Tag Archives: Ottawa Trail

So Near and Yet So Far

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I spent the last week in total embarrassment. I wasn’t paying close enough attention to the rare bird alerts until I realized that a Swallow-tailed Kite had been seen along the Des Plaines River in the very same places I frequent, and I was too busy getting back to swimming in my favorite pool. The bird even stuck around for four days. Latecomer that I was to this exciting event, probably nearly missing seeing it at least once – by what? an hour?? – I nonetheless enjoyed three quick visits to Ottawa Trail, albeit in cloudy conditions as we endured a very rainy period those days.

For further mortification, one morning while I was in Riverside by the Des Plaines River, the Kite was merrily flying around Mount Auburn cemetery, roughly a stone’s throw from the Chicago Portage, and of course I didn’t know about it until that night. So just for fun since the rainy forecast seemed to be in abeyance, I decided to visit Mount Auburn and then the Portage the next morning, only to be caught in a downpour which continued as I wrote this paragraph in my car. I should accept my fate and be grateful that I have traveled enough in years past to have seen this species. Perhaps it’s too late in life for me to suddenly start chasing birds.

Here’s a little roundup of other birds I saw while visiting all the places the Kite had left. Starting with Ottawa Trail on August 10, a fly-by Common Grackle and a Red-tailed Hawk.

On August 11, two Downy Woodpeckers, a Mourning Dove, an Osprey and a Great Blue Heron…

Later the same day at Ottawa Trail, a Baltimore Oriole and Blue Jay in downward spiraling flight, and a pensive Red-tailed Hawk.

Other species at Ottawa Trail: Black Swallowtail, Monarch, and Common Buckeye butterflies.

Moving on to Mount Auburn Cemetery, a couple American Kestrels kept me entertained.

Fall migration is starting, and I think I am over the Kite. I have seen a few individual warblers and I hope to be back a lot sooner with more recent discoveries. I have also been distracted by the sudden nonexistence of staples I have taken for granted (sardines and 12×14″ newsprint to line my birdcage trays, if you were curious), which should not be surprising given the current State of Flux.

Here’s a Blackburnian Warbler I saw four days ago at the Portage. I’ll be back.

A Visit to Ottawa Trail

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Last Monday, instead of walking in Riverside, I decided to visit the levee at Ottawa Trail. There had been storms and a lot of rain the night before, and more rain was in the forecast. It seemed like a good time to check out the levee and still be near the river.

From the parking lot looking out over a lot of lawn, a clear path to the Des Plaines River is not evident, but I found the foot trail leading up to the levee that was constructed a few years ago, without too much effort. The obligatory rabbit was on the trail. The levee isn’t too high to climb. Up above the river, the trail stretches out along this portion of the river’s length.

I soon encountered a mixed flock of American Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles foraging in the vegetation along the river.

It wasn’t until I was going through the photos that I realized there was a water snake sitting right behind these Red-winged Blackbirds. It’s very well disguised: see if you can detect it in the photo below.

Not seeing many birds at first but perhaps drawn to the blue sky background, I checked out a European Starling.

Flooding was easy to see below the levee, and I started to reconsider my initial thoughts about the levee being intrusive. It likely helps to preserve the habitat.

My main reason for a visit was to check out the water on the opposite side of the levee. It’s a low-lying area somewhat similar to that of the Chicago Portage. I think this is where the Green Herons that used to nest at the Portage years ago have been hanging out. It is a lot more difficult to see this area since the levee construction. You could hike down to it before, but there is no longer access, and vegetation has grown all around it. But I did find one Green Heron. I apologize for the overexposure but there was no other way to make the heron visible.

Then in the distance, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a Belted Kingfisher hunting. I managed to capture his dive at a distance.

This trail has no nearby vegetation so the birds are generally at a distance and not easy to see. I barely captured a Song Sparrow.

But I did have a cooperative Blue Jay, who is also at the top of this post.

A couple Red-winged Blackbirds suddenly appeared, escorting a Red-tailed Hawk across the river.

Before the levee, if you reached the end of the trail along the river going south, you could cross the street and the railroad tracks and be right behind the Chicago Portage, but that access is now blocked off.

At the end of the trail, I turned around and headed back. There was a doe staring at me.

It looks like the Cook County Forest Preserves has been doing some habitat restoration by planting natives, which I am happy to see. It has also been a great year for Bergamot everywhere. And the butterfly, a Clouded Sulphur, is one I haven’t seen often elsewhere.

Young American Robins below.

A couple views of the river from the levee.

Where I could actually see the water more clearly, there were only a couple Mallards in it.

Red-winged Blackbird

Flooding persisted for most of the week, so I walked more often at the Chicago Portage. But this trail was good to visit for a change and I will probably return sooner.