Arista Ramblers

Sunny skies, warm weather, campfires and lots of birds what more could we ask for? Maybe a little more sleep. I think I was just so excited to be back out camping and there was so much to see that I just didn't get much sleep. We had an amazing first week-end away. We were not even to our campsite yet and Duncan was telling me to get my camera. He had spotted a Red-headed Woodpecker while we were filling with water. Well the fun was just beginning. I saw more new birds than I had ever seen and I think the final count for pictures was just over 500 for the week-end. We set up camp and put out some orange slices to attract the Baltimore Orioles. Within half an hour they had come to enjoy a treat and give me the opportunity to get my first photos of them. We toured around for a while had supper and a fire and settled in for the night.
Saturday we hiked the Sugar Spice Trail. I was able to use my micro lens for some spring wildflower photos and Duncan was busy using his binocular's to spot the birds so I could get pictures. We saw a new robin that had just hatched in a nest that was built on a boardwalk on the trail. I was able to photograph a Hooded Warbler. What a beautiful bird. We went to the visitors centre and sat by the beach for a while. We cooked dinner in the crock pot so it was ready when we wanted supper and enjoyed a few hours at the campfire before heading to bed early.
Sunday we biked down to the Marsh Trail and spent time at the look-out. Duncan was able to find some turtles that were busy working on expanding there family and we took in the sights along the marsh. We had brunch, packed up and headed out to hike the Tulip Trail before heading home. It was more than we had expected for our first adventure of the year. We saw so many new birds that I will have to go through all of my pictures to know how many there were. I hope you enjoy some of them as much as we did.

Red-headed Woodpecker

White-Crowned Sparrow

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet

Raccoon looking for a snack

The Trillium's were in full bloom

Yellow Warbler

These little birds are hard to photograph

as they are always on the move

Northern Flicker working on her nest at the top of a dead tree

A fungus along the Tulip Trail

These flowers were all over the park

Momma Robin on her nest

AWWW, one hatched and a second egg is cracking open

Nice pose Mr. Blue Jay

Juvenile Yellow-bellied Sapsucker looking for a snack

Red Trillium's are breathtaking

Female Baltimore Oriole

Male Baltimore Oriole enjoying some orange

The lovely couple came for a snack of orange

The chipmunk and the ants enjoying the orange

I found this birdie on our campsite.......lol

A male Hooded Warbler

A fern coming to life on the forest floor

Female Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak

One of many tree's coming to life in Rondeau Park

Male White-breasted Nuthatch

He is trying to entice a female with an amazing show

He sang and swung upside down for about two minutes

Swampy area along the Tulip Trail

What a tiny gem in the spring forest

Sunset on the edge of the marsh

Sunset through the branches over the marsh

I hope you enjoyed this small sampling of the photo's I took on our first rambling of 2013

It had been a very busy week and there are still things to do before we head out on our first of many week-end away. I was out hiking 4 days in the past week and the weather was so enjoyable. So nice to have the sun and the warmth finally return. I just have to remember the sunscreen!

SIGNS THAT SPRING HAS SPRUNG