Great Blue Herons And American Bitterns of the Vermilon River. A Post to WBW.

N. East Track wetland.

 I'm always hiking in around the East track wetland because they're the gateway to other wetlands. Since it's a wilderness and not a park, the trails are railway maintenance, fire or snowmobile trails and therefore don't always go close to the water. I had also wondered if I would get my close ups of the Great Blues this year. All the wildlife here is unhabituated, if that's a word, and you therefore end up sneaking up on them, until in a frozen pose you take your photos and then move closer in an effort to get better photos. Sneaking up is the key although I talk in a low voice to them also, which just proves I'm as nutty as a fruitcake.

Canada Goose.

 I had seen some movement and a quick flight, and I thought it was some Canada Geese merely because this guy was still in the wetland.

The in flight Heron shots are the result of not sneaking up quietly enough in previous hikes. Still they're exciting shots,and in flight Heron are interesting photos.

 So on my return from the trail I was on that day, I was plodding along and rounding a tree when this young fellow now identified as an immature American Bittern was in of all places,the other side of the tree. I got five shots, three of which are keepers. Quite a sight!!

The next day I returned hoping for a repeat with no such luck, but just before I returned home, I looked in the lower wetland, and what was there but two more Bitterns, possible matures, maybe mom and dad. I only got these two in flight, but what a thrill.

Ed's Note: I had posted the young and the in flights on NWO Birds and James Barber pegged them as American Bittern immatures. Probably the in flight are matures. This is another first for me, and according to him a really grand photography feat, read luck according to me, to capture the immatures.

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

Mature Gt. Blue in flight.

Mature Gt. Blue in Flight.

Young American Bittern.

Young American Bittern

Mature? Bittern  In Flight.

Mature? American Bittern  In Flight.

Immature American Bittern..

A Hike to the Long Lake Wetland of The Vermilon River. A Post to my World Tuesday.

North Rock Face of Wetlands.



Shows the Meadering Channel flowing North




These wetlands are a northern continuation of the East Track Wetlands. In other words the whole area is connected by lakes, creeks, and small rivers which form the wetlands. The wetlands are then increased in size by the beavers, muskrats and otters who dam the waterways. Some of these dams are removed by the RR to safeguard their tracks, but really the beaver are both better engineers and better workers,as they just replace them. The main body of water is the Vermilon River, which all this water feeds into.

 In the first photo I'm facing north but looking to my left to show the rock face, which is of course the reverse side of all those panoramas I normally shoot to show you where we're going and give you a feeling of the height of the hills. Effectively we're in the interior of the hills.The second photo shows the meandering channel running north to join the lake above here ,which is Mystic Lake. The photo below again shows the meandering channel


Again Shows The Channel To The North.




From The South End Of the Wetlands




The photo shot from the south end shows the extent of this particular wetland, and the side view should give you a feel for the elevation of the cliffs to the east. So we're in a bowl here.


Entrance of the Wetland




Entrance to the Wetlands.




The bog shots are the entrance to this wetland. Boomer has a fit when we go here, because we actually cross the bog over branches and small logs laid across a narrows. The mud, which is gloppy, sticks to his coat, and Boomer is a winter/ice dog, not a water dog. But the sun is really warm now and this will mean the end of his hiking season until fall and winter.


Pussy Willows




Close up




Robin




Robin




Robin





The robins and the pussy willows were in the clearing on the fringe of the wetland area. It's interesting that what little sun we have had has actually caused the pussy willows to go to seed. Just as we were entering the trail to the wetland these Mallards flew over. So it's shaping up to be an interesting day.


Male and Female Mallards.



Song Sparrow



Song Sparrow




White-throated Sparrow




White-throated Sparrow.




Nashville Warbler.




As I said the sparrows and the mallards were expected, but the warbler was a surprise as I thought he was a goldfinch. But when I checked him out he's a Nashville Warbler, probably attracted to the thriving record industry in the bush. You can tell he's a Nashville Warbler, because he sings country and western. Sorry couldn't resist.

The photos are not great, but the key id markings are the white eye circle and the white area that breaks the yellow on his underside. He's apparently normal for the area but the first that I've seen.



Nashville Warbler.




Northern Flicker



Northern Flicker Showing Red



Again Showing Red Patch



I spotted the Northern Flicker in the tree and then proceeded to chase her all over for some reasonable shots. She's a female because she lacks the black mustache near her beak. These are ground woodpeckers feeding on ants. Since the soil is sandy, they have plenty to feed on.

Close Up



Turkey Vulture




Turkey Vulture




When I had entered the wetland something took off. I didn't see what it was, sort of expecting it to be a Great Blue Heron which hunt here from time to time. But as I was looking around, four large birds took of from the far side of the Wetland, and continued to circle the whole area. At first I thought they were hawks, but they're Turkey Vultures. The first that I've seen. Click on Photo 1 and you can see his red head. All in all a pretty eventful day!!!

A quick note to texwisgirl: I tried to avoid small photos this time. Boom & Gary.


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


Turkey Vulture





Turkey Vulture



Some Wetlands of The Vermilon River

To the N.E.



The bottom End




Almost The same View




Same View showing an Early Turning Tree

This is by far one of my favourite wetlands for several reasons. It's easy to get to and the hike usually allows for several good photo opportunities, not that I'm ready for them all. So far I've missed two otters, a weasel who scared both himself and me, and several birds, but there's lots of time. I also use it as a blind area where I wait to see what will pass. The wetland and the lower stream feeds into larger wetlands which I call the east track area, an abandoned RR line. The trail is good and the wet earth allows for some tracking . You can see the elevation in the reflection so the far side is impassable except by higher trail. In the top photo, the little island is an abandoned beaver hutch. This is common as the beavers are at the mercy of the water level, which was really low this year. I'll show some other areas in later posts.

This was intended as the first post in the series, but was missed. Now I'm posting it.

Fall Wetlands Of The Vermilon River

Rock Outcropping



Red Bluebery Bush




Lower End Showing Fall Colours

 These scenes are also from the lower end of Long Lake showing fall colours, as all the rest will show fall colours. The first series of the same area were shot in late summer. The natural colours here in the Vermilon River District are yellow or gold from the aspen and birch trees, and the yellow of the Tamaracks. But there are some  maples and oak, but not the quantities of the hard wood forests of southern Ontario. Reds tend to come from the blueberry bushes in clearings which turn red in fall and from the pin cherries bushes or trees, which do the same. Both reds are a browner red than the maple red.I included a close-up of a blueberry bush from the same area, which just happens to have probably one of the last dragonflies of the season. I think that you are seeing blueberry bushes, pin cherry trees and possibly some stunted maple and oaks in the rock outcropping photo which show as the bright red..

Some Scenes of The Vermilon River

N End of Long Lake Wetland



Shows Abandoned Beaver Hutch Which Has Turned Into an Island




Lower End showing Elevation In Reflection




Same



Lower End Showing Early Turning Leaves

This is the lower end of Long Lake, called erroneously Mud Lake by the locals. The summer was long and hot, without any rain which accounts for the early turning maple. This wetland is one of the few that held water and stayed wet, which likely accounts for the game in the area, as animals sought water. I saw and failed to photograph a Marten, I think, because both he and I scared the devil out of each other. Wolf tracks were constant and coyotes were just beyond the reach of my 70-300mm lens, which meant of course I had to have the Sigma 105-500mm lens-perfectly understandable isn't it? I use this area as a blind area because it's comfortable, and when blueberries are in I just sit and eat them. Bird life is abundant, and non-habituated so you have to be quiet. Upper Long Lake is quite a hike about 3 miles one way with an elevation of about 20 metres or about 60 feet, and the trail ends in a bog area which is impassable for me. So, as much as I would like to go there more often,it's not really worth it. This whole east track area is uninhabited. Remember this is not a park, so I am on my own. Boom does not accompany me because it's too hot for him in the summer and in hunting season even with his red vest he looks too much like a wolf.

Next onto the lower part. This wetland is NE by the way, and feeds the lower wetlands.