Thanks to BirdNation for correctly identifying the bird as a red-eyed vireo. I guess the text below isn’t too relevant now😏
The Eastern Phoebe is a member of the flycatcher family and returns to our woods in spring. Most of the birds on this particular day remained too far away to photograph. The Phoebe decided to fly in closer but remained in a shady spot. In this case, I think the shadow on his feathers added some interest.
It was nice when this goldfinch positioned himself away from the leaves so I could get a clear shot. He was just within range of my lens and although happy to get the photo, I wish I had had my longer lens with me. Best news of all though, is that last week at this very spot we still wore wool against the cold, today it was 100% cotton!
This female hairy woodpecker was taken in a wildlife garden in the city. We saw more birds that one morning than I saw all of last spring. There was a feeder close by and the birds were taking turns at it. I waited for the bird to settle in a nearby tree and took this shot.
Mallards are gregarious ducks and it’s fun to watch their antics. It’s when you find a solitary one that you can really appreciate the breed. More subtle in appearance than the male but still a handsome duck with a contented expression; out of the fray for a while.
Not sure what caught the eye of these wood ducks but they certainly had my attention. They remained in this quiet cove for quite a while. This small lake in midsummer is a busy place full of noisy mallards. Perhaps the wood ducks were enjoying a momentary calm.
Even though the tree looked like it had been picked pretty clean, this pileated woodpecker still found it worth investigating. Our largest woodpecker, the pileated is always a pleasure to see and hear, with it’s rattling, slightly maniacal call that announces its presence.
These mallards and wood ducks are my first duck photos of the spring. A good number of mallards over-winter here, the wood ducks migrate in fall and return when most traces of snow are gone. Due to severe flooding we have been unable to return to this reserve. We’ll have a lot of catching up to do when it reopens.
