29-MAR-2017
Red squirrel eating sap
The top photo shows the tip of a twig on the manitoba maple nipped by this squirrel; as you can see, it is oozing sap. The bottom photo shows the squirrel enjoying the sweet reward of its work.
29-MAR-2017
Eastern cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus)
Signs of rabbits can be found around the garden, more numerous than in some winters. The ones I've seen this winter seem relatively unafraid of humans, but I hope they know to run from the dogs.
29-MAR-2017
American robin
Still iced over at the end of March, but mild and sunny nonetheless.
29-MAR-2017
Mourning dove
The lovely soft mournful call of the dove is being heard often around the garden now. Here, the dove is caught in full song... you can see the throat is very puffed up.
Downy woodpecker, female
Having a good feed on the peanuts. Downy woodpeckers are pairing up now and several pairs have been spotted in the garden recently.
29-MAR-2017
Butterfly meadow
The late day sun casts long shadows over the butterfly meadow with its Monarch Waystation kiosk. Beyond is the birch grove and behind that, the old woods.
29-MAR-2017
Old woods in late afternoon
The sun is going down behind the old woods, but bird activity was still constant.
29-MAR-2017
Grey squirrel, black phase
Near the ravine this squirrel is sitting on the roof of a squirrel roosting/nesting box, perhaps protecting it from others (it is all mine!).
29-MAR-2017
Little sap sucker at work
Like a kid in a candy shop, this squirrel could not get enough of the fresh sweet sap flowing from where he'd nipped the tips off twigs.
29-MAR-2017
Red-winged blackbird, male
LOTS of these guys around the garden, as well as cardinals, robins, brown creeper, white-breasted nuthatch, cedar waxwing, american goldfinch, starlings, chickadees, juncos, downy and hairy woodpeckers, pileated woodpecker, mourning dove, and circling across the garden ring-billed gulls and canada geese ... you know spring has really come when these two species show up again, despite the forecast for more snow!
29-MAR-2017
Red squirrel cleaning sap off itself
After gorging on maple sap from a manitoba maple, this little critter was sticky, to say the least, and engaged in a good thorough cleaning.
28-MAR-2017
Willow catkins
At the west end of the pond the big willow is full of catkins. Soon enough, I hope, there will be bees and other insects around the tree once the pollen appears.
28-MAR-2017
American robin on sumac
There were lots of robins around the Fletcher Wildlife Garden today, some feeding on the staghorn sumac. Fortunately, still a lot of seeds left on the shrubs. Most other natural food sources have been eaten.
16-MARCH-2017
Sharp-shinned hawk
Sitting still long enough for Barry to take a photo of this beauty.
16-MARCH-2017
Grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
Feeding on seed spilled by birds eating at the bird feeder, the squirrels have just about run out of wild food. Grey squirrels scatter-hoard their food in autumn, caching it here and there underground, which makes it tough to find when the land is snow-covered.
16-MARCH-2017
Grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), black phase
Eating the remaining few wild fruits, by this time of year, squirrels are getting desperate for food. It is also the time when they have or are about to have, youngsters. The previous photo shows the grey phase of the squirrel.
16-MARCH-2017
Red-winged blackbird, male
Over the years at FWG, the red-winged blackbirds have arrived on average around March 15. Some years we've seen them in the first week of March, others much later than mid-month, but generally speaking, we begin looking for them from about March 12 onwards. The males always arrive first of course, followed later by the females, at which point they begin the task of finding territory and nest-building.
16-MARCH-2017
More shadow play
A thicket of red-osier dogwoods casts an interesting shadow effect on the lovely fresh snow.
16-MARCH-2017
Shadow play
Bright sun created strong shadows on the fresh snow as shown here in one of Barry's photos.
16-MARCH-2017
Fresh snow
The region got about 20cm of fresh snow which created a perfect winter day under sun and blue skies.
14-MAR-2017
Red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)
I think this squirrel looks a bit stunned... probably by the falling snow, just when hopes were up that spring was coming!
14-MAR-2017
Black-capped chickadee
Lots of chickadees around the Fletcher garden today, and several singing, despite the snow and cold.
14-MAR-2017
Black-capped chickadee
Despite the snow and the cold winds, chickadees were singing their spring song, as this one was doing. Nearby, cardinals were doing the same thing, though it felt more like early January than mid-March. The red-winged blackbirds are back (have been for some time, lured by the earlier milder weather) and calling from a few locations around the garden. As there are no cattails in the pond after the massive rehabilitation project in the autumn, there isn't anywhere for them to nest and so they probably won't stick around this spring. Perhaps next year there will be cattails again.
14-MAR-2017
AMerican robin
Another robin, this one in the Ravine area, sheltering from the snow on and in a brush pile.
14-MAR-2017
American robin
Getting a drink of water, this is one about a dozen robins around the garden today, most probably the same flock that has been around all winter.
14-MAR-2017
Winter display: 2
Another information panel created by Isabelle, this one about the landscape of winter. It is also inside the Interpretation Centre at the garden.
14-MAR-2017
Winter display: 1
One of several indoor displays at the Interpretation Centre, created by Isabelle. this one gives many examples of how animals spend (survive) the winter.
