Bobolinks

In late June we returned from our rail trip through the Canadian Rockies to our second home in Illinois. I am still poring over more than 1000 photos I took on that trip, and intend to share them in the next few posts. Occupied with so many family events and then the July 4 weekend activities I almost missed my (self-imposed) deadline of writing something here at least once weekly.

Most of the local birds are now busy raising families. Nearly every Common Yelllowthroat I saw at Nelson Lake/Dick Young Marsh Forest Preserve in Batavia was carrying food to nestlings or fledglings:



Young birds in fresh plumage were abundant, including this Eastern Phoebe with buffy wing bars which help distinguish it from an adult...





...and this fledgling Baltimore Oriole high in a treetop which posed an identification challenge until its parent showed up to feed it:

 
Song Sparrows were even more abundant than the yellowthroats:

At first glance a male Bobolink perched upright in the distance might pass for just another blackbird:

 
However a minor change in its position reveals its striking plumage pattern. This one posed nicely on Queen Anne's Lace...

  ...and flew off, revealing its unusually long toes:

Most birds have dark upper parts and are lighter underneath, which is thought to help them blend in with their surroundings, but a Bobolink reverses this tradition:

  The female Bobolink wears a more somber coat, looking somewhat like a sparrow:
 

Fledglings of both sexes resemble females, but have clear breasts and usually exhibit a tell-tale yellow gape:

  A male Bobolink feeds its youngster:

 
Red-winged Blackbirds were abundant. The males were busy announcing their presence:

Female Red-winged Blackbirds are less conspicuous, probably more engaged in the care of their offspring:

This fledgling Brown-headed Cowbird was being cared for by one of the Red-wings. It flew weakly up to the roof of a picnic shelter:

I was surprised to find a sizable flock of Cedar Waxwings out on the prairie. They seemed to be foraging on the fruit of sapling Mulberry trees:

  
Note the namesake waxy bulges on the tips of its secondary flight feathers:

 
At nearby Lippold Park, on the east bank of the Fox River, a White-breasted Nuthatch flared its tail feathers just as I pressed the shutter, providing an unusual display:

 
American Goldfinches have not yet started to breed. They are waiting for the thistles to go to seed:

In another two or three weeks the down and seed of thistles will provide nesting material and a major food source. One of the few of our songbirds that does not feed insects to its nestlings, the goldfinch secretes a protein-rich "milk" from the lining of its crop:

Bright orange Butterfly Weed, in the milkweed family, provides nectar and is a host plant for Monarch Butterflies:

Common Milkweed bloomed profusely. Its seeds and fibers will also prove useful to the goldfinches:

A Great Egret fished in a quiet bend of the river, casting a weak REFLECTION:

A Great Blue Heron lofted into flight:

One of my favorite species is the Scarlet Tanager:

An Eastern Cottontail rabbit munched on the fresh forbs:

A male Eastern Pondhawk was a nice subject for this week's MACRO:

 
This is a Question Mark, named for the subtle punctuation mark on its under-wings:

For my FENCE shot, I reached into my treasure trove of photos from the Canada rail trip. This is the tram terminal at the top of Sulphur Mountain just outside Banff, Alberta:

The mountaintop provided a great view of the mountains and SKY to the west:

I also rendered this photo in black and white. I cannot decide which one I like best:

Because of a glitch due to a change in FLICKR html code, my photos caused some readers to have difficulty downloading this post, and until the problem is fixed you will be unable to click on the photos to see larger sizes and related images. To access this feature, please visit my FLICKR Photostream at this link, or view it as a slide show in the box at the top of the right sidebar of this post. Sorry for the inconvenience.

= = =  = = =  = = = =  = = = = =
Linking to Misty's  CAMERA CRITTERS,

Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,

Linking to GOOD FENCES by Tex (Theresa). 

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 I Heart Macro by Laura
________________________________________________

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