18-May-2019
Hairy woodpecker
Both this species and the smaller look-alike, the downy woodpecker, can be found at the peanut feeder which is a big lure for many birds, but especially woodpeckers.
18-May-2019
White-throated sparrow
White-throated sparrows can still be seen migrating through, but most have settled into their breeding grounds, which don't include the FWG, though this species nests around the region.
18-May-2019
Baltimore oriole, male
Barry found a couple of these vivid orioles which were hanging out near the feeders. A lot of the spring migrants have now arrived or will arrive in the next few weeks, and every day it seems there is another newcomer to welcome back.
03-May-2019
Red-berried elder (Sambucus racemosa)
flower buds and new leaves, spring is here.
03-May-2019
White-throated sparrow
Flocks of these cheerful sparrows are all over the place, their familiar song cascading through the garden.
03-May-2019
Northern cardinal, male
The vivid red of the male cardinal is always an eye-catcher, looking quite exotic for this part of the world.
03-May-2019
Northern cardinal, female
While the male may be more colourful, the female cardinal is equally pretty I think.
03-May-2019
Downy woodpecker, female
Three downy woodpeckers seen yesterday, two females and a male. This female was zealously guarding a tree from another female.
03-May-2019
Wood duck, male
Improbably exotic looking, we almost always have wood ducks on the pond on and off through spring, summer and fall, though as far as we know they haven't nested. But there is a nice well-made nest box for them at the pond, so who knows.
03-May-2019
Chipping sparrow
Looking somewhat similar to the american tree sparrow, this is the bird that makes the rather dry trill heard all over the garden at present.
03-May-2019
Eastern phoebe
The earliest flycatcher to arrive back, this species has been seen for several weeks or more.
03-May-2019
American tree sparrow
A couple of tree sparrows around, along with other sparrows: song, white-throated, and chipping sparrows, and juncos.
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.
03-May-2019
Eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus )
Digging away in the dirt. Three of these small ground squirrels were scampering around the Backyard garden this afternoon.
03-May-2019
Lamium
Growing thickly under a stand of staghorn sumacs. At one time, this plant was in the open, but the sumacs have spread and the lamium too. About a decade ago, Claudia and I dug out every lamium plant we could find, and then did it again the following year. The year after that, I dug out some but it was clear it was a losing battle. This is a resilient, non-native species which I think, came in with leaves which were put here at this spot about 20+ years ago. People donated the leaves from their gardens for us to use as mulch and inevitably, some other plants such as this, came in with the mix.
03-May-2019
The ravine
I was struck by the size of the cedars on the other side of the ravine. Some years ago they were planted by volunteers to replace many buckthorns which were removed. The idea was to provide evergreen trees for the winter months, where birds could roost to keep warm. The trees have done very well.
03-May-2019
Grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
A grey squirrel and its black phase grey friend, show the difference in colour of this species. There are other colour variations too. Some grey-coloured animals have a distinct russet tinge, and some black phase ones have very rufous tails, or even a rufous tinge all over.
