Thursday, November 10, 2011

Water Scenes, Chickadees, Woodpeckers, Grackles, Redpolls And Red Squirrels of the Vermilon River. A Post to SWF



The weather has certainly been on again, and off again. With warmer temperatures came rain, and frost with the cooler temperatures. The other day I got snowed on, sleeted on and rained on. All within a twenty minute period. The water photos are my attempt to show the Rapids in flood. To pre-answer a question, you can canoe or kayak the Vermilon to its headwaters, about 200 or so miles north of me. You could equally  go west until it empties into Lake Huron, one of the Great Lakes. You're not going to see many people either way, but more to west as it gets closer to Lake Huron.

The backwash makes for an interesting visual. Can you shoot the rapids? Not a good idea I think when it is high like this.

In a canoe or kayak, you would normally use the side rapids to cut down the distance of the portage. But now  the water here would sweep you into the chute.

You can see how high the water is leaping.

The concrete appearing in this photo is part of the old bridge abutment. The whole trail is an abandoned rail line.

The Vermilon in flood creates all sorts of little backwaters, which provide food and shelter to wildlife.

Black-capped Chickadees are plentiful, but difficult to shoot, because they're flighty.

But they can look stately when you capture them.

From stately to the village clown in five seconds.

I was transferring photos from memory cards to my new hard drive and found this Male Hairy Woodpecker.

The same for the shots of the female Goldfinch and the Common Grackle below.

Looks a little demented doesn't he?

The Redpolls have arrived as I mentioned in a previous post. Opposite is the female.

Not to be outdone, this is the male.

I disturbed this red squirrel as I rounded a corner in the trail. You can see the tongue lashing that I got.  He suffers from a severe case of the "cutes", doesn't he? A Post to SWF @ http://skyley.blogspot.com/

20 comments:

  1. he does! and i love those redpolls! keep 'em coming!

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  2. I love the running water images Gary (I can almost hear it))and your wonderful birds are a delight to see... and a cutie to finish..Lovely to see.

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  3. Great photos Gary! The water looks so powerful.

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  4. Great pics, Gary, the gushing water is amazing and the bird shots as well, haven't seen any redpolls as yet, soon I hope..the weather sure has been off and on eh!!

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  5. Terrific captures as always, Gary. The water does indeed look so powerful! And that little guy does indeed have a serious case of the "cutes"! I love it! Hope you have a great weekend!

    Sylvia

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  6. That sure is high water! I would not want to be out on it! I agree about the grackle looking demented!! That squirrel is cute, even if his language should be censored!

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  7. your water images are amazing. but of course i always love your furry captures.

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  8. Great shots Gary. Love that little squirrel. In my younger days, I would have wanted to shoot the rapids!

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  9. Beautiful shots of great variety.

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  10. Ah yes - "strom' - must be the blogging gods getting back for teasing you about 'feer'!

    SM

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  11. Hi Gary

    Great pictures. The water seems to be quite wild. Your animal pictures are lovely as always! The squirrel is so cute!

    Greetings and have a nice weekend
    Yvonne and Raphael

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  12. Hello!

    Thank you so much for your sweet comment on my post! I am so glad to be back here and look at your great pictures! I like the little crazy crow!

    Big hugs from Indiana
    Leontien

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  13. Hello Gary,
    What a great photo's. We don't have wilde rivers or mountains overhere we have only a flat landcape. Thanks for sharing.
    Have a nice weekend
    Marijke

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  14. Never seen the Redpolls - very lovely shots - and a great series, as always.

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  15. Hi Gary

    The shots of the rapids are great. It is wonderful how you always find something new to show us. The grackle does look like he has attitude and the squirrel with it's paws on it's tummy is pretty cute.

    Hi to Boomer.

    Regards
    Guy

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  16. Another amazing set of shots! So glorious.

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