The final week of our "warm season" stay in Illinois drew to a close a bit earlier than in most years. We missed the peak of autumn color. It was forecast to be much more subdued this year because of the late-summer drought.
A few maples, at nearby Lippold Park in Batavia, stood out among the oaks...
...and one accented the pavillion:
Usually our schedule permits us the opportunity, not only to witness the end of fall migration, but to see a variety of other northern "target" land bird species which spend their winters in NE Illinois.
I hoped to see Fox Sparrows which usually arrive late in October, but which have posed for photos as early as October 7. Slate-colored Juncos and Purple Finches become abundant after mid-October. Red-breasted Nuthatches are irregular migrants and may suddenly show up as early as August. American Tree Sparrows, Lapland Longspurs and Snow Buntings usually wait until November, although any of these birds might appear a month or more earlier. So far I had not seen any of the aforementioned species.
We had a lovely walk at Bliss Woods preserve in Sugar Grove, but saw few birds. Blackberry Creek provided a nice fence and reflection:
Rain and family committments limited the opportunities for birding as our departure approached. Rather than focus on failure, let's talk about what we did see in early October. Among the warblers were...
Nashville Warbler:
Black-throated Green Warbler:
The arrival of Yellow-rumped Warblers signals that the end of migration is approaching:
As expected, some of the earlier-arriving northern sparrows were present, including the White-throated Sparrow...
...and White-crowned Sparrow. This is an immature:
Speaking of crowns, the highlights of our final week were flocks of two kinglet species. They are very active and tiny and difficult to photograph as they flit among the leaves.
The female Golden-crowned Kinglet has a yellow cap:
Male Golden-crowned Kinglets have varying amounts of red in the center of the patch:
The red feathers may be retracted and become barely visible, as in this male:
Ruby-crowned Kinglets were present among the Golden-crowns. The males erect a red crest when excited or displaying to females or rivals, but they seem to be more placid during fall migration:
Here is a Ruby-crowned Kinglet displaying this May, at almost the same spot in Nelson Lake preserve:
My first photo of the precious ruby crown was taken at Lippold Park in April, 2010:
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Linking to Misty's CAMERA CRITTERS,
Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,
Linking to FENCES AROUND THE WORLD by Gosia
Linking to SKYWATCH FRIDAY by Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy
Linking to WEEKEND REFLECTIONS by James
Linking to BirdD'Pot by Anni
Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday by Stewart
Linking to Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) by NC Sue
Linking to ALL SEASONS by Jesh
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Please visit the links to all these memes to see some excellent photos on display
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Once again I am looking back three years and remembering how it was then, and maybe what I might expect this time around. My archives contain 410 photos processed that month. As usual I will look for my favorite memes-- birds and other critters, beautiful skies and reflections, fences, signs of the season, and maybe a few shots which speak for themselves.
Back in 2014, we started the month at our permanent home in Florida but in mid-month returned to our second home, a condo in Illinois. A little after sunrise on September 1, the winds were calm and the skies fair over the lake in our local wetlands.
Later in the morning we stopped by the neighborhood Bald Eagle nest and found that both adults were at the nest and bringing in sticks to renovate it. Usually this activity begins later in the month or in early October. The female, whom the eagle watchers had named "Joy," perched atop a Melaleuca snag and spread her wings (click on photo for more and larger views):
This is the male, Pride (no, he is not really that close to the tree!):
Joy, whom we had been following for six years, was known to have produced at least 13 eaglets (11 of which survived to fly freely). Sadly, she would disappear at the end of October. We were never sure of her fate.
Pride was left without a partner. In early December a new and younger female appeared at the nest. Courtship and mating followed, but if "Jewel" deposited any eggs she never sat on the nest. For the first time since 2007 the entire breeding season would pass without any new eaglets.
Two days later I caught a much smaller bird in the act of spreading his wings, a Prairie Warbler:
On September 5 a small flock of White Ibises roosted on a neighbor's fence:
A Black Vulture posed for a portrait. Maybe he heard me say that he is not so ugly after all!
On September 15, just before we were to depart for Illinois, migrating Ovenbirds passed through:
On the same day, parting shots at a pair of Florida butterflies, a male Julia longwing...
...and a White Peacock:
The Chicago skyline on the approach to Midway Airport on September 17:
In Illinois, the air was crisp and the light a bit different. Though not a "field guide" illustration of the species, I liked the way this Nashville Warbler fit the frame:
In a classic pose, a White-breasted Nuthatch took a different view of the world:
In a small marsh not far from our condo, I enjoyed the natural sepia tones of a Swamp Sparrow...
..and a Marsh Wren, ...
...but a Nelson's Sparrow was more elusive:
On the last day of September, the temperature had dropped 20 degrees. Hundreds of American Robins seemed to appear out of nowhere. Some bathed in a small stream:
On the way home we stopped by a Bald Eagle nest only a mile away from our Illinois condo. As was the case with the one near our Florida home, it was the first in the county, having been established on the grounds of a residential boys' school only about 4 years previously.
The nest was built in a dying pine tree the middle of a sport stadium parking lot. I fear that the tree will need to be removed, as now, three years later, it is entirely dead and may present a hazard to public safety:
This cameo portrait was captured from a distance:
Agramonte, our daughter's Tibetan Mastiff, kept an eye on me as I barbecued steaks on their back deck:
An old barnyard:
I prepared this post in advance as the ferocious Hurricane Irma appeared to be on a collision course with south Florida. We shuttered our home and evacuated on short notice. Right now (September 6) Mary Lou and I are seeking refuge three time zones away in mile-high Albuquerque, New Mexico.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Linking to Misty's CAMERA CRITTERS,
Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,
Linking to FENCES AROUND THE WORLD by Gosia
Linking to SKYWATCH FRIDAY by Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy
Linking to WEEKEND REFLECTIONS by James
Linking to BirdD'Pot by Anni
Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday by Stewart
Linking to Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) by NC Sue
Linking to ALL SEASONS by Jesh
________________________________________________
Please visit the links to all these memes to see some excellent photos on display
________________________________________________
Soon after we arrived to our second home in NE Illinois we enjoyed a delightful respite from the heat and humidity of south Florida. We visited a nearby sod farm, hoping to see some Buff-breasted Sandpipers along with a Upland Sandpiper that had appeared there in mid-August.
We dipped on both, but did find three American Golden-Plovers as we scanned this extensive sod field.
Two foraged together out in the open turf.
One allowed comparison of its size and shape to a Killdeer, also a member of the plover family.
Another golden-plover appeared closer to the path.
American Goldfinches had already changed into their drab winter plumage.
This male goldfinch retained some of its summer brilliance.
A Nashville Warbler joined the goldfinches on the goldenrod, now going to seed.
Black-capped Chickadees were numerous but so restless that I had trouble keeping one in my viewfinder.
A long-legged Palm Warbler flew up into a small tree, characteristically wagging its tail.
This Philadelphia Vireo was a nice find. The similar Warbling Vireo lacks the black line in front of its eye and bright yellow on its throat and central breast, quite evident in this photo.
The beginning of October heralded the arrival of the Yellow-rumped Warblers, and signaled that fall warbler migration was drawing to a close. Suddenly the trees were alive with them.
Now it was time to await the arrival of the next wave of visitors, sparrows and finches from the north. Following up on a lead from a local birder, we visited nearby Prairie Green Preserve in Geneva, Illinois.
We followed an indistinct path through the high grass and found the elusive Nelson's Sparrow at the edge of the marsh. This was my first opportunity to photograph this species.
I was afraid to use my flash as it might frighten the bird, so shadows obscured its amazingly bright orange head and chest.
Another target species was the Marsh Wren, which also had eluded my camera. I was not disappointed, as 4 or 5 flitted about in the cattails.
A Swamp Sparrow provided perhaps the best photos I have ever obtained of this species.
To top it off, a Lincoln's Sparrow appeared unexpectedly.
The sparrow was "photo-bombed" by a Common Yellowthroat that popped up beside it in the cattails.
Suffice it to say that this was a very satisfying visit despite the hundreds of nettles that we had to remove from our trousers and socks!
A Clouded Sulphur butterfly on red clover, October 1st:
On October 4th it turned cold and we had snow flurries! Monarch butterfles endured the cold and appeared in good numbers as the morning sun warmed them on October 8th.
