21-Oct-2019
Poppy
A few poppies still hanging on in late October.
21-OCT-2019
German yellowjacket (Vespula germanica)
According to Bug Guide: Native to Europe, Northern Africa, and temperate Asia. It apparently first appeared in Montreal in the 1960’s.
21-Oct-2019
Paper wasp (Polistes fuscatus)
This is the native paper wasp.
21-Oct-2019
Northern cardinal, male
One of several cardinals visiting the feeder in the Backyard Garden section of the wildlife garden. Another species that doesn't migrate and so is seen year-round.
21-Oct-2019
Grasshopper (Melanoplus)
One of dozens of grasshoppers around the garden on a sunny mild day.
21-Oct-2019
Striped sweat bee (Agapostemon sp.)
Checking out the insect hotel at the edge of the old woods.
21-Oct-2019
White-breasted nuthatch
This little bird is non-migratory and can be found year-round at the garden. Here it is enjoying some peanuts.
21-Oct-2019
Window at the garden's resource centre
As you can see, this window is covered in small dots which break up the pattern of the glass, even when vegetation is reflected in it, to prevent birds from striking the window. Too many millions of birds die annually from hitting glass windows, doors, buildings.... It is a preventable tragedy because solutions exist to prevent these window strikes.
21-Oct-2019
Song sparrow
A couple of song sparrows were seen at the garden; time for them to head south!
21-Oct-2019
Sweat bee (Halictini)
Five of these tiny sweat bees were feeding on sow-thistle (Sonchus), some of the few remaining blooms at the garden. It is getting tougher for nectar-feeding insects to find food as autumn passes and plants die off.
21-Oct-2019
Red oak
The more subdued bronze and burgundy colours of red oaks contrast with the intense scarlet of sugar maples and sumacs.
21-Oct-2019
Blue jay
It was a perfect autumn day with sun and mild temperatures. Birds were numerous around the wildlife garden, including five jays coming to the feeder in the Backyard Garden area. Also seen around the garden were: song sparrows, chickadees, cardinals, goldfinches, crows, robins, starlings, white-breasted nuthatches, downy woodpeckers, and overheard a red-tailed hawk, ring-billed gulls and canada geese.
21-Oct-2019
Bird feeder
This feeder is one of two maintained by the Fletcher Wildlife Garden/OFNC. This one is in the Backyard Garden and is the busiest one. It is maintained all year round while the one over in the old woods is seasonal, autumn through to early spring.
21-Oct-2019
Mourning doves
A couple of doves sitting quietly on the edge of the garden. In some winters we have seen more than 15 overwintering, but in recent years the numbers of doves seen at the garden is fairly small.
21-Oct-2019
The ravine
The ravine runs from the amphibian pond, past the Backyard Garden to the Arboretum where the small stream at its base empties into several water bodies in the Arboretum. This is a great spot of seeing birds and other wildlife. Over the years we have seen both fox and deer here, not to mention innumerable birds.
21-Oct-2019
Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens)
Not many insects around now, but a few bumble bees, wasps and sweat bees, flies, as well as grasshoppers (by far the most numerous insects at the moment) and crickets.
21-Oct-2019
Eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus)
The bird feeder mentioned earlier is well visited by squirrels including the eastern chipmunk. A large baffle makes it impossible for them to climb onto the feeder, but enough seed is spilled by visiting birds that they are kept happy and well-fed.
21-Oct-2019
Black-capped chickadee
One of many birds visiting the feeder in the Backyard Garden mentioned above.
21-Oct-2019
Old woods
Although a lot of leaves have fallen there is still much autumn colour to be found at the garden.
21-Oct-2019
Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina)
Sumac leaves turning a stunning shade of vibrant red in the autumn, and also quite often, this vivid orange.
21-Oct-2019
Crabapples (Malus)
Some crabapple trees are laden with fruit while the fruit of others has been eaten. Some of the decorative or ornamental crabapples are bred to have fruit that does not appeal to birds so that it will stay on the trees providing colour all winter.
21-Oct-2019
Amphibian pond
Looking north across the pond. The big walnut tree on the left and scarlet sumacs on the right provide appealing autumn colour. The walnut tree which started off as a small sapling not so long ago in the great scheme of things, now towers over the pond. It has been a favourite haunt of red squirrels for a couple of decades.
21-Oct-2019
Amphibian pond
The big pond at the wildlife garden, this time looking west.
