25-Oct-2022
Northern cardinal
A year-round resident which becomes quieter and more secretive in nesting season and then much more noticeable late summer and especially autumn and winter.
25-Oct-2022
The Old Woods
Looking south through the edge of the Old Woods.
25-Oct-2022
Northern cardinal
Making good use of the bird feeder along with white-breasted nuthatches, downy woodpeckers, chickadees, house finches, etc.
25-Oct-2022
White-throated sparrow
Lots of these little guys in the garden today, moving through the area in good numbers, southbound. A signal of summer's end and the coming of winter. But in a few month (well, 5 or 6!) we'll see them again when they head north through the region.
25-Oct-2022
Amphibian Pond
Autumn colours are fading, but still pretty.
25-Oct-2022
Lupine
A surprise find in the Butterfly Meadow, this lupine in full flower, harking back to early summer!
25-Oct-2022
Northern cardinal and House finch
Busy times at the feeder in the Backyard garden!
25-Oct-2022
Mallow
Right on the edge of the wildlife garden, the slope heading to the Arboretum used to be covered with these non-native mallows, informally called the Mallow Bank. In recent times, fewer of them, but some still persist and a couple were still in flower.
25-Oct-2022
Black-capped chickadee
Barely noticeable among the seedheads it was busily devouring.
25-Oct-2022
Looking across the Ravine
It was misty and drizzly early on, and gave a moody feel to the garden. Looking north across the garden to the mist enshrouded buildings of the city.
25-Oct-2022
Scarlet!
Blazing colour on this tree, whose identity I don't know. Probably one of the ornamentals planted long ago before the wildlife garden was the wildlife garden.
25-Oct-2022
Crabapples (Malus)
These beautiful fruits near the Butterfly Meadow are always among the last to be eaten by wildlife.
25-Oct-2022
The Old Woods
Looking northwest to the row of tamaracks on the edge of the Old Woods.
06-Oct-2022
Song sparrow
One of several around the garden.
06-Oct-2022
Mallard
Sailing into the sumac reflections in the pond. There were about 8 or 9 mallards enjoying the pond that day.
06-Oct-2022
Locust borer long-horned beetle (Megacyllene robiniae)
Wherever there were some goldenrods still blooming there were insects nectaring. This was the only Locust borer I saw, but then there was little goldenrod still in flower. With so many black locust trees around the site, it is not surprising that some years 4 or 5 of these beetles, or more, can be seen.
06-Oct-2022
Paper wasp (Polistes fuscatus)
This is the native Polistes wasp, getting some last bit of feeding in before the frosts come.
06-Oct-2022
Calico aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum)
Common around the garden.
06-Oct-2022
California poppy
Growing in the Backyard Garden area.
06-Oct-2022
White-throated sparrow
It is that time of year - when big flocks of these sparrows pass through the area, often staying around for some time as they fuel up for the next leg of their journey.
Also spotted today were large flocks of American robins, as well as small groups of American goldfinches, chickadees, white-breasted and red-breasted nuthatches, cardinals, crows, song sparrows, and both down and hairy woodpeckers.
06-Oct-2022
Red-breasted nuthatch
Always a pleasure to see these nuthatches, more colourful and smaller than the more common white-breasted nuthatch.
06-Oct-2022
American goldfinch
They goldfinches have lost their summer plumage and look quite subdued now, the females more so than the males. Most of the goldfinches I saw were busily feeding on wild seeds, not at the feeder.
06-Oct-2022
Cup-plant (Silphium perfoliatum)
Most of the cup-plants have finished flowering but I found a couple of small ones, late bloomers maybe, tucked amongst other vegetation in the Butterfly Meadow. This native plant grows very tall and spreads. It is beloved of bees and other insects, while chipmunks and some birds eat the seeds.
06-Oct-2022
Crow feeding on Virginia creeper berries
I noticed crows kept flying into the blue spruce on the edge of the Old Field habitat, and vanishing. Eventually I got closer and realized they were feeding on the creeper berries. The vine was so much a part of the tree that much of the fruit was in between the spruce branches.
06-Oct-2022
Hairy woodpecker
One of many birds visiting the feeder in the Backyard Garden area.
06-Oct-2022
Blue jay
A frequent visitor to the feeder, this jay stuffed its face with seeds before flying off, only to return not long after to do it all again, no doubt caching them somewhere.
06-Oct-2022
Backyard Garden
Looking west from the Resource Centre to the back of the garden.
06-Oct-2022
The Ravine
As viewed from Woodland Walk in the Backyard Garden area.
06-Oct-2022
Beginning of the trail
Leaving the parking lot, this trail heads directly down to the Amphibian Pond. To the left is the Ravine.
06-Oct-2022
Sunflowers (Helianthus)
A few still blooming in the Butterfly Meadow, adding a burst of colour to the site.
06-Oct-2022
Obedient plant (sostegia virginiana)
Growing in the Butterfly Meadow, this plant attracts many bees, bumble bees in particular. It is a native species found naturally, further south.
06-Oct-2022
Red barn and New Woods
The red barn is not really part of the Fletcher Wildlife Garden but is immediately adjacent to it. The wooded area is pat of the New Woods site, and the view is looking north.
06-Oct-2022
South of the Old Woods
Not really part of the FWG, but because it is immediately adjacent it appears to be part of the garden.
06-Oct-2022
South of the Old Woods
Although the site is immediately south of the Old Woods area, this view is looking west with the Rideau Canal down the far slope behind the trees. Long ago, this field was full of goldenrods, aster, lots and lots of milkweed on which Monarch butterflies laid their eggs, as well as a variety of other plants, which attracted numerous insects as well as nesting song sparrows. It was also infiltrated over time by Dog-strangling vine. In recent years trees have either been planted or allowed to grow, and the site is regularly mowed.
06-Oct-2022
The Old Woods
Looking north down the trail at the south entrance to the site.
06-Oct-2022
Old field
Looking northward across the old field area.
06-Oct-2022
Old field
A more expansive view across the Old field area. Once upon a time, this field was mowed every year or two, to create better habitat in spring and summer for wildlife. Since those days, it has been allowed to grow and what is there now is mainly goldenrods, asters, and DSV, though the latter has been removed numerous times of the last few decades.
06-Oct-2022
Butterfly meadow
Looking west across the meadow with its abundant asters, fed on by a variety of pollinators.
06-Oct-2022
Butterfly meadow
The small pond on the edge of the Butterfly Meadow serves a variety of wildlife, especially in the summer months.
06-Oct-2022
Butterfly meadow
A closer view of the pond.
06-Oct-2022
Trail above the Pond
This is on the south side of the pond and the view is NE.
06-Oct-2022
Amphibian Pond
Looking west across the pond to the New Woods area. At this time of year mallards make good use of the pond which is quiet, provides food, and gives them shelter in the cattails.