Thursday, May 25, 2017

Cedar Waxwings at Lippold Park

Located along the eastern shore of the Fox River in Batavia, Illinois, Lippold Park can be a very productive birding destination. A popular bike path runs along its outer perimeter. When we first visited the park back in 2008 the area was relatively undisturbed and included prairies, woodlands, a marsh and pond. The dirt paths were sometimes muddy and not maintained.

I was disappointed when land was cleared and the area near the entrance was torn up. Over the months an old maintenance shed was demolished and a pavilion was constructed. It included an elevated walkway which provided views of birds at tree-top level. Trails were improved and paved, exotic vegetation removed and butterfly-friendly shrubs were planted. Schoolchildren now attend organized walks and educational programs. The old pond and marshy area are traversed by a new boardwalk which also leads to the river's edge.  


This image was taken last October and shows the curving fenced walkway: 


Lippold Park shelter 20161013


During a break in the rainy weather this past week  Mary Lou and I visited Lippold park. Here are a couple of views of the pond and boardwalk:

Lippold Park boardwalk 01-20170521


Lippold Park boardwalk 02-20170521



In the fall, Purple Finches visited the cones of one of the tall Bald-cypress trees near the river's edge:


Purple Finch 03-20141022

Unlike other conifers, the Bald-cypress trees lose their needles over the winter. Last week they were sprouting fresh green foliage and emerging green cones. 

We were surprised to find a small flock of Cedar Waxwings (
Bombycilla cedrorummoving through the green branches of one of the cedars. At first I thought they were finding insects, but then noticed that they were examining the tiny cones...

Cedar Waxwing checking cyoress buds 2-20170521


...and plucking them!


Cedar Waxwing 05-20170521


Their actions were acrobatic as they gathered cone buds from the tips of the branches:


Cedar Waxwing 04-20170521


Cedar Waxwing eating cyoress buds 20170521


Cedar Waxwing eating cyoress buds 2-20170521


Cedar Waxwings are one of only three members of a family which includes the Bohemian and Japanese Waxwings. The latter is an Asian species and the Bohemian breeds in the far northwestern reaches of Canada into Alaska. 


Cedar Waxwings breed all across the northern tier of the US and in southern Canada. They winter south into all of the US, Mexico and Central America. Northernmost birds probably take the place of others which migrate to the south, but their presence can be quite irregular. In Florida we may see large flocks one winter and none at all for most of the next. 


Back in Florida, a flock of over 50 Cedar Waxwings seemed to have perfectly synchronized wing-beats (February, 2010):



Waxwing Ballet 20100212

Waxwings get their names from distinctive red wax-like tips on the bare ends their secondary flight feathers. Their diet mainly includes berries, fruit and tree buds, but also many insects. Often they may be seen high in the sky, hawking flying insects in flocks along with swallows. Their habit of eating juniper ("cedar") berries during the winter earned the Cedar Waxwings their first names. 


Cedar Waxwing 02-20170521


Cedar Waxwing 03-20170521


Here are two of my favorite images of the species, both taken at Lippold Park, in May, 2009...


Cedar Waxwing 20090502


...and in September, 2011: 



Cedar Waxwing 4-0110905


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Thursday, May 18, 2017

ROY G BIV: Birds of a spectrum

Just after sunrise, a rain shower passed to the north of the lake in our local south Florida wetlands. A rainbow reflected on the  surface of the water:

Rainbow HDR COREL 20150105

The human eye can discern electromagnetic radiation in a rather narrow band of wavelengths of about 390 to 700 nanometers, a frequency of 430-770 THz. The visible colors of the spectrum may be arranged in the order of their frequency, from low to high (wavelengths from long to short). 

Thanks to a profusion of retinal cones, humans can see colors better than most other mammals. However, birds generally see a wider range of colors, snakes are able to detect infrared, and spiders, bees and many other insects (and rats) are sensitive to ultraviolet light. Many flowers attract pollinators with ultraviolet hues.

As a child I learned to recite the colors of the rainbow, from top to bottom (long to short wave) by reciting the mnemonic  "Roy G Biv."

"Another traditional mnemonic device has been to turn the initial letters of seven spectral colors into a sentence. In Britain the most common is "Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain." The mnemonic is said to refer to the defeat and death of Richard, Duke of York at the Battle of Wakefield. To avoid reference to this defeat, people from Yorkshire developed the alternative "Rowntrees Of York Gave Best In Value." Alternatively, the biblically inspired "Read Out Your Good Book In Verse," or the more anarchic "Rinse Out Your Granny's Boots In Vinegar," may be used." (Wikipedia

More rainbows--

Partial:

Rainbow 20140812

Rainbow HDR 20160912

Our neighbor Estelle's home is at the end of one:

RainbowEstelle

Full:

Rainbow 2 20151007

Rainbow HDR 5PM 20160613

Fogbow:

Fogbow HDR 20160116

Rainbow effects--

Clouds:

Rainbow effect HDR 20160923

Spider webs:

Silk and dew rainbow 20131224

Web Bow 5-20090107

ROY G BIV Birds--

Red: Scarlet Tanager

Scarlet Tanager 04-20170510

Orange: Baltimore Oriole

Baltimore Oriole 20150502

Yellow: American Goldfinch

American Goldfinch 01-20170513

Green: Painted Bunting female

Painted Bunting female 5-20151016

Blue: Mountain Bluebird

Mountain Bluebird 2-20100617

Indigo: Indigo Bunting

Indigo Bunting 20120511

Violet: Common Grackle

Common Grackle 02-20170126


YOU TUBE:



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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

________________________________________________

Please visit the links to all these memes to see some excellent photos on display

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Thursday, May 11, 2017

Birding in a pocket park

Jones Meadow Park is located only a few blocks away from our second home in NE Illinois. It is surrounded by development but is a quiet oasis with remarkably varied habitats, including manicured lawns with ornamental shrubbery, woodlands, a pond, wet meadows and marshes. 

This is one of my favorite photos of the area, taken in June of last year:

Jones Meadow pond HDR 20160628

A paved pathway winds around the south and western edges of the wetlands, and a grassy berm separates the pond from the marsh. 

It was my first stop, on the morning after we flew in from Florida. In this view near the entrance (taken a few days later), the berm occupies the opposite shore:

Jones Meadow lake 20170407

The marsh had flooded up over the pathway, and attracted an American Robin in search of drowning worms:

American Robin 04-20170502

A House Finch sang from the top of a little tree:

House Finch 04-20170502

Another House Finch was joined by an (out-of-focus) Yellow-rumped Warbler in a small shrub:

House Finch 03-20170502

Song Sparrows were abundant:

Song Sparrow 20170503

A female Eastern Bluebird perched near the path:

Eastern Bluebird female 04-20170502

A male Mallard paddled in the pond:

Mallard drake 20170502

Migrating Canada Geese flew overhead, as did three Sandhill Cranes, calling loudly:

Sandhill Cranes 2-20170502

It was cold and drizzling with the threat of heavier storms, so I hurried up and along the berm with one objective in mind. I wanted to see two species of rails, the Sora and Virginia Rail.

In my haste I almost overlooked a Green heron among the dried reeds:

Green Heron 01-20170502

Marsh birds tend to be secretive, and they take advantage of the abundant vegetation. This Swamp Sparrow was barely visible through the dried cattails:

Swamp Sparrow 20170502

As I walked along the berm I heard a Sora calling, but only caught a glimpse of the reclusive creature:

Sora 3-20170503

Sora 20170503

However, to my surprise, a Virginia Rail appeared at the edge of the cattails:

Virginia Rail eBird 20170503

It briefly walked out into the open. I found it almost impossible to focus the camera because of intervening high grasses and reeds. This was the best image out of my dozen or more attempts:

Virginia Rail eBird doc 20170502

A second Virginia Rail called from a grassy patch at the edge of the berm:

Virginia Rail eBird 2-20170503

The rain picked up and I returned to the car. That might have been the end of this story, but Mary Lou and I returned 5 days later on a much nicer morning and did get better views and photos of the rail:

Virginia Rail 02-20170507

Virginia Rail 01-20170507


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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

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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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Thursday, May 4, 2017

Crops & Clips: Flashback to May, 2014

Just as was the case back in 2014, spring migration finds us starting the month in Illinois. As has been my habit, I will try to find examples of favored memes in photos taken three years ago. Looking for examples of critters (plentiful), skies and reflections (much less so) and fences (often hard to find). Happily, all are present in my May 2014 archives, and all rekindle memories of the spring season and the joy of discovery. 

May 28-- Sunrise from our back patio in Florida:

Sunrise 20140528

May 28-- Fair skies over Chapel Trail boardwalk:

Chapel Trail boardwalk 20140528

May 26-- White Peacock: 

White Peacock 20140526

May 28-- Male Julia underside:

Julia male underside 20140528

May 22-- Working backward through the month into Illinois photos, to find a Grasshopper Sparrow at Nelson Lake preserve in Batavia:

Grasshopper Sparrow 2-20140522

May 22-- Bald Eagle near our second home, over Mooseheart, Illinois:

Bald Eagle Mooseheart 6-20140521

May 20-- Scarlet Tanager...

Scarlet Tanager 20140520

...and May 12-- Baltimore Oriole at Nelson Lake:

Baltimore Oriole 20140512

May 5-- Robin on fence our daughter's yard in Batavia:

American Robin male 20140504

May 5-- Rose-breasted Grosbeak in Geneva, Illinois:

Rose-breasted Grosbeak 20140504


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Linking to Misty's  CAMERA CRITTERS,

Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,

Linking to GOOD FENCES 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

________________________________________________