Yesterday, after a heavy morning frost, it warmed up to about 12ºC in late afternoon.  I noticed that some bugs were flying and heard some different birdsongs.   So we set out on the pursuit of the elusive migrant (Central and South America) spring warblers that either nest here or stop over on their way up to the boreal forests.

This is what we photographed:

Yes!   A chestnut sided Warbler flitting from branch to branch, searching for bugs in the Aspens.

Then I briefly saw an American Redstart.   No snapshot though, just a blurry mess of branches locating where it had been!

Then this fellow landed briefly …

Then along Riverside Drive I saw this bird.  I could hardly believe it!  First time in 20 years of retirement living in Britt!  It was flitting quickly from branch to branch, maybe gleaning bugs in the emerging buds of the Aspens.

black head and wing striping are give aways:

Although the white eyebrows are suppressed I think that this is a female version of the RBG seen in the same location a day earlier.

Tree swallow on a wire over Ken B’s lawn:

Remember that Hairy Woodpecker’s nest … a few weeks ago?   I saw the male flitting around it and then saw this female emerging to fly away.   I don’t know why the “moustache” is so orange coloured.

On our way home we saw this Brown Thrasher lounging around in this Aspen tree.  Click on the Typical Voice on the above link to hear the variety of voices that this bird has.

On a nearby lawn searching for morsels:

Earlier I had noticed that some of the Trout Lilies had well developed seed heads and wondered about pollination.  Yesterday we (finally) saw this bumblebee quickly visiting Trout Lilies in clumps.

And, speaking of trout lilies:

I am thinking of putting the red dot sight on the big lens to help find elusive birdies flitting in and out of sight  in the branches.  Worth a try.

I will have about a week to photograph warblers as they are almost impossible to find once the leaves are fully out.

Lotsa fun!