Well, they are not arriving as a team, but the team is building up. One by one. Of course, people that know me will never think that I will be writing about sports. And they will be correct.
Once again. The team I am talking about here is the team that will entertain us for the coming summer with all kinds of acrobatics, positions and colour.
The team of the Summer inhabitants of Manitoba. It’s not complete yet, but they are coming here, slowly but surely.
The lead picture shows the Robin, singer and entertainer with colourful apparitions.
Female and Male Canadian Goose
Of course we have the Canadian Geese, already here for a few weeks, they keep entering the country with their honking and hissing. Hissing for those who venture too close for their comfort.
Ring Billed Gull
The Ring Billed Gulls are also back, loudly disputing any small fish another bird may have found and may be trying to eat. They are a ferocious kind and always try to get to the food first. Whether it is theirs or not.
Dark eyed Junco
The Cleaners of remaining food on the ground are the Juncos. A small sparrow sized bird, feeding preferably off the ground. That the seeds are a bit old and stale doesn’t seem to bother them at all.
Fox Sparrow
The Fox Sparrow, loudly scratching the old, dead leaves to find seeds and early insects. It is a larger species of the sparrow family. Unfortunately, when they are foraging on the ground, they are also an easy prey for cats.
Sleepy Red Squirrel
So, while the new team is coming back in force, the resilient team of the “overwinterers” is still here and not easy to move. Although some are a bit tired by now and prefer to take a nap in the branches, high up in the trees.
Junco and White Breasted Nuthatch
The White Breasted Nuthatch never left the scene. The one here looks very aggressive towards a Junco, but no scenes of violence have occurred while I was there taking pictures. I guess that if they can eat out of your hand, they are not that bad.
Black Capped Chickadee
The Chickadees now keep a bit lower profile, I didn’t see as many of them as I saw last winter. Perhaps they are planning to make their family a bit bigger in private. Without the prying lens of any photographer around.
Mourning Cloak
As for the smaller members of the Summer Team, some have arrived, like this Mourning Cloak, quietly soaking up the rays of the still weak sun.
All in all a nice preview of the summer activity to come. I, for one, will definitely be here to take pictures of all those that want to show themselves. Probably also of those who try to hide.
The pictures in this post were taken over the course of 3 short walks in different parks in and around the city. It is not as if I have been stalking these animals for days on end to get a picture. For some photographers, that might show in the quality of the pictures as well. I don’t mind. The walks are a pleasure and the animals are a big bonus. After a walk like that, I can go back to work.