Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Creston Birds

 Creston area was abundant with songbirds feasting on saskatoons at the beginning of august and at the end of august the marshes were filled with migrating ducks, geese and heron gaining energy for the imminent migration south. Here are a few more birds from Aug 7th. 


Western Tanager, female.


Young Robin starting to gain its red-breast feathers.


Crazy-bird-lady posing with a pair-of-dice.


No clue as to identity, though I figure its a warbler as it was quite small.

My first photo of a humming bird, this is the best shot cropped so you can see it, the rest were a blur.
Anyone care to attempt an identity for me on theses last 2 birds?

Gray Catbird, a young one who has not attained the darker cap yet. I was thrilled to hear the mew of the cat-bird throughout our journey.

2 comments:

john said...

Teresa, After looking at a map to see where Creston is, I found there are two possible hummingbirds there, Rufous and Black-chiined. The photo is almost undoubtedly an imm. Rufous Hummer. The warbler is probably an imm. Yellow Warbler. The bird you photographed on the ground in your last post looked like an imm. Dark-eyed Junco.

tess stieben said...

Thank you for your help John. I realize late sumer/fall presents more difficult identification due immature birds absent of mature plumage. It is fascinating to be learning by watching and photographing them though the attempt at identity can leave my brain in a buzz esp when bird books tend to show mature breeding plumage rather than non-breeding or immature plumage.