OK, summer may be “officially” over but we are supposed to be getting some 80 degree weather and the upcoming week looks nice and warm (70s & 80s). So we thought we’d do a quick recap of some of the highlights of the past summer before going outside to enjoy a mini summer rebirth.
Blue-headed Vireo making us wish summer would never end
June
- We rediscovered a gem of a birding hotspot in our county, Deer Run Forest Preserve. Here we found numerous Henslow’s, Grasshopper, Savannah, Lark, Vesper, Song, Chipping, and Field Sparrows, including a couple of videos.
July
- Birdfreak had the chance to bird with some Birding Pals from out-of-state: San Diego, CA and Boulder, CO
- We visited Horicon Marsh in Wisconsin, a combination State Wildlife Area and National Wildlife Refuge (supported by Duck Stamps of course). We found a lot of big birds as well as some really nice small birds.
August
- We gave you ten reasons to bird in Illinois, although there are many more!
- We also hosted I and the Bird for the first time
- Some major storms brought a lot of rain and some serious flooding
- Veery spent some time birding in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.
- Arizona, our new Doberman, went camping for the first time
September
- We attended the Midwest Birding Symposium, Dakota got a lot of life birds, and we went on some amazing bird-filled hikes.
- The highlight of the summer, we got to go birding with Kenn Kaufman
- We saw the Green-breasted Mango just over the border into Wisconsin
You have some moments that you can really look back and be proud of!-Here’s wishing you a great Fall!
Great summer review and I just love your vireo shot! I heard one last week and sad that it will probably be my last of the season!
Larry – thanks! We’re planning on doing a lot more birding than we usually do this time of year but as the days get shorter it is hard to!
Mon@rch – thank you! I can’t believe how quickly the types of birds change… one moment there are vireos and warblers and the next there are White-throated Sparrows and Juncos! Birds are the ones that decide what season it is I guess!