Borden Wetlands

The photo of the mink that I had wished for had already eluded me. I'd seen the mink working its way through the undergrowth and then over fallen branches, but it was moving too fast and in the wrong direction. I was still hopeful of some photos of the belted kingfishers though, but I had to choose a different tree stump this time. I knew that I wouldn't be able to get close enough for any photos showing feather detail, but perhaps using faster shutter speeds, I'd be lucky enough to capture some distant photos of the kingfishers in flight.  I needed a position that would enable me to stay hidden in the area that the kingfishers were fishing, and I'd found the perfect location. Another grassy, dead tree stump of an island that could only be reached by wading through the swampy water, which was littered with hidden slippery branches. One female belted kingfisher was working her way around the Wetlands. She was flying from branch to branch. I guess also a little like mysel

As I mentioned in my previous post; I had found the perfect hiding place. Sneaking up to a dead tree stump, keeping a straight line between myself the stump and my target, I was able to keep out of sight. Sight is of course extremely important for the birds in the Wetlands for their own safety. Hawks are never far away.  And they occasionally hunt in numbers. I have become a regular visitor to the Wetlands and I'm gradually being accepted by the mallards and geese there, although new arrivals are not so willing to accept my proximity. Hence the need for a little camouflage.  The dead tree stump in the foreground could not have been better located. It was just large enough to hide behind and even had a small ledge to rest my camera lens on. I happily hid there and snapped photos of three male wood ducks that morning. The male wood ducks showed so much contrast in their plumage. And with the sunlight breaking through the cloud cover, they really stood out against their surroundings.

The first signs of frost in the mornings heralded a change of colours in the trees and bushes.  The sun no longer burned but provided a pleasant warmth, and thank goodness, there were next to no mosquitoes. I have to say that fall is undoubtedly my favourite time of the year. Warblers had been making their return journey south for their winter. Feeding on the insects that were plentiful on the sunbathed bushes that edge the Wetlands. And that is where this common yellowthroat was found. I also came across a blue-headed vireo that did not seem perturbed at all by what it had found.  A stinkbug! A female magnolia warbler. And a yellow-rumped warbler of which there were many. They tended to congregate with these white-throated sparrows. Warblers are currently still moving southward through Ontario. This is a black-throated blue warbler from a few days ago. Golden-crowned kinglets were also working through the woodland. Passing through the Wetlands was a new bird for me. This is a female.