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: 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:
In the fall, Purple Finches visited the cones of one of the tall Bald-cypress trees near the river's edge: 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 cedrorum) moving 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... ...and plucking them! Their actions were acrobatic as they gathered cone buds from the tips of the branches: 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):
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. Here are two of my favorite images of the species, both taken at Lippold Park, in May, 2009... ...and in September, 2011:
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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: 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: Our neighbor Estelle's home is at the end of one: Full: Fogbow: Rainbow effects-- Clouds: Spider webs: ROY G BIV Birds-- Red: Scarlet Tanager Orange: Baltimore Oriole Yellow: American Goldfinch Green: Painted Bunting female Blue: Mountain Bluebird Indigo: Indigo Bunting Violet: Common Grackle YOU TUBE:
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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: 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: The marsh had flooded up over the pathway, and attracted an American Robin in search of drowning worms: A House Finch sang from the top of a little tree: Another House Finch was joined by an (out-of-focus) Yellow-rumped Warbler in a small shrub: Song Sparrows were abundant: A female Eastern Bluebird perched near the path: A male Mallard paddled in the pond: Migrating Canada Geese flew overhead, as did three Sandhill Cranes, calling loudly: 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: Marsh birds tend to be secretive, and they take advantage of the abundant vegetation. This Swamp Sparrow was barely visible through the dried cattails: As I walked along the berm I heard a Sora calling, but only caught a glimpse of the reclusive creature: However, to my surprise, a Virginia Rail appeared at the edge of the cattails: 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: A second Virginia Rail called from a grassy patch at the edge of the berm: 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:
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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: May 28-- Fair skies over Chapel Trail boardwalk: May 26-- White Peacock: May 28-- Male Julia underside: May 22-- Working backward through the month into Illinois photos, to find a Grasshopper Sparrow at Nelson Lake preserve in Batavia: May 22-- Bald Eagle near our second home, over Mooseheart, Illinois: May 20-- Scarlet Tanager... ...and May 12-- Baltimore Oriole at Nelson Lake: May 5-- Robin on fence our daughter's yard in Batavia: May 5-- Rose-breasted Grosbeak in Geneva, Illinois: = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Linking to Misty's CAMERA CRITTERS,
