Fall Festival at Mud Lake (part 1)
September 6th, 2016
After a summer spent photographing insects in the wilds of Marlborough Forest, it's back to birds, and back to the most well-known nature lovers' haunt in Ottawa: Mud Lake.
Black-and-White Warbler
Jon Ruddy sent notice on the 21st of August that a deluge was coming the next morning. A cold front was coming through, encouraging countless songbirds to get a move on southward. He was right. I arrived the next morning to find the trees off Cassels Road positively dripping with birds (though alas, much less so after a young Sharp-Shinned Hawk flew by. They were still around, of course, but all took cover in dense undergrowth.) That was a binoculars day. I came back two days later armed with my camera, and happily, found that the migrant activity was still excellent.
1680x1050 wallpaper
Of course some of the locals wanted their pictures taken too. This male cardinal was singing as proudly as ever despite his territory being overrun with vagrants, and despite his annual molt causing him to look a bit scraggly. Elsewhere I spotted a very young, just-fledged cardinal, probably from its parents' second brood this year.
Taking a side trail in the woods I stumbled upon a popular birdbath. It was a muddy inlet of the pond with hanging and fallen branches leaning all over--perfect for little birds to carefully make their way down to the shallow water. It reminded me of that magical spot in Costa Rica where Johan took us. I knelt there awhile, but though birds periodically materialized in the upper branches and descended partway, they were hesitant to actually bathe in front of me. Only this Black-Throated Green Warbler had the nerve.
1680x1050 wallpaper
Pictured below, a Scarlet Tanager, one of the didn't-quite-dares who lingered in the trees above the bath. Only mature male Scarlet Tanagers are actually scarlet, and only in the breeding season. This one is probably a female.
1680x1050 wallpaper
September 6th, 2016
After a summer spent photographing insects in the wilds of Marlborough Forest, it's back to birds, and back to the most well-known nature lovers' haunt in Ottawa: Mud Lake.
Black-and-White Warbler
Jon Ruddy sent notice on the 21st of August that a deluge was coming the next morning. A cold front was coming through, encouraging countless songbirds to get a move on southward. He was right. I arrived the next morning to find the trees off Cassels Road positively dripping with birds (though alas, much less so after a young Sharp-Shinned Hawk flew by. They were still around, of course, but all took cover in dense undergrowth.) That was a binoculars day. I came back two days later armed with my camera, and happily, found that the migrant activity was still excellent.
1680x1050 wallpaper
Of course some of the locals wanted their pictures taken too. This male cardinal was singing as proudly as ever despite his territory being overrun with vagrants, and despite his annual molt causing him to look a bit scraggly. Elsewhere I spotted a very young, just-fledged cardinal, probably from its parents' second brood this year.
Taking a side trail in the woods I stumbled upon a popular birdbath. It was a muddy inlet of the pond with hanging and fallen branches leaning all over--perfect for little birds to carefully make their way down to the shallow water. It reminded me of that magical spot in Costa Rica where Johan took us. I knelt there awhile, but though birds periodically materialized in the upper branches and descended partway, they were hesitant to actually bathe in front of me. Only this Black-Throated Green Warbler had the nerve.
1680x1050 wallpaper
Pictured below, a Scarlet Tanager, one of the didn't-quite-dares who lingered in the trees above the bath. Only mature male Scarlet Tanagers are actually scarlet, and only in the breeding season. This one is probably a female.
1680x1050 wallpaper
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ilanikhan
September 6th, 2016 at 9:20 am
Stunning! I am really enjoying the look with the branches in the foreground.
Mike
September 6th, 2016 at 4:12 pm
The B&W is a great catch!
mustangsallie
September 6th, 2016 at 5:23 pm
Warblers come in such a variety of types and they are all adorable little birds.
I didnt realize that the Scarlet Tanager is not always scarlet. Interesting. Great shots, as usual.