Tag Archives: Green Heron

Filling in the Blanks

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Green Heron

Green Heron

Somehow I managed to talk myself into getting up early both Saturday and Sunday this past weekend. Both days began on the cloudy side, with Saturday turning into rain by 10 a.m. But I finally saw some birds I had missed so far this season. Both Green Herons were at the Portage, for instance.

Flickr IMG_2961_1

Last weekend the woodpeckers eluded me, but this time I had the Northern Flicker above, in addition to Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, Downies and a Hairy.

Fledgling Robin IMG_2724_1

Juvenile Robin

Some juvenile Robins are starting to forage on their own. And there were at least four Gray Catbirds on territories. Below is one of them.

Gray Catbird IMG_2785_1

This juvenile Red-Winged Blackbird sitting on one of the foot bridges was scolded furiously by her dad as I approached.

RWBB Child IMG_2890_1

Wood Ducklings revealed…

Wood Ducklings IMG_2848_1

Wood Duck ducklings

Finally, the mirage I saw last weekend emerged. It was indeed a scurrying flotilla of Wood Ducklings. There are seven of them, and when they dart around en masse they look like a strange 7-headed creature.

Wood Duck IMG_2864_1

Above, mama Wood Duck.

Song Sparrow IMG_2828_1

Song Sparrow

Again, the same silent Song Sparrow. Maybe it’s a she.

Snapping Turtle IMG_3037_1

Still plenty of water on both sides of this path, when I caught the Snapping Turtle crossing.

Snapping Turtle IMG_3041_1

And a beaver going about his business.

Beaver IMG_3053_1

And Southwest Airlines flying over…

Southwest IMG_2820_1

Sunday it was grassland birds at Plum Creek Forest Preserve, way down at the southern tip of Cook County, organized by Chicago Ornithological Society. The birds were often too far away to photograph, but we were surrounded by Dickcissels and Henslow’s Sparrows.

Dickcissel IMG_3118_1

The Indigo Bunting below was interesting from the standpoint of his plumage. I don’t know if he was a juvenile or more likely somewhat leucistic, since his song sounded adult.

Indigo Bunting IMG_3100_1

Always a delight to see a Great Crested Flycatcher.

Great Crested Flycatcher IMG_3265_1

Great Crested Flycatcher

And the only Henslow’s Sparrow of the seven or eight we heard who dared show himself was still buried in the grasses, for all practical purposes. Others ventured closer to him but I chose to hang back; Henslows nest on the ground, and I didn’t want to disturb anybody.

Henslow IMG_3171_1

I leave you with a shrug from one of the Green Herons who had just about had enough of sitting still for so long.

Green Heron Stretch IMG_2939_1

I’ll try to shorten the space between posts. If I can stay awake long enough. 🙂

“Marsh Mallow” at the Slough

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Swamp Rose-Mallow

My visit to McGinnis Slough this time found the Swamp Rose-Mallow in bloom. I was able to find three colors of it. They are big, beautiful flowers that stand tall with the reeds.

Unlike last time when I was nearly eaten alive by deer flies, this morning was delightful. It was not yet too hot, there was a gentle breeze, and the sky was partly cloudy which gave a the light a particular density.

Great Egrets

Three weeks ago, I could find only one Great Egret. Today, there had to be maybe 300. If they weren’t in the trees they were fishing all along the banks and in the shallow water.

The Great Blue Herons had increased in number too from three weeks ago. I estimate 175. Here’s one flying over, looking effortless. Egrets, herons and cranes often remind me of ballet dancers defying gravity.

Great Blue Heron

And this time I had a Green Heron that flew up into a tree nearby, after something.

Green Heron

I don’t think he got what he was looking for, he looked frustrated. I’ll take suggestions for a caption for this shot!

Preening at the Portage

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I haven’t been to the Portage in a few weeks, so I decided to visit this morrning after the rain. We haven’t had rain in such a long time, even the weeds stopped growing. I was glad not to have seen the Portage parched.

I knew the birds would be waking up to a fresher start. The same family of Wood Ducks was on their log.

Wood Ducks

A lot of birds were busy preening. This Northern Flicker looked up only once and then went back to tending his feathers.

Northern Flicker

Can’t blame the Green Heron for preening after spending all morning hunting in the muck of the duckweed.

Green Heron

A lot more birds were looking like juveniles. This is the time of year when even Robins can get confusing.

Juvenile American Robin

But the Portage has more Robins than anywhere else I’ve been. Here’s a grown up.

I saw only a couple Baltimore Orioles. This one was a beginner.

Baltimore Oriole

At one point, a Killdeer flew in to sit on a log.

Killdeer

A long, hot week lies ahead. There’s more rain in the forecast too. Summer is here.

Wood Ducks

Breeding birds at the Chicago Portage

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Young Rabbit

I dropped by the Portage early this morning trying to beat the heat – we went up to 97 degrees today. After I was greeted by this rabbit, I saw 39 species. Not remarkable, but not bad given the strange weather we’ve been having. There has been no rain lately, so the water level is way down at the Portage and the nearby Des Plaines River.

But breeding birds have returned, and I managed to get some pictures of a few. Almost from the very beginning I heard Red-Bellied Woodpeckers calling, so perhaps it was inevitable that one would be available for a photograph.

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

The House Wrens are back in full force too.

House Wren

A female Wood Duck sat on a log with her seven ducklings. I imagine the youngest was staying closest to mama.

A Great Blue Heron flew over faster than I could get its likeness clearly. But down below, one of the two Green Herons that I have seen here every summer was trying to stay cool.

Green Heron

Indigo Buntings were singing everywhere, and doing their best to elude the camera. Here’s one not completely hidden.

Male Indigo Bunting

I have been awaiting the return of Cedar Waxwings.

Cedar Waxwings

Song Sparrows are on their territories, singing, of course.

Song Sparrow

It’s sad when I think of this beautiful Yellow Warbler…

Yellow Warbler

being a favorite prey species of the female Brown-Headed Cowbird. Cowbirds lay their eggs in other birds’ nests so the other birds can raise them, often at the peril of their own offspring. Note how this Cowbird matched the twig she’s behind so well, it looks like part of her.

Female Brown-Headed Cowbird

On my way out I stopped on the north bridge, where I saw the other Green Heron in the distance, but my attention was drawn to two Great-Crested Flycatchers setting up housekeeping. Look carefully and you can see the male sitting below left and the female hanging out from a cavity at the right of the frame.

Great-Crested Flycatchers

The male flycatcher remained on lookout while his mate investigated the cavity in the dead tree for nesting possibilities.

Great-Crested Flycatcher