Every Day in May

Words and Photos by Carol Freeman

A Month-Long Search for Warblers and Wilderness

As a nature photographer, I view May as one of the most glorious months to be outside. Ephemeral wildflowers bloom and waves of birds migrate through — especially warblers. While I appreciate all of nature, I am obsessed with warblers. In the past, I never had much luck seeing or photographing these tiny wonders from the neotropics. They pass through Chicago so quickly, here one day and gone the next, on to their breeding grounds up north. So when fate unexpectedly left me with an entire month on my hands, I decided to dedicate myself to finding and hopefully photographing some warblers. My plan was to go out every day, rain or shine. My motto became “Every Day in May.” And so I did just that, and I did find a few warblers. But I also played tag with bobolinks, witnessed endangered dog violets, helped to restore the Chicago River, and more — in all I visited 28 different places, photographing 174 plant and animal species. As it turned out, fate had a plan better than any I could have dreamed of myself.

The Grove in Glenview — cold, dreary, and windy. No warblers, so I stay around the interpretive center. I see some nice birds at the feeders — and this black squirrel.

Today I’m at the Magic Hedge, on Montrose Point along Lake Michigan in Chicago. Don’t see many warblers but hit the jackpot with other birds. Even see the endangered American bittern.

The winds were from the south last night. If the warbler gods are nice, I will find wave after wave of warblers in Ryerson Woods in Deerfield. One challenge I face is that in this mature woodland, many warblers stay in the tall treetops, out of the reach of my lenses. I follow some sweet bird song to a clearing in the woods anyway, and see an amazing warbler, the Nashville, with its unmistakable white eye ring.

Today is really a nasty day, but I stop by the Magic Hedge on the way to a meeting downtown and catch a photo of this great crested flycatcher.

Another annual May event is bird banding at Shaw Prairie in Lake Forest. I go up there today to lend them a hand. I get to see some beautiful birds up close, including a common yellowthroat (in hand) and a magnolia warbler.

Went looking for lady’s slipper orchids today, but found this crab spider instead, clinging to a cream wild indigo blossom. I am always amazed at what I find when I am looking for something else.

There were storms last night and the day is starting out with rain and clouds. I have been told that this kind of weather can produce a great bird day. The birds are knocked down by the rain, giving birders good views. I wind up at the top of the Chicago Botanic Garden waterfall garden. The place is hopping, literally hopping, with birds all over the place. I see magnolia, Wilson’s, yellow-rumped, Canada, chestnut-sided, and the jewel of all warblers, the Blackburnian warbler. This Wilson’s warbler is just stunning. It simply took my breath away when it showed up. I only got a few shots before it flew off, but what a show!

I feel rushed and stressed today. With only three hours of sunlight left, I head for the Chicago River near my house. I know if I sit very still in one spot for 15 or 20 minutes, the birds will show up. The river is making a nice riffle sound where I am. The birds like this spot. A small bird has flown into the tree near me — a bay-breasted warbler! I have never seen this bird this close before. Leaving the river, I feel completely refreshed, with a new attitude.

Back to the Grove, where I find a painted turtle sunning on a branch. I walk along the boardwalk and scare up a green heron.

I am transported back in time at Volo Bog in Ingleside today, where the prehistoric ferns are just unfurling. The bog is from the last ice age and I think little has changed since then. I notice several articles taped to the nature center door telling of the state budget cuts that have eliminated virtually all their staff! I am heartbroken. While searching Volo Bog for some of the smallest birds, I am treated to one of the largest in our area when a sandhill crane flies by.

I go to Crabtree Nature Center. Hoping for warblers, but looking for frogs and turtles, too. One of the things I like most about this place is the sign they have out front, that says wildlife comes FIRST here. It’s fairly quiet today, but a walk around the wetlands rewards me with a brand new fawn.

Walking for a while at the Chicago Botanic Garden, I come upon a cedar waxwing, right in front of me, in a flowering tree. This almost never happens — birds are usually in the ugliest tree on the barest branch, or behind leaves in the dark. But here is this cedar waxwing eating the flower blossoms. I realize that I am on this path to find this bird in this tree at this moment.

It’s Chiwaukee Prairie today. Here, everything pales in comparison to the showy display of shooting stars. I walk around the prairie and find bird’s foot violet. Next I go to nearby Illinois Beach State Park. Here in the sandy soil, the lupines are in bloom. I hear something rustle in the leaf litter. I follow the sound and then I see it — a beautiful western fox snake. It is shaking its tail, sounding just like a rattlesnake. On closer examination, I see the tail has no rattle. The snake is just shaking it on the leaves, impersonating a venomous snake. How clever! It certainly kept me at a safe distance.

Today, I go to Bluff Spring Fen — I love this place. It has a creek, a fen, small rolling hills called kames, prairie, forest, wetland — a little of everything. The combination is magical, and many rare and unusual plants and animals call this place home. This is one of the only spots I know of to photograph Baltimore checkerspot butterflies. It is too early to see the butterflies, but I spot the caterpillars right away.

The big wave of birds finally came yesterday. I could sense that it had to come soon, and I went to Montrose Point. When I arrived, the place had that feel, almost a buzz. The birds were all over the trees, moving fast. They seemed to know they were late, and were feeding in a hurry so they could move on as soon as possible. With the trees fully leafed out, though, it was hard to get a good photo.

Early in the morning, I head for the nearest prairie, Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook. I love to tell people I live five minutes away from a prairie. Actually, I live five minutes away from two prairies, several woods, two rivers, wetlands, and other nature. For living in a city, I am lucky to have so much nature nearby. Today I catch the buds of carrion flower, looking amazing with dew. A great way to end the month.

Carol Freeman lives in Glenview.
To view more of her work, visit carolfreemanphotography.com.