A Walk in the Woods

 The two warm days we had are quickly fading in my memory as the northwest winds continue to usher in the icy arctic air. For that reason, I decided to revisit the photos taken earlier in the week.

 Bitten by black flies from head to toe, I remained undaunted because of the cluster of birds I saw along a trail in the woods.

 Seeing the flashes of color and hearing the variety in song was a joy. The most interesting bird seen during the hike was the first one pictured. I consulted Bruce M. on this one. He thinks it is most likely a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher without the yellow belly. Compare photo one with photo six to see the difference between this and a typical Yellow-belly Flycatcher..

 At this time of the year it is more likely to see and hear a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, but this Golden-crowned Kinglet was keeping company with a Ruby. Nice to see them together.

 The American Redstarts are especially nice at this time of the year. The female seen above is so different from the male. However, the flashing color in the tail makes them very easy to identify.

 This female Yellow Warbler brought about a double take. At first sighting, the splash of blue/grey under the wing made me wonder if it were something different. Closer look just revealed a somewhat different plumage from many female Yellows at this time of the year.

I swatted flies for two hours before I gave in to the discomfort and left. Here is my take for the day: Find the flies and you will find the birds.