Friday, June 18, 2021

Still staying local.....

09 June 2021
Lakeside Park, Kitchener, ON

     The park has become dense with vegetation and some of the paths are barely visible.


     There is luxuriant growth everywhere you look.


     Dragonflies have been abundant of late and  many Common Whitetails (Plathemis lydia) were present, and one very obliging female stopped for a moment to have her picture taken.


    That two-legged reprobate, Homo ignoramus disgusticus continues to do what it does best, trash the environment, and it appears that this squirrel found tasty remnants left in a plastic container cavalierly tossed away.


      It certainly is not beneficial for the squirrel to acquire a taste for human food and start to seek it out. It is lacking nutritionally and in any future conflict between squirrel and human there is going to be one sure loser - the squirrel.


     In Canada last year, 3.3 millions tonnes of plastic was diligently separated and put out for recycling, of which only 9% was actually recycled. There is simply not the industrial capacity to process more. This abysmal ratio is no doubt true in other countries, and in many even worse. There are poor countries where there is no attempt at all to recycle plastics, electronic waste or other hazardous products. Children pick through mountains of garbage exposing themselves to all manner of hazards to their health.
      In addition to household waste, containers like the one the squirrel is licking never make it to a recycling bin. The land we use for recreation and food is degraded with this stuff, soil and groundwater are polluted - and we just keep tossing it away. 
      People have more excuses than you can imagine for continuing to eat at restaurants that offer only plastic cutlery and styrofoam plates, plastic-lined beverage containers and little plastic containers for dipping sauce, to using disposable items at home to avoid the onerous chore of doing the dishes - and so on. It would be as well to sign a pledge committing to providing a trashed planet for your children and grandchildren, because that is exactly what you are doing.
     I had no intention of getting into this disgrace when I started to write this post, but it is one of the key issues of our time. A friend of mine was horrified to see plastic bottles floating on the ocean in Antarctica, and the islands of debris floating in the seas of the world are well known to all. Microplastics are now being absorbed by fish rendering them unsafe for human consumption. It goes on and on.
     It was a hot day and we left the squirrel to enjoy its treat. 


     I bet it wouldn't take long to find another.

10 June 2021
Our backyard, Waterloo, ON

     A Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) is a handsome bird indeed, and I always think the French name for it, Pic flamboyant, captures it so well.


     Unusual among woodpeckers it is primarily a ground-feeding species, with ants forming the mainstay of its diet.
     Like all backyards ours has its share of ants, and this individual was perfectly willing to help us get them under control!


     At times it seemed as though he was bent on excavating the patio as he drilled into the soil between the bricks!


     It was a great pleasure to share our space with him and we hope he returns often. Ants du jour will doubtless always be available.

11 June 2021
Lily at Breithaupt Park, Kitchener, ON

Will someone help me out of the car, please?

A snack is always welcome.

         Bet you can't put your foot in your mouth - well not literally, anyway.

     That was a good one!

 Do you think I'm cute?

 This is a good book!

 That was a great way to spend a couple of hours.


11 June 2021
SpruceHaven, St. Agatha, ON

      Everywhere is looking quite splendid at this time of the year.


     The Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) colony is thriving and we have around thirty nests with eggs or young.


     The adults are kept busy providing a nonstop feeding shuttle to hungry young, and have earned a brief rest now and then.


     Siberian iris (Iris siberica) is found around the pond. A more gorgeous plant would be hard to imagine.



     Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus) also does well there, and is no less appealing.


     This non-native species can be highly invasive, but is often planted at waste water ponds to take advantage of its ability to absorb heavy metals.


     The area we call Teen Hollow in recognition of the work done there by WRN Teens is coming along according to plan, and is well on the way to becoming a fully functional restored wetland.


Back at home, Waterloo, ON

     A glass before dinner, another with dinner. Hmmm!



     How could you resist a wine with a name like that?

14 June 2021
Laurel Creek Conservation Area, Waterloo, ON

     Having now bought an annual pass to all the properties of the Grand River Conservation Authority, we go over to Laurel Creek quite frequently.
     With a sky like this and modest mid-twenties temperature, you will understand the allure.


     We took our thermos of coffee and Miriam's delicious apple cake to David's Dell, and almost as soon as we sat down had the company of a Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos), a fine welcome indeed.


      Soldier Beetles (Catharis livida) are making their presence known and a quick search is sure to turn up a few.


     We are still seeing them in singles, but soon they will be living up to their colloquial name of "boinking beetle" since the entire population seems to be joined together in a glorious orgy of sex!


     What a handsome creature it is!
     And Northern Crescent (Phyciodes cocyta) was also a joy to see.



     It is always rewarding to capture them with wings both spread and closed to display all aspects of their beauty.


     The pattern on the hindwing almost looks like scrollwork.
     Bluets (genera Coenagrion and Enallagma) can be frustratingly difficult to identify without hand examination, but given the likelihood of a given species where we encounter it, I believe this representative is Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile). 



      They were present in their hundreds, but were airborne far more frequently than perched.



     It was interesting to see a Northern Crescent and a bluet so close to each other.


     The most ambitious attempt at identification for the species below that I can make is that it is in the family Coenagrionidae, a narrow-winged damselfly of some type.


     If you have by now concluded that my level of proficiency with odenates is not great, you are right!
     A Little Wood-Satyr (Megisto cymela) posed no identification difficulties at all.



     We are just getting into the period of peak abundance for Northern Pearly-eye (Enodia anthedon) and we were rewarded with a few sightings.


     Monarch (Danaus plexippus) is probably the best known butterfly in the world, due principally to the many TV documentaries viewed by a wide audience.


     Most birds are now well advanced into their breeding season and they are both silent and secretive, but one can always count on an American Robin (Turdus migratorius) to bid a fond farewell.


     I had Miriam to keep me company, coffee, apple cake, butterflies, dragonflies, birds and beetles too.  I can think of no better way to spend a morning in June.
David M. Gascoigne,
David M. Gascoigne,

I'm a life long birder. My interests are birds, nature, reading, books, outdoors, travel, food and wine.

70 comments:

  1. Precioso reportaje y fantástico el Northern Flicker, un ave que me gustaría ver algún día en vivo y en directo. Por aquí ya hay alguna pareja de golondrina común con la segunda puesta, este año llegaron antes de lo normal. Un fuerte abrazo desde el norte de España, todo lo mejor!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dragonflies are very difficult to photograph.
    The squirrel has adapted like a bear to civilization - it eats what people throw away.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am guilty as charged, eating a microwaved lunch in a plastic bowl as I read your post! And I talk environmentally aware...so I know I'm causing more plastic waste. I don't always find plastic when I open a microwavable treat...but this one is tofu, which seems to go hand in hand wtih awareness. Oops.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lily wins her bet - I can no longer get my toes up to my mouth, but I can (just) get out of a car unaided!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John is right. I can (mostly) get out of a car without help but all of my foot in mouth moments are metaphoric these days.

      Delete
  5. Lily is so cute, and she change very much now. I love to see the photos of her, David. Iris pseudacorus grows a lot around here too. Iris siberica is a very beautiful flower, and I have a lot of them. They bloom here too.

    ReplyDelete
  6. My husband spent much of his career fighting to introduce rules and regulations re: pollution of the seas from shipping - oil, garbage, chemicals, sewage, and packaged harmful substances. This he was doing on behalf of his UN agency over 45 years ago. At the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, which we both attended, a new ambitious programme was drawn up much to his delight, but implementation by all governments typically has been and continues to be execrable.
    Little lily, and all of our youngsters deserve better.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The road to hell has always been and continues to be paved with good intentions, Rosemary. It's one thing to have politicians spouting a good story and not following through (unfortunately we expect that) but there is so much individuals can do, and simply refuse to.

      Delete
    2. Everyone should read Greta Thunberg's reaction to the G-7 "leaders" during the recent summit.

      Delete
  7. Lovely photos of Lily, David! And the Northern Flicker in your backyard is amazing.
    I'm also fascinated by your photos  of dragonflies and butterflies. 
    You have also had 32 degrees  like we have in Denmark - it's all too
    much.
    Yes, It's a terrible problem with plastic in nature 😢

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi David, how nice to have a Northern Flicker in your garden, it is a very handsome species and nice to see him/her feeding on natural stuff instead of the squirell. The plastic (pollution) is horrible and I cannot understand people that throw their (plastic) garbage everywhere. There are a lot of anti-plastic campains but I wonder... why is a supermarket filled with 80% or more plastic? It's almost impossible to buy things without plastic although I really try to. I feel ashamed about how we, the people, treat planet earth.
    Furthermore I'm still happy to see the wonderful green environment and the nicespecies of butterflies and damselflies (they are hard to determine for me too). Great that the Barn swallows are doing well, hope there will be a lot of baby's!

    Have a wonderful weekend you both. Hugs and kisses,
    Marianne

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great assortment of photos. I can't believe how big Lily has gotten. I remember when you were first posting photos of her. She looks like she's having a great time. And I'm still chuckling at "That two-legged reprobate, Homo ignoramus disgusticus" -> I love it! And I'm glad you vented about the pollution. Sometimes it's hard not to, and one has to voice one's opinion.

    Also, since you're my "bird go to guy" I wanted to ask you if you can figure out what a type of bird is, without a photo. (I wasn't fast enough with the camera.) I saw two (a couple?) birds near the shed in my yard in Connecticut US. They were about the size of an American Robin. But, they had slightly tufted heads (similar to a Brown-crested Flycatcher, Cordilleran Flycatcher, and Dusky-capped Flycatcher). They had pale yellow on their underbelly. They didn't look "yellow" so the yellow was on the pale side, and not always noticeable. They looked mostly brown, but had white stripes in their wings, like the Cordilleran Flycatcher does, which were only noticeable when they expanded their wings out a bit. I almost think they might have had the bird song that I had been thinking was coming from a previously unseen Belted Kingfisher. Their heads were normally rounded, but at one point, one of them "fluffed up" his head feathers, so it looked the way the head of a Dusky-capped Flycatcher looks. (https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/dusky-capped-flycatcher) I looked in my bird book, and on that site, but I'm not sure what they were. But they have to be native to this area, so they can't be any of those names I mentioned. Sorry for the long winded comment, and always pestering you for help with bird identifications. They were quite nice looking birds, and I wished they had stayed long enough for me to get a photo. But I'm going to assume they hang out in the woods around my house.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are not pestering me at all, Anne. The bird is a Great Crested Flycatcher based on your description, a fairly common breeding species in your area at this time of the year.

      Delete
    2. Thank you David! (And I'm glad I'm not being a pest. :-) I found the Audubon page for the Great Crested Flycatcher, and that definitely looks like the lovely pair that I saw. My shed is near one of the wooded edges of my property, and is partly overshadowed by tree branches. So I'm going to assume they're mostly living "within the canopy of tall trees in summer" and that I was lucky to get a view of them.

      Delete
  10. Nice captures of the dragonflies. By the time I see them, I'm not fast enough to get a photo. Plastic is evident everywhere we go, on the streets and in the bins. I feel humans just don't care and that's a shame. Lily looks like she's enjoying herself on a nice day outside. Have a nice weekend, David.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hari OM
    Good grief, just when I think your posts can't get any better - along comes this Supertrouper!!! I second your comments re the plastics etc 100%... yet despair that it is almost impossible to escape a shopping expedition plastic-free. COVID set things back = everything to be wrapped for 'hygiene'... tsk...

    Oh and all these GORGEOUS photgraphs - and Lily's smile. Ta. YAM xx

    ReplyDelete
  12. The flicker is quite photogenic.

    ReplyDelete
  13. A lot of insects, animals and birds to see - thanks for sharing.
    Lovely and green and can see the path so grown over.
    We are still recycling here and the plastic 'things' go in the rubbish bin, still phasing out the plastics but it's working.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi David, your travels have been rewarding, and you have seen some wonderful examples of wild life, including beautiful Lily! What a joy to see her growing and thriving! And I wish her a happy birthday! People here leave trash everywhere, too, I just don't understand it. Others organise regular clean-up days, but it wouldn't be necessary if people took their garbage home with them. I like the name of your wine, of course you had to buy and drink it, hope it was good! Have a great weekend, take care, hugs to you and Miriam, Valerie

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi David.

    The mess of the people who just want more and more is terrible and nature suffers from it.
    You have taken wonderful photos.
    The Dragonfly, the Squirrel, shame about that food, beautiful insects and butterflies.
    Your backyard with that beautiful Woodpecker is fantastic.
    And Lily with those teeth is amazing.

    I enjoyed everything.

    Greetings from Patricia.

    ReplyDelete
  16. aww...Lily starts to read... her smiling face looks so cute.

    plastic and plastic bottles floating every corners in many tropical countries... very sad.

    # I never seen ground-feeding species of woodpeckers.... pretty.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hello, David

    What a great post, so much to see! I love the Flicker and Swallow images, the beautiful butterflies and insect captures. Lily is so sweet, she is growing so fast. I wish people would stop throwing out their plastic trash. They do not seem to care that their trash has an affect on the wildlife and environment. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a happy weekend! PS, thank you for leaving me a comment.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It goes beyond people throwing out their plastic trash, Eileen. It's time to make a serious commitment to not using it.

      Delete
  18. Have you been in Perth, too? A dragonfly (a real one!!!) was behind me on the bus.
    See me jump! It mistook me for a tree or such.

    I just feed walnuts to our Squirrels. And they even share!

    It´s a shame with all the plastic. Even cucumbers come in a plastic coat - what for?! Every week (and I try to avoid the plastic ones) I have a huge bag of plastic to "recycle".

    It´s a very big and unnessary disgrace! To Antarctica even, now this is... sad.

    29C here :-)

    Oh, thank you. Every Monday I go to the bakery of Hubby´s choice and pass Waterloo-Street and have that ABBA-earworm for the rest of the way ;-)

    Cute Baby-pics! And flowers :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have not so far made it to Western Australia. I have visit the ACT, NSW, Victoria, and my personal favourite, Tasmania.

      Delete
  19. Hi David, beautiful photos of the squirrel, birds and dragonflies. I like the nothern flicker. It's a beautiful bird.

    ReplyDelete
  20. The flicker, swallow and Lily pics were all wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  21. These are great images. Many favourites, but I think I should specially mention the swallow, flicker and Lily pics.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hi David :) Oh those dragonfly photos are simply fantastic. What beauty. My world looks like yours right now, lush and green...the beauty of June! :) I love the photos of the Northern Flicker too. You know, talking about plastic and pollution is not popular but I think it's very important. Alex and I are trying our best to eliminate all plastic from our lives, replacing it with glass. We've reduced our contribution to the landfills drastically since moving here and strive to do so more and more each day. That vino looks fab...I love a good Malbec!! :) Cheers! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We have eliminated most plastic from our lives and go out of our way to patronize businesses that will permit us to use our own containers. When we are compelled to buy a few items from a supermarket, that's when it gets really difficult to get away from plastic. But I am sure we have cut out at 90% and if that could be replicated across the country that would be a major step forward. And people need to stop using all manner of lame excuses to continue to pollute.....I'm on vacation....it's Jimmy's birthday.....it's such a bother to bring my own container......and so on, as if a special event was a licence to trash the planet for those who come after us.

      Delete
  23. That flicker is a dazzler and the iris gorgeous. I agree about the plastic -- too much and too dangerous to our world. I don't think our society can ever be zero on that but it can be a whole lot better. Lily is looking happy today! And thanks for showing the Don David -- now I know what to look for!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In terms of all forms of plastic, I agree that zero is probably unattainable and probably not a desirable outcome anyway, but single use plastics could be eliminated 100% if there was the will to do it, and why people have to throw their garbage everywhere is beyond me.

      Delete
  24. Gran y variada entrada. Está bien repleta de naturaleza y mucha vida amigo. Tambien de pástico que alguien dejó ahí y debió llevarselo. Lily cada día más guapa y grande, un beso grande para ella.
    Gracias por compartir
    Buen fin de semana David. Cuidaros.
    Un abrazo.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Lily is beautiful as always and I really enjoyed the pictures of the flicker, a favorite bird that I seldom see around here any more. I also enjoyed your dragonfly pictures. I've been trying to photograph some of the dragonflies in my yard, but none of my pictures so far are worth sharing.

    I share your anger at our fellow humans who thoughtlessly toss their trash. I often wonder what such people's houses must look like.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Buenas tardes amigo David, ¡que maravilloso reportaje! Como siempre estimado profesor y genio. Sobre lo comentado con el plástico ¿Qué decir? sobran las palabras, ya lo hemos comentado infinidad de veces, hace falta mucha educación en los colegios y a muchos padres.
    La amiga Lily más encantadora imposible, está para comerla a besos, una preciosidad de niña.
    Me encantó todo el reportaje, así como los bonitos y bellos Iris.
    Eres todo un gran profesional y luchador por un mundo mejor y más natural amigo mío, es un placer y un honor para mí contar con tu amistad.
    Recibe un afectuoso abrazo de tu amigo y tocayo Juan desde Alicante-España.

    ReplyDelete
  27. C'est bien triste que les gens jettent dans la nature, ici aussi je trouve souvent des déchets le long de la voie "verte"...
    Le pic flamboyant est vraiment très beau, ce nom lui va bien.
    Lily semble apprécier ces balades au grand air.
    Les iris sont jolis.
    Bon weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  28. It saddens me to see the squirrel with the plastic (I try to avoid items that are "use and dispose" and am devoted to my Tupperware), but it cheers me to see a charming, beautiful baby. I did not get around to bird feeders this spring because I spent money and time on improving my yard. When I make bird efforts in the future, at least they'll see my pretty flowers. I did see two pretty birds in one of my trees recently, although they were arguing, probably about which one of them is more attractive.

    Love,
    Janie

    ReplyDelete
  29. Hi Both,
    Have just had a most enjoyable wander through your varied post. Wow Lily has really come on.
    I have replied to your comment on my blog, and yes I am much improved thank you
    John

    ReplyDelete
  30. The Crescents are always my favorite. The ones we see here are very small and you've shown some of the details in their wings. Of course Lily still steals the show...or the post. Look at her little teeth! So cute...but you know that already!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Please don't get me started on trash, David. And even worse, plastic trash. Not only is it bad for our environment and our planet, it is usually OIL based, which is good for countries wealthy with oil, but not so good for the rest of the world. Here in the states, we aren't encouraged to recycle and when we do, it often ends up in the landfill, anyway, because we only recycle mostly Numbers 1 and 2. Number 3 cannot be recycled and Numbers 4 through 7 can only SOMETIMES be recycled. We (the U.S.) generate more plastic, and consequently plastic waste than any other country in the world. OK, I'll climb down from my soapbox now!

    I love the monarchs of course, but the Northern Crescents are beautiful, too. I really enjoyed this beautiful post and your great photos. That first photo looks like my back yard right now! I even saw a bunny rabbit hopping through the tall grass yesterday.

    ReplyDelete
  32. hello David
    a first-class series, Lily's book will be a bird identification book already .. ;-))
    Greetings Frank

    ReplyDelete
  33. Extraordinary photos of nature...from the lush greenery, to the dragonflies, butterflies, flowers, ponds. And birds!! Loved the Flicker portraits. Most of all, your precious Lily!!! And, as always, your linking up with us birders is greatly appreciated! Thanks. (Now, I must go test the taste of my foot...I bet I CAN put it in my mouth.)

    ReplyDelete
  34. Hi David – yes the growth is amazing isn’t it … so luxurious. While the plastic is foul and will be so difficult to eradicate from the planet … appalling.
    The dragonfly and Flicker are beautiful … an amazing bird …
    Ah – Lily … the beauty of Kitchener … wish I had her leg abilities! Two teeth now too … even reading – an advanced lady to be sure … and as you say a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours …
    The Barn Swallow is delightful – feeding young must be exhausting … interesting about the Irises – the Siberian one is stunning – love those blues … then the absorbing of heavy metals – it’s incredible what plants can do to help us … so pleased to see the wetlands returning.
    Don David – looks very tempting … but it’s only 11.00 am … a wee bit early! That sky image is just stunning … while a rest up at David’s Dell sounds a great idea … though with a bonking orgy going on makes for interesting thoughts … to be kept to myself.
    The insects – butterflies, bluets et al – delightful … however your proficiency may not be high in your neighbourhood, but in my brain your abilities with giving us the etymology and terminology for appropriate Orders or groupings excels itself – one day I must study.
    You give total due attention to Miriam with her abilities to look after you, take the photos and generally keep you up to her standards – love it – cheers to you both - Hilary

    ReplyDelete
  35. Once again, David, you are presenting us with a wonderful mix of wildlife images and information. You will not be surprised to know that I paid closest attention to the dragonfly (what a fabulous creature!) and damselflies. Yes, those Bluets can be exceedingly difficult to ID (it's the same with the UK species), with, typically, the females being more difficult to ID than the males, and the tenerals/immatures often nigh-on impossible to ID.

    Not sure about that Don David, particularly when I think of the phonetic version of El Estico. Drink too much of that and your knickers will be in a twist!

    Please continue to rail against the damage caused to the planet and its inhabitants by the indescriminate use and disposal of plastics. We need as many voices as possible if the planet is to stand a chance of surviving.

    Take good care and stay safe - - - Richard

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a bit of a relief, Richard, to hear that even you have trouble with bluets. My sense of inadequacy is not quite so deep! We were invited to spend time on the patio with good friends yesterday and we quaffed Don David (among others) with great cheeses, wonderful olives, and pretzels. If my knickers become twisted it will be a small price to pay!

      Delete
  36. Love all your nature photos, but that sweet child is more beautiful than anything else!
    I agree about the litter problem. Ignorant and disgusting are really not strong enough terms for it. Every day I have to pick up trash thrown into my yard from cars passing by on the road.

    ReplyDelete
  37. It's quite amazing how greenness and overgrownness seems to happen suddenly, after missing it all winter and then suddenly.... BAM!
    I agree about the litter and garbage everywhere. Some of it might possibly be accidental, but the majority is discarded by careless people who don't give a damn about where they live or where their children and grandchildren will have to live. I try very hard to recycle whatever I can, and to buy items that I need that don't have excess packaging, but really it's a losing battle.
    Nice photos of all the wildlife including the squirrel and Lily.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Hi David!!! Beautiful set of pictures... Nice birds and others... Lilly really adorable... Happy summer ahead

    ReplyDelete
  39. lol, I see you have the same problem as I have, to ID Bluets. I stopped trying when I realised you need a microscope to do it. Loved to see all butterflies. :)

    ReplyDelete
  40. We have a whole army of soldier beetles in our garden at the moment. Everywhere you look there is a soldier!!!
    Last Tuesday we decided to take a trip to a bird park, 1 1/2 hours from us. !5 months since we have been anywhere out of our radius!!! Not much went right and it was too hot for birds as well. The trip home took us over 5 hours. Two trucks collided one bursting into flames. We sat in a motionless car for well over 3 hours with the temperature reading 40C. We are still trying to recover!!
    Keep well, Diane

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That really sounds like the trip from hell, Diane!

      Delete
  41. Beautiful series of images of your neighborhood. I really like the Northern flicker ones. Barn swallows remind me of spring and summer. The butterfly series is excellent too. And I also saw that you had a great time with a good wine from Salta.
    Saludos amigo!

    ReplyDelete
  42. Dear teacher, good evening! i am shocked by the wonderful post,
    the green shines all around,
    i see a wonderful world, i see babies like a fairy from the forest,
    i see birds that want to pierce your patio and i see insects
    in a glorious sexual orgy... hahahahahahahaha! You are always so nice, always simpatico; without a doubt you put a lot of fun in your posts.
    I support your motion for the wildlife and the squirrel so loving, who i adore.
    They are my friends here, in my little house in the forest. The squirrels, the rabbits and my pink-nosed unicorn have tea every afternoon at 5 o'clock.
    Many kisses and hugs and i wish you and Miriam continue to enjoy
    such a glorious summer and without the obligation to tell me anything at all.

    We also consume Don David wine at home! wine advertising is interpreted by Santiago Lange, so seeing your photo of the bottle moved me a lot, you woke up my furious patriotism jajaja! (please, it's just a little joke).
    Sending many greetings, kisses and hugs, oh, and forgot to say something else, we are all vaccinated! life is good.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPG1IwDAhic&ab_channel=Meli2104Meli2104


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v36EXQbJUBI&ab_channel=ELARCHIVISTA



    Adios, saludos!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the links, Carolina. I will send them to my Argentinian friends here in Canada. Besos xxx

      Delete
  43. You have found a pretty dragonfly. It is sad that visitors to the park didn't take away the plastic containers when they leave. Cute squirrel is enjoying whatever is left in the plastic container. Before the pandemic, we were doing quite a good job of recycling but now, the usage of plastic containers has increased due to food delivery that there is an increased in plastic garbage. We try our best in using our own containers but at times, it is unavoidable. Lily is very cute and very entertaining. Love the series of birds and flowers photos. Have a fabulous new week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kudos to you for doing what you can, Nancy. I know that I have seen posts of yours in the past where you have taken your own containers to bulk food stores and takeout restaurants.

      Delete
  44. Oh my, Lily is SO adorable. What a sweetie-pie :)
    And I can think of nothing more pleasurable than sitting in your Dell surrounded by nature. Mxx

    ReplyDelete
  45. Oh look at Lily, she seems to have grown a lot all of a sudden! The pictures of the Flicker are stunning, a gorgeous bird and definitely helpful to have around. It's nice to see everything looking so green right now, not so nice to see the squirrel and it's 'snack' we are not treating our planet with the respect it deserves, the solutions may seem simple but to implement such changes on a global scale.......not so simple.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We had better think of a way soon, or it will be too late for all of us.

      Delete
  46. Lily is so cute. We literally no longer can put our feet in our mouth, she beats us all on that!
    Sadly too many people leave their rubbish behind...
    Many years ago I met an American woman who never used real cutlery or plates, just plastic plates and cutlery which she then threw away, just to avoid washing up. I could never understand that, as I think the food just doesn't taste the same served in a plastic plate, apart from creating so much more waste.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think that more households do that than we like to believe. I even avoid restaurants that expect me to use disposables. And you are right, the food doesn't taste the same at all. Eating should be a pleasure, an event, not merely stuffing food in your mouth.

      Delete
  47. Thank you once again for all the information and wonderful photographs you include in your posts.
    It is most often during the evening that I sit and read your latest post, invariably with a cup of tea, a pleasant way to spend some time.

    Love the name of that wine!
    Lily is amazing and very supple, loved the last picture of her with Heather.

    Have a great week, I'm sure you will be out and about enjoying all that nature offers.
    My good wishes.

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
  48. Maravilloso como siempre tus reportajes, me encanta todo lo que tiene que ver con la naturaleza. Lily se ve preciosa, creciendo día a día. Encantador que disfrutes con Miriam. Abrazos.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Hi David,
    such a wonderful post, with an abundance of colorful species: insects, flowers (ah... this blue iris) and birds in a lush green surrounding. I enjoyed it very much.
    Well, apart from the squirrel eating from a plastic can offcourse. 😥
    After a very wet springtime, waterlevels are back to normal here again (after several years being too dry - we never expected it could be) and everything is looking very green and growing high up here too.

    Best regards, Corrie

    ReplyDelete
  50. Hi David,
    I am sorry to say that the Homo ignoramus disgusticus is not just in Canada a species we encouter too often. Especially during weekends it apears that polluting is a habit many people are very fond of. Unfortunately the pollution is not the only problem, because we are - generally spoken - making the world less and less attractive for our grandchildren. What kind of a heritage this is!
    These days we luckily still have the chance to enjoy the nature of gardens, parks and woods. There still is a lot to be seen, but who knows how our surroudings will look like after 30-40 years?
    Let's not finish to pessimistic. I enjoyed looking at the pictures you showed us here. The woodpecker, dragonflies and butterflies were great to look at.
    Greetings, Kees

    ReplyDelete
  51. Thank you, David, for sharing such a magnificent adventure!

    Your local wanderings offered some truly spectacular sights. I really like the French nom for one of our favorite woodpeckers and shall be using it often. The insects, birds, flowers - all simply wonderful!

    We're beginning to get regularly scheduled summer thunderstorms which is good. We have had a very dry Spring.

    All the best to you and Miriam.

    ReplyDelete
  52. Querido amigo muchas gracias por este hermoso paseo lleno de vida. Me parece fascinante ese hermoso pájaro carpintero. Todas las fotos son realmente geniales. Lily es una niña hermosa y muy sonriente, su carita desprende alegría. Un enorme abrazo para ti y para Miriam.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Hi David,
    Although I don't think it's good for the squirrel to taste human food, it looks so cute in the photos.
    Nature offers us so much beauty. I am always enchanted by your photos, I loved the elegant Iris, the beautiful birds and the wonderful butterflies and insects.
    How amazing is your little princess Lily, they grow so fast, don't they?

    ReplyDelete

Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that the land on which we are situated are the lands traditionally used by the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, and Neutral People. We also acknowledge the enduring presence and deep traditional knowledge, laws, and philosophies of the Indigenous Peoples with whom we share this land today. We are all treaty people with a responsibility to honour all our relations.

Followers