A Red Fox for Camera Critters

We have been waiting and watching to see a Red Fox since February.  Finally we saw one yesterday while driving past a newly plowed field.  The fox looked like it was in good condition after enduring another winter.

 

 As it hunted over the field it was intent upon watching the ground, then to out luck it slightly changed direction and veared towards us as we were sitting in our parked truck allowing us a more frontal view for picture taking.

It had great black legs! 

I am linking this morning to Eileen's meme of viewing nature which can be found at; http://viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.ca

Have a wonderful Saturday everyone!

Male Goldfinches cming into their golden yellow Colour

We have lots of golden yellow male goldfinch today feeding at our niger seed feeder today. Below are three hanging on the feeder.

Also feeding with the Goldfinch are several Pine Siskins

You can see that some of the males are still growing their black head cap feathers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a wonderful day everyone!

The Ospreys are back for Camera Critters

We had known the Osprey were back this week as we had seen them flying over the river and also over our yard, however this afternoon we saw two of these beautiful birds on a new nest they had built.  A new platform had been built at this site as Ospreys nest here each year and we wondered if the returning Ospreys would accept an empty platform as an invitation to build a nest?  They did , as you can see their nest on the platform when I took pictures of it this afternoon.  My pictures were quite dark but I like in particular the pictures taken when one of the Ospreys were preparing to leave the nest.  The wings of the departing bird created a nice frame in the background for the osprey remaining on the nest.

How wonderful it is to see these fisher birds back for another season.

I am linking today to Eileen's Saturday Critters at Eileen's meme , which can be found at http://viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.ca

A Painted Turtle and Coltsfoot

I love to find turtles in the early spring.  We have a pond area where I can often find a sunning Painted turtle resting on a rock, shoreline or extended branch leading into the water.  I found one such sighting earlier this week and was delighted to identify it as a beautiful Painted Turtle!

Also notable this week was my finding many Coltsfoot

wildflowers in bloom in our yard.  Coltsfoot is the first wildflower to bloom in our area.  Last evening I also saw many Dandelions in bloom at the foundation of our general store.  and although I haven't looked yet but I am confident I would find many Mayflowers in bloom today if and when I look.  I guess those will be photo topics for later this week or weekend.  This is such a beautiful sunny day I think I will go searching for Mayflowers after I hang my wash out on the clothesline.  Its a wonderful drying day!

Female Common Merganser

We have an observation deck in our community along the river and it offers lovely views.  Last evening around about 6 p.m. I drove to the observation area to see if I might find something in the river below I looked and spied a duck along the shoreline. The distance did not allow me to id the bird without a vision aid. However I had my 300 mm lens on my Nikon D5500 camera . After downloading my photos upon returning home, I saw that the duck in the river , all alone, none other around it ,was a female Commoin Merganser.  The red bill and lovely red head made this species easily identifiable.

female merganser near the shore

female merganser out in the fullness of the river mid-stream

Flock of Canada Geese for Saturday Critters

On Thursday of this week past we came upon a rather large flock of Canada Geese.  It was rather difficult to get a large group shot as they were scattered around and about and our truck was parked on the shoulder of a busy highway with me using  a partway rolleddown vehicle window  as a tripod. However I love singling out the beauty of the individual Canada and crop group shots a lot so there are a couple of individual portraits shown here crop carved from the large group.

 

 

 

I am linking today to Eileen's meme, viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.ca

Have a wonderful weekend folks.  The outdoors is calling me and I must hurry out.

 

 

 

Bohemian Waxwings for Saturday Critters

I have only seen one waxwing all winter but on Wednesday of this week we found a small flock.  We had gone into a Macdonalds for a coffee in Nashwaaksis and when we came out we saw a whole bunch of grey looking birds adjacent to where we had parked our truck where they were feeding on the ground.  As we approached them my husband asked "What kind of birds do you think they are"? And I responded, "It looks like a bunch of Mourning Doves.  His response, "You had better look again".. I did and to my surprise I recognized" Bohemian Waxwings!"  It doesn't get much better than this!

It was wonderful being able to see their distinctive features.

Its beautiful tufted head and the colouring on its face

The red wax on the tiop of its wings and the yellow tail

It is such a beautioful bird!

 

 

I am linking this morning to viewing nature with Eileen.blogspot.ca

Have a wonderful day everyone, Happy adventures in Nature!

Barred Owl

This post is for my grandchildren Eli and Tess, who love Owls!
I can count the times on one hand when I have seen an owl.  But yesterday, "Oh Happy Day" we were driving along a woods road and just at the wood's edge sitting on a lower branch of a Birch tree was an Owl!  First I thought I had seen a hawk and I asked my husband to stop and back up our truck.  I took a few pictures from the truck window and then we got out and walked closer to the location.  When we were closer we suspected we were looking at an Owl!  Wow!! How exciting a  find this was!

It was definitely an owl face looking at us!! We had to wait until we were at home to access our bird guide book to id the owl. And the striped breast easily helped us id it as a barred owl! I have a few more pictures to share. I thought  the woodland setting was very beautiful.  As the owl was perched low in the birch it was probably watching for its mail meal of rodents.  We could see small birds flitting around in front of the owl but it seemed to take no notice of them.

 

Each day is so exciting at this time of year.  I think I caught a glimse of a handsome male bright red Cardinal outside our window this morning in Bird Alley.  We have not seen a Cardinal here all winter long.  Have a great day everyone!

A Pair of Mallards

This morning I found this pair of Mallards individually grooming themselves, side by side in the water. So beautiful I thought.

An Early White Crowned Sparrow

I usually don't see these little sparrows in my yard until the first week of May or so but yesterday my husband drew my attention to a little sparrow in Bird Alley with white slashes on each side of its head, so I got my camera to see if we could figure out what it was.

And "Yes!" . it was an early White crowned sparrow.  According to my records it was a month early! How wonderful;! This is a lovely little sparrow to see in Bird Alley. I was then

able to capture a view of the back of uts head which showed crossed white stripes.
We are off for the day delivering birthday presents to an eleven year old grandson and I might be able to get pictures of Coltsfoot in bloom at our daughter's house .  She always has early blooms of this wildflower at her place in March this year, . I do hope the blooming is ongoing today! If so, then Coltsfoot pictures for tomorrow.
Have a wonderful day everyone!

Three White-bodied Fish Eating Ducks for Saturday Critters

The three white-bodied, fish-eating ducks I am posting about today are the earliest duck species that I find in my area.  My most favourite is the striking looking Common Goldeneye and the male of this species sports a white polka dot on its face just below its naming characteristic

, its golden eye.

The next of my favourite white-bodies ducks are of two merganser species.  Yesterday I saw a male Common Merganser in flight.

The male common merganser has a distinctive look with a red bill, white-body with black markings and a dark green head.

The other merganser species I am featuring today is the handsome male Hooded Merganser.  He is a handsopme duck aND I love finding it in the spring!

Here he is as I photographed him this week.  note that he also has a golden eye and he was often diving and disappearing under the pond water in his fishing pursuits.  I

consider him a most handsome duck!! I am linking today to Eileen's meme of Saturday Critters found at:http://viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.ca/2016/04/saturdays-critters-120.html

Canada Geese are Back!

I have seen a few Canada Geese and at first I was finding them just  one or two at a time, but I knew there must be a flock around somewhere and last week I spied a small flock in an open field.

I was also lucky enough to see a few Canadas in flight.