Merganser Ducklings for Saturday Critters

We have had a wonderful week finding ducklings.  These Merganser Ducklings seem to be quite advanced in age as is seems that they have already learned how to fish!

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mergansers are fish eaters and fish is their main food. The next picture shows another lucky catch!The duckling on the far right has   has a fish in its bill!

This Merganser Mama has 14 ducklings!  What a busy time she must have!  we were hoping to see all of her ducklings out in the open water and the next day we did!

I am linking today to Eileen's Saturday critters meme which can be found at
vireingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com

Clear wing Hummingbird Moth for Saturday Critters

Our Lilac Bush most often attracys clear wing Hummingbird Moths year and it has this

This second photo from a previous year shows the clear wings more clearly!

year also.
 I am posting this morning to Eileen's Saturday Critters which can be found at:
viewingnaturewitheilleen.blospot.com
My thanks to Eileen for hosting this weekly meme andalso to  those who visit and view my weekly posting.
ingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com

A Mourning Dove for Saturday Critters

We have a beautiful Ornamental Crabapple Tree near Bird Alley and its very beautiful in its blooming this year.I clicked this picture of a Mourmimg Dove posing with the Crabapple in the background.

Although I didn't have many exciting sightings this week.  I did see a Belted Kingfisher near a favourite pond.  I usually see a Kingisher there every spring but this year it did not seem to be around!. However I was so very pleased to see one on the power lines above the shores of the pond this week

I am posting today to Eileen's viewing nature with Eileen's Saturday Critters meme which can be found at;

viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com

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Painted Turtles Glinting in the sun.

On these recent sunny days I am finding many painted turtles seeking out the sun to expose their sun attracting panels on their backs of their dome shaped shell home.

Grey Catbird Today

A Grey Catbird today!!

I had never believed that a bird could mew like a cat until I had heard one.; then I had finally seen one. I always consider it a delight when one drops by Bird Alley, which this little bird did this morning!. . I wonder if our cat hears the Catbird outside? Does it confuse my cat? I find catbirds intriguing! These birds like to nest in wild rose bushes. We have an old wild rose bush in Bird Alley and that is where I had spied this bird this morning.. One year a Catbird nested in our Rose bush, and it played 'King of the Castle' all summer long that season  by mewing all over our garden area while perched on our fence. It was delightful! Maybe it will happen again this summer?! I certainly hope so!

Ruby throated Hummingbirds for Saturday Critters

The Ruby throated of this male hummingbird illustrates the source of this species name.

Humming birds are most often seen sipping liquid food from hummingbird feeders.  To see it’s open be is often a surprising view.

The female of this species does not display a ruby throat.

 Shown above is a female ruby throated hymmingbird. I am linking today to Eileen's Saturday Critters which can be found at: viewing naturewithweileen.blogspot.com

A Spotted Sandpiper for Saturday Critters

I search for water birds at this time of year,
earlier this week I had found a Greater Yellowlegs and I was delighted with my discovery.  The next day I returned to the sae location hoping to see it again.  However I did see a small grey bird but it flew away when it became aware of my presence . so I watched as it landed quite a distance away and I took pictures of where it had landed hoping that I could identify what it might be.
 Spotted Sandpiper
I took this picture from quite a distance and only when editing the picture did I see the spotted breast! This was a surprising discovery for me.

I then edited a second picture and I was able to see its spotted breast again as the bird was taking off in flight.

I edited my second edit a bit closer and the spots were even more evident!

Wonderful, I was even more pleased with my Spotted Sandpiper discovery.

I am linking today with Eileen's Saturday critters which can be found at

viewingnaturewithweileen.blogspot.com

Greater Yellowlegs photos

And of its breast markings and another of its beak

 Now to see its very colourful legs and feet.

Trout Lilyin bloom

This is my favouritewildflower. As a child I knew it as a Dog-toothed Violet, thus named as its root contained a white canine shaped tooth like portion. I dug one up one year to check out this fact. This wildflower now a days seems to be most often identified as a Trout Lily, because of its leaves resembling the spots  found on a trout’s body. It is also know to some as a fawn lily.

Tree swallows looking for a house for Saturday critters

Today I didn’t do my usual nature drive.

There was too much bird activity to enjoy here at home and in Bird Alley and around our yard..For many, many years now we have enjoyed Tree Swallows at this time of year finding our Tree Swallow house and deciding to nest in it for that season. 

During our many days of other than spring weather this year, on one very fiercely windy night our Swallow house blew down off the end of our garage.Earlier this week David had unattached the bird house from the pole and cleaned it out preparing to give it a needed coat of paint.
However a gang of six to eight Tree swallows appeared in our yard today examing our
Chickadee bird house in detail. They signified their interest as they usually do

by going inside the house and positioning themselves on top of the house

or setting on the fence close by, such as these two in the picture above, or by making a few close fly bys to check out the house.

David immediately realized that he should reestablish our regular Swallow house for the visiting Swallows, as we had watched them check out its previous location on the end of our garage.

So our old Swallow house has now been painted and positioned awaiting feathered tenants for this season.

Hopefully we will see a claiming bird sitting on top of the house tomorrow morning. The bird house in the pictures included above are of our Chickadee bird house which hosts a Chickadee family each spring/summer season. 
I am posting today to Eileen's Saturday Critters which can be found at:viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.ca

Female Red-winged Blackbird

We have had a dark bird the last few days feeding on the ground in our feeder area trying to avoid notice. Yesterday I got a good closeup of its throat area.

and I have id'ed the bird as a female Red-winged Blackbird. My Sibley Guide to Birds writes this of the female blackbird "throat often washed pinkish orange" and that is what I have based my id on. This morning there were five of these birds in Bird Alley. I expect to see these birds often today.

A Porcupine for Saturday Critters

I didn't find much yesterday but what I did see I found interesting! This porcupine was a surprise as I don't often see this rodent species. What I found so surprising about it was the soft appearance of its back. It even looked kind of cuddly, however its quills were very visible on its tail. I did some research about its soft looking back and discovered that: "Porcupines have  soft hair but on their back, sides and tail, it is usually mixed with sharp quills."These quills typically lie flat until a porcupine is threatened, then leap to attention as a persuasive deterrent. Porcupines cannot shoot them at predators as once thought, but the quills do detach easily when touched." National Geographic source:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/group/porcupines/
So be wary and know that its soft , furry appearance is not an invitation to pet.

A Pine Warbler in our feeder area!

Early last evening around 6 p.m. I saw a bright flash of yellow in Bird Alley! I reached for my camera, tracking the yellow!

It was interested in the bird food I had scattered on a table.

After I had taken enough pictures and the bird had gone I searched through my bird guide books., one specifically on Warblers, but so many of them had beautiful birds with a very noticeable yellow beauty that I was unable to chose or decide which one had been just outside my window?Then I remembered having had a warbler feeding on birdseed a year ago and we had id' ed it as a Pine Warbler,so back to the bird guide books.... ! And YES! it had been a Pine Warbler

that I had taken pictures of

in Bird Alley.

A Snowgoose with Canada Geese for Camera Critters

I have been checking on this lone juvenile  Snow goose for about a week now, and this morning  I was able to get the best picture I have taken of it all week in the same frame with three other Canadas.

I am linking this morning with Eileen's blog, Saturday Critters. which can be found at

viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com

My Morning Birding Finds

   My Birding this morning revealed nothing new but I did re-find the lone Snowgoose with the small
flock of Canadas that it has been feeding and travelling with

. I found a couple of pairs of favourite duck species. A pair of Wood Ducks

and a pair of Common Goldeneye.

The winner of the most colourful ducks today goes to a male Mallard with its beautiful gorgeous green head, its outstanding colour this morning as it scratched its ear? with a bright orange foot while at the same time it's scratching movement causing it's attractive blue body patch to be shown.

A most wonderful primary and secondary colour show! The white dot on the head of the male Common Goldeneye never fails to impress me with its beauty and its appearance really fed my interest this morning to find more birds but the location of the Common Goldeneyes was my last water area to visit this morning. So perhaps tomorrow might turn out to be an extra special day. During this time of self isolating, the beauty of Nature holds a most wonderful nvational enticement to get out and enjoy our environment. I am hoping to soon find Painted Turtles sunning themselves Soon,but first, a few beautiful warm sunny days are required. And then there are the wildflowers to find . Mayflowers

and Coltsfoot

and Dandelions are now up, next week I shall find my spring favourites, dog-toothed violets, and then soon after Purple Violets,, and the little Northern White Violets which grow on our side lawn. Jack-in the Pulpit grows in the Pines and many more beautiful wildflower species can be fund around the community. Blue Flag ,a look alike Iris, grows abundantly around ditches and edges of fields..
And after wildflowers comes the beautiful study of Butterflies and Dragonflies and Damselflys. The abundance and beauty of nature holds enough interests to fill my entire spring season.
As long as my camera and car are willing companions,then my days will be full.