing.

And later, as Bob and I were walking out along the paved trail, the Green Heron joined us for a closer view.

I have a lot more observations from the past week, not to mention the past month. I’m also busy preparing to play a little piano on Saturday for two friends who are renewing their vows. I am improvising on a melody and a rhythm that I’ve been living with for the past couple of weeks. The birds are helping me with it as I have an aversion to writing anything down. I value their input and encouragement.

Herons at the Chicago Portage

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The last time I was at the Chicago Portage was on Thursday morning. We were experiencing a brief respite from the heat. Soon after I started walking, I was surprised to see a Black-crowned Night-heron fly overhead.

I was hopeful, but never knowing what to expect, I first checked the spot on the water where herons like to fish and saw nothing. I walked back to the bridge closest to Harlem and apparently flushed another Black-crowned Night-Heron that was likely right near the bridge.

As I walked along the trail trying to spot a heron, I found other creatures. I haven’t seen this butterfly in a long time and it was pretty far away, but I managed to get an image.

Great Spangled Fritillary

American Robins are now starting to show up not just as adults, but offspring as well.

Backtracking here for a moment, I memorialized European Starlings were guarding their nesting spot on the statue when I first arrived.

When I did my list, I thought I had not seen or heard a Great-crested Flycatcher, but I found one in my photos later.

Other residents made brief appearances: a Northern Cardinal and a Red-bellied Woodpecker.

But when I got around to the heron spot again, on my last trek past it, I found a Black-crowned Night-Heron after all. It could have been either of the two I saw before or perhaps a third. The first photo below might give you an idea of how far away I was standing with my 400mm lens.

I was tempted to go back this morning, but after I went outside to fill the feeders, I determined it was already too hot. We may get some storm activity later this evening and things will cool off a bit. We could sure use some rain along with that.

The last time I saw herons at the Portage was way back on June 6. As I started walking the trail, I found a Green Heron that was close but difficult to photograph through the tall grasses.

A male Baltimore Oriole was doing his best to stay hidden.

Common Whitetail dragonflies have been abundant all month.

But just as it seemed not much more was happening, a Great Egret flew in.

Soon it became apparent that the Red-winged Blackbirds were going to be a problem for the Great Egret. I started walking away.

As I walked past where the egret had finally claimed a spot, I was able to barely capture it through the vegetation.

I did also have a Great-crested Flycatcher that day.

And a Northern Flicker flew by for good measure.

It was still party time for Brood XVII of the periodical cicadas. They are pretty much over by now.

Every day feels like starting over with this hot weather. While the over-the-top temperatures are disorienting to my routine, I don’t have to read too many articles about heat-related deaths and the dangers of heatstroke to remain cautious and stay inside. There are still plenty of things to do. I might be back sooner than later. Stay safe wherever you are.

Green Heron Bliss at the Portage

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Thursday was a quiet day at the Chicago Portage. I met Bob on the trail and we looked for birds while wondering what Chicago Portage Day was going to be like two days later. I will be back with a little report on that event soon. But Thursday turned out to be a magical encounter with a Green Heron and it deserves commemoration.

Song Sparrows are still singing. The one on the left appears to be a juvenile.

We encountered an Eastern Wood-Pewee, albeit backlit. I am happy to report that I have heard this bird all summer and have seen it on several occasions.

It was a good day for butterflies.

Hackberry Emperor
Monarch
Silver Spotted Skipper
Pearl Crescent

Juvenile Indigo Buntings are starting to appear.

And now we are getting glimpses or better of Baltimore Orioles again.

Just when we thought we had seen everything, while we were standing at the bridge closest to Harlem looking out into the swamp, if you will, I saw something move. Directly below us on a narrow log or branch was a Green Heron. Even though it was quite close, it appeared small to me.

We watched it as it fished for dragonflies and aquatic creatures. Occasionally it would pull something small out of the water. I was trying to be quiet and careful not to disturb the heron with the camera lens.

Suddenly one of those Common Whitetail dragonflies appeared within reach. The heron caught it.

It took some extra maneuvering before the dragonfly went down the hatch.

The most amazing thing about this entire encounter is that the Green Heron seemed totally unfazed by our attention. After some people walked by and it did not react, I was able to get a better view at the end of the bridge. Then Bob suggested I try shooting a video. Below is my short movie. (Bob was sorry not to have his own camera handy but he did take a video with his phone.)

Bob was also kind enough to loan his binoculars to a couple young women who stopped to see what was going on at the bridge. An experience like this could turn them into birders. By the way, the heron appeared larger with its neck outstretched.

I was too worn out from yesterday’s festivities to go birding this morning, but I did some work in the yard early. I’d like to go back outside to see if I can capture a hummingbird at the feeder, although it’s turning cloudy and the bugs are biting. Rain is in the forecast the next day or two. I will have to play it by ear. Here’s a quick look at my favorite color combination outside the back door, and though I rarely cut flowers, I had a couple sprigs of Ironweed that begged to be trimmed.

Three of a Kind

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My last visit to the Chicago Portage gave me a chance to see not just one Green Heron, but I believe I saw three different individuals after perusing my photographs. That’s because they each seemed to be of a different age and therefore plumage.

The easiest one to photograph was the juvenile I saw last. In addition to being really streaky-looking, notice how grayish the legs and feet are.

But the first bird I saw, not all that well but at a distance in poor light, appeared to be an adult.

So what else could there be? The bird below is somewhere in between the other two individuals. That would make it a First Summer Green Heron.

I don’t purport to be any kind of expert about this, I just looked up the juvenile on my Sibley app and noticed that there was yet another category.

Beyond that, on July 25 I saw the adult Green Heron below at quite a distance.

These photos are from 3 visits, July 25, July 27 and July 29. Actually the only photos I took on July 27 are of the Pearl Crescent Butterfly below. It was so hot, the birds were all cooling off in the trees and therefore unavailable.

The 25th was a better day overall. Below are a few furtive shots I took of a young Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.

The light was good for a photo of Tadziu the Indigo Bunting.

I keep seeing young Red-bellied Woodpeckers.

I noticed what looks like a Downy Woodpecker feather stuck in a bit of web.

Do you suppose the rabbit and the robin are talking about me?

Another American Robin

I noticed two Monarch Butterflies in the Red Milkweed.

And when I got home I noticed a Monarch on the Common Milkweed in the front yard.

On the 29th I had a backlit Indigo Bunting (not Tadziu, incidentally).

Trying out the asphalt, a young-looking female Brown-headed Cowbird and an American Robin.

It’s such an occasion lately to see a Ruby-throated Hummingbird I took the photo below, even though you can barely see it.

More numbers on trees. I am even more puzzled by the first tree that has two different numbers on it.

And two more from the front yard. Another Monarch Butterfly and my Nodding Onions have finally opened.

I went back to Riverside yesterday for the first time in over a week. I will go back to the Portage on Thursday. I went farther afield this morning and it was a welcome change of location and pace. I’ll be back with more juvenile birds.

Portage Promise

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When I arrived at the Chicago Portage Tuesday morning a little after 8:00, the forest preserve workers were cutting the grass and taking up the spaces where I normally park, so I parked on the Other Side where I noticed Bob had already parked. Predictably I encountered him shortly afterward and we walked around the main trail together hearing more than seeing. I thank him for drawing my attention to this lovely barbed wire American Goldfinch.

But the first creature I encountered was a butterfly and not a bird.

Hackberry Emperor

I did see a male Indigo Bunting. This is not our friend Tadziu.

At one point I photographed a distant bird sitting up like maybe it was a juvenile Eastern Kingbird, but there is no white on the tail, and I determined later that it was likely a juvenile Red-winged Blackbird.

This is the time of year when juvenile birds get confusing. The bird below in the mulberries turned out to be a European Starling.

And we caught a brief but distant look at a juvenile Warbling Vireo.

A few more photographs of this other Indigo Bunting. Although I did not get a photograph of Tadziu, when Bob and I were standing on his bridge watching for birds and talking, Tadziu swooped in with considerable bravado, flying right past us singing his song in greeting. Bob surmised it was Tadziu’s way of saying, “Where have you guys been?”

I am drawing attention to this occurrence simply because Bob and I were both witnesses to it and therefore nobody can say I’m making it up. Tadziu knows us and knows we know him. And I think he knows the story I tell about him all the time too. Fabulous bird!

I did get some photos of a male Common Yellowthroat perched up high and singing in a tree by the bridge.

Bob had to leave, but I stayed a while longer, curious to see if anything was going on by the water. I spotted a Green Heron.

The Green Heron was busy doing some interesting preening.

Then on my way back out the widened inside trail, which has yet to be paved, I saw a doe and her two offspring.

Just look at the size of those ears!

And then I heard and saw one of two Great-crested Flycatchers. It’s been a while since I have seen one, although I have usually heard them here.

I caught a young House Wren in a quiet moment.

Here’s another Indigo Bunting who was in a tree above with his back toward me. The lighting wasn’t really worth it, but in all I think I have been encountering 7 or 8 males on every visit.

Of course American Robins are everywhere. The young one on the gravel path caught my eye, and at the end of my walk I spotted two sunbathing on the freshly cut grass.

One more of the Green Heron and two turtles. And the American Goldfinch.

I am devoting my mornings this week to work in the garden. I will never run out of things to do and decisions to make, but I feel as if I am fashioning a little order for the garden tour, however transient. I keep thinking of things to do ahead of time next year, like cutting back all the towering plants before they grow so tall. But the drought caught me off guard and I was so happy to get the rain I didn’t realize how happy the plants were going to be as well.

Maybe I can swing by with another post during the week.

The Grace of a Green Heron

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I fully intended to get caught up with all the photographs from warbler migration, particularly in Riverside, but those posts will have to wait a day or two…

We had a warm front the past couple of days which seems to have ushered out the warblers, so I wasn’t expecting to see much yesterday morning when I got to the Chicago Portage. But then, I encountered a Green Heron, and we hung out for what must have been five minutes or longer. I have never experienced anything like this before, it was quite amazing.

I had started on the path that crosses the bridge near Harlem. I encountered an American Robin on the trail. Nothing unusual there.

There was a little bird off to the side that I realized later was a female Indigo Bunting.

Past the bridge, I began to encounter the sounds of the usual suspects – Red-winged Blackbirds, Warbling Vireos, Baltimore Orioles – but then suddenly I heard a loud “skeow” call and found a Green Heron had joined me to look over the water in the stream. It sat in a small tree perhaps no more than 100 feet away.

I raised the lens slowly and started taking photos. The heron was not perturbed by this. Indeed it sat very still. I did not want to flush it, so I stood quietly in its space.

I started taking photographs of other birds across the water. The heron remained.

Song Sparrows…

House Sparrow and Green Heron

A female Red-winged Blackbird was in the marshy grass.

Green Heron and female Red-winged Blackbird

Through it all, the Green Heron remained. This is only a sampling of the photographs I took. It was hard to choose.

The heron finally decided it needed to go somewhere else, so it turned and took off to my left and behind me. I did not attempt to capture it in flight. In retrospect, I wonder if it had been waiting all that time for me to take the first step.

That left me to find out what was going on with other birds.

A bedraggled, wet-looking Black-capped Chickadee

I spotted the first of several male Indigo Buntings.

Gray Catbirds were everywhere but this was the only one I caught sitting still for a second.

Only one first-year male Redstart appeared. It was singing loudly yet this was the best I could do to photograph it.

The view of the second bridge with the new growth

Indigo Buntings and American Robins will be here all summer. They will likely be less visible the hotter it gets.

Baltimore Orioles were everywhere, enjoying the sunshine.

I managed to barely capture a female Baltimore Oriole.

Down in the wooded “ravine” area off the high point in the trail, two Northern Flicker males were having a quiet face-off.

I noticed a perched Ruby-throated Hummingbird over the trail.

An American Robin scouring the duckweed for food

More Indigo Buntings…

I went down to sit on a fallen log on the other side of the water. A Song Sparrow was foraging in the grass.

And a female Red-winged Blackbird was gathering nesting material.

When I started walking again, I saw a Hobomok Skipper in the distance, a very tiny butterfly, and then later one a bit closer.

I was very pleased to see a male Orchard Oriole off the inside trail. I can only hope he is staying for the summer to raise a family.

Blue Jays rarely if ever tolerate my camera, so I had to take a picture of this one.

Deer are seen less frequently, or so it seems.

One more of the gracious Green Heron.

After two warm days we have cooled off again, but there is plenty of sunshine. We need some rain and there is none in the forecast. I was in Riverside this morning. The river is so low, I suspect one could walk across it.

Yesterday Linda Rios and I played “Orange Dawn” by Ian Clarke again for a little local private afternoon gathering. Tonight is the end-of-season choir party and talent show for which I am accompanying two singing selections and hope to play a little piece by Manuel de Falla. It occurred to me yesterday that I can thank the showy piano cadenza in “Orange Dawn” for all this attention. Whatever it is, I am looking forward to things calming down a bit so I can get caught up with this and more. If the days are still getting longer, it seems there should be more time for naps too but that doesn’t seem to happen.

I promise to get back to reading others’ blog posts too as soon as this whirlwind subsides.

Summer Passages at the Chicago Portage

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Although I’ve been to the Chicago Portage more recently, I’m posting some photographs and a couple recordings from last month that hadn’t made it into posts anywhere near the days I took them. These are some views of likely suspects from visits made on July 6 and July 10. I then plan to be back with two or three subsequent installments after I process four more recent July days’ worth of photographs. Depending on what happens, I could sneak in another location here and there…

For the record, the male Indigo Buntings that were everywhere singing last month are still singing but not as much and they’re less visible than the one below, taken on July 6.

Tadziu the Indigo Bunting was available on July 10 for photographs and additions to his Greatest Hits, but the lighting was poor for the former. However, I feel obligated to share his portrait anyway.

And here are the last recordings I made of my celebrity.

Tadziu with American Robin and House Wren in the background
Tadziu with Northern Cardinal, House Wren and Warbling Vireo

American Goldfinches have been busy in the duckweed.

Perched over the water and then taking off for better prospects, a Green Heron was distantly available on July 10.

Just by chance I happened on an Eastern Towhee family. You have to look at the second photo below to see the juvenile which is somewhat obscured by the female in the first photo. I heard the male Eastern Towhee singing this past Tuesday, but did not see him. It would be nice to see the family again before the end of the summer.

It was still hard to resist photographing the Prairie Coneflower and whatever the second yellow flower is, that I see blooming upon first entering the woods from the south paved trail.

I got lucky on the 10th and managed a few photographs of a Warbling Vireo. They are still around but not as vocal as they were, so these days it’s hard to tell how many might be present.

Another species becoming more visible lately is Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher.

I have barely heard or seen a White-breasted Nuthatch. This one was on the 6th.

Also on July 6th the House Wren below was flying out of my frame.

The Brown-headed Cowbirds were still all over the place too, on July 6.

The Northern Flicker below wasn’t too easy to see, but I was intrigued enough by all the colors on him, popping out from behind the leaves.

Below is an unusually visible Gray Catbird, and below it, an Eastern Wood-Pewee.

And American Robins are always up to something.

I will be back with more composite posts from the Chicago Portage. In another week or two I expect to see more birds, with the added confusion of molting and juvenile plumages.