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.
The Des Plaines River has been really low, exposing a lot of rocky islands. We were advised of enough rain yesterday to earn a flash flood warning for the area, so it will be interesting to observe the water levels fluctuating between rain and more hot, dry weather. In the meantime, here is a little roundup of scenes from several morning walks, beginning with June 2. Two Killdeer were on the rocks across from the Hofmann Tower which has also been a favorite gathering place for Ring-billed Gulls. The photo sequence below looks like the Killdeer were making more Killdeer. Check out the way the male has stuck out his chest and neck feathers in the third photo: it looks very boastful to me.
A Bald Eagle flew in the distance that morning.
Common Grackles have been quite fond of the rocky shores.
The light was perfect for a Baltimore Oriole.
Then on June 6, the only bird I managed to photograph well was a Warbling Vireo. They’re usually hard to capture, so I’ll take it.
On June 9, a Great Egret was by the wall across from Hofmann Tower, where the dam used to be.
A Ring-billed Gull flew by.
Common Grackles were on rocks emerging from the water.
I often see a Double-crested Cormorant in flight down the river.
I managed to capture a Cliff Swallow.
This Common Grackle almost made me think of a Great-tailed Grackle.
I saw two Chimney Swifts.
And this turtle took a striking pose.
I photographed another Double-crested Cormorant swimming. He looks like he’s smiling with that yellow gape. But I never see the double-crest. I wonder if it takes two cormorants to see the double-crest.
I managed to see a Northern House Wren, which doesn’t happen too often for such a common bird.
I found another Warbling Vireo…
The bird below is a total mystery to me. I caught it flying over the grass by Swan Pond. The Merlin app thought it was a Yellow-headed Blackbird, but it’s definitely not. So much for artificial intelligence. I think it is a swallow and somehow the light is playing tricks with the camera, but I can’t pin down what species it might be.
I also found a Gray Catbird singing his heart out in the open.
On June 11, Red-winged Blackbirds were going after everyone
Most striking was their attention to a close Turkey Vulture.
While all that was going on, another Turkey Vulture was sitting in a tree above the paved trail.
I saw a mother Mallard and her ducklings by the wall that curves around a bend in the river.
On the last visit on June 16, I noticed a tagged Canada Goose that I have not seen before. I have reported it to the USGS. I will be interested to see how long it takes for them to get back to me with the usual certificate and information about the goose and where and when it was tagged, given the current administration’s staffing cuts. So far I have received a lengthy email acknowledging my submission.
A lovely Ring-billed Gull flew by that morning
I crossed the street to walk in Riverside and nearly stepped on a large turtle on the sidewalk at the end of the bridge. After looking around and realizing I was alone without any turtle experts available, I started talking to it, wondering if it needed assistance getting back down to the river as there is a steep drop-off next to the bridge wall. As I explained to the turtle that I was worried for its safety, it started to move off the edge of the sidewalk, and when I asked again if it needed assistance it gave the equivalent of a turtle’s “heck no” and started moving in earnest, sliding slightly down a small part of the incline, in the direction of the river. I then felt reassured that it would make it on its own and continued my walk.
Baltimore Orioles are a little less visible these days, so I try to capture them when I see them.
Despite the flash flood warning, the rain was welcome. I hope the rain will jumpstart my native plants to flower so I can see if the bees are going to come back. As of this morning, I have only seen more houseflies.
I may be back to this page sooner than later as the heat advisory is asking us to stay inside the next few days. I will try to gather more enthusiasm for indoor pursuits, which always seems strange to me this time of year, but it is what it is.
A busy weekend sort of slid into place. Our delightful choir party/rehearsal late Saturday afternoon precluded my usual Saturday early evening activity of cleaning the living room and swapping out the dirty cages for clean ones. Then there was getting up early Sunday morning to sing. Any thought of being outside on Sunday was drowned out by steady rain. In spite of the flood warnings, my trees and native plants rose to the occasion again and kept the basement dry. It might have been a good day to write, but after a long nap – which indicates it was a good day to sleep – I spent much of the afternoon and evening in motion, cleaning the living room and dining room, swapping out the dirty curtains and huts for clean, turning the fans off and leaving the windows open a couple inches as the temperature dropped, keeping me cool in all my effort.
(My dryer doesn’t heat, and I am somewhere between repair and replacement, so the curtains are dry but will have to hang out their wrinkles, or not: I’m not ironing them!)
I woke up to a cool 70 degrees F. inside, closed all the windows and hoped for a little sunshine later to keep us comfortable as the temperatures remain quite low today. I went swimming and the pool temperature, at 80 degrees F., felt warm enough. it will be a good day for baking bread and making soup.
I’m posting pictures today from September 3 which was the first Oak Park fall migration bird walk of 2022 for which I was responsible. We met at Columbus Park, and will be visiting there again this coming Saturday morning. I went on to the Chicago Portage afterward and there are a few photos from there mixed in as well. I will visit the Chicago Portage tomorrow and see what if anything came in with yesterday’s weather.
That lovely Red-eyed Vireo at the top of the post had a lot of company.
More Red-eyed Vireos. Easily the most visible bird of the day.
Except for American Goldfinches. They were in abundance at Columbus Park. I was delighted to see them feeding off the Cupplant which they have also been visiting in my backyard.
We have had a lot of Swainson’s Thrushes this fall and this day was no exception, making it easier to spot this one.
And it’s been a good year for Gray-cheeked Thrushes as well.
Warbling Vireos were still abundant. But I won’t be surprised if I don’t hear one tomorrow. They might have grabbed that southward wind yesterday.
Warbler-wise, not much, but a few haphazard captures.
American RedstartBay-breasted WarblerBlack-and-White Warbler
This was the last Common Whitetail dragonfly I saw, at Columbus Park.
And likely my last Spotted Sandpiper was there too, at the beginning of our walk as we looked out over the water.
That’s it for now. Fall migration continues. Fall-like temperatures for another day or so, too. One more of the Red-eyed Vireo at the top. This bird had a great sense for presentation.
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 backgroundTadziu 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.
Two weeks after the last formal walk at Columbus Park on May 14, I joined the two Eds from those walks to see what was up after it seemed all the warblers were gone. Suffice it to say that the water birds made up for the lack of passerine diversity. In spite of an event going on at the park, two Great Blue Herons and two Black-crowned Night Herons tolerated all the noise and our attention and gave us some great looks.
There’s invariably a Great Blue Heron here but I’ve never seen one up in a tree like the one in the series below.
These photos are from April 16, May 14 and May 28 so the vegetation keeps changing.
On April 16 we were lucky to see an early Northern Parula.
Although I saw this species on a few other occasions these were the best looks I had all spring.
Also in the old reeds left over from last year was an American Tree Sparrow.
A Northern Rough-winged Swallow posed over the water
There was one little Field Sparrow back on the April visit.
There’s usually at least a pair of Wood Ducks but they don’t always offer such great photo opportunities.
Below from the last visit, a Wood Duck hen with six ducklings.
Once the Red-winged Blackbirds show up, they stay for the summer.
On the last visit there were some more grown up goslings than an on earlier visit.
Back in April, two Double-crested Cormorants swimming together.
The Black-crowned Night Herons are sometimes so well camouflaged.
Back in April I followed this Great Blue Heron in flight.
On May 14, there was a visible Red-eyed Vireo.
And on the last visit two weeks later, a Warbling Vireo made itself known.
Here’s an earlier photo of a Great Blue Heron.
The Black-crowned Night Herons are simply photogenic.
But I’ll let the Wood Duck have the last word.
A rainy forecast for today gave me the time to sit here and put this together. I’ll be back out on the trail tomorrow morning. There will likely be more photographs of dragonflies coming, like the female Eastern Forktail Damselfly below – if that is indeed what this is. I noticed it at Columbus Park on the last visit.
This is the last of the fallout warblers from Tuesday morning but I have added a few more to my migration sightings, so I will have to round those up next. I suspect that after feasting most if not all the warblers I encountered on Tuesday resumed their journey to their breeding grounds, with no interruption from the weather to slow them down. And some of the Yellow Warblers will be staying.
There were only a few Black-throated Green Warblers.
Warbling Vireos are abundant but will not be so easy to see once the leaves take over.
The White-breasted Nuthatches have been noticeably quiet, so I can’t count them until I see them.
There was still enough water left in the fluddle for the two Solitary Sandpipers that were hanging out,
Scarlet Tanagers are always noticeable. I have seen them several times this season so I will be back with more captures.
Remember Palm Warblers? I think they are probably all gone but there were still several on Tuesday.
A few more of the last Palm Warblers…
Here’s the female Blackpoll Warbler that Vera identified after it snuck in with the Palms. Thanks, Vera!
A warbler I don’t see very often, a Northern Waterthrush, is a likely bird around the river.
Below is the last Pine Warbler I saw. They were earlier than other species but now are considered late. According to my Sibley app this is a likely first-year female.
Gray Catbirds have been very easy to see this spring. They’ve been quite vocal too.
Finally there’s food for flycatchers.
Eastern Phoebe
There were two Eastern Kingbirds sallying for prey from high perches over the river that day.
It was nice to see a couple Cedar Waxwings. While I once say them kiting for insects in large numbers, more likely I will see them congregating in fruiting trees later.
I’m always up for a Blue Jay if it’s sitting still.
I will be back with more warblers and other species as spring migration continues. In a way I am thankful things have slowed down a bit.
I think I will limit my posts to one-day experiences and work my way backwards in time since I won’t be taking m(any) pictures one-handed for a while…
The Red-Breasted Nuthatch at the top of this post was one of a few fall migrants I saw the last Sunday in August at the Portage. I regret missing seeing any birds the long Labor Day weekend save the ones in my yard, but I have rescheduled my first bird walk that was to have occurred on the 12th for the 19th, and hope to see many birds then, if not be able to chronicle their passage with photographs.
Swainson’s Thrush
It’s always a pleasure to see somewhat elusive Swainson’s Thrushes.
I had a brief encounter with the Ovenbird above, after hearing his loud, cheery song. A few Downy Woodpecker photos below, and one of a Hairy Woodpecker for comparison…
Downy…
Hairy…
I happened upon two Warbling Vireos disagreeing about something…
My last Baltimore Orioles of the season…
Below on the left, a bird hadn’t seen all summer, a Brown Thrasher. Also in the gallery, a Cedar Waxwing and a male Northern Cardinal.
Clouds worth noting…
My favorite fungus, a butterfly,and pokeweed berries…
A few more of the Red-breasted Nuthatch…
My last glimpse of Indigo Buntings – all juveniles…below.
Indigo Bunting
Northern Flickers were abundant.
A small gaggle of geese flew over, and then surprised me by landing in the duckweed pond – I don’t know what else to call it at this point. I wondered if they were standing in it.
Scenes of the Portage.
Eastern Wood-Pewee
I’ve enjoyed seeing Eastern Wood-Pewees this year
Gray Catbird
And regulars are always welcome… American Goldfinch and Black-capped Chickadee…
My elbow surgery Friday morning went well. Courtesy of the hospital gown, the nurses showed me the immense bruise on my left upper thigh which confirmed the source of my pain upon standing and walking. I’ll be slowed down by my injuries for a while, but as I regain my strength I hope to return to this page more frequently. Thanks for making it this far with me. I treasure you all.
Even though I never go to McGinnis Slough these days prepared to see a lot of birds – which would require bringing my scope – I invariably see something interesting. It used to be a great place for hundreds of Great Egrets and multiple Great Blue Herons, but for the past several years the numbers have dwindled to a few individuals. During waterfowl migration it’s still a place to see good numbers of several species. My last two visits were sort of before and after spring migration. But I like the fact that it’s not crowded. You can’t your bike through it, so that likely keeps people away. And you could miss it driving by at 50 mph on LaGrange Road, even though the entrance is newly paved and there’s a lovely wrought-iron fence, maybe to keep the deer from crossing the highway.
So these photographs are from April 4 and June 7 of this year. From grays and browns in early April to greens and blues in June. April 4 was a good day for Tree Swallows, even if they look washed-out on a cloudy day.
Tree Swallow
Tree Swallow and a Northern Shoveler
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
The gray and brown was enhanced by a little low-lying fog on the April visit.
I haven’t seen an awful lot of Eastern Phoebes this year. I think flycatchers in general have been scarcer, which I can only assume speaks to the lack of insects. I hope they can recover somehow.
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird, another flycatcher
In the tail end of waterfowl migration, some Lesser Scaup were close enough to photograph.
Lesser Scaup
Female Red-winged Blackbird
Song Sparrow
Those white blobs are actually American White Pelicans on the far shore.
The slough was quite marshy in June.
The June visit featured Warbling Vireos chasing around at eye-level, and then one sang for me. I managed to record a bit of his song below after having him pose for all these pictures.These guys are hard to spot normally so I indulged.
I often see Wood Ducks lined up on this fallen log. The June visit was no exception.
Wood Ducks
Baltimore Orioles aren’t advertising for mates anymore so they’re a little harder to spot.
Eastern Kingbird
Going down the path to the north, I encountered a couple does.
There were a few Cedar Waxwings in the same general area as the Warbling Vireos.
Cedar Waxwing
This White-breasted Nuthatch would have been even better if he had turned around.
Red-winged Blackbirds abound.
And in the flying-by department…
Herring Gull
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Double-crested Cormorants
I’m used to seeing rose mallow, and maybe it will appear later in the summer, but I think this wild iris is new.
Thanks for making it to the end of this long post! We are in for a long, hot, sunny weekend around here. With luck, I will find more birds to share with you.
I never intend to go birding in the afternoon, but on Friday I jumped at the chance when we were encouraged to take the afternoon off. It was cloudy, and you can never count on what birds will be up to after lunch. Sometimes I like the cloudiness, though, because it reminds me of birding in South America.
Cloudy at the Portage
Maybe cloudy was okay for capturing this Cape May Warbler.
Cape May Warbler
Then there was a very active, backlit Warbling Vireo. This is likely the only Warbling Vireo I will photograph this year. There’s always one. But they are all very busy singing now and protecting their territories.
Sometimes I hardly ever see goldfinches, and at other times they seem to be everywhere. All I know is they’re not in my yard too much anymore so I suspect many of them are at the Portage or other nearby forest preserves.
With all the rain and now warmer temperatures, the green-up is happening rapidly.
I often hear Killdeer but don’t always see them. I managed to capture this one flying across the compost piles on the MWRD property.
Killdeer
Starlings have been entertaining. I have seen one doing happy dances a couple times, although unfortunately it was hard to get him in focus on this trip. But I did capture him flying.
And now how about paying some attention to the ladies? It seemed to be a good day to capture pictures of the girls. Maybe they thought they were less noticeable on a cloudy day.
Mallard female
Scarlet Tanager (female)
Red-winged Blackbird (female)
Brown-headed Cowbird (Female)
Brown-headed Cowbird (male)
I found the female Indigo Bunting below quite fascinating, in that she was preening or otherwise trying to get a grip on her feathers and the photos reveal her black and bluish feathers underneath. Who knew? (Forgive me for thinking “only her hairdresser knows for sure.”)
Indigo Bunting (female)
As a comparison to the above, here’s the male in all his glory and various feather colors.
Song Sparrows are more often heard than seen so it was nice to catch this one foraging for something.
And it’s not often I see a pair of Downy Woodpeckers. Maybe afternoons are lazier for the birds.
Pair of Downy Woodpeckers
I had a wonderful encounter with a Philadelphia Vireo a couple years ago. I hope to see more of this species. And this was the first day I saw the Eastern Kingbird. By Memorial Day there were two Kingbirds hunting for bugs from their perches over the water.
Philadelphia Vireo
Eastern Kingbird
Early on there was a small flock of Cedar Waxwings but they were hard to distinguish in the shadows and blended in perfectly with the tree colors.
Cedar Waxwing
Another elusive Black-and-White Warbler. These warblers are relatively easy to see, but so far had been defying my lens. However stay tuned because I have had some more productive encounters.
Part of a Black-and-White Warbler
Even the Baltimore Orioles looked a bit washed out. But I noticed a nest, and that was a welcome sign. The female builds the nest, so I can only imagine she was inside of it.
Baltimore Oriole Nest
It has been hard to go back to work after a long weekend, even though I have not yet returned to the office. Most amazing to me has been the time spent in the field, so to speak. I never feel like I have this luxury to fully absorb my surroundings except when I am on vacation. But something about the pandemic has slowed down everything after eliminated many social commitments. I can embrace birding religiously three days straight as a spiritual exercise. Even though I am encountering several more people on the trails, there is still enough space and quiet, with many moments left to witness how life continues beyond our immediate concerns.
After last Sunday’s chilly, gloomy rain, I had my eye on Tuesday morning and notified the work team that I was taking it off. Tuesday came, starting out cool but sunny, and I went to the Portage to see if any warblers I barely glimpsed at on Sunday were there for a better view.
The green-up is in progress and the treetops are full of tiny bugs and worms we can’t see, but the birds know where to look for them.
After hearing and then eventually seeing a couple Chestnut-sided Warblers, I was lucky enough to have an intimate moment with this individual. We exchanged thoughts about spring and sunshine.
Chestnut-sided Warbler
I always hear five or more House Wrens, but rarely see them. Tuesday morning was a special day, though, because it seemed like all these guys were out and showing off. The very last photograph below shows one going into his nest.
Another very vocal group rarely seen are the Warbling Vireos. I followed this one around with the camera.
There were still a couple Ruby-Crowned Kinglets here and there. Only now, like the Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, when you’re looking for warblers, these birds become “distractors,” to quote one of my favorite guides, Mitch Lysinger.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Even Blue Jays seem to be more visible. I’ve had one in my yard all week, too, although he leaves the minute he sees me.
On this beautiful morning I was delighted to find one of my favorite sparrows, Lincoln’s.
Lincoln’s Sparrow
There were still a few Blue-Winged Warblers. It’s been a good year to see them.
Blue-winged Warbler
Female Goldfinches never get much press so I thought I’d share these two photos.
American Goldfinch (female)
I always hear White-Throated Sparrows’ little chip notes before I see them. It was nice to have one posing.
White-throated Sparrow
In the Big Bird Flyover Department, it’s been quite a while since I’ve seen an Osprey. I used to see one flying over the Des Plaines River when I visited Ottawa Trail, but that location is no longer available. I haven’t been back since they built a levy. It will be interesting to see what happens with the river, with all the rain we are getting this week.
Osprey
A rare glimpse of Mrs. Bluebird Tuesday morning.
Eastern Bluebird
Early on I saw this Least Flycatcher from the bridge, at quite a distance.
Most of the warblers were distant and high in the trees, so much so that I didn’t always know what I was looking at until I processed the photos.
Nashville Warbler
Black-and-White Warblers have been a bit evasive this year.
Black-and-white Warbler
Something about the cool, slow start to spring has made the moss look happier.
Here’s a bird I never thought I’d see. It was really far away so I had no idea what it was until later.
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Palm Warblers are still around but blending in too well with their surroundings.
Palm Warbler
One of my favorites, Canada Warbler, was down low but in the shade.
Canada Warbler
Here’s one of two female Rose-breasted Grosbeaks I saw together in the same location.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (female)
I first saw the man below a couple weeks ago, I think. He was playing loud music from that speaker thing he’s got in his right hand. Keeping my social distance, I cupped my hands over my ears. The next time I heard him coming, he was playing “Scotland the Brave”. I thought about whatever PTSD he was suffering from, it was too bad he had to foist it on other people, but I decided not to let him bother me and maybe it was a good thing he was walking his dog in the woods. Anyway, it’s likely he’s been out every day since the lockdown began.
Red-bellied Woodpeckers are challenging to spot, but it’s often rewarding when I do see them.
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Below you can barely see a Spotted Sandpiper in the shadow of the bent log.
I actually saw a flock of thirty or more Common Grackles fly in on Tuesday.
Common Grackle
There are a lot of Brown-headed Cowbirds this year.
Brown-headed Cowbirds
Here’s one of those surprise warblers I found later in the photographs. I had to do some thinking about this one. When I think of a Blackburnian Warbler I always imagine the males. This is a female. It took me a while to figure her out.
Blackburnian Warbler (female)
Magnolias are usually easier to see than this one, but migration isn’t over yet.
Magnolia Warbler
Distant but distinguishable Black-throated Green Warblers.
Black-throated Green Warbler
I don’t see Hairy Woodpeckers half as often as Downies. I find though that I’m getting to be able to distinguish them by their feather pattern first.
Hairy Woodpecker
I had been waiting for the Indigo Buntings to show up. I was to see about a dozen of them yesterday. These two were the first I saw on Tuesday.
Indigo Bunting
Baltimore Orioles are setting up their territories.
Baltimore Oriole
Thanks for making it to the end of this long post! After I kept adding birds to the ebird list, I reported 51 species for Tuesday morning. I went back to the Portage Saturday and found some more beautiful birds. I’ll be back as soon as possible. Hope you are safe and well as can be, wherever you are.
