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Posted by: Ken @ 5:45 am
This family of Sandhill Cranes visited our front yard several times over the past month. The two colts lack the red on their foreheads.
Earlier this month, the weather radar showed that migration had continued into the morning. Our condo is located a few miles east of the Interstate 88 highway logo on the maps, below. With visions in our heads of warblers dropping out of the sky, Mary Lou and I set out to visit Bliss Woods Forest Preserve, a 10 minute drive from our second home in NE Illinois.
This was the Chicago radar display on September 6, 2012, at 5:33 AM. Skies were clear and there was only a slight breeze from the southwest.
The velocity image shows that targets were moving from north to south despite the prevailing wind pattern– quite a biomass of migrating birds.
Although we had heard about good birding in this small preserve, this was to be our first visit. We found a nice variety of habitats, from patches of prairie to mature hardwood stands.
A creek crosses the bottomlands.
Trails are paved and provide access to some nice viewing areas, such as this savannah.
We immediately found a flock of about a dozen warblers, mostly Black-throated Greens. They weaved in and out of sight among the leaves of a large oak tree.
I captured this poor photo of a Magnolia Warbler.
There were also several American Redstarts flitting about, almost impossible to catch in the camera’s eye.
The movements of redstarts are totally unpredictable. Many of my shots merely showed empty branches…
…or a blur.
Although I had previously seen Golden-winged Warblers, they provided me with my first images of the species.
Among the non-warblers, my first-photographed Philadelphia Vireo was a prized find.
This view shows the dark marks that extend through and in front of the Philadelphia Vireo’s eye, which along with its brighter yellow underparts, distinguish it from the more common Warbling Vireo.
Another fairly uncommon migrant bird was this Olive-sided Flycatcher, roosting high atop the bare branches of a dead tree.
We saw several southbound Swainson’s Thrushes.
An immature Rose-breasted Grosbeak posed nicely.
A Gray Catbird showed off its rust-colored crissum.
A Hairy Woodpecker, distinguished from the smaller Downy Woodpecker by its relatively longer bill and lack of barring on its outer tail feathers, foraged on the trunk of a small tree.
September 16th, 2012 at 7:21 am you got a great variety of warbler shots! i’d be thrilled to see the cranes again as it has been many years since my younger days in Wis.
September 16th, 2012 at 8:17 am I love your shot of the crane family. I didn’t know juveniles are called colts. Many other beautiful birds in this post. One of my favorites is the young Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
September 16th, 2012 at 9:53 pm What a great series of shots, you found a nice variety of birds and captured them very well. I know how hard it can be to capture the feathered beauties, they can move pretty quickly.
September 16th, 2012 at 11:16 pm Very nice series of pictures you show, with beautiful scenery beetles and bird pictures. Thank you for visiting my blog. Wish you a good day / good new week. Hanne Bente
September 17th, 2012 at 5:59 am Okay….picture me packing my bags and getting ready to go there myself!!! I can only wish!!! Your photos are, as always, simply stunning!!! Thanks for linking up at the Bird D’Pot this weekend. I’m a little behind in paying my visits as I had a very busy weekend and wasn’t online much!!! Your sharing is always much appreciated!!
September 17th, 2012 at 9:27 am Fascinating radar shots of migration in action there and then your shots of those warblers. The grosbeak shot is super - nice bokeh!Sandhill Cranes in your front yard - now I’m really impressed.
September 18th, 2012 at 10:54 am Hello, Ken! Awesome post and a great collection of birds. The warblers are so colorful and pretty. And it is very cool that you have the cranes in your front yard. Awesome photos!
September 18th, 2012 at 1:07 pm by the way, I’ve been watching some ‘radar’ thanks to you giving me the idea….well done. I have choir practice today on my blog…come sing along.
September 18th, 2012 at 1:54 pm A great series of photos. Those Cranes close to your house are very special.
September 18th, 2012 at 2:21 pm Fabastic sightings and photos.
September 19th, 2012 at 3:28 am Great set of pictures - I’d love to see the cranes! Trying to catch warblers in trees can be frustrating to say the least! Thanks for linking to WBW. Stewart M - Australia
September 20th, 2012 at 7:53 am Great shots of warblers! I am green with envy! Over the past couple of weeks I have made so many morning forays into presumed warbler territory and have come back with nothing.
September 29th, 2012 at 8:02 am Thanks all, for your comments. I had another great day of warbler-ing but the next day they all had disappeared!