Wednesday, June 29, 2022

Waterloo Region Nature Outing to the North Shore of Lake Ontario

25 June, 2022

Leader: David M. Gascoigne

Members: Miriam Bauman, Victoria Ho, Sandye Moores, Jen Oakum, Shannon Pennington, Selwyn Tomkun

Guests: Trevor Lewis, Pooja Soni and 11 year-old daughter, Meher (our little princess).
Soni, Meher, David, Sandye, Jen, Selwyn, Shannon, Trevor, Victoria

DesJardins Canal/Urquart Butterfly Garden, Dundas, ON     

     It was a hot day already by early morning when we gathered to begin our day, with the promise of good birding from the moment we stepped out of our cars. Soni and Meher had ridden with Miriam and me and they were eagerly looking forward to their first organized nature tour.
     There were many Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) with young, always a bit of an added treat for children, I think.


     Mallards (Anas platyrynchos) were not to be outdone.


     We had seen a goose with a damaged wing, and were saddened to view an additional injured bird with a broken bill.


     It is always a cause for dismay to see injured animals, knowing that unlike us, they have no access to care for their injuries, and often fall victim to predators seeking to make a meal of them.
     In general, however, Canada Geese were both numerous and healthy.


     A male Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) posed very nicely for us.


     We were delighted to find a Crambid moth, new to all of us if I am not mistaken.  


     White-spotted Sable (Anania funebris glomeralis), a diurnal species, flies in June and July and is difficult to identify in motion due to its odd spinning flight. It is found in Europe as well as North America, glomeralis denoting the North American subspecies.
     Floating islands have been towed out into the canal, providing a resting place and nesting substrate for birds and other creatures. A Northern Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica) has clambered onto this one, with a couple of others in the water behind it.


     It's not the greatest picture, I confess, but it serves to show the functionality of these devices.
     Speaking of such matters, I should mention that for the first time, an old industrial chimney that had been left standing, was occupied by Chimney Swifts (Chaetura pelagica) and we saw them going into the chimney where presumably they have young to feed.
     Our group was very keen, always looking out for new wonders to share. Soni is pointing something out to Meher.


     In addition to her mom, everyone went out of their way to help this blossoming young naturalist, who charmed us all, and impressed us with her enthusiasm.
     Large fish were seen in the water, but none of us know a great deal about fish so any ID we might attempt would be tentative at best.


     Meher was seriously impressed with the stunning beauty of a Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor).


     A male House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a fine looking bird too.


     A large flock of Double-crested Cormorants (Nannopterum auritus) flew over giving us the chance to introduce Meher to the basics of avian aerodynamics - just what every eleven-year old is dying to know!


     An Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) put on a textbook flycatching clinic for us.


     I don't think we were ever out of earshot of an ardent male Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia).


     If ever I have seen Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica) before, I don't recall it, but it is an exceptionally handsome plant.


     Its spring flowers are exploited by bees and the fruit serves as winter food for birds. 
     Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) on the other hand is very familiar, and is surpassingly beautiful.


     This plant produces copious amounts of nectar and is in consequence attractive to several butterflies. Monarch (Danaus plexippus), however, is not among them, due to its rough leaves. Furthermore it is one of the lowest Asclepias species in cardenolide protection, offering little defence against predatory birds and other insects.
     Beauty Bush (Linnaea amabilis) lives up to its name and is very attractive to hummingbirds and pollinators.


     The flowers in the butterfly garden were exquisite.


     Shannon was especially delighted to see a Catalpa tree (family Bignoniaceae), a Carolinian species  at the northern limits of its range.


     Its large leaves shelter small songbirds during periods of heavy rain.


     Is there anyone who does not love a Common Poppy (Papaver rhoeas)?


     The larva of some insect found Tickseed (genus Coreopsis) to its liking.


     Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) is a very handsome bird, well known throughout the temperate world. I am quite sure that this individual had only one aim today and that was to impress Meher. 


     I am equally sure that it succeeded in its goal.
     A Hairy Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus) did not tarry for long, but I think most of us got a good look.


     Elegant Zinnia (Zinnia elegans) is an attractive addition to the butterfly garden.


     It is much loved by pollinators.
     This Mute Swan claimed possession of the floating platform, and I doubt that anyone would mount a challenge to its occupancy.


     It was happy to be joined by its mate.


     The canal, once the scene of industrial barges plying their way to grimy factories, was tranquil and beautiful.


     I was a little surprised to see a lone female Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus), but it was one more species for Meher to get to know.


     Safe to say that insects are attracted to Chicory (Cichorium intybus)



Grindstone Creek, Hamilton, ON

     A family of Mallards (Anas platyrynchos) had obviously been feeding in the mud.


     Pretty soon they were joined by their mother and like moms everywhere she seems to have urged them to clean up a little.


     A Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) can always be counted on to pose for a picture.


     The flight period for Common Whitetail (Libellula lydia) begins in June, and this male was the first we had seen this year.


     I know that Soni was especially taken with White Water-lily (Nymphaea odorata) - and with good reason.


     A couple of Caspian Terns (Hydroprogne caspia) patrolled up and down the waterways, periodically diving for fish and displaying their awesome mastery of the air.



     Canada Geese seemed to be everywhere, with many goslings accompanied by attentive parents, often blocking the road. Some, however were content to be "far from the madding crowd".


     Red-eared Sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) have been all too frequently released by uncaring pet owners who tire of them, and they are now established in southern Ontario.


     Midland Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata) on the other hand is native to this area.


     Here is the long and the short of it - or should that be the big and the small of it?



Hendrie Valley Sanctuary, Burlington, ON

     Several Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) mounted a display for us, flashing their epaulets to flaunt their splendour, and strutting along the paths to assert their dominance.


     We were delighted to see another Catalpa in full bloom.



     Sandye had brought sunflower hearts with her, and we had been telling Meher that she had a good chance to feed birds and animals from her hand.
     In no time at all Eastern Chipmunks (Tamias striatus) were sidling up to us looking for a handout.
     Meher was delighted to accommodate them.



     Next on the list was a White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis), a more difficult challenge - or so we thought.


     Little did we realize that Meher is possessed of a special bird-attracting pheromone, for no sooner had she extended her hand than a nuthatch came for its first treat.


     The nuthatch did not go far and was joined by a few others, and Meher's hand was seldom free.


     At times it seemed as though a Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) might be tempted to snatch a seed too, but he remained aloof.


     Meher's next quarry was a Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) and success was not long in coming.



     We do not have a picture of the bird on her hand, but rest assured it happened. Next time we'll try to add a Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) to her list.
     Meher was also keen to collect feathers and went home with quite an assortment.


     There were more Mute Swans to add joy to our day.


     A Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) was way off on the far side of the lake, but we have a shot "for the record."


     A Western Osprey (Pandion haliaeetus) was scanning the water for fish, and I had no sooner finished explaining to Meher the way in which the bird is able to align the fish for maximum aerodynamic efficiency, when the osprey caught a large fish and performed exactly that manoeuvre. It made two passes in front of us, but we were unable to obtain a picture, so I am including an image of an osprey with a fish from our archives.


     Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) were kept busy feeding ravenous young.


     Another family of Mallard ducklings was a pleasure to see.


     Possibly, somewhere in the world there are responsible fisherfolk; I have yet to meet them. This Canada Goose had become entangled with discarded fishing line and hooks, the hook having embedded itself into the side of the bird. As we were debating how best we could catch it to remove the offending item the bird was able to take care of it itself, as you will see in the sequence below.




     Sadly, the ending more often results in infection, reduced mobility and ultimately death for the poor bird. 
     I saw this image on the internet recently.


     It's enough to make you weep.
     I hope this Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) can stay away from discarded line and tackle, but there's no guarantee of that.


LaSalle Park and Marina, Burlington, ON

     The first order of business when we arrived at LaSalle was to have lunch. We were able to find shaded spots away from the glare of the sun beating down ferociously, although not all together. Jen had brought fresh Ontario strawberries and shared them with anyone who cared to indulge.
     There are around 2,800 species worldwide in the family Rosaceae and I can tell you confidently that this flower belongs there, but I am unable to identify it as to species.


     American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) was spotted several times, but was extremely difficlut to photograph.


     Reed Meadowgrass (Glyceria grandis) was both prolific and beautiful, making it easy to forget that this is an invasive plant that can overwhelm native ecosytems.


     I doubt that we were ever more than a few metres from Eastern Grey Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis), true denizens of woodlands throughout southern Ontario and the bane of every backyard bird feeder!


     The pure white form of Mallard, selectively bred by humans, is generally known as Pekin Duck. No doubt this individual escaped from a wildfowl collection and is now keeping company with its wild cousins.


     Sandye has discovered something and is pointing it out to everyone, while Meher kept company with Victoria.


     Poor Selwyn is suffering from a painful knee ailment and had taken a seat earlier to await our return.
     Mallards lined up on a log.


     Northern Rough-winged Swallows (Steglidopteryx ruficollis) were perched almost directly above them, but they paid little attention to each other.



     Miriam spotted the nest of a pair of Eastern Kingbirds and noticed the adults visiting periodically to feed their young.


     There was a huge concentration of Double-crested Cormorants and we explained to Meher why the birds need to dry their wings following their dives in pursuit of fish.




     Ring-billed Gulls were ubiquitous.


     Cabbage Whites (Pieris rapae) were easily the most numerous butterfly, and this female even settled  long enough for a picture.


     As mentioned above representatives of the rose family are widespread and beautiful.


Paletta Lakefront Park, Burlington, ON

     Given the heat, a state of lassitude was staring to overcome some of us, and the cool of the wooded area was a pleasant break from the relentless sun.



     Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) were unfazed by it all and gorged on berries of various kinds.


     This tree has seen much history come and go and bears the signs of old age with dignity and grace.



     Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora) is always a pleasing sight.



     The temperature had by now climbed to 32 degrees, and it was past mid-afternoon. Even though I had planned two more stops, we decided to call it a day, well satisfied with excellent sightings and the very best of companionship.
     I think we had worn out Soni and Meher who both slept on the way home; the sleep of happiness, however; I know they were pleased with their excursion.
     As for Miriam and me, we look forward to doing it all again with our little princess and her mom! We can hardly wait.
David M. Gascoigne,
David M. Gascoigne,

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

84 comments:

  1. ...it's a delight to see a young person being introduced to the joys of nature!

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    1. It's a great feeling to be able to help them along,

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  2. Thank you for this amazing and lovely post, what a wonderful day and sightings you had.

    All the best Jan

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  3. Your love of children, exposing them to your love of nature and encouraging the same in them, is inspiring, David and Miriam. Such varieties of plants and animals too! Wonderful!

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  4. Beautiful birds, flowers and nature.
    All photos are spectacular!
    I especially loved the photos of young Meher feeding Eastern Chipmunks.

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  5. Another fine outing. That young Meher is a bird wonder. And, the swallow is beautiful.

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  6. Wow, you saw so much various wildlife, and you got some amazing photos David. I have never seen milkweed with orange flowers. Here ours have pink flowers. I noticed today the milkweed growing in the side yard was attracting some monarchs. They were fluttering around. I think they were waiting for the flowers to open. At my MIL's house on the lake there is a mama mallard with 9 very cute babies. They came by the dock and were peeping up a storm. Anyhow, I enjoyed your photos and all the nature you saw. Have a great end of June and start to July. hugs-Erika

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    1. Hello Erika: The milkweed you refer to is probably either Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) or Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) both of which have pink flowers and are attractive to Monarchs. We have Swamp Milkweed in our backyard.

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  7. As always . I learned something new on each trip. Thanks David. Miriam took fantastic photos.

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    1. Thanks for taking part, Selwyn, even with your bad knee.

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  8. Lovely to see these photographs and those swans, what good captures they are.

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  9. Great pictures! Enjoy the rest of the week!

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  10. Beautiful nature is always full of wonders! It's really amazing that the wild animals eat the seeds from Meher's hand...

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  11. David - delighted to see these innovative floating islands! I laughed when I read your comment about the song of the Song Sparrow - together with the song of the Yellow Warbler, it is the most common song that I hear! I have never seen a Midland Painted Turtle - the red markings are extraordinary. We are blessed to have many native roses around our home - they have just started blooming in the last couple of days!

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    1. The high frequency component of my hearing is not what it once was and I have a hard time hearing Yellow Warbler now, but Song Sparrow come through loud and clear!

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  12. The fish in the water and the letter V drawn by the birds are two good moments.

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  13. Thank you for all the beautiful photos, David! I love the birds and all the lovely flowers. The White Nymphaea was my favorite today, beautifully captured!
    Hugs and kisses, Marit

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    1. It really is beautiful, isn't it? Hugs and kisses - David

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  14. What an amazing group, and an amazing day. For you all. A big sigh at the careless fisherpersons though. And a hiss and a spit too.

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  15. Hi David - well what a delightful excursion with you ... so much here - so good to see. Marie says it properly for you both ... it's great you're so happy to share your love of nature, especially all the birds you find along your way with your friends. I always want to look things up ... which I do ... cheers and thanks for this wonderfully informative post. Cheers Hilary

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  16. Like Meher, I too am impressed with the beauty of that Tree Swallow along with admiration for Miriam's photo.
    How lovely it is to see that yet again, you have found yourselves a budding young naturalist to introduce to mother natures wonderful world.

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    1. To help young people is the greatest satisfaction of all, Rosemary.

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  17. What a lovely way to spend a day - and lovely photos to share with those of us in distant places.

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  18. Hi David, you had a wonderful birding day, and it was surely a great start for your new Enthusiast, Meher, your little princess. It's great to get kids started off at an early age, and I'm sure she will be back for your net tour. The platforms in the water are a great idea! Have a great July, look after yourself! Hugs, Valerie

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  19. C'est super d'emmener des enfants, c'est important pour l'avenir.
    Ils sont l'air contents de leurs observations.
    Les oiseaux et autres étaient au rendez vous, et je vois aussi beaucoup de fleurs. Et un beau temps!Bonne journée

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  20. About that fish: I took one look at your photo and thought, "That's a gar." Our species is different, but I often see them when I'm at work in the marinas, and the silhouette is unmistakable. I wondered if you have them, and found this interesting article. Once I looked at the map and saw that Lake Ontario is next to Lake Erie, I thought it at least possible that one might have wandered east. It could be a different species, of course, but I'd certainly bet on 'gar.'

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  21. Hi David.

    This is great pleasure for the people who can see all this beauty.
    Great nature and super beautiful butterflies, ducks geese and birds and flowers.

    Greetings from Patricia.

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  22. I am amazed that the birds in the wild came so readily to feed from your young friend's outstretched palm. I'd love to have that happen. I never was successful standing next to my birdfeeder with seeds in my hand. Lovely photos all! Thanks for bringing me along. We will go to Lake Ontario in August for a vacation week with the whole family but on US side.

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    1. If you decide to scoot across the border be sure to let me know.

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  23. Excellent serie photos. I can't understand how a wild bird can eat from your hand.

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  24. I have never seen a flock of birds fly in the V formation in my 76 years on earth. And I have lived in Hawaii, Thailand, Europe, New York, and California. Am I blind or what? LOL. Gigi Hawaii

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    1. Better book an appointment with your optometrist, Gigi!

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  25. Reading one of your birding posts always makes me feel as if I were right there with you and the rest of the group. The pictures are excellent and your descriptions really give the flavor of the place.

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  26. Perfect and beautiful pictures!!....I love how you capture the squirrel eating from Maher's hand!!......Abrazotes, Marcela

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  27. A lovely outing with excellent sightings and photos. Thanks, David.

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  28. Hello David, What a fabulous post to enjoy after my two month break. The large number of Canada geese, Mallards with their young ducking, and the in flight captures of the Cormorants, are all wonderful images. I kept smiling at Meher's enthusiasm. The Chipmunk and Nuthatch eating out of her hand must have been a thrilling experience for her. I have noticed before how you enjoy teaching young people the joys of the natural world, and it must be so rewarding to see how much they enjoy these outing in which they learn so much. I know I learn many things I did not know before. The origin of the Pekin Duck, for example was surprising to learn.

    Miriam's photos are truly delightful. The lone Mute Swan on the floating platform is especially pleasing. the Turtles, birds, butterflies, and all the beautiful flowers are all without exception breathtaking photos. Thank you Miriam, and thank you David.
    Warm hugs from Portugal.:=)

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    1. Hopefully these young people can get fired up and save the planet, Sonjia. No point in leaving it up to our generation - we will just make it worse.

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  29. A really lovely post. So many wonders. Looks like everyone is have a great time. I think the fish is a Gar.

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  30. What a truly wonderful post! I felt like I was watching a nature documentary on TV:). It always saddens me to come upon an injured creature...
    Love when young ones have an interest in the bounty of nature.
    Thanks for sharing !

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    1. It saddens me too, Linda. I always feel so helpless.

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  31. This was a delight to peruse so I know it had to be a fabulous day for you all. It is good to see young people infatuated by nature. :)

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  32. I love seeing young people learning more about Nature and how to care for it. The world would be a much better place if more people had this knowledge.

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    1. Nothing gives me more satisfaction than to work with young people to encourage love and respect for nature.

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  33. Buenos días, amigo, David, un gran y bello reportaje de fauna y flora y que la señorita Meher, seguro que lo disfruto a las mil maravillas. Da gusto ver a gente joven implicada con la naturaleza 👏👏.
    Es muy triste encontrar algunas aves atrapadas con los dichosos anzuelos de pescadores, ya sabemos que les puede esperar en la mayoría de los casos.
    ¡Feliz mes de julio!
    Un fuerte abrazo de vuestro amigo y compadre Juan.

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  34. Your nature walks look like a great introduction for the young attendees. Not far from us is a similar area where songbirds have been accustomed to eating out of one's hand. There must be several generations so far that have done this. And of course the kids love it.

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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  35. Beautiful post, David, and I know it took a lot of work to create it! It was lovely to see Meher learning about birds and interacting with them. Too many of our children are not experiencing the natural world. Have a happy weekend!

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  36. I'm not surprised y'all called it a day. It looked enough for several days to me. I'm sure you must know this but butterfly weed, asclepias tuberosa (and all milkweeds), is the caterpillar host plant for Monarchs. And adults do feed off the nectar of the flowers, at least they do down here, so I was surprised when you said Monarchs weren't attracted to them.

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    1. I have both Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) and Butterfly Milkweed in my garden. Often we gather eggs and raise Monarchs indoors, always collecting the eggs (or first instar caterpillars) from the Swamp Milkweed. I have never seen a Monarch egg on Butterfly Milkweed and only once have I ever seen a Monarch on it, even nectaring.

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  37. What a wonderful day that was, David, and another youngster welcomed into the fold with such enthusiasm. With those temperatures and al that excitement, it's no wondonder that people were flagging by mid-day. Well done!

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  38. Good to see you nurturing a new generation of birders and nature lovers. I was a product of nurture as my mother loved everything about nature and shared her love with me and I, in turn, did the same for my Granddaughter who has just graduated from PreVet, awaiting acceptance into Vet school. We will depend on these younger generations to protect and nurture ... it is a wonderful thing. Love all the pictures ... love the birds so eagerly accepting food from Meher hand. We had all the same birds at our lake house, but they always kept their distance (probably because our Izzi was always outside with us). Another wonderful by proxy nature walk ... thank you for that, David :)

    Andrea @ From the Sol

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    1. Hi Andrea: If you happy to check back here, I left a comment on your blog early this morning, but I noticed that it didn't appear. Perhaps it went to spam?

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  39. I would like to go on bird watching excursions with you, David, I would learn so much. It was so lovely to see Meher among your group - I'm sure she will remember this outing and it might guide her in future. It is so good to see young people getting excited about nature. - I do hate those fishermen's remains as well. Unfortunately we find that here at the lake as well. The park service even has put up signs to remind fishermen to clean their site, but I doubt that it really helps. Entitlement!

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    1. It goes without saying, Carola, that if ever you find yourself in southern Ontario, you will be an honoured guest on our walks. I don't know what it is with fishermen who leave their trash everywhere. We see monofilament line, hooks, lead sinkers that poison birds that inadvertently swallow them while foraging, and styrofoam containers used to bring their worms and other bait.

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  40. Hello David,
    What a great group of birders, it is nice to see the young Meher on your outing too. I am sure she enjoyed feeding the chipmunk and the birds. Great nature sightings, beautiful birds and flowers. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, enjoy your weekend. PS, thanks for leaving me a comment.

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  41. Hi, David. What a wonderful collection of photos. Nothing like being out and about and enjoying the sights and sounds of nature, especially when all these amazing critters are present. I especially like the sighting of the tree swallow. I don't believe I've ever seen one in person! How adorable. I recently planted butterfly weed in our garden. It is quite beautiful and one of my favourite plants. And the photo of Meher feeding the chipmunks is simply delightful! I hope you've been enjoying a nice weekend.

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    1. Never seen a Tree Swallow? You will have to come to Waterloo, Martha, and I will show you lots of them.

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  42. It's so nice to have people of all ages sharing their wisdom and enthusiasm! Love the Swan with wings outspread and how many flowers that had insects. I'm always delighted to see those when I look at my photos. Enjoy your weekend.

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  43. Hello David, Your blog is simply exceptional. So many wonderful photos and I love the way you weave in your comments and descriptions. It sure looks like fun and adventure to be with a group like this visiting a place like the North Shore of Lake Ontario with so many photo opportunities. It is a delight to read about young nature enthusiast Meher. It's wonderful to see her natural affinity for nature! So many excellent photos … hard pressed to pick a favorite, but I must say the Tree Swallow is exquisite. Thank you for sharing all and for your kind comments on my blog as well. John

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  44. You show us a great diversity in this post without going too far from home, also with the company of many people who appreciate nature. It is noted that the summer that is just beginning is very propitious for such a proliferation of living beings in all their magnificence.
    Regarding the comments you make, they always come to me, you are one of the people who follows my humble blog the most and I always appreciate your words very much, I can see what you read and see everything from end to end.
    It's quite dry around here, there aren't as many birds as before, next Saturday we'll take a census, we'll see what that day holds for us.
    Saludos desde Monte

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  45. Hello David,
    I think it would be great to be able to go on an excursion with you, too bad we live so far away from each other.
    So nice that young Meher gets the birds on her hand to eat, also nice feeding the squirrel.
    In short, I have enjoyed your blog again.
    Greetings Irma

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    1. Thanks, Irma. You will just have to make a visit to southern Ontario and we will go birding together.

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  46. Lovely summer birds, and the floating island is really interesting. It would be fun to put a camera on it and see “who” uses it. I’ve been having problems with comments on my blog, too. I nearly gave up blogging because I thought no one was interested in my topics anymore!

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    1. Check your spam folder, Cynthia. I left a comment this morning and it has already disappeared. Arrgh!

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  47. Sufro al ver ese ave con el anzuelo, siento mucha tristeza. Yo soy una pescadora responsable, pero sí se ven muchos que no lo son. Mi hija y yo recogemos las basura que dejan otros pescadores. Me encantó ver todas esas aves. Abrazos para ti y para Miriam.

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    1. I am happy to hear that you act responsibly, Teresa, and it does not surprise me.

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  48. hello David
    it's nice to see that young people can get so enthusiastic about nature, when i show my pictures to friends i just hear oh great and that's it...
    Greetings Frank

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  49. lovely post with lots of great wildlife :)

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  50. Hi David! What a great post, filled with beautiful photos! Young Meher is off to a great start. I love the photo of her feeding the chipmunk! What a glorious photo of the Mute Swan claiming the platform, wow! Kudos to you or Miriam for that shot! A note on the comments, I have trouble publishing comments on blogs that have your type of setup where the comment is posted on the same page as the post. I often get an error about the "recaptcha" failing.

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    1. Thanks for persevering, Rain. It used to work so well!

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  51. An amazing post , David.
    It's such a joy to see the young taking an interest in nature.
    Happy Monday!

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  52. No veo mi comentario de ayer.... estará en spam. Besos.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Hallo David,

    Leuk om er met zo'n groep om uit te trekken. En jullie hebben best veel mooie dingen gezien. Prachtige bloemen en planten, maar ook hele mooie vogels, vogels die hier niet voorkomen. En wat opvalt is dat ze daar zo tam zijn, ze komen uit je hand eten en dat geldt ook al voor de eekhoorns. Een mooie ervaring lijkt me dat.

    Groeten,
    Ad

    ReplyDelete
  54. Querido amigo que maravilloso paseo, es para mirarlo con calma y disfrutar de cada palabra y de cada fotografía. Todo es muy hermoso. Un fuerte abrazo para ti y para Miriam. Enhorabuena.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was made especially enjoyable, Lola, by being able to share it with Meher.

      Delete
  55. A beautiful collection, as always, and a few that made me gasp at their beauty. It should be mandatory that every child accompany you on a walk, in order to gain the appreciation needed to become custodians of nature as adults.

    ReplyDelete

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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.

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