Fungus on oak tree
Sandy photographed this large cluster of fungi at the base of a red oak in the ash woods. It is probably Hen-of-the-woods (Grifola frondosa).
24-SEP-2013
Turkey vulture
This vulture circled over the ravine and the centre several times, coming lower with each turn around, but eventually flew across the Arboretum. It is difficult to believe that not all that long ago, this species was so rare in the area that if you wanted to see one you had to make a trek out toward Lanark Co. which had one of the only reliable spots for observing a few of these birds. Now they are everywhere.
Also at the garden today, small flocks of chipping sparrows and yellow-rumped warblers, large flocks of american goldfinches, some catbirds, chickadees, cardinals, crows, song sparrows, and white-breasted nuthatches.
24-SEP-2013
Question mark butterfly
In addition to the usual clouded sulphurs and cabbage whites, I saw this question mark when it briefly stopped in the spruce. It was so windy out that it is a wonder there was anything flying at all. First one of these I've seen at FWG this year.
23-SEP-2013
Spotted lady beetle (Coleomagilla maculata)
Good numbers of this native lady beetle around today, as is usually the case in autumn. Spring is the other season when they are seen in large quantities. Other than this species, not a lot of insects found, but it is getting to that downtime of the year. Noted were spittlebugs, Coelidia leafhoppers, plenty of grasshoppers and crickets, a few hover flies (probably Sphaerophoria but didn't get a good look), Muscids and greenbottle flies, a few midges, an orange fruit fly that eluded my camera, a few honey bees and sweat bees, and scads of bumble bees, in fact, hundreds and hundreds of bumble bees, most on the new england asters.
23-SEP-2013
New England asters
This year the asters are present in abundance and make quite the sight. They are alive with bumble bees, hundreds of them, as well as various other insects.
23 Sept. 2013
Freeing the shrubs
Today we were very lucky to host Dr. Sander-Regier's environmental studies class from Carleton University. Almost 80 students helped FWG volunteers with a variety of tasks in the Butterfly Meadow, Old Field, and north of the Ash Woodlot.
One group planted common milkweeds in an open area north of the Ash Woodlot and removed dog-strangling vine from nearby trees and shrubs.
23 Sept. 2013
Preparing to plant
The marked area shows where we planted milkweeds this spring. Today, we expanded by planting seedlings and donated plants all the way around the outside of the ribbon.
23 Sept. 2013
Planting milkweeds
Iola Price, in the blue jacket, donated a number of milkweed plants from her own garden and supervised their planting.
23 Sept. 2013
Checking progress
In addition to the donated plants, the students planted 36 milkweed seedlings. Great job!! And a great addition to our monarch waystation.
23 Sept. 2013
Picking up seed pods
Other Carleton students pulled DSV out of trees, making sure they bagged seed pods to prevent DSV from spreading into the milkweed area.
23 Sept. 2013
Bagging the "garbage"
By the end of the morning, the students had filled 6 giant garbage bags with DSV. Thanks so much for all the hard work!
18 September 2013
Clouded Sulphur
Sandy photographed this white clouded sulphur, a are very common species, introduced from Europe. There are many around right now. Sandy comments: "I thought this was a Cabbage White - it looked very white flying around among the New England asters. Luckily, I took a closer look and realized from the markings that it was a sulphur."