Pileated Woodpeckers, Wild Mink,Goldeneyes,Robins, Junco's, Chipmunks, Tree Swallows, and Hooded Mergansers of The Vermilon River.

 The wildlife, I think, is confused by the weather. We've been in a weather rain warning for the last two days.We got 25 mm of rain. To the east, they got 35 mm.To the west, they've got a raging snow storm. Yesterday we had about 100 Redpolls at the feeders, and yet you'll see spring migrants in the photos. I didn't include any scene shots as there are some forty photos here, so use the slideshow and enjoy.

Wild Mink on ice.

A post to: Id Rather Be Birdin,Our World Tuesday, and WBW. Opposite cavorting Tree Swallows.

Hooded Mergansers

 This was a really exciting find. Pileated Woodpeckers are about the size of crows. They and the Ivory-billed Woodpecker are the largest of the species in North America. The Ivory-billed may be extinct, or at best rare. I got shots of the male and female. The male has a red mustache. You'll see the two of them in a later shot.

Geese in flight

Hooded Meergansers

Wild Mink on ice

Raven

Tree Swallows

Female Pileated

Male Hooded Mergansers

Mink hunting

A very welcome arrival

Pileated

Mink running on the ice.

Raven

 Just a note: Thanks to Karen, and Nora for checking on us. Boom, as is usual for large dogs, is aging exponentially. He was at the vets last week. He is comfortable,and not at all in pain. But I know I will not have him for too much longer. 

Pileated

Hunting on the island

Pileated

Male and Female Hooded Mergansers.

Pileated

Chipmunks

Chipmunk

Chipmunk in tree

Female Pileated

Geese in flight.

Peeking Chipmunk

Junco, one of a flock that was near the Robin

Female

Female and Male Pileated-male on right.

Male Goldeneye in flight

Mink on island.

Wild mink

Am I a handsome dude?

Posing Chipmunk

Back side

Pileated through the branches.

Raven in flight.

Raven

Wild mink

Robin

Two Male Goldeneyes

Pussy willows

Redpolls, Ravens, Woodpeckers, and Hunting with a wild Mink At The Vermilon River.

 I didn't post over the Easter week, simply because I took a break. The weather is still up and down with about 10 cm of new fallen snow last night. The photos here are over a two day period, one overcast and the other bright and sunny. The trails are still icy, so I have not been able to get to the rapids. No politics today, but a lot of photos. Google has the slideshow up and operating so click any photo to view it.

Blue Jay

Mourning Dove.

A visit from the Starlings

 A post to: Id Rather Be Birdin, My World Tuesday, and WBW.

Upper River in bright sun.

Blue Jay

Redpoll

Upper River in grey.

Starling

Downy Woodpecker.

Female Downy Woodpecker.

Blue Jay

Redpoll

 The River was playing bells on the ice rim. It's too bad I don't have a microphone.

Lower River in sun

Ice in River.

Open water in grey

Blue Jay

Raven

Ravens on frozen wetland.

Redpoll

Redpoll

Upper River and overcast ridge.

Ice in sun

Sparkling ice

Rocks and snow

Upper River in sun

Female Downy

This shot gives you some idea of perspective, and the mink. This is one of the final shots as he was skirting the shoreline hunting along the ice in and out of the water. He 's a wild mink because he has the pink patch under his chin.

Blow up showing pink patch

Hunting the shoreline.

On the ice.

Skirting the ice.

Same

Same.

 Wild mink are not fish eaters but flesh eaters, so he's hunting mice, voles or Red Squirrels.

Profile

Moving up the ice.