Some Views, and Wildlife Of the Vermilon River.

 I was initially going to publish an ecological post, but the weather has been so awful ranging from wind warnings, rain warnings, and a blizzard accompanied by a quick 12 degree drop with wind chills of -24C that I decided to publish some of my fall photos. Opposite River fog, and sun.
Remember you can click for the slide show.

This female Hairy was actually taken today while she foraged in the tree. A post to Our World Tuesday, WBW Id Rather Be Birdin. 

On the Downstroke.

Raven in flight.

More fog and sun.

Sparrow

Wild Sunflowers.

Sparrow in strange lighting.

Same female Hairy, but head on.

Sparrow.

Nashville Warbler in the fog.

Red Squirrel in Black Spruce Tree.

White Crown Sparrow  

Foggy scene

Sparrow in fog and sun.

Berries turning.

The foggy mornings were really cold.

Fog and clouds.

Tasty lunch.

Warbler in flight.

When the fog burns off, the day is bright.

Warbler in birch tree.

White Crown Sparrow in sun.

Practise flight.

Sloppy eater.

More Fog

Posing Warbler

Nashville Warbler in misty light.

Fall reflection.

White Crown Sparrow

Bob & Friend of the Vermilon River River.

Needing a friend to talk with, I decided to check with the local shelter to see what was available. The A/C officer said he had just the guy for me, named Robert.Now Robert is a bit heavy for a 2 year old urban stray on his way to the Northern woods, so now he's Bob or Bobby.

Part terrier, part hound, pointer I think since his first point here in the woods might have earned him 8 out of 10 points at a meet, except the birds were white crowned sparrows. And he jumped about four feet when the flock took off. About 50 pounds just the size for me.

 His age somewhere around 2. He has adult teeth and and his molars are in. Strangely enough his coat is maturing this week. In some of the photos you'll see the black around his eyes.

 He has only a single layer of fur,so he needs a coat which is a special size since he's deep chested and, and extremely long. The coat is Canadian made with a fleece lining and water proof exterior.

 Its been a rough week since the adoption fee included neutering. In addition he of course hates both the haltie leash and the coat.

 This is Bob in the woods learning the ropes. The lace you see is tied to the haltie and an ordinary collar. Every dog learns immediately that he can throw the haltie by lunging backwards which forces the neck band over the head leaving the dog free, and you looking like an idiot.

With every rescue you get an immediate bond, unanticipated characteristics that developed while the young dog tried to survive in a hostile area, and a quick tour of puppy traits that the dog bypassed while he tried to survive. It keeps you on your toes, but is well worth the effort; just look at how Boom turned out.

The shocking thing is the number for dogs up for rescue, all real beauties from throughbreds to heinz 57's.

Sometimes I wonder who is training whom!!

Time for a little rest for both of us.

This is Chemo who I took to walking after I lost Boom. He's a great little guy with a terriffic personality.

See those eyes.

Full shot.A post to Our World Tuesday, and WBW.


Thanks to Andrew, and Sallie for checking on me.

More Playing At The Vermilon River

The weather is all over the place with temperatures of 3C(about40F) to muggy,warm, and then rain. That accounts for the fog opposite, and the odd combination of critters. The birch,below,despite the infestation produced seed creating more food for the birds. This is a long post so use the slide show. I initially intended to comment on political happenings here with our PM continuing to look sleazy, and crooked. I think more people are waking up to what he and his party really are. I think even the resource companies are recognizing what a loser they bought, and are desperately afraid, for Shell Canada donated to a Birds Canada project. I still am amazed they took the money. Even  CN (RR) gave here for a supposed green project. Again too little too late in all cases.To the latest from the NRA in the US, in their move to equip young people with guns. I don't know why Congress doesn't just pass a law requiring every US citizen to have three automatic long rifles with banana clips, and at least two automatic handguns with a hundred rounds for each from birth. This should help the only growing industry in the US. But I lack the room to go on.

Birch seed pods

Posing Chipmunk

Hiding Chipmunk

The warblers are still here and hanging out in large flocks, some in mature colours and others in immature form. Opposite a Black-throated Blue Warbler.
A post to Id Rather B Birdin, Our World Tuesday and WBW.

Blaclpoll Warbler

Chickadee

Nashville Warbler

Same

Imm. Yellow-rump

Yellow Rump

Blackpoll headon

Yellow-rump

Yellow rump showing patch of yellow.

This sequence shows a male Goldfinch cleaning off a birch seed pod in the same fashion as we eat a cob of corn.

Geese

Wild  sun flowers

Unknown

Sun flowers with feeding insects

Wild Chicory

Goat's Beard

Mourning Cloak. When it warms up, out come the butterflies.Or is that butterfly's?

Face to face with a Mourning Cloak

Monarch

Mourning Cloak in the sun

I could'nt get this Clouded Sulphur to stay still, so I shot him in flight. In the second photo his wing is in the downstroke.

On the downstroke

At last, rest.

White Admiral

Cabbage White

Face to face Mourning Cloak

Michelle told me in the last post that the monarch population was down 50 percent.

Red Darner

White Admiral

Cabbage White

I have said before that I don't see many sandpipers. I think because the shores offer too may hidding places. I think this guy is an immature,because of the stubby tail.

Turkey Vulture.

And of course here lies a story. The red squirrel is in a stand of Black Spruce travelling the upper branches. If small branches get in the way he nibbles them off. There are some dogs,with people,in the area crashing through the undergrowth. The female, a Rottweiler, didn't even sense me until she was virtually on top of me,and only then, when I spoke to her leaving her completely bewildered.

Geese

An out of sequence shot