03-May-2019
Red-winged blackbird, male
Quite a few of these birds around, calling from all over the garden, a really lovely sound of spring.
03-May-2019
Mallard, male
One mallard and one wood duck on the pond where the water is fairly high at the moment.
03-May-2019
American robin
Robins all over the garden, singing and calling, but not easy to get close to today.
03-May-2019
Dark-eyed junco
There must have been 25+ juncos at different locations around the garden. Their trilling song heard constantly. As well as the other sparrows mentioned earlier, there were ruby-crowned kinglets, robins, red-winged blackbirds, cardinals, downy woodpeckers, chickadees, white-breasted nuthatch, flickers and crows.
03-May-2019
Manitoba maple (Acer negundo)
A tree native to the prairie provinces which grows well here, to the dismay of many. Its seeds, however, provide a good source of food in winter for wildlife.
03-May-2019
Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)
Mayapples are native to areas somewhat south of Ottawa, but they thrive here when planted in gardens as you can see in this photo and the next. The flowers on this plant, a member of the Barberry family (Berberidaceae), grow under the large leaves.
03-May-2019
Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)
Another shot of the mayapples, one of several clusters in the Backyard Garden area.
03-May-2019
Red trillium (Trillium erectum)
An eye-catching woodland flower, not nearly as common as the more familiar white trillium. These ones have been planted at the FWG.
03-May-2019
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis )
Another native plant of woodlands, one of the spring ephemerals which bloom before the trees leaf out. The leaves will unfurl on these plants and the white 8-12 petals will open in sun. Early insects seek nectar from the flowers.
03-May-2019
Wild ginger (Asarum canadense)
Once the leaves open on this native plant, the flowers which grow low to the ground, become difficult to see.
03-May-2019
Red maple (Acer rubrum)
The pretty bright red flowers of the native red maple, are much sought after for pollen and nectar by various early insects, bees, flies, beeflies.
03-May-2019
Red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)
Gnawing away on an old walnut from last year.
