Warblers of The Vermilon River. A Post to WBW

Chestnut-sided Warbler Fall Plumage.

 In my last post I filed a number of photos and asked help with the identification. Both commenter's to the post, and people from NWO Birds (North Western Ontario Birds) came through for me and I thank them all. NWO birds is a site of amateur and I think some professional naturalists that live to the west of me on the north shore of Lake Superior. They're blessed with all that I have in terms of forest, as well as  the big water of Lake Superior, the largest and undoubtedly the toughest of the Great Lakes. The birds were identified as a Fall plumage Chestnut-sided warbler and a female Common Yellow-throat Warbler.
Fall plumage, the term that is, sent me to the web to find out what it means. I knew the American male Goldfinch changes his bright looks for a duller winter look. But I didn't know warblers have a variation on this theme, in that they alter their spring plumage to a fall plumage, which can be an extreme change. This makes identification all the harder,because you have to know both plummages to correctly identify them. The Chesnut-sided Warbler may lose his chestnut-side as shown here. I would also expect a bird born this year would go to fall plummage directly, and may appear in a flock with older birds in their spring plummage. I don't know if this is correct as none of the web sites say that; rather I just made the inference.

Chestnut-sided Warbler Fall Plumage.

Chestnut-sided Warbler Fall Plumage.

Chestnut-sided Warbler Spring Plumage.

Chestnut-sided Warbler Spring Plumage.

Chestnut-sided Warbler Spring Plumage.

Female Common Yellowthroat Warbler.

Female Common Yellowthroat Warbler.

Male Common Yellowthroat Warbler.

Male Yellowthroat.

The situation with the Yellowthroats was simpler, as it was a gender differentiation only. So with them I have just included the male and female. The photos are almost all new to publication. Both pretty stylish birds though don't you think? The Yellowthroat, male and female is new to me this year. The Chestnut sided is new to me in its fall plumage format. All the information was taken from wikipedia and www.ehow.com/ Further photos of  the warblers, all types all stages, can be found @ http//www.giffbeaton.com/. Go to the Warbler Section.


A Post to WBW@ http://pineriverreview.blogspot.com/

A Hike On The East Track of The Vermilon River.

NE Wetland.

 This hike was in and around the east track as a train was actually using the track for shunting purposes when I took the hike,which is unusual and very inconvenient.

Another thing that is inconvenient is Blogger/Google. I like the new format but I could not upload the photos in the new format's post section, and am therefore using the old format. I also appear to have lost my followers on the blog.

Anyway these scenes show the north wetland and the south wetland. The green hump in the centre of photo one is the track which bisects the wetland.

SE Wetland



South Wetland.




Fireweed




Pin Cherries


Fireweed gets its name from the fact that it is the first weed to regrow after a forest fire, and this clearing along the creek bed is filled with it. These are the first blooms. I'll get some more shots later to give you some idea of the colour impact.

The real concern is the pin cherries, not that they're ripe, but that they're eaten already. Of course the Cedar Waxwing below denied that he had been in them. But you can't believe a fat fellow wearing a mask can you?







A Very Fat Cedar Waxwing.




Fat Cedar Waxwing.




Yellowthroat Warbler.





This is only the second time I've seen the Yellow-throats but they're beauties aren't they?





Chestnut-sided Warbler.




Chestnut-sided Warbler.






The Chestnut-sided Warbler is just caught in a major wind storm, and having a tough time of it.


Great Blue Heron





I've sure seen a lot of Herons, so the wetlands must be filled with frogs for them.


Great Blue In Flight.




Male Northern Flicker.




Male Northern Flicker.




None of the Flickers were letting me close enough until this fellow actually seemed to pose for me.



The Song Sparrows were actually together when I started this post, but separated in the posting. I had commented earlier the heavier tree canopy was stopping me from getting close to them. But this guy sure reversed that.


Song Sparrow.




Red Squirrel




I was lucky on the red squirrel as he like the chipmunk is on all the other four legged animals' menu.




Red Squirrel




Eastern Swallowtail.








Song Sparrow.





A Post to My World Tuesday @ http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/


I'm posting this today to see if it goes well, so I'll put it on Scenic Sunday as well.

Scenes, Wildlife, and Flora of the Vermilon River. A Post to Camera Critters and Scenic Sunday.

Clearing N. East Track Wetland.

I wasn't going to include any scenery in this post, but some how these photos got left out of the Friday post. This clearing was according to local history the site of a cabin, which it may have been as the clearing is very well laid out. You can see the effect of what little sun we've had on the greening in the clearings but other areas are just starting.

I included another shot of the channel which was cleaned out and where I always stop by to see if the otters or muskrat are back. See the branches back in the water, I suspect they're back, but I'll have to bide my time to see them.


Otter or Muskrat Channel.




Chestnut-sided Warbler.




White-crowned Sparrow.





Well onto the wildlife. The  chestnut-sided Warbler was a real find and was in the woods just north of the wetland.


I also saw this white-crowned Sparrow along with three or four others in the same area. That means they're back home now.

Female Goldfinch



Male Goldfinch.





And of course no hike would be complete without some Goldfinch photos.


Gray Jay.




This Gray Jay or Whiskey Jack was in the Long lake wetlands actually on the opposite side from me. They're even more playful than Blue Jays. The name Whiskey Jack is based on their aboriginal name which sounds like Whiskey Jack. He's at the limit of my lens reach.

The Raven is a long shot also and at first I thought he was a crow, but the shaggy mane at the back of his head probably means he's a Raven.

Raven



Male Robin.






I always have time for Robins, because they're handsome and such beautiful singers, especially early in the morning.




And yes the female Pine Siskin is fine she's just having a little rest after lunch, and her feathers are puffed against the cold.

Female Pine Siskin



Female Hairy.




I put the woodpeckers side by side for comparison. The female Hairy is recognizable by her beak size and the female Downy by the spots on her tail feathers.


Female Downy.




Blueberry Flowers.




I put in some more flower photos because the forest is starting to come alive in the clearings where the little bit of sun has been able to permeate. These blueberries will provide staple food to me, the bears and other wild life, as well the locals pick them to supplement their income. There is no comparison between wild and domestic blueberries.

Woolly Violets.



Growth.






The Violets grow in patches, and therefore make up for their small size.



A Post to Camera Critters @ http://camera-critters.blogspot.com/ and Scenic Sunday @ http://scenicsunday.blogspot.com/

Yellow-Rumped Warbler, Chestnut-Sided Warbler & Hairy Woodpecker of the Vermilon River.

Yellow-Rumped Warbler

 

Rear view of Warbler

Despite the awkward name this illusive bird is a handsome fellow. I got these 2 photos along the east banks of the river. I say illusive because he then took off leaving me with a motion blur for a third photo. Early in the summer I had attempted to get some other photos of him on a trail south of the east track, and failed because the 70-300mm lens was not up to it, and he wasn't coming any closer. To see my equipment list, click on the equipment list in the archives sidebar. These trails will become more familiar to you over time, and even more so when I post some scenery shots to give you some perspective of the area. 





Chestnut-Sided Warbler



The Chestnut-Sided Warbler is apparently a bird that has adapted well to Ontario from neo-tropical areas so says the ROM Bird Guide. I haven't seen many of them and I'm extremely pleased to have this one picture. I don't log where the photos are taken, but I saw this fellow on the trail south of the east track, and continue to look for him.





Hairy Woodpecker



Side View



Hairy Woodpecker

The woodpecker photos were taken a bit north of the east track, an abandoned rail line, which is great for hiking because it runs between wetlands, and gives you some safety with a view of what lies ahead. After all you don't want to walk into a black bear feeding on blueberries.

These woodpeckers are common to the area,and differ from their cousins, the Downey, by a smaller red patch, and a large black beak about the same size as their head.