Just when I think I’ve seen it all…

So there I was, standing on the path along the river and frantically, but without making any sudden movements, trying to get my lens to focus on a “rare, for this time of year” and crazy-elusive Canada warbler, which I could clearly hear with my ears and glimpse with my binoculars, when all of a sudden a couple of hummingbirds zoomed in to sip nectar from tiny blossoms on a nearby bush.

I immediately tried to get a shot of them, but my camera was set up for the closer warbler, and so was way too slow. Before it could catch up, one hummingbird continued on, but one parked itself not 10 feet from me. I could not believe my luck! I’ve been trying to get this picture for three years! Here, at long last, is my first ruby-throated hummingbird portrait. Ta da!

After that, I hiked up to the pond as I tried to wipe that grin off my face before my cheeks started to hurt. The snapping turtle eggs appeared unmolested, and I could hear a belted kingfisher again, but the best picture from the pond today is of the wood duck hen keeping her ducklings warm on a cool morning.

The cooler air and maybe little bit of rain seemed to have revitalized everyone this morning, and I counted 18 house wrens in total singing their brains out throughout the park, and here’s one along the river on my way to the north end.

There were no eagles nor great blue herons around the islands this morning, and this family of river-wood ducks was taking the opportunity to bask in the morning sun a bit.

And here’s the mallard hen with her eleven ducklings scarfing up that fine, fine river algae.

The big surprise at the north end today is the appearance of a pair of green-winged teals. We’ve seen them many times in South Holland, but this is the first time I’ve seen one in the western hemisphere, let alone Estabrook Park. Ha! I do see that the American ones have a white stripe at the shoulder that their European cousins lack. Anyway, they were far off, didn’t stick real close together, and the hen looks like most dabbling duck hens, so here’s just the drake.

On my way back south, I found another family of mallards whose ducklings are starting to get pretty big.

Finally, at the south end, I spotted the white-tailed doe again nibbling on the shrubbery amongst the dame’s rockets, which are blossoming throughout the park and look quite pretty but are unfortunately invasive. I didn’t see the fawn, presumed that it was sleeping nearby, and gave them a wide berth.

Lastly, as amazing as the snapping turtle laying eggs beside the pond was, that was only one of three snapping turtles I saw yesterday morning. The third was a little one, maybe just a foot long, beside the bike path on my ride to UWM. The second was this monster, well over two feet long, near the old boat launch, where the dam used to be, at the north end.

Thanks to Mark for tipping me off!