A Bit Of Sun At The Vermilon River. A Post to MWT and WBW.

This hike took place over Friday, an extremely cold day and Saturday which was sunny and warm. The sky is from Friday, and again the adage played true as the day was plain miserable, that damp cold which is so unlike here. REMEMBER TO CLICK ON ANY PHOTO TO ENLARGE AND WATCH THE SLIDE SHOW.

Saturday was warm and prompted me to visit the East Track wetlands, another abandoned track, although a portion is still used for shunting purposes.

This is the East Track wetland on the north side of the track. The wetland is still frozen, and the water level is very low.

Another view of the wetland. The track is another favourite trail of mine.

Another view

The weather is bouncing around as today it is snowing so the migration appears stalled. I'll just use captions for the next photos.

Close Up Canada Geese.

Canada Geese

This guy is so crabby that you may see the first Geese divorce in history. 

This pair is getting along alright.

I'm still getting Pine Sisken visiting the feeders.

Pine Siskens.

For some reason I usually have trouble getting photos of Mallards, but not this year.

Male Mallard Feeding.

Ring-billed Gull- There's still ice around the River.

Raven In Flight.

Raven In Flight.

Northern Crow.

Song Sparrow.

Song Sparrow.

Song Sparrow.

Red Squirrel

Red Squirrel

He's just stopping for a little rest. A Post to MWT@ http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/ and WBW @ http://pineriverreview.blogspot.com/

That's all Folks!!

Various Birds of The Vermilon River. A Post to Camera Critters And Scenic Sunday.

Song Sparrow

Despite the unstable weather I've done a bit of hiking although not nearly so much as I wanted to.
These shots were taken along the fringe of the east track wetlands.


The song sparrow is a favourite of mine, and lives on the fringe of the wetlands.

Red-winged Blackbird



Raven With Prey.





I caught the Red-winged Blackbird high in a tree which is unusual as they are normally in the wetland. Then I stumbled into some Ravens and caught them in flight, and, on the right, returning from a raid on a smaller bird's nest. You can click to enlarge the photos as usual.

Raven In Flight.



A Pair of Canada Geese




Canada Goose






These Geese were on land and I think send there to keep me away from the wetland. As I said in earlier posts the rains have flooded out their nesting sites, I think, on the Vermilon River, and I've been looking for them.

They took off and that's the same geese landing below.





Landing In Tandem





Not a bad landing flying so close together. But I'm  certain the pair below need to practise some more.

Bad Take Off or Landing.

Standing Around



Still Standing Around




With Goslings




This is what it was all about. They, the geese, outmanoeuvred me as I was directly above them at one point, but I didn't see any goslings. The geese on land were send to ward me off if I got too close. Once I was far enough away, they joined the elders and out came the goslings.


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

Part One. A Hike on the West Side of the Vermilon River, along the Abanboned RR Track. A Post to Skywatch.

A Few Clouds, But Generally Bright



Now these Cumulus are building and Darkening.



Starting off it was a bright day with a few clouds, but as the day went on the clouds built up and darkened, a hint of the next few days when we actually had a rain storm warning. But we're going to continue because we've got cabin fever, and a fair distance to cover along side the west side of the river on the abandoned rail track.

The upper river.

Our Crow.



Male Purple Finch




Female Hairy Woodpecker



We were not about to leave without a fairwell to our crow. By the way the river scene is from the upper river just indicating the lack of ice. We won't be going that way today. We'll cut across an active track and use a RR maintenance road which is always good for something and sometimes a bear. This time we got the Purple Finch and the female Hairy Woodpecker, not a bad beginning. After them the trail went quiet and I thought bear, but Boom didn't pick up a scent at all.


Canada Geese In Flight




Geese in Flight






As the river was coming in sight these Canada Geese came tearing in honking all the time. 

Sparrow




Sparrow




Sparrow

 There were lots of Sparrows around. I think the one above may be an immature White-crown, while the one in the reeds, and the branches are Song Sparrows. If I'm wrong, some one will correct us.



Sparrow





Preening Ring-bill



Still Preening





Tree Fungus

The River Ring-billed Gulls are always active, and the tree fungus is a really interesting looking one.

A Post to Skywatch Friday @ http://skyley.blogspot.com/  I'll post Part 2 to Camera Critters and Scenic Sunday.