04-APR-2016
Cocoon
I am fairly certain that this is the cocoon of an Ichneumonid wasp in the subfamily Campopleginae. Wasps in this group are endoparasitoids, usually on moth caterpillars. This is an interesting and complex form of parasitism. I have found similar, or most likely the same cocoons all over the region on a variety of plants. Sometimes the cocoons hang by a slender but strong thread, other times they are attached like this one, along their length.
04-APR-2016
White-breasted nuthatch
Enjoying the peanut feeder in the Backyard Garden of the Fletcher Wildlife Garden. Natural food sources are much more scarce at this time of year, so the birds appreciate the bounty on offer at the garden.
04-APR-2016
Red oak buds (Quercus rubra)
Soon, soon, there will be leaves! Well, it may be another month yet, but they are coming.
04-APR-2016
Groundhog (Marmota monax)
A second groundhog, this one peering anxiously out of its burrow, hoping it is safe to come out and continue eating. Or at least, that is what I interpret this look as saying!
04-APR-2016
Willow catkins
Bursting out now and soon will be attracting bees, flies and other pollinators.
04-APR-2016
Groundhog (Marmota monax)
You know it is really spring when the groundhogs come out of deep hibernation! Unlike chipmunks, another member of the squirrel family, Sciuridae, the groundhog, or marmot, goes into a deep winter sleep, true hibernation, like bears. Now they are awake and hungry. These chunky vegetarians browse on a variety of plant matter as well as fruit.
04-APR-2016
Birds at the feeder
The feeder is a popular spot to see a variety of birds, such as here: northern cardinal, house finch, black-capped chickadee, downy woodpecker.
04-APR-2016
Northern cardinal and house finch, males
Happily making use of the feeder in the Backyard Garden section of the Fletcher Wildlife Garden. Both species stay year-round, but in winter will form small, same species flocks, with up to 8 cardinals, male and female being found. For awhile, we would regularly see flocks of 40+ house finches in winter, but these years, we see only small numbers.
04-APR-2016
Eastern phoebe
Always the first flycatcher to return, this species has been back for a week or two already, even while there was still snow on the ground. There were two today at the garden, but very active, swooping down to pick up or investigate something on the ground then flying to a perch further off. I couldn't get near enough to get a non-fuzzy photo, so this is just a 'for-the-record' shot.
04-APR-2016
Dark-eyed junco
While lots of these birds overwinter, they are joined in spring by migrants and large numbers can be both seen and heard, both at the garden and throughout our area. They don't nest at FWG, but they do nest in small numbers in the vicinity of Ottawa, with greater numbers west and north of us.
04-APR-2016
Song sparrow
This is a common migrant which breeds in the region and at the Fletcher Wildlife Garden. We usually have around 4 pairs nesting at the garden, sometimes more, sometimes fewer. They nest either on the ground in thickets of dog-strangling vines, or low in shrubs, particularly red osier dogwoods.
04-APR-2016
Pine siskin
Another view of a pine siskin, this one also in the Backyard Garden area of the Fletcher Wildlife Garden.
