Erma and Al were on hand as well - Erma cleaning and helping in the library here, Al reorganizing the tool cabinet in our back room.

The highlight of the morning came when Marilyn looked out the window and shouted, Look, a fox!

After finding no squirrels in the area, the fox walked down the path to the Arboretum.

Still no lunch, so off he/she went into the ravine, where he/she can move along unseen. We often see fox tracks across the pond at the top of the ravine in winter, but it's a real treat to see the fox in person.

This is probably the same sparrow that was seen by Sandy and Barry over the last few months.

Another source of food for squirrels, particularly red squirrels, is the walnut. Often big caches are stored, which get buried by snow. Here, you can see that a squirrel has uncovered this nut (there were others nearby)and has been gnawing away on it.

The BYG was pretty quiet at first, but when I came back an hour later, there was a sudden flurry of activity. One each of white-breasted nuthatch (top L), downy woodpecker (top R), 5 or 6 chickadees (bottom L), and 5 juncos (bottom R), a mourning dove, three cardinals, and 4 common redpolls. Elsewhere, there was a flock of about 50 bohemian waxwings flying through the Arboretum, along with a flock of common redpolls (about 15), and half a dozen crows.

Some winters we can see as many as 15 doves around, but this year so far, I've not seen more than one or two at a time. This was taken in the BYG. I checked the other feeder, where often doves huddle in the conifers or in trees draped with grape vines, but I saw no doves.

Red squirrels make many tunnels through the snow, temporary runs to enable them to run from one place to another with a degree of protection, rather than running across the top of the snow. This tunnel is just one of about 4 all within close proximity, but going in different directions. Nearby were a few runs made by cottontail rabbits eating the sumac.

It was a cold day, with temperatures of -15 and a windchill of -27. Birds were active around feeders, seeking food. I was walking through the Ash Woods when I heard, from very close by, the rather maniacal laughing call of the pileated woodpecker. At first I couldn't see this bird because I was looking too high up in the trees, but eventually I saw at below eye level, clinging precariously, and oddly, to a very slender twig. I was sure it would break with her weight, but it didn't. She then flew off to the trunk of a pine where I managed this quick shot. At the base of another pine, a great pile of fresh wood shavings showed where she'd been previously working.

A small flock of common redpolls were eating sunflower seeds left for them on top of the bench at the west end of the garden, near this juniper. Nice to see these handsome birds hanging around!

Another redpoll feeding on the seeds left on top of the bench.

While it may seem as if snow and cold have settled in for good, there are all sorts of things going on in plants, on plants, underground, in nooks and niches, etc. In this gall, one that we are all familiar with, there is the larva of the goldenrod gall fly, just waiting for the right time to transform into an adult. If a chickadeee, woodpecker or squirrel doesn't get to it first!

Memories of monarch butterflies! Sometimes in early winter, before it gets too icy, you may sometimes find an insect hiding in these pods, seeking warmth.

Unfortunately, the top part of this tall juniper has cracked and fallen under the weight of the heavy snow. A redpoll can be seen on the left, as if contemplating all those juniper berries. The fruit is eaten by various birds, particularly bohemian waxwings. Seeing how much fruit is still there, it makes me think that perhaps the big flocks of waxwings we saw in early December, have moved on.

While much of the wild food has gone, there are still sumac cones and manitoba maple seeds here and there around the garden. The red of this staghorn sumac adds a lovely bright colour to the otherwise white world.