Where did summer go ?

Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) - Garson, Ontario - 2014 July 17

Summer seems to have left us behind as we experienced cooler weather than normal this month. While out for a hike in mid July, I found this female Hairy Woodpecker foraging in the remains of a dead birch.

White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) - Garson, Ontario - 2014 July 17

Not far away, I heard the distinctive call of a White-throated Sparrow. The sparrow was busy preening its feathers and when satisfied with a job well done it possed for a photograph.

Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) - Tiny Marsh, Tiny Township, Ontario - 2014 July 18

The next morning traveling south, I once again stopped at Tiny Marsh. While walking along the Trotter Dike which crosses through the middle of the wetland, I saw numerous Black Terns flying over the marsh vegetation. One landed and perched on this piece of wood.

Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus) - Kukagami Lake, Ontario - 2014 July 26

At the end of July we spent some time at Kukagami Lake. On a morning hike I was surprised by a Black-billed Cuckoo which spent a few minutes watching me from an exposed branch.

Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) - Kukagami Lake, Ontario - 2014 August 1

A few days later my wife brought to my attention a family of woodpeckers feeding in a Red Pine along the shore of Kukagami Lake. This first photograph is a young Downy Woodpecker, identified by it's red crown. Adult males have a red patch only at the back of the head and adult females have no red patch.

Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) - Kukagami Lake, Ontario - 2014 August 1

The next photograph shows the adult male at left which flew in to land next to the juvenile at right. This shows the different red patch locations between the adult and young birds.

Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) - Kukagami Lake, Ontario - 2014 August 1

Here the adult passes some food to the young woodpecker which has reached its full size.

Common Loon (Gavia immer) - Kukagami Lake, Ontario - 2014 August 1

Later that morning while kayaking on Kukagami Lake this Common Loon surfaced nearby and its call echoed from the trees and rocks on the calm morning.

Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) - Tiny Marsh, Tiny Township, Ontario - 2014 August 6

A few days later I was again south bound and at Tiny Marsh hiked along a gravel path leading into the cattails. Detecting some movement I was able to get this quick snapshot of a juvenile Common Gallinule as it ran down a log back into the vegetation.

Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) - Tiny Marsh, Tiny Township, Ontario - 2014 August 6

The adult Gallinule was nearby but I was not able to get a good photograph as it stayed behind a wall of cattail shepherding its young into denser cover.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) - Tiny Marsh, Tiny Township, Ontario - 2014 August 6

Along a trail through the forested part of the marsh this Great Blue Heron watched me from its perch about 5 meters up on a branch.