Hummingbirds

 I couldn't let the Summer go by without taking a few hummingbird photos. I'm sure there will be a few more before the Summer is over.

Olive-sided Flycatcher

 I had been watching what I thought was a nesting pair of Olive-sided Flycatchers. They were always in the same location for a few weeks whenever I visited the area. One, which I assumed was the male always looked for the highest perch to watch for flying insects. The other bird tended to stay lower and used the same perches frequently. Both birds were quite vocal but only using their typical call notes and only once did I hear the "Quick three beers" call from the presumed male bird. I never once saw them attend to a nest in all the times I was there which was a bit puzzling to me. On my last visit there I could find no sign of either bird. All the shots here are of the one I thought to be the female since she tended to stay closer to the ground. These were taken on several different evening trips.

Feeding Time - Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers

 These birds don't just rely on sap for a food source but lots of insects as well, especially when feeding their young. I have watched them take insects in flight, almost flycatcher style. Many of the insects they feed on are taken from the sap pockets they create. Here are shots of male and female parents as well as one of the young ones shortly before it fledged and left the nesting cavity.

Common Loons

 A pair of Common Loons seen feeding on crabs in the ocean in early June but apparently flying back to one of the lakes in the area at night. At least that is my assumption based on the behavior I was witnessing. If they were a breeding pair they would normally be on a lake this time of year.    Chicks are typically hatching around this time in July. 

Spotted Sandpiper Pair

 I have photographed Spotted Sandpipers at this location for several years now so it wasn't a surprise to find them there. I had been expecting them to nest in the same area given their behavior that day, they were obviously male and female without giving away too much detail. On subsequent visits they were mostly absent and to date haven't seen any young birds. I may keep checking but the mosquitoes and deer flies have been pretty bad there lately.

A Few Random Shots

 Just some random images from this Spring spanning the time period of early May until early June. A couple of bird pictures - Hermit Thrush and most likely an Alder Flycatcher - the smaller flycatchers can be tricky to identify unless you hear them.  This one wasn't calling. Following those are Beaver, White-tailed Deer and River Otter shots from a couple different locations.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Pair

 This was the day I discovered these birds back in May. They have since raised a brood from chicks to fledglings. It's interesting to see what other types of wildlife benefit from their tree drilling, from Yellow-rumped Warblers and Red-breasted Nuthatchs in these shots to Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and Red Squirrels among the others that I have witnessed. 

It's not just the sap that attracts them but also the bugs that get attracted and often trapped in the sap pockets. The sapsuckers use this to their advantage when feeding their young.

Black and White Warbler - Male

This is the last of my Spring warbler images from May. I do have another warbler shot that is part of another post that will follow.