Baltimore Orioles Galore! and some Orchards too in Northern Illinois

A Baltimore Oriole gathering nesting materials near Olsen Lake, Rock Cut State Park; 5/5/2012.

I have never seen or heard as many Baltimore Orioles as I did on May 5, at Rock Cut State Park this year.  I am guessing I probably saw and heard as many as 2 - 3 dozen Orioles. The day before - None. They showed up overnight in huge numbers. Judging by the posts on the IBET (birdingonthe.net) boards from the same date, the same thing was happening all over Northern Illinois - Baltimore Orioles were being reported in large numbers by many birders from the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan in the northern third of Illinois.

Another Baltimore Oriole, Rock Cut State Park; 5/5/2012.

Within the week, while visiting Colored Sands FP, Espenscheid FP, Black Hawk Springs FP, and Nygren Wetlands, I saw many Baltimore Orioles in each of these places.

Another Baltimore Oriole, Rock Cut State Park; 5/12/2012.

A Male Balt. Oriole checking out a female who is in obvious mating position, Rock Cut State Park; 5/20/2012.

As I was waiting for the male Baltimore Oriole to get more in the open, he was soon joined by a female. By the looks of things, they were getting ready to mate (Above and Below), but I never actually witnessed the deed. I think they were bothered by my presence and probably waited until I was out of sight.

The same Oriole pair, Rock Cut State Park; 5/20/2012.

An Orchard Oriole, Rock Cut State Park; 5/12/2012.

Another Oriole species that showed up about mid May was the Orchard Oriole (Above). They are not as common as the Baltimores, but I have had a chance to see an Orchard in at least three different occaissions this Spring.

An Orchard Oriole, Rock Cut State Park; 5/20/2012.

A 1st Year Orchard Oriole, Nygren Wetlands, Rockton, IL; 6/2/2012.

While hiking in Nygren Wetlands, I was following a yellow bird that flew behind a small bush. I initially thought it was a Common Yellowthroat, but it seemed too big to be a Yellowthroat so I kept on it. While I was aiming my camera at the bush hoping to get a better glimpse, it poked its head out and I saw that it was a First Year Orchard Oriole, which are mostly yellow with dark wings and a black mask and throat. This was very satisfying, since I haven't seen a First-year Orchard since two years ago at the Rowe Sanctuary in Nebraska.

When the Swallows return ... Early May in Northern Illinois

When the Swallows return to ... Rockford area bridges...

Val's pic of Barn Swallows sitting on the handrails of the bridge over the Rock Cut State Park Dam; 5/17/2009.

... then you know it's finally May in Northern Illinois.

Two places that I know I can find two types of Swallows anytime I want to between the beginning of May to the end of September are at two bridges in two of my most commonly visited parks for my birding endeavors.

Bridge #1 - in Rock Cut State Park- the bridge over the dam which separates Pierce Lake from Willow Creek, always has a colony of Barn Swallows (Above). 

Bridge #2 - in Black Hawk Springs Forest Preserve - the bridge over Kishwaukee River at start of the multi-use trail always has a colony of Northern Rough-winged Swallows (Below) during the same time frame.

A pair of Northern Rough-winged Swallows resting on the bridge handrail, Black Hawk Springs FP, IL; 5/2/2010.

More photos of these two types of Swallows below:

A Barn Swallow sitting on the rope handrail of the "floating boardwalk," Horicon Marsh NWR, WI; 5/13/2012.

A nice mirror image of a Barn Swallow landing on a mud bar, Horicon Marsh NWR, WI; 5/13/2012.

Barn Swallow, Rock Cut State Park. 5/5/2012.

The Barn Swallow (Above) was sitting in the niddle of the road and I watched a group of three 11-13 year old boys walk right past it and it never moved. As I approached, I thought it was injured as it had its left wing spread out flat over the ground. It warily watched me as I approached closer. I was within 3 feet from it and it didn't make any effort to move. I thought that I would try to move it off the road way so it wouldn't get run over. I stepped within a foot from it and it still didn't move. In fact I had to back up to take its picture, because I was too close for my 500mm Sigma lens to focus on it and for me to fit it in my viewfinder frame. After  took its picture, I again approached within a foot to see if I could help it off the road, but as I reached down to pick it up, off it flew without any obvious visual problems. I followed its flight as it soared over Pierce Lake and joined other Barn Swallows. It didn't seem injured at all. I wondered why it let me get so close to it.

a Northern Rough-winged Swallow seemed as interested in me as I was of it, Rock Cut State Park; 7/9/2011.

A Northern Rough-winged Swallow making a home out of a pipe opening in the dam wall, Rock Cut State Park; 5/8/2011.

Early May Arrivals: Gray Catbirds and Wood Thrushes

One of many Gray Catbirds that arrived in Northern Illinois in the first week of May, Espenscheid Forest Preserve, IL; 5/4/2012.

Suddenly overnight Gray Catbirds (Above) descended upon the Rockford, IL,  area. It seemed that while I was hiking in the Espencheid and Blackhawk Springs Forest Preserves, I couldn't walk 50 steps without hearing another Catbird squawking and mewing in the bush.

Another Gray Catbird, Rock Cut State Park, Rockford, IL; 5/20/2012.

Gray Catbirds have been so abundant this Spring that I have had little trouble finding them in the open (Above). It seemed to me that in previous years, I have had a hard time getting photographs of these guys as they stayed hidden in the thickets. This year they have seemed to be showing themselves more frequently, unless I have either been lucky this year or just unlucky in the past.

A Wood Thrush in a rae moment of visibility, Morton Forest Preserve, IL; 5/

Another bird that I hear all the time, but very seldom can find in the open for a good photograph is the Wood Thrush. These Thrushes, in my opinion,  have one of the most beautiful songs of the Bird Kingdom. They sound like two first chair floutests playing a duet, as the Wood Thrush is able to create two pitches simultaneously. The Thrush (Above) happened to be sitting on a low branch near the ground level, and I was lucky to find him. Although he was at quite a distance away, he stayed put long enough for me to get his portrait. Usually I hear Wood Thrushes high up in the upper tree branches thoroughly hidden by thick foliage. Very seldom do I get a chance to see one. So to find this guy on the open ground was a treat for me.

Early May Water Birds Arrive in Northern Illinois

MAY DAY! MAY DAY!

A Green Heron with its fierce watchful eye, waiting for a meal to happen by, Rock Cut State Park; 5/5/2012.

The first week of May saw many more new birds arrive in Northern Illinois. Granted, many of the birds I have listed below may already have been here in April, but it wasn't until May when I first witnessed their presence. 

Water Birds: Spotted Sandpipers (Bottom), and Green Herons (Above & Below). Land Birds listed at the bottom of this blog post.

A Green Heron stalking prey, Espenscheid Forest Preserve; 5/26/2012.

The same Green Heron ready to strike, Espenscheid Forest Preserve; 5/26/2012.

I happened to have the opportunity to watch a Green Heron stalking small prey a couple of weeks ago, while hiking in Espenscheid Forest Preserve. Initially I though it was catching frogs, but whatever it was catching and gulping down in one swallow, were too small to be frogs.

A Spotted Sandpiper, Rock Cut State Park, 5/8/2011.

Some of the early May Land Birds were: American Redstarts, Baltimore Orioles, Barn Swallows, Black-throated Green Warblers, Cerulean Warblers, Gray Catbirds, Harris Sparrows, Indigo Buntings, Northern Rough-winged Swallows, Northern Waterthrushes, Ovenbirds, Pine warblers, Warbling Vireos, Wood Thrushes, Yellow-throated Warblers, and Yellow Warblers.
Tomorrow I will post about Catbirds and Thrushes, Sunday I will feature Swallows, and next week I will feature some of the Wood Warblers that I have seen in the Rockford area during May.

April Water & Shore Birds in Northern Illinois

Blue-winged Teals winging it over the Nygren Wetlands, Rockton, IL; 4/5/2012.

Blue-winged Teals (Above & Below) arrived in droves and were all over the place when I visited the Nygren Wetlands in early April. They are one of our water birds that will spend the summer in Northern Illinois.

Another Blue-winged Teal, Nygren Wetlands, Rockton, IL; 4/5/2012.

Other water birds that swooped in with the Blue-winged Teals were Wood Ducks (Below Top), and Greater Scaups (Below Bottom). Usually late February and March are the heavy migratory traffic for water birds in our area. Blue-wings and Wood Ducks would be a couple of the later migrants.

A flock of Wood Ducks in Nygren Wetlands from last Fall; 10/15/2011.

Greater Scaups joined a flotilla of Ruddy Ducks and Blue-winged Teals, Nygren Wetlands, 4/5/2012.

A Solitary Sandpiper, Espenscheid FP; 4/21/2012.

One of the more common Shore birds we get around here is the Solitary Sandpiper (Above). My first sighting of this guy this year was in Espenscheid Forest Preserve along the banks of the Kishwaukee River. Another common shorebird (although not exclusively found along water edges), Killdeers also arrived in the first week of April.

April Land Birds in Northern Illinois

An Eastern Towhee singing away, Rock Cut State Park, IL; 5/5/2012.

Joining Sparrows (yesterday's post), were many land birds arriving in Norther Illinois during the month of April this year. Some of the earliest were Eastern Towhees (Above), Common Yellowthroats (Below Top), Brown Thrashers (Below Middle), and Tree Swallows (Below Bottom).

A Common Yellowthroat, Black Hawk Springs Forest Preserve, 5-22-10

A Brown Thrasher trying to hide, Rock Cut State Park; 5/8/2011.

Tree Swallows, Nygren Wetlands, Rockton, IL; 4/10/2011.

In the first week of April, I saw a large flock of Tree Swallows in the Nygren Wetlands. This was the earliest I remember seeing these guys up in Northern Illinois.

Hermit Thrush, Rock Cut State Park, Rockford, IL; 5/12/2012.

Other land migrants arriving from mid to late April included the Hermit Thrush (Above, which I usually see in March other years), Brewers' Blackbirds, Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers, House Wren, and a couple of early Warblers: Nashville and Palm Warblers. Some photos below:

House Wren, Black Hawk Springs Forest Preserve, Cherry Valley, IL; 10/3/2010.

Nashville Warbler, Rock Cut State Park; 4/21/2012.

Palm Warbler, Nygren Wetlands; 5/15/2011.

A Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Rock Cut State Park; 5/5/2012.

The Sparrows of April

A Field Sparrow, a common resident of the prairies in Black Hawk Springs Forest Preserve, Rockford, IL, 4/3/2012.

With Song Sparrows and House Sparrows staying year-round in our area , Rockford, IL, and the early arrivals of Chipping Sparrows, April brings in a new arsenal of Sparrows, some that are travelling through, and some that will spend the summer months here. Among the latter, Field Sparrows (Above & Below) arrived in early April this year with their unmistakable accelerating series of clean whistles.

Another Field Sparrow, Black Hawk Springs FP; 4/21/2012.

White-throated Sparrow, Espenscheid Forest Preserve; 4/21/2012.

For the third straight year, I have had a flock of about a half dozen to a dozen White-throated Sparrows (Above) visit our back yard feeders. They usually arrive in the 3rd week of April, but this year were a week early.  I love listening to their "Sam Peabody, peabody, peabody" song. They usually hang around for two weeks before they head North.

Swamp Sparrow, Nygren Wetlands, Rockton, IL; 4/5/2012.

Swamp Sparrows (Above & Below) were the next to arrive to Northern Illinois.



Swamp Sparrow?  Black Hawk Springs FP, Cherry Valley, IL; 4/21/2012.

I sometimes get wishhy-washy with my identification of these two Sparrows. The Swamp has less defined streaks on its breast and has a bit of yellow at the base of its bill. So the (Top of the 2 Above) photo fits the Swamp pretty well. In the photo (Above Bottom) this Sparrow has lacks the yellow base on its bill, but otherwise looks just like the Swamp. At first I called it a Lincoln's, but am not entirely convinced. Now I am leaning towards a Swamp. The photo (Below) is definitely a Lincoln as evidenced by its buffy breast and flanks.

Lincoln Sparrow, Nygren Wetlands; 5/12/2012.

Vesper Sparrow, Blue-Fish Bay, MN 8-12-11

The next species of Sparrows to arrive to Northern Illinois were the Vesper Sparrows (Above) and the Savannah Sparrows (Below)

Savannah Sparrow, Deer Run Forest Preserve, Cherry Valley, IL; 4/22/2012.

So April is a good month to find Sparrows coming to Northern Illinois. A few Species that I missed this year are Fox Sparrows (I did see one in January) and Clay-coloreds. May will bring even a few more Species: Lark, Harris, and White-crowned Sparrows. Then thre are the few species that live here that I have yet to see: Henslows and Grasshoppers, and those that migrate through that I have never seen: Le Contes and Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrows. Maybe next year.