Monday 31 December 2012

THE LYNX'S BACK

 This Lynx seems to be a more roving one today. December 31, 2012

10 a.m. December 31, 2012

It had spent some time on the step.

It had watched one Ruffed Grouse in a spruce tree for a while.

From here it turned left and loped off toward the sawmill.

Saturday 29 December 2012

ANOTHER YEAR OF BIRDS, 2012

MY 2012 BIRD LIST FOR NIPIGON AREA

JANUARY

  1. Black-capped Chickadee
  2. Common Redpoll
  3. Hairy Woodpecker
  4. Red-breasted Nuthatch
  5. Pine Grosbeak
  6. Downy Woodpecker
  7. Evening Grosbeak
  8. Blue Jay
  9. American Goldfinch
  10. Ruffed Grouse
  11. Raven
  12. Purple Finch
  13. Canada Jay (Gray Jay)
  14. Pine Sisken
  15. European Starling
  16. Crow
  17. Hoary Redpoll
  18. Rock Dove

    FEBRUARY
  19. Northern Shrike
  20. Bald Eagle

    MARCH
  21. Herring Gull
  22. Saw-Whet Owl
  23. Dark- eyed Junco
  24. Tree Sparrow
  25. Red -Winged Blackbird
  26. Robin
  27. Hooded Merganzer
  28. Goldeneye
  29. Greater Scaup
  30. Common Merganzer
  31. American Woodcock
  32. Barred Owl
  33. House Sparrow (Thunder Bay)
  34. Pileated Woodpecker
  35. Ring- billed Gull
  36. Fox Sparrow
  37. Grackle
  38. Mallard Duck
  39. Canada Goose

    APRIL
  40. Double Breasted Cormorant
  41. Yellow shafted Flicker
  42. Great Blue Heron
  43. White throat Sparrow
  44. Kestrel
  45. Perigrine Falcon
  46. Ruby Crown Kinglet

    MAY
  47. Merlin
  48. Savannah Sparrow
  49. Song Sparrow
  50. White Crown Sparrow
  51. Nashville Warbler
  52. Chipping Sparrow
  53. Harris Sparrow
  54. Turkey Vulture
  55. Tree Swallow
  56. Barn Swallow
  57. Tundra Swan
  58. Cooper's Hawk
  59. House Finch
  60. Greater Yellowlegs
  61. Lesser Yellowlegs
  62. Dunlin
  63. Hudsonian Godwit
  64. White Pelican
  65. Palm Warbler
  66. Trumpeter Swan
  67. Blue-wing Teal
  68. Ring- necked Duck
  69. Lesser Scaup
  70. Northern Harrier
  71. Widgeon
  72. Spotted Sandpiper
  73. Ruby Throated Hummingbird
  74. Sandhill Crane
  75. Black- throated Green Warbler
  76. Ovenbird
  77. Myrtle Warbler
  78. Semi palmated Plover
  79. Bufflehead
  80. Eastern Phoebe
  81. Bluebird
  82. Belted Kingfisher
  83. Willow Flycatcher
  84. Orange Crown Warbler
  85. American Bittern
  86. Mourning Dove
  87. Killdeer
  88. Caspian Tern
  89. Least Sandpiper
  90. Whimbrels (30)
  91. Black-bellied Plover

    JUNE
  92. Cliff Swallow
  93. Northern Parula
  94. Vesper Sparrow
  95. Chestnut- sided Warbler

    JULY
  96. Cedar Waxwing

    AUGUST
  97. Yellow Warbler
  98. Philadelphia Vireo
  99. American Redstart
  100. Tennessee Warbler
  101. Spruce Hen

    SEPTEMBER
  102. Sharp shinned Hawk

    OCTOBER

    NOVEMBER
  103. Rufous - sided Towhee
  104. Long-tailed Duck
  105. White-wing Crossbill

    DECEMBER
  106. White-breasted Nuthatch

    MISSED GETTING LISTED : Red-eyed Vireo in June so that would make 107  - I have it on my daily listing.

Friday 28 December 2012

POSER: Do Lynx Smell?

From the other side of this country comes this question. At first I thought it might be , "Did they spray like a cat?" No evidence of that, and it sat right at our door. In fact, Christmas morning I had to shove it off the step with the screen door to get out to the bird feeder!

Yesterday, December 27, it was hiding behind the snow shovel by the kitchen step.

I think it was waiting for a mouse.

This partridge stopped ten feet away from the corner.
The behaviour of all Ruffed Grouse changed at the ten foot radius.
Sight unseen they knew it was there.
Now, knowing it was there did not stop them attempting to sneak in for a bite to eat.

Alas, the neighbour's old dog wandered in and everything took off for the bush.

Thursday 27 December 2012

The Fiercest Eye

The Hunting Lynx

December 27, 2012
OR

Ruffed Grouse who's supper was interrupted.

Wednesday 26 December 2012

REDEMPTION

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again...

December 26, 2012

Something softly this way comes.

Temptation

The Capture

The Kill

"I did it."

Going for "seconds"

Anyone for "thirds"?

Tuesday 25 December 2012

THE LYNX WHO KEPT MISSING

I could have called this the Missing Lynx?

It started out like any other Christmas morning and then the Lynx showed up.

He finds my truck a perfect ambush site.

Big foot(s).

Changing places.

It moved to the other side of the house. (Cleaner window, too)

Getting a little creepier.
Two horns stopped by.
Was he in for a surprise!
The Lynx went sailing by me at the window
 reaching out for a red squirrel on the fly.
The deer nearly took the Blue Spruce down on its way to the garden.

This is one disgusted Lynx.

I was just happy the camera worked.

Got a good tail end.

New vigil. (New window)

At minus 8 F. degrees it kept its eyes slitted.

About this time the squirrel became a tease.

Even though I knew it was going to happen,
 my camera was not quick enough to catch it mid-leap.
I just got the back of it when it landed.

He doesn't believe he missed it.

Well, doing what 'cats' do.

Ditto

Feeling better, almost.

Still one itch.

That should do it.

Settled down to wait, again.
December 25, 2012
Lynx photo story
from my house.
Needless to say my turkey was late getting into the oven.
Hope you had a Merry Christmas
BJB

Sunday 23 December 2012

A HAIR (OR FEATHER) RAISING SIGHT

This is a normal looking Ruffed Grouse coming for lunch.

Something is not right.

Taking cautious steps.

Flicking its tail.

Preparing for take-off.

LYNX
Dec. 23, 2012
After the first bird flew off the Lynx got up
 and strolled over to a small spruce and settled down for a nap
 before stalking the squirrels.

TAIL END

One squirrel less.
 It was nabbed off a beam seven feet above the ground.
The Lynx waited an hour for the next squirrel to show up.
I'm not too sure about squirrel mentality
 as it kept creeping down the post and scampering back up.
Sometimes as close as three feet from the Lynx's nose.
When the Lynx did jump, it missed
and the squirrel got away along the house wall.
The Lynx was left hanging off the post
and I didn't have my camera ready!
Trivia: Lynx don't eat squirrel tails.

SHRIKE!


Northern Shrike
Lanius excubitor
December 23, 2012

Another morning predator.
Perches on exposed branch and watches for prey. Prey today being:
Blackcapped chickadees, Pine Grosbeaks or Red Polls.

A very white breast.

Tail held almost horizontal.

This photo shows the white feathers over the bill
 that tells this Shrike apart from the Loggerhead Shrike.
Quote: " Bird watchers while driving automatically scan all overhead wires. The cry, "Shrike on the Wire," means a quick swerve and stop on the shoulder of the road, and varied reactions from the car behind." end Quote. Henry Hill Collins, Jr. page 190, Complete Field Guide to American Wildlife, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, Outdoor Life Edition 1959