The Pine River Review: World Bird Wednesday II

The Pine River Review: World Bird Wednesday II

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: Gray Cat Bird (immature) of The Vermilon River

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: Gray Cat Bird (immature) of The Vermilon River: "I got these photos in the late summer as you can see and was completely at odds as to what it was. I sent it off to Science North, a loca..."

Gray Cat Bird (immature) of The Vermilon River

I got these photos in the late summer as you can see and was completely at odds as to what it was. I sent it off to Science North, a local science centre, but never heard back from them. So much for my tax dollar. Then I posted it to N. W. Birds,which is a bird site in the the Lake Superior area that I belong to. This is a knowledgeable group of birders who identified it as a juvenile Gray Cat Bird.
The Gray Cat bird is a mimic thrush with a song that has a mewling sound to it, and may incorporate the songs of other birds. They're not especially rare but are usually found in shrubs bordering farm lands, which is just the opposite of here. So I count myself lucky to have seen him and got the photo.

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: Some Dragonflies of The Vermilon River

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: Some Dragonflies of The Vermilon River: "I really know nothing of dragonflies, except that they feed on insects such as mosquitoes, blackflies etc. This makes me a fan of dragonfl..."

Some Dragonflies of The Vermilon River

I really know nothing of dragonflies, except that they feed on insects such as mosquitoes, blackflies etc. This makes me a fan of dragonflies, and I think they're rather pretty. These dragonflies were shot in the fall so it must be around their last outing. In fact the last shot shows a dragonfly on a blueberry bush, which has already turned red.

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: 3 Female Hairy Woodpecker Of The Vermilon River

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: 3 Female Hairy Woodpecker Of The Vermilon River: "Just Digging Right In There  Her head IsTurned  Side View  Her Head Is Almost In The Tree She is not posed against white t..."

3 Female Hairy Woodpecker Of The Vermilon River

Just Digging Right In There 



Her head IsTurned



Side View



Her Head Is Almost In The Tree

She is not posed against white this time, but she is just as attractive.

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: 2 Male Hairy Woodpecker of The Vermilon River

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: 2 Male Hairy Woodpecker of The Vermilon River: "An Attentive Look Photo Shows The Red Patch  Side View Again they're an attractive bird that is quite common here. I'm alwa..."

2 Male Hairy Woodpecker of The Vermilon River

An Attentive Look

Photo Shows The Red Patch



Side View

Again they're an attractive bird that is quite common here. I'm always happy to see and photograph them.

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: 2 Female Hairy Woodpecker of The Vermilon River

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: 2 Female Hairy Woodpecker of The Vermilon River: "Photos are from the same hike. In the first photo you can see she got her wing caught on a branch. She got it out with no problems."

2 Female Hairy Woodpecker of The Vermilon River

Photos are from the same hike. In the first photo you can see she got her wing caught on a branch. She got it out with no problems.

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: 1 Male Hairy Woodpecker of the Vermilon River

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: 1 Male Hairy Woodpecker of the Vermilon River: "Quite Agile Isn't He  Side View  Back View Larger than the Downy which I have not seen up here the male Hairy Woodpecker is a han..."

1 Male Hairy Woodpecker of the Vermilon River

Quite Agile Isn't He



Side View



Back View

Larger than the Downy which I have not seen up here the male Hairy Woodpecker is a handsome fellow with those dramatic black and whites setting off that red patch.   



Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: 1 Female Hairy Woodpecker of The Vermilon River

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: 1 Female Hairy Woodpecker of The Vermilon River: "Identifiable by the long black beak and the lack of a red head patch as a female Hairy Woodpecker, I found her just north of the east tra..."

1 Female Hairy Woodpecker of The Vermilon River

Identifiable by the long black beak and the lack of a red head patch as a female Hairy Woodpecker, I found her just north of the east track land trail. Up to now, I had no photos of a female. Beautiful plumage colours against the white birch I think.

The Pine River Review: WORLD BIRD WEDNESDAY

The Pine River Review: WORLD BIRD WEDNESDAY

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: Another Invitation: This Time To View some Hairy W...

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: Another Invitation: This Time To View some Hairy W...: "Where's The Snow? Boom and I are shut-ins today because we had freezing rain last night when we're supposed to have permanent snow cover. ..."

Another Invitation: This Time To View some Hairy Woodpeckers of The Vermilon River

Where's The Snow?

Boom and I are shut-ins today because we had freezing rain last night when we're supposed to have permanent snow cover. It's 8 degrees (C) now. If this doesn't change soon the bears will wake up again, and Boomer will need water wings. He's not a water dog at all; that's those other guys the black labs or something. I just heard the weather report about the same temperature tonight with rain and a potential of thunderstorms. Get the water wings Boom.

 Hope you enjoy the Woodpeckers. I'll start to post on Tuesday @ 7 PM EST through to Sat night.

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: 2 Fisher (Cat) at the Beaver Pond of The Vermilon ...

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: 2 Fisher (Cat) at the Beaver Pond of The Vermilon ...: "Note the claws which are partially retractable More photos of this guy turned out well so he's back for an encore, and another little st..."

2 Fisher (Cat) at the Beaver Pond of The Vermilon River

Note the claws which are partially retractable

More photos of this guy turned out well so he's back for an encore, and another little story. To ID this fellow I spent sometime on the web, and found out that these guys screech in the bush, and the sound will raise the hair on the back of your head.This summer when I was taking a rest on the cement abutment on the trail north of the east track, two rabbits bolted accompanied by the most awful scream and I think it might have been this fellow. I think I interrupted his hunt.
 In the same area, earlier that same week, a young fellow with his dog, who had been blueberry picking (both of them not just the dog), came tearing out of the bush, claiming something snarled and screamed at both of them. He thought it was a cougar. They've re-established themselves in this area. I think it was this guy or another one. You can find recordings of the screaming sound on the web.

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: 1 Fisher (Cat) of the Vermilon River

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: 1 Fisher (Cat) of the Vermilon River: "This guy, certainly no beaver, turned up the day the ice skim was on the pond, and here is the story. The hike out was cold. Although it..."

1 Fisher (Cat) of the Vermilon River

This guy, certainly no beaver, turned up the day the ice skim was on the pond, and here is the story.

 The hike out was cold. Although it was cloudy, the sun was out intermittently, and as I sat on my favourite rock after shedding my gear ,except for the camera ever ready to get a few beaver shots, I started to doze a bit. Still alert enough I guess, I noticed a tail going into the log pile in the front of the pond. Not a beaver tail I might add. I stood up and was a little disappointed as he was going the wrong way for a photo. Annoyed I picked up a rock from the old rail bed and lobbed it up in the air and it struck the skim breaking through with a loud splash. Out popped Mr. Tough Guy prepared for lunch or at least to defend his territory.

I think he is a Fisher or Fisher Cat as Americans call him. He is a member of the Mustelid family (weasel) a cousin of the marten and the wolverine. The marten a little smaller has an orange chest patch. The Fisher is normally dark brown or black and may be frosted at the fur tips. He forages for mice, voles, rabbits and has achieved a rather nasty reputation as a predator.

(For non-North Americans, the wolverine about the size of  a mid-sized dog is avoided by all predators- think vicious.)

  Probably because the Fisher is the only mammal with a strategy to attack porcupines successfully, he is also considered a proficient predator. He is being re-introduced in some New England states as a natural solution to a porcupine problem. He was trapped extensively at one time and marketed along with his cousin, the Marten, as sable. That's why the clue was the preferred fur of Hollywood glamour queens.

Congrats Hilke for guessing the ID of the animal. More photos follow in another entry posted tonight at my time 7pm.

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: 3 Activity In a Beaver Pond of The Vermilon River

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: 3 Activity In a Beaver Pond of The Vermilon River: "The first photo is the second beaver hutch. The second photo is the first hutch showing an open path in the ice to the hut. Still no Beaver..."

3 Activity In a Beaver Pond of The Vermilon River

The first photo is the second beaver hutch. The second photo is the first hutch showing an open path in the ice to the hut. Still no Beavers!! So what did I see and photograph?

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: 2 Activity In A Beaver Pond of the Vermilon River

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: 2 Activity In A Beaver Pond of the Vermilon River: "The first photo shows the older hutch with the new hutch in the background. The second photo again shows activity in the pond. Obviously, t..."

2 Activity In A Beaver Pond of the Vermilon River

The first photo shows the older hutch with the new hutch in the background. The second photo again shows activity in the pond. Obviously, this is a good site to watch for beaver which I have been doing unsuccessfully  all summer.
There is an ice skim on the pond which you can see.

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: Activity in a Beaver Pond of The Vermilon River

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: Activity in a Beaver Pond of The Vermilon River: "Active Beaver Hutch  Evidence of activity  This pond is along the east track beyond the wetlands I have already shown you. The pond ..."

Activity in a Beaver Pond of The Vermilon River

Active Beaver Hutch



Evidence of activity

 This pond is along the east track beyond the wetlands I have already shown you. The pond is both wetland and beaver pond as the beavers have damed one end and thanks to their engineering, the pond did not dry up over the long dry summer. The dam is overgrown with grass indicating its age. There are now 2 active hutches in the pond which I'll show you on the next post.

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: An Invitation from Boom & Me to A Tour Of A Vermil...

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: An Invitation from Boom & Me to A Tour Of A Vermil...: "What's He Up To Now? I'll start the tour with the initial post on wednesday night (17th) at 7 p.m. EST, post on thursday night sametime, a..."

An Invitation from Boom & Me to A Tour Of A Vermilon River Beaver Pond.

What's He Up To Now?

I'll start the tour with the initial post on wednesday night (17th) at 7 p.m. EST, post on thursday night sametime, and friday night sametime. Saturday night I'll post photos of the animals. I timed it this way to give readers from S.E. Asia a chance to check the site on the weekend.

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: More Female Purple Finches of The Vermilon River

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: More Female Purple Finches of The Vermilon River: "Even though the female lacks the purple, she is still an attractive bird."

More Female Purple Finches of The Vermilon River

Even though the female lacks the purple, she is still an attractive bird.

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: Bird's Nests of The Vermilon River

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: Bird's Nests of The Vermilon River: " Nest about the size of my palm     The Birds at least re-cycle With the advent of late fall, the leaves are gone expos..."

Bird's Nests of The Vermilon River



Nest about the size of my palm

 




The Birds at least re-cycle

With the advent of late fall, the leaves are gone exposing these nests. I have walked past all of them countless times on my way along the east track. I shot the old Raven photo in this area (see Blue Jays, Crows and Ravens post). And I tried to catch a shot of a rare hawk for the area here, which I did not get. They're sparrow nests I think because there were lots in the area. The second nest is about the size of my hand.  If you know what they are let me known.

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: More Purple Finches of The Vermilon River

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: More Purple Finches of The Vermilon River: "Male Purple Finch  Female Purple Finch  Here's Looking at Ya Sorry couldn't resist the third caption. I've had a bit of difficult..."

More Purple Finches of The Vermilon River

Male Purple Finch



Female Purple Finch



Here's Looking at Ya

Sorry couldn't resist the third caption. I've had a bit of difficulty with these guys because they were with a group of House Finches, which I'll post afterwards. The point being I had to keep them straight, and there appears to be no female House Finches. Either a miss ID or a new species of bird is due soon.

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: Purple Finches Of The Vermilon River

Me, Boomer and The Vermilon River: Purple Finches Of The Vermilon River: "Male  Female   Female  Not only were the Purple Finches intermixed with House Finches but there were more females than males..."

Purple Finches Of The Vermilon River

Male



Female




Female

 Not only were the Purple Finches intermixed with House Finches but there were more females than males.