Birds and bees at Sawmill Creek

Few days ago, somebody posted a photo on Facebook of several Black-crowned Night Herons at Sawmill Creek.  I decided to see if I could see them for myself this afternoon.

Once I got there, I unknowingly spooked one heron from its hiding place and it took off, but at least I saw it today.

Then I saw this Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius), which was the second time I had seen this species.  The last time was almost three years ago in Ivvavik.

SPSA in the centre of the picture.

I also saw a few bumble bees visiting the willow flowers.  I think this is a Bombus sandersoni because abdominal segments T1 to T4 are mixes of yellow and black, dorsal surface of the thorax is yellow, and segments T2 and T5 appear entirely yellow.

Yellow hairs on the T5 segment, and T6 looks darkish (although sometimes lighting and pollen make the colour difficult to tell).

There were many Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) singing and claiming their territory.


There were also some small birds (probably warblers) moving among the treetops that I could not identify.  This Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) came down low enough for me to photograph it.

Then there was this bird hopping on the ground.  I didn't know what kind of warbler it was, but I took many photos and now I think it was a Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum).

It kept wagging its tail and it has a rusty-capped head, both of which are distinguishing features according to All About Birds.


Then there was this Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) that was hanging out with the Palm Warbler in the same vicinity.

As I was heading back, I saw this female Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) diving for fishes in the creek.

Other birds I (remembered I) saw were:

- Black-crowned Night Heron

- crows 

- a Raven

- American Robins

- Ring-necked Ducks

- a female Bufflehead

- Hooded Mergansers

- a female Common Merganser

- Common Grackles

- a Double-crested Cormorant

- a Song Sparrow