05-AUG-2010
Rose-breasted grosbeak
These guys are everywhere lately, as both Jeewa and I have noticed. This looks like a juvenile male. Many of them are enjoying the various fruits, in particular they seem to relish that of the Canada elderberry which never keeps its fruit for long once it ripens. In addition to grosbeaks, catbirds, robins, waxwings, orioles and a whole host of other birds descend on the shrubs.
05-AUG-2010
Cooper's Hawk
Superb flight shot of this lovely large accipiter by Jeewa.
05-AUG-2010
Brown Thrasher
It may be that this brown thrasher nested at the garden (it has nested once or twice previously). I saw a thrasher several times in the late spring, and then more recently, Jeewa saw one several times over a couple of weeks. On the other hand, it might just be a result of post-breeding dispersal. Neither of us saw any sign of thrashers during peak breeding season. Anyway, Jeewa caught a good shot of this one.
04-AUG-2010
American Goldfinch
"Splish-splash I was taking a bath..." A great action shot by Jeewa of this male goldfinch taking an enjoyable bath. They will take advantage of the smallest puddles to do this in. But a favourite spot now is the new spillway at the east end of the pond!
04-AUG-2010
Young cottontail
This little guy hangs out in the BYG and is not as wary as he should be. He is very, very cute, just look at those shell-pink ears.
03-AUG-2010
Stinkbug (Banasa sp.) on Red sier dogwood fruit
You can almost always find one of these small stinkbugs amongst clusters of dogwood and mountain ash fruit.
03-AUG-2010
Garden cross orb weaver (Araneus diadematus)
It is just about time for the big orb weaver spiders to appear. This is one of the smaller ones that arrives about mid-July. It is well-named for it frequently turns up in residential gardens. I have at least 4, possibly more, in my garden at the moment. They are very common throughout FWG. I think they are remarkably beautiful.
03-AUG-2010
Cicada case
I was standing around idly looking up into a Manitoba maple tree when I noticed this cicada case. The cicada had clearly climbed up the tree and hooked a leg around a dead twig to anchor itself before beginning the process of emerging. I snapped off the dead twig so I could take a better shot but then put the twig and case back in a fork in the maple tree.
03-AUG-2010
Eastern kingbird fledged young
This was one of four youngsters calling loudly and incessantly for food. Sort of reminded me of my elderly (19 1/2 year old) cat who does the same thing!
03-AUG-2010
Mountain ash fruit (Sorbus)
Many trees and shrubs are heavy with fruit now and attracting dozens of birds. This mountain ash was swarmed by cedar waxwings, house finches, gray catbirds, robins, chickadees, and Baltimore orioles. Some, like the chickadees, would be seeking insects amongst the fruit (and there are many insects in these clusters), but most would be eating the fruit. Canada elderberry shrubs are bending low under their fruity load and are also a mecca for birds. It is quite a heady time for birds and animals right now with summer's bounty at its peak.
While trying to photograph some sawfly larvae, I heard what sounded like a bunch of vandals thrashing the nearby shrubs and trees. I ignored it for awhile, but eventually went over to see who was making all this noise. I thought it might be squirrels, but the volume of noise increased so much that I began to doubt this. But sure enough, there they were, up high in an oak tree throwing down one acorn after another, sometimes cutting off branches laden with nuts and hurling them down to the shrubs below.
03-AUG-2010
Queen Anne's Lace in the rain
There was heavy thundering rain this afternoon and it drenched everything in sight. But then, as often happens in summer, it cleared, the sun came out (briefly), and the world looked sparkling. This Queen Anne's lace heavy with rain caught some of the sun's rays.
01-AUG-2010
Bottlebrush grass (Elymus hystrix)
Planted in the BYG, but a native species that grows in the wilds around here, though considered to regionally significant because found in few locations. I know of at least two areas where it can be found, one rarely, the other quite readily. Here it is growing well in one of the garden beds. I think it is a very beautiful grass and deserves to be grown more as an ornamental.
