First objective of the day was to try and get pictures of the Ruby Crowned Kinglets that were bouncing around in the bushes next to the campsite. An exercise in futility if you've ever tried! This was the best I got.Ernie and Shantz took off for one of their long walks.......
Ernie took this picture of a Townsends Solitaire......
which he saw just as they started up the precarious trail to climb the hillside opposite the campground. You can just make out a bridge in the middle of the picture. This bridge, which is from the days of the Kettle River Railroad...is now a foot/bike path from the campground to the areas on the east side of the river......
I'm not sure where he was perched when he took this picture, looking back down on the river and at the campground....no wonder he didn't suggest I come....heights and me just don't get along!
this is a 'zoomed' in shot from the same spot - you can just make out the roof of our camper in there amongst the trees.Meanwhile, after getting April settled in for the morning (April is the elderly/blind Shih Tzu), I wandered down to the path along the river to see what I could see......
Chipmunks of course!
and Red Squirrels watching me watching them.....
and one of those Ground Squirrels (Columbian)....expressing his displeasure at my presence....
These Sagebrush Buttercups were about the only actual 'flower'...growing right on the edge of the bank. I found them interesting because of the number of petals some of the flowers had....most Sagebrush Buttercups only have 5 petals although guide books do say they can have as many as the 8 which some of these have.
The Wild Currents were in bloom as well.....and then I spotted, on those big Ponderosa Pines in the background of the above picture.....
White-breasted Nuthatch! This is only the 3rd time I have ever seen these birds. The 1st time was at Monck Provincial Park just outside of Merritt B.C., and the 2nd time was right here on these same trees a few years prior.
Since these are the best pictures I've ever managed of these guys....you get to see a few of them.
As Nuthatches go, the White Breasted is quite a big bird, it also does not make itself known as readily as the Red-breasted. There were 3 of them and they spent a while going over these trees before flying up into the tops of some others, not to be seen again.
While I was enthralled with the White-breasted Nuthatch, there were more of these Nashville Warblers going over the bushes in the same area as well.
Chipmunks of course!
and Red Squirrels watching me watching them.....
and one of those Ground Squirrels (Columbian)....expressing his displeasure at my presence....
These Sagebrush Buttercups were about the only actual 'flower'...growing right on the edge of the bank. I found them interesting because of the number of petals some of the flowers had....most Sagebrush Buttercups only have 5 petals although guide books do say they can have as many as the 8 which some of these have.
The Wild Currents were in bloom as well.....and then I spotted, on those big Ponderosa Pines in the background of the above picture.....
White-breasted Nuthatch! This is only the 3rd time I have ever seen these birds. The 1st time was at Monck Provincial Park just outside of Merritt B.C., and the 2nd time was right here on these same trees a few years prior.
Since these are the best pictures I've ever managed of these guys....you get to see a few of them.
As Nuthatches go, the White Breasted is quite a big bird, it also does not make itself known as readily as the Red-breasted. There were 3 of them and they spent a while going over these trees before flying up into the tops of some others, not to be seen again.
While I was enthralled with the White-breasted Nuthatch, there were more of these Nashville Warblers going over the bushes in the same area as well.The hillside wanderers returned in time for lunch, and then we set out together to walk the path along the river on the south side of that bridge.
The area over here is open, Ponderosa Pine country. That bridge is in the middle of the picture. There is a group campsite in this area and also a nice day use area right at the edge of the river, between this point and the bridge.
This gives a clearer indication of the general terrain. This is generally a very 'birdy' area, but perhaps it was a bit early in the season as it was quit quiet this day.
There were a few Sagebrush Buttercups in flower amongst the carpet of pine needles....
and it wasn't too early in the season for those Yellow-rumped Warblers....there were dozens of them flying back and forth across the river.
The area over here is open, Ponderosa Pine country. That bridge is in the middle of the picture. There is a group campsite in this area and also a nice day use area right at the edge of the river, between this point and the bridge.
This gives a clearer indication of the general terrain. This is generally a very 'birdy' area, but perhaps it was a bit early in the season as it was quit quiet this day.
There were a few Sagebrush Buttercups in flower amongst the carpet of pine needles....
and it wasn't too early in the season for those Yellow-rumped Warblers....there were dozens of them flying back and forth across the river.I'm not really a 'bug' person, but I find anything to do with nature interesting (well except for things that don't have legs).....just before supper that day I wandered down to see what I could see and these....
large black beetles caught my eye. They were almost a blue-black. There were 4 or 5 of them and they were only interested in the Sagebrush Buttercups. I'm not sure if they were picking the petals off of them - it almost looked like that....
I've tossed another picture in so if there is any 'bug' person out there, perhaps you could let us know what they were......
large black beetles caught my eye. They were almost a blue-black. There were 4 or 5 of them and they were only interested in the Sagebrush Buttercups. I'm not sure if they were picking the petals off of them - it almost looked like that....
I've tossed another picture in so if there is any 'bug' person out there, perhaps you could let us know what they were......As evening fell.....
One of the Red-naped Sapsuckers that had been active all day, finally flew to a spot where I could get a picture....of course it was really to dark for taking pictures.....
it was also too dark when I took this of one of the Ruffed Grouse that had been busy 'drumming' all day and most of the night! The Grouse and the pair of Canada Geese that kept flying up and down the river didn't seem to understand 'quiet hours'! Not that I minded...if I can't have Loons calling I might as well have these guys.
Bird List for the day: Canada Goose - 2; Black Cap Chickadee - 2; Ruffed Grouse - at least 2; Red-breasted Nuthatch - lots!; Raven - 1; Robins - 9; Red-nap Sapsucker - 3; Mountain Chickadee - at least 8; Northern Flicker - 6; Mallard - 2; Song Sparrow - 3; Yellow Rump Warbler - at least 3 dozen; White Breasted Nuthatch - 3; Nashville Warbler - 2; Junco - 1; Mourning Dove - at least 2; Black Chin Hummer - 1*I'm pretty sure it was a Black Chin, it was a male, it come to our feeder momentarily, it was not a Rufous or a Calliope; Townsends Solitaire -1; Violet Green Swallow - at least 18; Tree Swallow - at least a dozen; Bald Eagle - 1; Purple Finch -1; Northern Rough Wing Swallow - at least 6; Common Merganser - 2.
One of the Red-naped Sapsuckers that had been active all day, finally flew to a spot where I could get a picture....of course it was really to dark for taking pictures.....
it was also too dark when I took this of one of the Ruffed Grouse that had been busy 'drumming' all day and most of the night! The Grouse and the pair of Canada Geese that kept flying up and down the river didn't seem to understand 'quiet hours'! Not that I minded...if I can't have Loons calling I might as well have these guys.Bird List for the day: Canada Goose - 2; Black Cap Chickadee - 2; Ruffed Grouse - at least 2; Red-breasted Nuthatch - lots!; Raven - 1; Robins - 9; Red-nap Sapsucker - 3; Mountain Chickadee - at least 8; Northern Flicker - 6; Mallard - 2; Song Sparrow - 3; Yellow Rump Warbler - at least 3 dozen; White Breasted Nuthatch - 3; Nashville Warbler - 2; Junco - 1; Mourning Dove - at least 2; Black Chin Hummer - 1*I'm pretty sure it was a Black Chin, it was a male, it come to our feeder momentarily, it was not a Rufous or a Calliope; Townsends Solitaire -1; Violet Green Swallow - at least 18; Tree Swallow - at least a dozen; Bald Eagle - 1; Purple Finch -1; Northern Rough Wing Swallow - at least 6; Common Merganser - 2.
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