Unexpected Birding at Lester

I went for a walk through Lester Park this morning. My daughter wanted to show me the geocache she and her brother placed.

The cache was intact, so I suggested we look for a pink lady’s slipper that I had seen last year. We were just about to come out on Seven Bridges Road when I could have sworn I heard the bird that I’m presenting about during my Isle Royale trip next week, the Black-Throated Green Warbler. I’ve been listening to its call every day, trying to drill it into my head. Then, out in the woods, there it was – Zee zee zee zooZee. Well, I kept moving around, trying to synchronize my eyes with my ears. Finally – bingo! There it was – my bird!

Black-throated Green Warbler

Woo-hoo!

I wasn’t very close, so the zoom of the camera was stretched to its utmost. And all things considered, I think the picture’s not too bad. Heh – we were supposed to present on a bird that we weren’t familiar with. Maybe I should pick another bird! Nah – one fortuitous find does not familiarity make.

On our way back, we heard a woodpecker, and found this yellow-bellied sapsucker at work:

Yellow Bellied Sapsucker

When I see this one, I can’t say that ‘yellow-belly’ is the first thing that comes to mind. Must be the naming convention that comes from having a dead bird in your hand.

Right before we came back out by the gazebo above The Deeps, we saw this hairy woodpecker going to town. It must have been in a mother-lode, because it stuck around for a lot longer than I expected.

Hairy Woodpecker - Look at those chips fly!

Hairy Woodpecker mid-peck

You know, we never did find that pink lady’s slipper. I haven’t looked them up to see when they bloom, so I’m thinking I must be early. I guess that’s just another reason to get back out there!