27-OCT-2010
Cleaning nest boxes
Claudia snapped this photo of me on the ladder cleaning out a box with Jeewa very kindly holding the ladder. The ground is very uneven and without someone to hold the ladder, it won't stay upright. This is taken just above the pond, on the south side. The New Woods are just behind us, and the red barn at the back.
27-OCT-2010
Bridge work
As you can see, the bridge is coming along nicely at the FWG pond. It has been a big year for pond work. First the spillway and dam were repaired, and now, finally, a fancy new bridge is going in. Unlike the simple footbridge of the past, we have been told we need railings on either side for safety. So here we have a large, substantial bridge to replace our humble but very serviceable footbridge that served us well for so many years.
27-OCT-2010
Peromyscus mouse in nest box
Today, Jeewa, Claudia and I cleaned out all 34 nest boxes at the FWG. It was great to have help this time around, and someone to hold the ladder! We found some interesting things, such as three nest boxes with lovely mossy chickadee nests, a number of nests with mice in them, some with red squirrel nests, some with polistes wasp nests affixed to the inside roof of the box, quite a few unused boxes, and not a whole lot of swallow nests. But more on that in a report I'll try to put together soon for the FWG website.
This was one of several mice we saw in various nest boxes. In some cases, they had built their winter quarters on top of swallow or red squirrel nests. In two cases they had burrowed under the chickadee nests and pushed them up to form a mossy dome, then stuffed the interior with seed fluff, thistle, milkweed, DSV, etc.
27-OCT-2010
Peromyscus mouse in nest box
We found a number of mice in nest boxes, but most of them did a nose dive out the back into the vegetation. This one, however, was not abandoning his home that readily and instead stayed up near the top opening. We didn't clean out any nests that had mice, because they need these warm places for winter shelter.
27-OCT-2010
Black-capped chickadee nest with mouse nest inserted in the middle
Here is the chickadee nest (the mossy part), with a mouse nest built in the middle. You can see the seed fluff used by the mice, and you can see how the chickadee nest has been lifted up from within to create a sort of dome over the interior mouse nest!
26-OCT-2010
Fomes fomentarius
Another of the common polypores found at FWG, often on dead birch.
26-OCT-2010
Polypore
I'm not sure which species this is. It could well be Trichaptum biforme, as in the previous photo, as they vary considerably.
26-OCT-2010
Purple-tooth polypore (Trichaptum biforme)
A common polypore often found growing in dense clusters on dead birch trees. Fresh ones show a deep purple on the underside, particularly after rain. The purple colour almost vanishes when they dry out.
26-OCT-2010
Split gill mushroom (Schizophyllum commune)
A very dainty, delicate little mushroom that grows on logs and standing dead trees. Sometimes you will find them on a dead branch on a living tree. They grow on a variety of tree species including buckthorn, birch, sumac... If you look at the underside you will see that they are pink, fan shaped and very pretty.
26-OCT-2010
Plicaturopsis crispa
Recent rains brought out more fungi at the garden and Jeewa was busy photographing some of it. These Plicaturopsis are tiny but form large clusters on logs and standing dead trees, often on birch as here.
26-OCT-2010
Canada geese flying over the FWG
It was a misty morning when Jeewa saw flock after flock of Canada geese flying over the garden. This image is very redolent of autumn!
26-OCT-2010
Cardinal in birch tree
This lovely shot shows a vivid red male cardinal amongst the yellow birch leaves.
