Tag Archives: Northern Rough-Winged Swallow

After the Flood: Part One

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White-Tailed Deer

White-Tailed Deer, Ottawa Trail Woods

The weather has suddenly changed to hot, humid and sunny, and with it the landscape, but I don’t want to forget the last two weeks entirely as all the water has officially taken us off the drought list.

Flooding IMG_5793_1

So two weekends ago, I went to Ottawa Trail Woods after having been detoured in that direction, trying to get to the Chicago Portage. These pictures are some that I took on that expedition.

Yellow-Rumped Warbler

Yellow-Rumped Warbler

Yellow-Rumped Warblers were everywhere, enjoying the flooding. The trail was intact, but there was water everywhere else! There were also still a lot of Kinglets.

Golden-Crowned Kinglet

Golden-Crowned Kinglet

It was a great day for swallows, and I managed to get some flight pictures, which I always consider a worthy challenge. Both Northern Rough-Winged Swallows…

Northern Rough-Winged Swallow

Northern Rough-Winged Swallow

Northern RW Swallow IMG_5985_1

and Tree Swallows

Tree Swallow IMG_5964_1

Tree Swallow

Tree Swallows IMG_5955_1

Tree Swallow IMG_5953_1

Tree Swallow IMG_5945_1

Sapsuckers have mostly moved on, but they can still be seen here and there. The one below is a brightly-colored male. You can almost see the yellow on the belly…?

Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker

Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker

Always room for a Black-Capped Chickadee and another Yellow-Rumped Warbler.

BC Chickadee IMG_6056_1

YR Warbler IMG_5888_1

And this Robin looks relieved to have a dry spot to sit in.

American Robin IMG_6105_1

Perhaps my bird of the day was the Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher. With no leaves up high in the trees to hide in, he was very accessible for a second or two.

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher IMG_5897_1

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher

I look forward to visiting here again, when it’s a little less flooded…

Flooding IMG_5991_1

Music isn’t just for the birds

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The first day of the Memorial Day weekend was so temperate, I was able to open all the windows. So when the birds and I got around to practicing the prelude to the G Minor English Suite by J.S. Bach, apparently we were audible to creatures with good ears. A dog joined in from across the street, and it was in key with the music. You can hear a little sample right here. The birds had plenty of input too.

Acadian Flycatcher

Defiant in face of the horrible heat of the next two days, I got up early to go birding. On Memorial Day, I went to Montrose Harbor, finally giving in to a birding hot spot on the (sorry) hottest day of the year. It was quite windy as well. While I did not see too many birds. I got a few nice pictures. There were a lot of flycatchers, and the one above turned out to be an Acadian.

Baltimore Oriole

This was the best I could get of a Baltimore Oriole with all the leaf cover.

Cedar Waxwing

Well-shaded, birds sought refuge from the heat in the “Magic Hedge.”

While on the beach, I caught a Northern Rough-Winged Swallow taking a preening break.

Northern Rough-Winged Swallow

And although Montrose Beach often has more exotic shorebird species, Memorial Day brought me only good looks at one Kildeer.

Killdeer

He’s still a pretty bird.

Killdeer

I’ll be back sometime next week, hopefully with more pictures from somewhere I’ve never been (don’t you love the mystery?). And yes, the AP now approves this usage of the word “hopefully.” While I have always inwardly cringed, I like to reassure myself with the knowledge that hardly any of the words still used after 300 years have the same meanings today, and I am just as guilty as anyone of going with the flow…