19-DEC-2012
Northern cardinal, male
One of three vividly red male cardinals that I saw around the Backyard Garden today. They certainly appreciate the effort taken by volunteers to fill the feeders.
19-DEC-2012
Northern cardinal, male
This pretty male cardinal was one of three I saw today. Also noted were mourning doves, goldfinches, chickadees, house finches, crows, starlings, robins, and juncos.
19-DEC-2012
Coneflower
Although it looks as if there is sunlight on this plant, there isn't. This was taken in the Butterfly Meadow, and even the dry seedhead has beauty I think.
19-DEC-2012
Black squirrel with manitoba maple seeds
This is the black form of the gray squirrel, and is by far the more dominant colour form around here. One manitoba maple tree had 6 squirrels in it, all busily chomping away on these seeds.
19-DEC-2012
Old field
Not so long ago, this was a blaze of bright yellow. Now the goldenrods are brown and the only life on them is within the galls, where goldenrod fly larvae sit in their enclosed chambers, waiting for spring. That is, of course, if they aren't eaten first by hungry birds and squirrels.
19-DEC-2012
Little red
A contemplative looking red squirrel, one of about 6 I saw today at the garden.
19-DEC-2012
Amphibian pond
A thin layer of mushy snow and ice covers the pond. If we get the snow and colder weather predicted for the next few days, the water will freeze and snow will insulate the pond.
19-DEC-2012
European starlings
A flock of about 20 starlings was taking turns to feed on this nearby crabapple. Many fruit-bearing trees have been stripped, those that are left are either unpalatable to wildlife, or are palatable as a last resort.
19-DEC-2012
Rabbit signs
We don't see rabbits as much as we used some years ago, so the only way we know they are present is when we come across signs of them. Here, some scat and urine marks a spot where a rabbit has been chewing on plants.
19-DEC-2012
Waiting for spring
A wheelbarrow, covered in snow, waits for spring to come again. Right now, the Backyard Garden is quiet and plants are dormant... but once the weather warms up, they will grow quickly.
04-DEC-2012
Birch tree
The old standing dead birch trees are a valuable source of food and nesting sites for cavity nesting birds. here, it looks like a chickadee made a couple of attempts at excavating a nest site.
04-DEC-2012
Stashed walnut
You'll often come across walnuts stashed in trees, like this one. It is the work of red squirrels, busily gathering and storing food for winter.
04-DEC-2012
Goldenrod gall
There is a small hole at the top of this gall, which may be an entry hole for a predator.
04-DEC-2012
Lichens
Lichens are beautiful and often overlooked. Sandy took this photo at the FWG, but we don't know whcy species they are.
04-DEC-2012
Six-spotted fishing spider (Dolomedes triton)
Sandy photographed this little spider in the pond. There is a thin skin of ice over most of the pond, but around the shore the water is open and various things can be seen, such as some green frog tadpoles, backswimmers, and this little guy. Speaking of invertebrates... the warm, +17 temperature (yes, it broke all records!) brought out honey bees, the last few Polistes fuscatus wasps, midges, a few flies including one photographed by Sandy in the Ash woods, which is likely a blowfly, but not being able to see it in detail, could also be one of the Tachinids. Various small spiders were seen under and over leaf litter too.
04-DEC-2012
Red-breasted nuthatch
OK, so this was not in the FWG, but it was next door in the Arboretum and is a head's up to look for these guys in the conifers around the Ash Woods. I was walking past a cluster of conifers when a couple of chickadees dive-bombed me :-) Clearly, they associated people with food. I just happened to have some sunflower seeds in my knapsack, so put a few on my hand and held it out. To my surprise, two red-breasted nuthatches flew right in, as if they'd been waiting. I am guessing that a lot of people must be providing seeds! In addition to the two nuthatches, there were 6 chickadees all waiting their turn. Not a great shot as I had to take the photo one handed.
04-DEC-2012
The old field area
I love the way that the old field site looks so mellow with the autumn colours of russet, gold, bronze and beige.
04-DEC-2012
Empty moth cocoon
I saw this tiny cocoon on a wild plum twig. It was empty (there was an exit hole at the bottom). I don't which moth species made this and it may not be possible to ever ID it.
04-DEC-2012
Bladdernut shrub (Staphylea trifolia)
This is a rare native species in the region, with the biggest colony on Petrie Island. I had forgotten about the one at FWG, near the pond, which was planted years and years ago. It is now a good size and there were a few pods on the shrub, which were what caught my eye. The bark is very beautiful when examined up close. This image shows the seedpod and bark.
