Friday, June 05, 2009

Hasty Critters

We put out a mineral lick last year and it was a huge hit so we brought a new one up the last time we visited. Red Squirrel found it first and that little tyrant defended it LOUDLY the whole weekend.
This is MINE! ALL MINE!!
I love to bring a chair down to the creek to sit and watch. I have the best success with birding by choosing a spot and sitting quietly for a while.
A mink popped into view. He gave me a look over and because I sat still he soon went about his business of fishing in the creek. I didn't have my big lens with me. He was actually quite close.
Uh-oh! Something's coming!
Our dog Gidget sniffed me out and came wandering through the brush to be with me.
The mink slipped off the log and started swimming toward me. When he realized how close I was he swam under the log to the right in the picture and disappeared.

I sat on the steps for a long time waiting to get this Canada Warbler. I had heard him singing earlier but he just wouldn't come out in the open. Not a great picture, but the best I could get.

My son John snapped this picture of our first ever Oriole at Hasty Brook! I had just set the hummingbird feeder out and in he flew. He took a long drink and was chased off by a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

Another bird along the creek was this Common Yellowthroat. He's a sneaky little guy, popping up for a look, then dropping back into the grass. A little pishing brought him up long enough for a quick photo.

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were paired up and mating. Look at how well camouflaged they are from the back.

They were constantly checking out the sap wells.

I got a lifer that last weekend- the Olive-sided Flycatcher! It is a decent sized bird that would fly quite high catching insects, then land up at the top of a birch snag to eat what it had caught. We watched for quite a while as it caught bees and dragonflies in the air.

I was pretty sure of the id but sent it off to Hap in New Hope for confirmation.
Thanks Hap!
Chestnut-sided Warblers were everywhere. I love these warblers. They're beautiful and cheerful and have a nice song. They also seem quite curious of us as we move about. I can always count on one of them to sit nicely for a photo.

29 comments:

NCmountainwoman said...

Great series of photographs. What a wonderful place you have there at Hasty Brook. I'll be popping back in to see these pictures again. I can just imagine the hummingbird chasing away the oriole. They are such fearless little things.

jalynn01 said...

What a variety of birds you got! Lucky girl to have this place to bird. I have seen my hummingbirds use the Oriole feeder but never the other way around. I especially enjoyed your mink pictures. What a cute little face. Warblers are so hard but you got nice pictures of all. I like the Chestnut sided the best.

Grizz………… said...

What great mink and bird photos! You have a wonderful mix bag here—and a great post to go with it. And you're so right, as any hunter can tell you—all you have to do in the woods is sit still for a while and you'll see (and be able to photograph) some amazing things.

Ruth's Photo Blog said...

THis is a great collection of pictures.A lifer is exciting for sure.Thanks sharing your time in nature with me.
Blessings,Ruth

Cindie Ulreich said...

The mink pics are great. A mink was raiding our chicken house a few years back. We trapped him.

Anonymous said...

Now if you only had a Parabolic Microphone you could hear the squirrel go Om nom, nom, nom.

Susan said...

Great photos! I've never seen a mink before.

Heidi said...

Great stuff Lynne! I love the squirrel's attitude towards the mineral lick... much like that of the hummingbirds :) We have a bully in our yard too.

Mary C said...

Oh, I would love to see a common yellowthroat or a chestnut-sided warbler some day. And that mink - he's so cute! Isn't it wonderful and relaxing to sit and enjoy the nature around you?

Carol said...

What a selection to choose from..cant..they're all great. Love the mink.

www.wildlifearoundus.blogspot.com

Shelley said...

So many great photos - can't choose a favorite! I have to get one of those salt licks now - hilarious to see that squirrel going crazy over it! Exciting to see the mink! Loved all your birdies! Great outing!!

Montanagirl said...

You got some great photos here, Lynne. Love the Chestnuto-sided Warbler. He's beautiful.

Beth said...

Beautiful pictures, Lynne. I love the face on the mink. What a cutie pie.

Beth

possumlady said...

Wow what incredible birds!! And I love the little webbed tootsies on that mink.

Anonymous said...

Mink! I have never seen one of these furry little guys. Secretive buggers. But very beautiful.

Tina said...

Such a nice variety of creatures you've captured in this post!! Hard to pick a favorite..I want to say the mink..but then I saw the oriole and then I saw the chestnut sided warbler, the sapsucker, the flycatcher..gosh, I just love them all!! What a great day you had sitting quietly by that brook!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Lynne, what a great bunch of
photos you have here. They just
keep getting better all the time.
Is there some way of removing
the twig from in front of that
gorgeous Canada Warbler? That is
an otherwise fantastic shot!
Enjoyed the "bird in a bottle"
post...what a great description.
Veeries were quite vocal at Carlos
Avery Refuge 2 weeks ago.
Hap in New Hope

Kim said...

Lynne, you get the best critters and birds at Hasty Brook!! Love the Canada Warbler and Olive-sided Flycatcher pics!

T said...

Beautiful shots!

I've never seen a mink so close - you are very lucky.

I like your idea of just taking a chair and sitting. I will have to do that this weekend and see what comes my way!

Jayne said...

Oh Lynne, that sapsucker photo is NatGeo ready! Love seeing all the cool visitors you get at Hasty Brook. :c) Have a beautiful weekend.

Richard said...

Great series of photos. What you don't get down south, you get up north. That's great for birding.

Anonymous said...

Nice photos! I'm partial to squirrels and that little guy is too cute for words. What a great weekend! I never thought about putting out a mineral lick. Hmmmmm......

FAB said...

Hi Lynne. A quiet sit down by Hasty Brook waiting & watching all your wildlife was just what I needed. Thanks, FAB.

Deb said...

Wonderful photos Lynne! I had a dream last night about Hasty Brook. You guys were building your place there, but it was on the side of a huge cliff, I guess Hasty Brook was at the bottom. Strange.

Larry said...

Great variety of bird photos and I like the mink too.I'm going to try to sit down more often and see if it works for me too.-I may have to lay off the coffee to accomplish that.

RuthieJ said...

Great pictures Lynne! I can tell you enjoy just being able to sit down and watch everything that's going on around Hasty Brook all day long.
Have you seen the turkeys lately?

Q said...

I love seeing all the different birds that are in the woods near your place....I now want to go get my chair and sit a spell with the birds....
Beautiful photographs...
Sherry

Leedra said...

Great post, but the chestnut-sided Warbler is beautiful. He would have been worth the sit, oh, and the mink.

Kathie Brown said...

Okay Lynne, now I'm going to have to come and visit you! Hasty Brook is a birder's paradise!