Autumn Composition

It was a great scene to capture whether on a memory card or on canvas.

Autumn Starburst

An Autumn burst of color

Feathered Friends: A New Batch

A new batch of migrating birds have stopped in Chicago.

Clockwise from top right

Brown Thrasher, Eastern Towhee, Caspian Tern, Brown Creeper

A few more pictures of each are at my Chicago Birdwatching blog, which is here.

Proof

Photographic proof that March came in like a Lion but went out like a Lamb. Of course, it could also be proof that even boaters follow the age old Chicago rule of using old furniture to claim "dibs" on their favorite parking spots (slips).

The chair, though, didn't hold up too well, the top part of the back seems to have broken during the month.

Colors of Autumn

Today's photo is a collection of the colors of Autumn from various places around Chicago. The one non-Chicago photo is the large tree with the moon, which is from the other side of Lake Michigan. But if you could see across the lake, you could probably see the Chicago skyline from St. Joseph, Michigan.

Click to enlarge photo

Clockwise from top left

Orange leaves in the water in Calumet Park, Yellow Gingko Leaf in Grant Park, Red Japanese Maple Tree in the North Center Neighborhood, Pink vine near 63rd Street Beach, Bare tree and moon near St. Joseph, Michigan, Rust leaves near Montrose Harbor

Autumn Morning Fishermen

Fishermen trying their luck at the Montrose Harbor entrance.

Whatcha Got?

I can't say it's the official birdwatching greeting, but you do get asked "Whatcha Got?" occasionally if you're standing in a park looking at something through binoculars. Usually by someone else with binoculars. (People wearing uniforms and badges tend to say "Miss, what exactly are you doing with those binoculars?")

It seems the Fall Bird Migration has begun to get active in the Chicago area. I was at the Magic Hedge (by Montrose Beach) and happened to turn around to see this sight.
Not wanting to miss anything, I walked back and looked in the general direction as everyone else. There were a lot of warblers flitting about in a tree. Sitting at the very top (a rather dangerous location given that two Cooper's Hawks were in the area looking for a snack) was the immature bay breasted warbler, shown below. It doesn't have its full adult colors, like it will in the spring. In fact, most of the birds going through now won't look like they did in the Spring. That's what makes it challenging.

Feathered Friends: A Chorus Line

This little Semipalmated Plover was so happy to be spending last weekend at Montrose Beach that it broke out into a high-kicking chorus line routine. A few more shorebirds were at Montrose this past weekend (they declined to join in the chorus line, though). Pictures of them are at my bird-watching blog, which is here.

Foggy Morning Fisherman

We've been having a lot of foggy lakefront mornings lately. This fisherman is heading home in the morning fog along the pier at Montrose Harbor.

Wild Water

Cooler temperatures, a little wind and a possible seiche created some wild water this weekend at Montrose Beach.

The waves created some interesting patterns in the shore.

Typically, we don't put the lifeguard stations and the trash cans in the water at the Chicago Beaches. But the water at Montrose Beach was up significantly on Sunday morning, creating the appearance of misplaced garbage cans. Another beachwalker said there was a seiche, which would have explained the dramatic rise.


And with all the wind and waves, how could the kiteboarders and sea-kayakers NOT take advantage of these conditions for a little lake surfing.

Feathered Friends: Serious and Goofy

The Eastern Kingbird usually strikes a very stately pose. But every so often, he can get a little goofy. More pictures of the Eastern Kingbird are at my birdwatching blog, right here.

Snack Attack

Graffiti along the pier at Montrose Beach.

Feathered Friends: Sailing Away

This Caspian Tern was doing a little para-sailing around Montrose Harbor recently. I think the Caspian Tern has a real "Joe Cool" look. There are more pictures of the Caspian Tern at my bird-watching blog, which is here.

Ummmm ... No Clue

Yeah, I don't really know what was going on here.

The two women did have leotards on under the sheet. And periodically the photographer would wave and sweep his arms around and then the women would sweep their arms out. Maybe this happens a lot near Montrose Harbor. The woman walking her dog doesn't seem to notice anything unusual.

But I'm going to use this one if the City Daily Photo Theme Day is ever "Sheets".

Surfing ... um ... Paddling?

I guess when the surf's not up, you have to improvise and get back to shore somehow. Caught this guy paddling back to shore at Montrose Beach recently.

Lazy Morning Loon

Since it is still early in the boating season in Chicago, the water fowl still have the run of the harbors. This loon, in Montrose Harbor, is taking advantage of one of the last "boat-free"weekends.