Birds, Bread and a Brisk Walk

13 December 2019

     I was sitting at the computer where, like many of us I suspect, I spend far too much time, and Miriam sidled up to say, "Let's go for a walk." I think it took all of a nanosecond for my bum to leave the chair.

     Hillside Park is mere minutes from home, and we needed bread from our favourite bakery which is in a small shopping plaza nearby, so that is where we headed.

     It was a gorgeous day, the kind that makes you rejoice in winter. The sun was shining, there was little wind, and the temperature was hovering right around zero, sometimes edging just over into positive territory, the kind of day to walk forever.

     The park looked splendid. There was ice still on the creek, but it was giving way to open water, and the play of sunlight verged on magical. 

     It pays to pause a while and take it in. The patterns of nature are varied, glorious and ever changing.

     Thank goodness for urban parks. 

     They are not perfect, but any area bearing even a resemblance to a natural state is appreciated, providing a respite from the unceasing presence of a burgeoning humanity.

     Bare branches against the sky told the tale of trees in dormant mode, waiting for the warm days of spring and increasing hours of daylight to renew their cycle of leafing out and bearing fruit.

     The green of conifers stood in stark contrast to denuded limbs.

     European Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) is found throughout southern Ontario. It is a serious invasive pest, extremely difficult to eradicate, which was originally used by early settlers for fencing purposes since it grows quickly and forms a dense barrier.

     The berries, however, are greatly favoured by birds, and many species take advantage of them.

     One of the great problems is that the berries function as a natural laxative and pass through the bird very quickly, which means that seeds are deposited where they were taken from the tree, and in short order the multiplier effect creates whole stands of the offender. And the process repeats itself. It is noteworthy that the berries are toxic to humans but pose no equivalent danger to birds.

     House Finches (Haemorhous mexicanus) were unconcerned with such matters. Food was the only thing on their minds. The males seem exceptionally handsome this year in their scarlet livery.

     For the first time ever, we saw Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) in the park. The picture is quite unsatisfactory, but it serves to record this initial sighting of a species that has thrived in spectacular fashion in recent years, habituating to suburban backyards with aplomb.

     I had a presentation to give early in the afternoon, so we could not tarry more than an hour; otherwise we might still be there, it was so lovely.

     So, back to the car and a visit to the bakery before heading home for lunch.

     A loaf of freshly baked Kalamata Olive bread seemed just the ticket for a lunchtime sandwich.

     We had grilled eggplant, a superb smoked Gouda cheese and fresh tomatoes for the filling. 

     Does life get much better than this? I don't think so. How about you?