Bald Blue Jays, Perched Hummingbirds, Bedraggled Flickers of the Vermilon River. A Post to WBW.

Resplendent Blue Jay.

 I think this week's post is both pure whimsy, and actual fact. Blue Jays are probably one of the most dramatically coloured birds of our forest. But who has ever heard of a bald Blue Jay? Apparently, they moult and the moulting occurs along their colour bands. The fellow below in addition to looking like he flew into a fan was also amazingly quiet. Unheard of for a Blue Jay, so maybe he's embarrassed.

Equally strange is the rather bedraggled Northern Flicker. But I think he's a fledgling waiting to come into his own. The resplendent shot was taken about a week later in the same place and I'm certain it's him, looking almost grown up.

I like everyone else wanted to get some shots of Hummingbirds, and to that end I feed them also, but by the time I return home to the feeders I'm out of the camera mood, and hence never get any photos of them. So what do I find up a 50 foot tree perching like a normal bird but a female. Then I discovered that these guys feed on fireweed which is now in seed, but next year...

Bald Blue Jay.

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

Just a note: My World Tuesday has restarted and I posted to it some beaver and beaver pond shots. If you want to see them, move back one from this post.

Back View- note the head.

Note the Head.

Side View.

Bedraggled Northern Flicker.

Bedraggled Northern Flicker.

Resplendent Male Northern Flicker.

Female Ruby Throated Humming Bird.

Back View Female Ruby Throated Humming Bird.