Crops & Clips: In and around Batavia, Illinois

We just returned from a two week stay in northeastern Illinois. Surprisingly, we had a spell of hot weather with some temperatures higher than those back home in south Florida.

Although we were busy with volleyball games and preparations for a charity gala with 100 guests at our daughter's home, we found time to get out and walk in the nearby parks and forest preserves. We saw many more warblers than we were able to identify, as they tended to forage high in the trees against the very bright sky. 

At Les Arends Forest Preserve in their home town of Batavia, we encountered a mixed flock which included American Redstarts. I was only able to get a decent photo of a female:



There were quite a few Bay-breasted and Blackpoll Warblers, which are quite similar in their dull fall plumage.

The Blackpoll shows some streaking of its underparts and has a more greenish cast to its head and neck, so this most likely is one here:



Bay-breasted Warbler? It should have dark legs but these appear to be light as in Blackpoll:





This is a dull female Chestnut-sided Warbler:



Bliss Woods Forest Preserve in Sugar Grove has very nice walking trails and a wooden bridge over Blackberry Creek, where Mary Lou is looking at a goldfinch:





A Wilson's Warbler brightened our morning:



We saw migrating Swainson's Thrushes...



...and a pair of Red-eyed Vireos:



A favorite spot is Nelson Lake/Dick Young Marsh Kane County Forest Preserve: 





I caught sight of an early migratory Red-breasted Nuthatch, but had to wait a few days before getting one of these little acrobats in my camera viewfinder. It was foraging in this grand oak:









The male American Goldfinches were in various stages of molting into their somber winter coats:



A Mourning Dove struck a nice pose:



A Cedar Waxwing had a regal appearance:



Canada Geese were numerous...



...as were butterflies, including this Pearl Crescent...



...a Red-spotted Purple...



...a Cabbage White...



...and many beautiful Monarchs:



Colorful Milkweed Bugs clustered on the pods of their favorite plant, also host to the Monarch caterpillar:



A view of the upper reaches of the marsh at Nelson Lake is framed by tree branches:



Back home at our daughter's house, their oldest and youngest pets rested on their patio. Tibetan Mastiff Agramonte is eleven years old and Standard Poodle Cazador is 6 months of age:






In their back yard, a Silver-spotted Skipper visited a Rose of Sharon:




Upon returning to Florida, I captured this iPhone panorama of the western sky opposite the rising sun (click on image for full view):



= = =  = = =  = = = =  = = = = =

Linking to Misty's  CAMERA CRITTERS,

Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,

Linking to SKYWATCH FRIDAY by Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy

Linking to WEEKEND REFLECTIONS by James

Linking to BirdD'Pot by Anni

Linking to Our World Tuesday by Lady Fi

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday by Stewart

Linking to Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) by NC Sue

Linking to ALL SEASONS by Jesh

 Linking to Fences Around the World by Gosia

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


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Crops & Clips: Birds preening

Too often I have discarded bird photos because the subject suddenly turned away, closed its eyes, or started picking at its plumage. Yet, some of my more interesting images have been those of birds preening and ruffling their feathers. 

Of course this is a vitally important behavior, as it cleans and restores integrity to feathers which have been soiled or disrupted. 

Individual feather barbs which arise from the feather shaft are attached to one another by tiny barbules and hooks (nature's "Velcro"). These become separated and must be carefully straightened, realigned and joined together to permit flight and protection from temperature extremes, wind and precipitation.

Herons take on such interesting shapes. The absence of hands makes them contort their necks into some unusual postures.

Great Blue Heron:







Tricolored Heron:





Immature Little Blue Heron:





Yellow-crowned Night-Heron:



Great Egret:







Wood Stork:



Anhinga preening:





Sandhill Crane:



Turkey Vulture with two heads (actually a companion is looking over its shoulder as it preens):



American Kestrel







Bald Eagle stretching and preening:









Mourning Dove:



Savannah Sparrow:



Painted Bunting:



Perfect viewpoint early in the morning:




= = =  = = =  = = = =  = = = = =

Linking to Misty's  CAMERA CRITTERS,

Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,

Linking to SKYWATCH FRIDAY by Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy

Linking to WEEKEND REFLECTIONS by James

Linking to BirdD'Pot by Anni

Linking to Our World Tuesday by Lady Fi

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday by Stewart

Linking to Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) by NC Sue

Linking to ALL SEASONS by Jesh

 Linking to Fences Around the World by Gosia

________________________________________________

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


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