Chicago River

I thought a lot of foamy stuff had been released into the canal which enters the river just north of my test site but it was ice! Very cold until recent days. Otherwise the river seemed as usual in winter—mallards, gulls, a great blue heron about a quarter mile south, human fishermen, calm water.

A few ducks, a child fishing, seagulls fishing too

Mostly geese, a few mallards. Half a mile south, a gull was eating a large dead fish floating in the river. Fishermen on both sides of the river in this location. Stronger outflow from the canal than last week.

A few mallards and geese. Many blackbirds . Moderate sudsy outflow from the canal into the river

Mallards, geese, seagulls, goldeneyes engaging in mating behavior (a little south of here). Fishermen on both sides of the river. Strong outflow from the canal. Very hard to get a good photo in this wind.

We had heavy rain earlier this week and the river is high with a lot of water coming in from the canal. A few mallards, two fishermen wading.

Diminished outflow from canal into river, relatively few mallards and geese. Several dog walkers, picnickers and groups of small children.

People launching kayaks, mallards and geese complaining loudly. Hawk overhead. Diminished outflow from canal into the river

The usual water birds, cardinals singing, some suds in the river, moderate outflow from the canal. One goose was convinced I’d come to feed him and made it difficult to fill my vial.

Lots of mallards and geese, no goldeneyes, lots of humans, normal outflow from the canal into the river