Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers

 

Killbear Provincial Park has an abundance of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, in fact I would say it is the most common woodpecker found in that area, along with Pileated, Downy, Hairy, Red-headed, and Northern Flickers. There are eBird reports of Red-bellied, however in all my years at Killbear I have never observed or heard one.

Yellow-belled Sapsuckers perch upright on trees, leaning on their tails like other woodpeckers. They feed at sapwells—neat rows of shallow holes they drill in tree bark. They lap up the sugary sap along with any insects that may get caught there. Sapsuckers drum on trees and metal objects in a distinctive stuttering pattern.

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are mostly black and white with boldly patterned faces. Both sexes have red foreheads, and males also have red throats. Look for a long white stripe along the folded wing. Bold black-and-white stripes curve from the face toward a black chest shield and white or yellowish underparts. Cornell All About Birds

Hermit Thrush

Although Veery and Wood Thrush are most numerous in the forest of Killbear Provincial Park, Hermit Thrush can often be heard and observed. Especially on the rocky outcrops along the edge of the forest.

Veery

 

Veeries are another common bird found in Killbear Provincial Park. Usually heard long before I could get a look at them. They forage on the ground and logs for invertebrate prey, somewhat in the manner of American Robin or Hermit Thrush, peering around, then moving a short distance and repeating the process.

Veeries are medium-sized thrushes—smaller than an American Robin but similar in shape. They have a plump body, round head, a straight, narrow bill, and fairly long wings and legs.

Blue-headed Vireo

 

Although not near abundant as the Red-eyed Vireo, the Blue-headed Vireo is another Vireo that can be seen and heard around the Killbear Provincial Park forests in summer.

Blue-headed Vireos forage at middle heights in mature trees, where they move slowly from branch to branch, searching for insects. They tend to move slowly, tilting the head to look carefully in all directions, then pouncing on a caterpillar or other prey.

Killbear Warblers

Killbear Provincial Park has an abundance of nesting warblers in June and this year was no exception.

Eastern Phoebe

 

Eastern Phoebe are very common in Killbear and we have found nests almost every year, usually around the old outhouse washrooms. The Eastern Phoebe is a plump songbird with a medium-length tail. It appears large-headed for a bird of its size. The head often appears flat on top, but phoebes sometimes raise the feathers up into a peak. Like most small flycatchers, they have short, thin bills used for catching insects.

The Eastern Phoebe generally perches low in trees or on fencelines. Phoebes are very active, making short flights to capture insects and very often returning to the same perch. They make sharp “peep” calls in addition to their familiar “phoebe” vocalizations. When perched, Eastern Phoebes wag their tails down and up frequently.

These birds favor open woods such as yards, parks, woodlands, and woodland edges. Phoebes usually breed around buildings or bridges on which they construct their nests under the protection of an eave or ledge. Cornell All About Birds

Least Flycatcher

 

Another very common bird at Killbear this time of year is the Least Flycatcher. Least Flycatchers are a small flycatcher. Like other flycatchers they tend to perch upright, but they appear a little more compact than most. The primary feathers on their wings are short, which makes their thin tail look longer. Their head is round and is not peaked at the back of the head.

Least Flycatchers congregate in clusters in deciduous forests during the breeding season. They sing incessantly throughout the summer, tossing their head back with each chebec. They tend to flit from perch to perch among dead branches in the middle to upper level of the forest canopy. This is the exact behaviour observed at Killbear during our camping trip.

Eastern Wood-Peewee

 

We have just returned from our annual June trip to Killbear Provincial Park on Georgian Bay. I was fortunate to get an early start every morning coupled with great weather which allowed for some great birding. Most mornings I would have upwards of fifty species. One of the most prominent birds around that area this time of year, after the Red-eyed Vireo and American Redstart which are very numerous, is the Eastern Wood Peewee.

Some interesting facts about the Eastern Wood-Peewee.

The olive-brown Eastern Wood-Pewee is inconspicuous until it opens its bill and gives its unmistakable slurred call. These small flycatchers perch on dead branches in the mid-canopy and sally out after flying insects.

When several flycatcher species live in the same forest, the Eastern Wood-Pewee tends to forage higher in the trees than the Least and Acadian flycatchers, but lower than the Great Crested Flycatcher.

The Eastern Wood-Pewee’s lichen-covered nest is so inconspicuous that it often looks like a knot on a branch.

The oldest recorded Eastern Wood-Pewee was at least 8 years, 2 months old when it was recaptured and rereleased during banding operations in Maryland in 2010. Cornell All About Birds