Tree Swallows; Early April Migration to Northern Illinois

A Tree Swallow, Rock Cut State Park, IL; 5/23/2010.

A Tree Swallow, Rock Cut State Park, Rockford, IL; 5/2/2010.

Tree Swallows are one of the earliest swallows to be seen in northern Illinois each Spring. They are very colorful with a bright turquois head and back which look metallic when glinting in the sunlight (Above two pics), Their bright blue-green is offset with a snowy white throat, breast and underparts and with darker wings. Females and Juveniles, who have not earned their turquois colors yet, and are quite drab. From a distance, they can be confused with Bank Swallows and Northern Rough-winged Swallows.

I find Tree Swallows to be very bold, letting me get quite close to photograph them. They nest in tree cavities (thus its name) but also like to nest in man made birdhouses (Below).

A Tree Swallow taking advantage of a birdhouse, Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, Horicon, WI; 5/29/2011



Tree Swallow, Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, Horicon, WI; 5/29/2011

In summer months, Tree Swallows are found throughout most of the U.S. except for the most southern states, and into most of Canada. They will spend their winters on the southern Pacific and Atlantic coasts, as well as throughout the Gulf Coast States and all of Mexico and Central America.


A pair of Tree Swallows, one (left) apparently not happy with the other one
encroachingon its territory, Rock Cut State Park, IL; 5/2/2010.

The last two summers I could gaurantee finding Tree Swallows at a certain marsh in Rock Cut State Park from early April on throughout the entire summer. This Spring, however, they have not seen them at this site. Last summer I could stay still near a particular sign and only have to wait a couple of minutes before a swallow would land on it to rest. (Above) I enjoyed a bit of territorial competition, as one Tree Swallow was sitting on the sign, and soon another one landed on the sign. The first swallow went into a chattering rage, as if "screaming" at the new landee to get off of its sign. The second swallow ignored the first one completely and let it "scream." Eventually the first one flew off and the second one stayed put.

When the Swallows Return to Northern Illinois; Early April Migration

A Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Espenscheid Forest Preserve, Rockford, IL; 5/1/2011 

Early April is the time swallows start arriving in our area of northern Illinois. The first two species of swallows that I observed this spring were the Northern Rough-winged Swallows (Above) and Tree Swallows (Tomorrow's post).  I have had good luck seeing N. Rough-wings near one of the bridges over the Kishwaukee River in Black Hawk State Park. Ordinarily I would have had a hard time differentiating between these swallows and Bank Swallows as they are both brownish with a lighter breast. But upon hearing their song, a short steady rough "frrrip" as they glide over the river snagging insects in mid flight, I knew they were Rough-wings.  N. R-wings are plain brown with darker eyes and lores, and its breast is a bit lighter as it gradiates to a dirty white near the belly. These swallows are found throughout the U.S. and Mexico and into southern Canada. They will spend their winters in Mexico and Central America.

Black-crowned Night Herons, Late March Migration to Northern Illinois

A Black-crowned Night Heron; you can see its white plumes sticking out the sides of its head; South Pond, Lincoln Park, Chicago; 3/30/2011.

I was in Chicago at Lincoln Park on March 30, this Spring and was surprised to see a Black-crowned Night Heron (Above) sitting in a tree at South Pond. There was even a sign asdvertising BC Night Herons, and I thought perhaps it was a permanent resident - why else, I thought, would there be a sign about them, without gauranteeing that they would show up. Although most bird books will list Black-crowned Night Herons as summer residents of Illinois, they have been a rare sighting over the past few years. A couple of weeks later, I was reading on the IBET boards that more BC-N. Herons were viewed at South Pond. Then I did some more reading and found out that last spring (2010), a zoologist from Chicago was pleasantly surprised when he noticed one nesting in a tree near South Pond in Lincoln Park, one of the busiest places in Chicago. Soon the one turned into several, then to dozens, and before the Spring ended there were over 200 nesting Black-crowned Night Herons at South Pond. It turned out that the one I saw was one of four early arrivals and again like last Spring, hundreds more soon followed. see the link below to a website with the story and some great pics of all the nests ...
http://openlands.org/News/Other-News/openlandscapes-black-crown-night-herons-arrive-at-chicagos-lincoln-park.html

and   http://www.ilbirds.com/index.php?topic=48197.0

A Black-crowned Night Heron, Kaui, Hawaii; 7/10/2008.

Other than Chicago, I have seen these Herons up at Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin, and couple of years ago I saw many of them in Hawaii (Above). Here in the contiguous States, BC N. Herons can be found in several areas: The West Coast, Midwest, East Coast, Southeast and Southwest. They get their names because they do their hunting and foraging mainly at night. (Below) is a photo of a BC-N. Heron searching for prey at a small waterfall near the hotel I was staying at in Kaui.

A Black-crowned Night Heron hunting in the evening light, Kaui, Hawaii; 7/9/2008.

Turkey Vultures March Migration to Northern Illinois

Turkey Vultures roost in their favorite tree, Rock Cut State Park, Rockford, IL; 4/9/2011.

The first Turkey Vultures (Above) began to return to Rock Cut State Park in late March, and by April I can almost gaurantee that one could spot at least one (but many times a flock of 6-10) sitting in their favorite group of trees in one of the picnic areas on the southeast side of Pierce Lake. They like to sit high in branches near the top of tall trees and periodically cruise in circles looking for the oppurtunistic carrion that might be left somewhere. They are fairly common and easy to spot with their hulking dark brown body (26" long with a wingspan of almost 6 feet) and bony naked red head. Their bills hook down into a whitish curved point (Below) - which is good for carving or gnawing flesh off of the carcass.

A good look at a Turkey Vulture's bony red head and hooked bill,
Rock Cut State Park; 4/9/2011.

When they are soaring in the sky, you can differentiate them from most other raptors by the way they hold their wings up into a V-position, instead of spread flat like a hawk, falcon or eagle.

A Turkey Vulture cruising the sky searching for a cheap meal, Rock Cut State Park; 4/9/2011.

This Turkey Vulture glided right over the top of me while I was hiking through
the prairie section of Blackhawk Springs Forest Preserve. I liked how its left
 wing glowed in the late afternoon sun, Rockford, IL; 4/11/2011.

During the summer months, Turkey Vultures can be found basically throughout the entire U.S. and Mexico as well as into the southern portions of Canada. During Winter they will pretty much migrate into the southeast corner of the U.S. and along the California Pacific Coastline and into Mexico and Central America.

A Turkey Vulture eyeing a picnic at Rock Cut State Park, Il; 4/9/2011.

This Turkey Vulture (Above) was staring at a young couple sunning on a blanket in a picnic area at Rock Cut State Park. Every few minutes, it would take off flying and slowly circle the couple, then perch on the same branch above them. I jokingly asked the coule if they were alive because vultures were circling overhead. They replied that after a while they were feeling a bit nervous, because it started with just the one and soon a half dozen other vultures joined it - all perched in the tree above where the couple was lying. Perhaps the vultures thought that the couple lying on the ground for such a long time was on the verge of dying and they were waiting for their meal to expire.  Ah, yes... good times at Rock Cut State Park.

Wood Ducks; March Migration to Northern Illinois

A pair of Wood Ducks, Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, WI; 5/1/2011.

Wood Ducks are another water bird that calls northern Illinois its summer home. They are always a treat to see and they arrive in late March. I have seen these colorful creatures in several areas this spring - along the foliage-covered banks of the Kishwaukee River in Espenscheid and Blackhawk Springs Forest Preserves, in secluded ponds in Rock Cut State Park, and in the marshes of the Horicon Marsh Wildlife Refuge (WI).  Their summer grounds range throughout much of the U.S. from the Great Plains to the East coast as well as into the southern parts of Canada. Out West they are less common, but can be found along the northern Pacific Coasts of California, Oregon and Washington as well as across these states into Idaho and the western edge of Montana. In winter they will migrate down to the Southeastern states along the Gulf Coast.


A flock of Wood Ducks and sunbathing turtles at a secluded pond,
Rock Cut State Park, Rockford, IL; 4/29/2011.

There is a little pond in Rock Cut State Park that is hidden by trees and thick under brush  from the main trails in which I have often seen flocks of Wood Ducks (Above). After I made this discovery, the first few times I tried to approach and take photos of them, I made too much noise while bushwacking through the branches and dead leaves to make a good observation, and scared them off as they flew away with their distinctive distressing raspy squawks. However, I learned that if I took my time silently bushwacking through the brush (I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but it can be done), I was able to get close enough without startling them to get some decent pics (Below).

A close up shot of the colorful male Wood Duck hiding in the low branches
along the banks of the pond,  Rock Cut State Park, IL; 4/29/2011.

I caught this pic of a female Wood Duck as it was dabbling along the banks of
the Kishwaukee River, Blackhawk Springs Forest Preserve, Rockford, IL; 5/1/2011.

According to http://www.allaboutbirds.org/ , Wood Ducks like to nest in trees near water, sometimes directly over water, but other times up to a mile away. When the ducklings hatch, they jump down from the nest and make their way to water. The mother does not help them, but calls them to her. The ducklings may jump from heights of up to over 200 feet without injury. I have never seen this, but it would be an awesome sight.

Although its not a great photo in focus, Wood Ducks are always a colorful sight
when they are in flight, Blackhawk Springs Forest Preserve, Rockford, IL; 5/1/2011.

It's difficult not to want to take pictures of these ducks. They are certainly one of the most colorfully marked birds found on our continent. One of my goals is to get a nice sharp photo of a flock of these guys in flight (Above - although not in very good focus).

Pied-billed Grebes, May Migration to Northern Illinois

A Pied-billed Grebe, Bauman Park, Cherry Valley, IL; 4/27/2010.

Pied-billed Grebes (Above) are another water bird that arrived into northern Illinois in late March. In summers they are widespread throughout the U.S. and much of Canada. In winter they will migrate to the southern half of the U.S. and Mexico.

A Pied-billed Grebe, Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, WI; 4/24/2011.

I love taking photos of Pied-billed Grebes, because they always look like they are looking at me out the corner of their eyes. They are the most common of the three Grebe species (Horned and Eared) that have appeared in our area this spring. The biggest identifying trait is its black ring around its pale bill. They are expert divers and feed on aquatic insects, crayfish and vegetation.

Blue-winged Teals, March Migration to Northern Illinois

Happy Anniversary! June 3. This date marks one year writing this blog - 215 posts, 725 pics, 2 cameras and 4 lenses later.  My first post was of a photo of a Scarlet Tanager on 6/3/2010 - link below...

(  http://northernillinoisbirder.blogspot.com/2010/06/scarlet-tanagers.html )

 Thank you to everyone who has followed and commented to Northern Illinois Birder for the past year.

A pair of Blue-winged Teals, Rock Cut State Park, IL; 4/9/2011.

I have seen a lot of Blue-winged Teals (Above) this spring - at Rock Cut State Park (Rockford, IL), Nygren Wetlands Preserve (Rockton, IL), Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge (Horicon, WI). They started arriving to our area in the latter half of March and some will stay in northern Illinois; however, we are on the southern edge of its summer range, as they will settle throughout all of Canada into Alaska, and cover much of the northern half of the U.S.  They will spend their winters along the Gulf Coast states and along the southern Pacific coast.

A male Blue-winged Teal with a muddy bill from feeding in the mud flats of Pierce Lake, Rock Cut State Park, IL; 4/17/2011.

Teals are generally smaller (15"-16") than most dabbling ducks. Male Blue-wings (Above) have a distinct look with its slate gray head and neck and white crescent across its face and a dark bill. Its tan flanks are speckled with dark brown, a white patch on its hip, and its trademark name - light blue coverts which are visible in flight.

A female Blue-winged Teal, Rock Cut State Park, IL; 4/23/2011,

Female Blue-wings (Above) are less distinctive and look much like a smaller version of a female Mallard with a dark bill. She has a smaller white patch at the base of her bill and a dark eye-line.

A pair of Blue-winged Teals , Rock Cut State Park, IL; 4/17/2011.