End of summer photos and labor day weekend nature walks

All of the photos/videos were taken in the Hyde Park (Chicago) area during the last two weeks unless otherwise noted.  Most of the top 25 butterflies in Illinois have been found in our local parks this summer and have been featured in this blog.  The top 25 list of butterflies is on  Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network website: http://www.bfly.org/PhotoGallery/T25bflies/T25bfliesGallery.html

Nature walks:

Saturday September 3,  Meet at 6:00 pm  at golf range driving parking lot.  If driving south on LSD, exit to the right at 63rd Street (Hayes) and take the first right turn  into the parking lot.  Drive through the parking lot until you get to the golf range building and park there.

Labor Day Monday, September 5   Meet at 9:30 am   47th and Cornell,  Burnham Park Nature Sanctuary

ruby-throated hummingbird on common evening primrose–I’ve seen hummingbirds at 47th and Cornell and in bobolink meadow near the jewelweed

Impatiens capensis,  common names include jewelweed or spotted touch me not, loved by hummingbirds, also used to prevent poison ivy rash

belted kingfisher

black-crowned night heron

red-eared slider turtle

american goldfinch

Juvenile goldfinches are now around the neighborhood begging from their mothers.  First not-so-great video was taken at Burnham Park Sanctuary (47th and Cornell) with one fledgling resisting the idea that s/he should find food without being fed by a parent.  Parent is in the top left hand corner in the video.  You’ll notice the youngster is very quick to follow when s/he flies off.  Second video, taken in AZ,  has three fledglings begging from their mother. Soon the fledglings will learn to forge for themselves.

 

 

monarch caterpillar on butterfly weed

male monarch butterfly with bumblebee and milkweed bugs on butterfly weed

black swallowtail on blazing star

outer wings of American Lady

inner wings of American Lady

 

bug  (stink or shield?)

tiny blue butterfly

elderberry

Pine cone oak gall (Andricus quecusstrobilanus) caused by cynipid wasp larvae

more mature pine cone oak gall

 

snowberry clearwing moth on garden phlox

double-crested cormorant