Sunday, May 5, 2013

From Spring to Summer in a Watery Flash At The Vermilon River.

River In Flood
 Opposite: White-throated Sparrow. 







Buffleheads in flight
This post is mostly photos so click any photo to view the slide show. But you may want to read the Snowshoe Hare and Wild Cat copy which I kept together in one area below.
Mourning Cloak

Redpoll

Rear view Bufflehead

Chickadee

Female Downy

Close up same

Mourning Cloak

Chickadee

White-throated Sparrow

Mourning Cloak

Chickadee

Rear view Bufflehead

Blackbird

Female Downy

Female Downy

Landing Bufflehead

Female and Female Bufflehead.

Buffleheads in flight.


Redpoll

Male Red-winged Blackbird.

Singing Chickadee.

Singing Song Sparrow.

Same

Buffleheads taking off.

Vireo??

White-throated Sparrow




 I caught these photos of the Snowshoe Hare on a trail which is now flooded. He is just changing over from white to brown. We have cottontails here also, a smaller rabbit as opposed to a hare. When I went to Wikipedia to read up on these guys I found out that they are the main prey of the Canadian Lynx, which explains why my compariots to the west are seeing more lynx's. In short, where you have snowshoes you have lynx. This of course led me to a bit of a discussion of wild cats of the area, and a bit of a one upmanship on Wikipedia.




A post to:Id Rather Be Birdin,Our World Tuesday, and WBW.
There have been sightings of cougar in the area, finally prompting MNR to complete a study using DNA to confirm sightings. Apparently in the corridor that runs up the Ottawa Valley to North Bay, and west through here to Lake Superior, the eastern cougar has made a come back to the tune of some 500 in number.Wikipedia needs to be updated to include the study. Now that we're seeing the hare in this area the sightings of lynx will probably increase. To the west,before my camera days, I've see one one of the smaller cats. The lynx and the bobcat are difficult to tell apart when they're on the move.


Snowshoe Hare.

Snowshoe Hare

Bobcat

Lynx

Eastern Cougar

Snowshoe Hare.

58 comments:

  1. Lovely serie of photos, interesting to study your spring-photos!

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  2. Great post, Gary! Love all the birds, especially the buffleheads! Beautiful photos.

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  3. Hope they stay away from your place! You did get some amazing photos.

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  4. the buffleheads are really cool. and the hare, too!

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  5. Lucky you to find so many birds near your place....

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  6. I have never seen a lynx, bobcat or cogar in the wild. Neat!

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  7. Awesome series! I love the cats. They're gorgeous animals.

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  8. I would love to see a Snowshoe Hare one day, marvelous looking Rabbits, and also one day see a Jack Rabbit. I actually posted a few Cottontails a bit ago. We have Bobcats here, and also Moutain Lions/Pumas/Cougars, depending on where you live, they are one in the same. The Lynx sure is a beauty, but I would not desire meeting up with any of these cats at close range~

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  9. Just the other day, while out birding there was a signage showing us the different footprints found in the area...one was a bobcat. I didn't even realize they were in our area. Great post Gary.

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  10. great captures of the buffleheads, great to see you have a morning cloak already, haven't seen any down our way

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  11. Super series as always, and great info about hares and bobcats, they are the most stunning animal. Hope the spring weather continues for you both, Greetings from Jean

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  12. Always fun to see your pics, you have access to so many exciting species. Great series!

    Ottar

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  13. What, no more snow shots?? You've got some great stuff up there. Love the lynx. I'm sure you are happy for some warmer weather.

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  14. Hi Gary

    I loved the first photo of the beautiful blue open water.

    All the best.
    Guy

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  15. I agree....That first photo is gorgeous. The color of the water is such a lovely shade of blue. That poor little hare. Hope he survives. I am always seeing them dead in the road and it makes me so sad. You gave us a fabulous selection of birds this week. genie

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  16. The blue is so striking. I want to learn more about the bufflehead. Never heard of them.

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  17. Nice pictures, I love, nice collection of fauna of the river! Greetings.

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  18. Great shots Gary, the first pic is beautiful. Have a great day.

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  19. You always have such great bird pictures, it's nice to see your blog.
    Have a great week :-)

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  20. i feel very fortunate that every week i get to birdwatch thru your posts.

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  21. Great series of wildlife photos - I don't know how you get so many good ones. You must be very patient.

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  22. Wonderful shots of the birds as well as the other animals. You have such a diversity of wildlife.

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  23. Amazing pics, also amazing news about the cats making a comeback. I've only seen one bobcat in the wild.

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  24. Another great series. Interesting to read that the big cats are making a come back...just as long as they don't become a problem! Such beautiful creatures, especially the lynx. Did you take that shot recently?

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  25. Fanatastic shots Gary, love the first one.

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  26. Amazing pictures of the wild cats. And lovely spring photos.

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  27. Thank you for this series of photos and for the walk in your surroundings. You are a good guide and you have given us great information about wildlife.

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  28. Love it Gary and thanks for sharing it with us!
    Warm greetings from Holland,
    Anna :))

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  29. These are gorgeous, Gary! Love them all and cheers for sharing.:)

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  30. Thank you for the lovely tour of the Vermilion River, all the photos are beautiful. Thank you also for visiting us at pret-a-vivre.com :)

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  31. Great photos! I especially love the big fuzzy footed lynx.

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  32. spring has sprung and summer is on its way - great images.
    Have a wonderful week, and thanks for stopping by my blog today.

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  33. What a beautiful spring journal!

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  34. The splash the bufflehead makes is stunning! Maybe you could contribute your knowledge to Wikepedia! (I was reading somewhere that everyone can contribute to it -don't ask me how, because I don't know). Your posts are always interesting, Gary:)

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  35. I loved all the photos of the beautiful wild "cats'!

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  36. What a wonderful landscape! And I had no idea that there is a difference between th Eastern cougar and the other lynx! Thank you very much for teaching me!

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  37. Great images of the hare - I'm sure its hoping not to meet any of the others in this post!

    Cheers and thanks for linking to WBW

    Stewart M - Melbourne

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  38. You make a good point about the importance of wild corridors to help the cougars and other animals move and retain genetic diversity. We have bobcats in our South Florida neighborhood, but no recent cougar (here called Florida Panther) sightings.

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  39. hi! Very beautiful post. It's a good season to see birds.
    Wishing you a wonderful day.

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  40. Great pictures of bobcat, lynx and cougar!

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  41. Wonderful series, my favorite pictures 10 and 14.
    Best wishes, Irma

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  42. I've only seen the bufflehead twice this year. But never been lucky enough to see them in flight like you've shared.

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  43. Beautiful spring images. The lynx looks like a powerful hunter.

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  44. I really like the Bufflehead's splash.

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  45. Super photos. You're so good at these bird shots. They never stay still for long enough for me.
    Have a good week.

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  46. Thanks for another great post! I really enjoyed the pictures, the commentary and the interesting information. I've been surprised lately at finding Bobcats on several birding trips. They seem more common around central Florida than I expected.

    Y'all have a good weekend!

    --Wally

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  47. You have a great collection of shots there. I really enjoyed going through them.

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  48. Great image series you show Boom :)

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  49. These are all so wonderful! I've never seen a Lynx. It is quite an interesting cat and clearly designed for the snow with those incredibly fluffy "boots"!

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  50. Great photos and very interesting information about the poor snowshoe rabbit (bottom of the food chain I guess) but the lynx is such a beautiful animal too. I have only seen one at zoos or wildlife safari places.

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