14-NOV-2010
Beginnings of a beaver dam
Last winter (2009-2010), a beaver spent the season at the FWG Amphibian Pond. That beaver left in the spring when its dam kept getting broken, and no doubt prompted by lack of food. A month or more later, another beaver stayed briefly in the pond, and then with fall came the visits of at least two beaver, one stayed briefly, but the other has started to build a dam. We wonder what will happen this time. There is now a new, raised bridge, so a dam won't impact (or shouldn't) on the bridge. On the other hand, there is not a lot of food, and we notice that the beaver has gone some distance from the pond to gnaw down a few poplar.
14-NOV-2010
Nannyberry bud
I really like the buds of Nannyberries. They are very distinctive and, to my eye, attractive in both colour and form. Also, they are one of the easiest shrubs to ID when the leaves are gone :-)
14-NOV-2010
Ash woods, looking south
The sun was intermittent early this morning, but when it peeked out it was very welcome. Here, we are looking south from the middle of the trail through the Ash woods, toward Carleton University. The yellow leaves on the tree and the ground are Norway maples. Like many non-native species, they retain their leaves much longer in the fall than do native species.
14-NOV-2010
Stay away from my walnut!
This was a very busy red squirrel. He apparently had a stash of walnuts under the stone wall and was busily protecting it from all the other marauders. When I turned up, he grabbed his walnut, leaped on a stone and scolded vociferously.
14-NOV-2010
Shelling the walnut
A little later, the squirrel grabbed a walnut still with its husk, and proceeded to strip it off in seconds flat. It was amazing to watch how quickly this occurred. In no time there was a pile of black walnut husk on the rock, and nearby a very large pile showing that many walnuts had been husked at that spot.
10-NOV-2010
Black-capped chickadee eating sumac seeds
Jeewa was at the FWG for a short time at noon. She said there were lots of chickadees, juncos, cardinals, and a couple of very noisy blue jays (as only blue jays can be!). Well, crows too. In fact, all the members of the Corvid family are pretty gregarious and noisy.
09-NOV-2010
Bruce spanworm (Operophtera bruceata)
These moths, also called Winter Moths, are quite common right now. I saw two on the building at the garden, and more fluttering ghost-like through the vegetation.
09-NOV-2010
Goldenrod gall
The goldenrod galls can often look like pieces of ceramic sculpture. This one is particularly lovely. Sometimes they look like burnished metal.
09-NOV-2010
Double goldenrod galls chewed open by squirrels
These hard round balls on goldenrod stems are galls made the Goldenrod gall fly, Eurosta solidaginis. In early summer they lay eggs on the newly growing goldenrod stems. The plant tissues react to this intrusion by forming a hard ball around the egg which later hatches into a larva, which in turn attracts the attention of squirrels, mice and birds such as downy and hairy woodpeckers and chickadees, all seeking the juicy larva inside. Sometimes you see double galls like this, and even triple galls, but usually there is one gall per plant.
03-NOV-2010
Giant puffball
Jeewa measured this puffball at 9 inches long and 8 inches wide. Now that is quite a size!
03-NOV-2010
Wild raspberry
The red leaves of the raspberry, etched by frost is perfectly beautiful.