Saturday, August 27, 2022

RIM Park, Waterloo, ON

 "The natural world is the refuge of the spirit.....richer even than human imagination."
                                                                                                      E.O. Wilson

21 August 2022     

     Right at the start of our trail there is a small pond which we always check carefully. 


     Over the years there have been interesting sightings from deer to herons, from muskrats to duelling blackbirds. What you don't see in the above picture is an American Mink (Mustela vison) hard up against the far edge. We were too far from it for a decent shot anyway, but it swam behind the bush and never reappeared. You will have to take my word for it!
     The Carrot Seed Moth (Sitochroa palealis) lays its egg in the seed heads of Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) and we can never resist, at this time of the year, trying to find one.


     I am quite sure that Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) are far more adept at locating the lavae than we are, and they relish this highly nutritious supplement to their diet.
     Most goldenrods found in Ontario are placed in the genus Solidago; Flat-topped Goldenrod (Euthamia graminifolia) is sufficiently different from other species to be assigned to the genus Euthamia. The specific epithet graminifolia means "grass leaved", a reference to the linear leaves.


     Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) is very attractive in early spring when it is one of the first plants to adorn our woodlands, but when its blue berry-like seeds are revealed in late summer it is equally splendid.


     I read recently that a field of cows is viewed by many as a classic tranquil, pastoral scene, but I would offer a stream with Mallards (Anas platyrynchos) as its equal.


     Often overlooked due to their familiarity they certainly merit more than a casual glance.


     A Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) landed in front of us and was very cooperative.


     It is of course not spotted once it sheds its breeding plumage, but it is still a very striking bird.
     Hedge Bindweed (Calystegia sepium) is a familiar plant known by a dizzying variety of colloquial names, Granny-pop-out-of-bed being my favourite, but it does serve to reinforce the value of learning the scientific name to eliminate doubt.


     Broadleaf Arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia) is a lovely plant, found in marshy areas, sometimes in standing water.


     Rain has been a scarce commodity in southern Ontario this summer and most creeks and small tributaries have dried up.


     Wild Cucumber (Echinocystis lobata) is ubiquitous through our region with its lovely white flowers and ensnaring tendrils.




     Two-banded Petrophila (Petrophila bifascialis) is a very common diurnal moth in August.


     This sparrow is giving me a little trouble in terms of ID. It is certainly a Melospiza sparrow and Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) would be the most likely candidate, but I am leaning towards Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii), although it seems a tad early for this species. Climate change, however, is overturning many patterns of migration.


     Tyrant Flycatchers (family Tyrannidae) in the genus Empidonax are very difficult to identify one from the other when they are not singing. This individual is probably an Alder (E. alnorum) or Willow Flycatcher (E. traillii), but I can't say which with certainty.


     We were very excited to encounter a fine-looking example of Homo sapiens, a female if I am not mistaken, in the subspecies ebikeensium, only recently discovered by scientists, but with an expanding population it would appear.


      This species is known for bright colouration of  dazzling variety, a protective head shield that varies in shape and hue, excellent balance, and a marked enthusiasm for bursts of speed and manoeuvrability.


        It was the supreme pleasure of our outing to come across this outstanding individual. 
      Common Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is a lovely perennial flowering plant.


     The seed pods of Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) are well formed and will soon be splitting open to release their seeds to the wind.


     There is a prominent rock in the Grand River and I would hazard a guess that at least fifty percent of the time it has a gull resting on it. In this case it is a Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis).


     An American Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus) preferred to rest on the water.


     We passed the impressive nest of what I am pretty sure is a Bald-faced Aerial Yellowjacket (Dolichovespula maculata), sometimes referred to as Bald-faced Hornet.


     On page 79 of The Social Wasps of North America (Kratzer, 2022), there is an almost identical picture. This a species you really don't want to irritate!
     Tamarack (Larix lariciae) is one of my favourite trees, with its tiny cones.



     Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) is highly valued by a variety of animals, human hikers included!


     I have to credit Miriam's sharp eyes for spotting this Willow Pinecone Gall Midge, containing the larva of the Gall Gnat Midge (Rabdophaga strobiloides).


     Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) seems to colonize even the most meagre patch of bare ground.


     If you look carefully you will see a land snail just to the right of the leftmost flower, probably in the genus Cepea.
     A Honey Bee (genus Apis) is well-loaded with pollen.


     Common Eastern Bumble Bee (Bombus impatiens) always resembles a cuddly toy to me.


     For those paranoid, or at the very least overly concerned about being stung by a bumble bee, rest assured that if you leave it alone it is quite happy to return the favour. If it does feel compelled to sting, it pays with its life.
     A Small Carpenter Bee (genus Ceratina) is very attractive too.


     What could be more delightful to end our walk than Chicory (Cichorium intybus)?


     Perhaps we can all re-dedicate ourselves to preserving and protecting all that nature has to give. The future deserves no less.
David M. Gascoigne,
David M. Gascoigne,

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

61 comments:

  1. You are so funny, David. Yes, that's a female. How did you know? 😉
    Beautiful birds and flowers. The Chicory is a very pretty flower. Yes, we must protect the nature.
    Hugs and kisses, Marit

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    1. One must pay close attention to anatomical protrusions, Marit, and close examination is recommended. Vocalization is different too. Hugs and kisses - David

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  2. ...David, I don't know where to start. I'm not sure if Caulophyllum thalictroides is a plant that I've seen. Larix is a favorite of mine in several seasons.

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  3. I walk on a multi use trail sometimes and I've met several of the bicyclist. They are friendly and stop sometimes to ask what I've seen. I like friendly people! Love seeing the plants you've seen and the birds you spotted. It's nice you can ID so much too!

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    1. We know her. She's a good friend of ours. We ran into her on the trail. The day before we had been sitting on her patio by the pool with her husband sipping wine and eating cheese.

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  4. Perhaps we can all re-dedicate ourselves to preserving and protecting all that nature has to give. The future deserves no less.
    We should. We most definitely should. Thanks to both you and to Miriam for the beauty and the wonder.

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    1. Now we (collectively) are off to desecrate the moon again. If only we could spend that money here on earth we could eradicate so many of the social ills that plague us, and restore nature in the bargain.

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  5. Encantada de pasear contigo querido amigo David. Gracias por estas fotografías ¿ sabes que las plantas e insectos, son mis favoritos ? no, lo es todo, las aves, animales, paisajes todoooo. jajaja. Abrazos para Miriam y para ti.

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  6. I always love to see the pretty blue flowers of the Chicory plant. In times of hardship and shortage the plant has been used as a replacement for coffee, and may be its time could return again. Apparently the roots are roasted and then ground - the flowers and leaves can also be used in salads.
    I looked at images of the willow flycatcher and the alder flycatcher, and you are corect, it is extremely difficult to decide which one you spotted. Flycatchers are very attractive and appealing little birds.

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    1. Chicory may well make a comeback if the price of coffee keeps going up!

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  7. No seeing much chicory here but plenty of golden rod. We have a hornet's nest growing behind our barn. Dan read that the hornets leave it in winter and never return to it. Your understanding too?

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  8. A field of crows would be called a murder of crows; hardly tranquil.

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  9. I have a post with bees coming up.

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  10. Hello. You had a great walk again. So much to see in nature.
    Take care.

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  11. Thanks for sharing your walk with us.

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  12. I've never heard of a Willow Pinecone Gall Midge, so I had to look it up. Interesting in that the twig grows no further but the leaves do to form the cover for the larvae. Your walks are full of observations that are so interesting in photos.

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  13. A female species, funny I didn't know that..lol All the photos are lovely and it's so amazing how it's been dry there and floods in other parts of the world. Take care.

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  14. What beautiful pictures you took during the walk.
    That lady cycling is really nice that you photographed it too.
    Here in the Netherlands it is also very dry, there has been no rain for months and the small streams are all dry, in the large rivers such as the Rhine and the Waal there is only limited shipping possible, the cargo ships can only transport little.
    Greetings Irma

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  15. Hi David.

    Beautiful nature.
    Beautiful areas.
    Beautiful the Birds, insects and flowers.

    Greetings from Patricia.

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  16. Love the color of the chicory blossom. That wasp hive looks too threatening for me!! You are the 2nd blogger this week that found a gall! Gorgeous birds & wonderful nature at its finest David

    Once again,thanks for taking time to link in and sharing your blog with us at I'd Rather B Birdin'

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  17. Une cycliste bien identifiée :D
    Belles observations, flore et faune, je vois que chez vous ça reste aussi sec, j'ai eu 40mm de pluie jeudi non prévu. Bon dimanche.

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  18. Hi David, it's always a pleasure to enjoy your walks from afar through your blog. Miriam has sharp eyes to catch things that are almost invisible, and of course, to take her wonderful phoos. Yesterday I met a cyclist who had just got off the tram with her bike, and asked for some isuggestions that she could visit in our little town. She was very jolly and I was happy to give her some ideas. Have a great day, big hugs, Valerie

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  19. What a lovely walk. I loved the description of the cyclist. Very clever.

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  20. Wonderful nature scenes and report from your walk. The Sandpiper is one of my favorites, I like the pretty Tansy flowers. Kudos to Mariam for all her lovely photos. Take care, have a great day and happy new week!

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  21. That was a lovely adventure! And I believe you about the mink!

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    1. And the amazing this is the trail is about fifteen minutes from our house.

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  22. You look like you are having some nice walking lately. Your honey bee photo reminded me that I was reading about races of honey bees lately. It is interesting the different types of subspecies and races that there are in the world. You might have already read about them. And those black raspberries are a favorite of mine. I have a little patch in my yard that I have been nibbling on when I'm outside. Do you leave any for the wildlife? Smile. Hope your weekend is going well. Hugs-Erika

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    1. The raspberries we tend to leave for the wildlife - bit if we come across mulberries that's a different matter entirely!

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  23. I've seen goldenrod shown in several blogs from Virginia northward. It always surprises me how much sooner it appears in your area. I had to look up the Tamarack, which brought to mind one of our terrible invasives: the salt cedar, which belongs to the genus Tamarix. Different genera, and different levels of acceptability; yours is a beautiful native. While we're not yet out of drought, we've had enough rain that ponds are beginning to refill, and enormous flotillas of mallards and flocks of various wading birds are enjoying them now.

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  24. Your Black Raspberry had me checking that it was not just another name for what we know as Blackberry, David - it isn't. Blackberry is Rubus fruticosus! Do you get Blackberry over there?

    The magnificent tendril on that Wild Cucumber caught my attentiion.

    I was sad to see your dried-up stream bed. As you know, we are not without similar problems here, but we are now seeing a little rain from time to time. I'm very concerned about the knock-on effect to wildlife for future years.

    Best wishes to you and Miriam - - - Richard

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    1. Hi Richard: Yes, we have blackberries here too, although I haven't seen many this year. Like you, I am concerned about the future impact on wildlife caused by the droughts around the world, especially if the same conditions prevail for years on end, as is happening in California.

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  25. The drying up of small streams is, unfortunately, a planetary phenomenon.
    The woman with the bicycle is very happy.

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  26. Sabes vivir la vida, internándote en esos buenos senderos, que te proporcionan tan buenas fotografías.
    La señora de la bicicleta se ve muy simpática.

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  27. Hi David,

    I would have loved to join this amazing walk. Lots of information and beautiful photos .Great to enjoy nature in this way!
    regards, Maria

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  28. The wasps around the picnic table these days can be a distraction. I am afraid of a sting.

    This post is filled with wonderful flowers, insects and birds. The ducks are beginning to appear again here too. Love this birds.

    I have another post at https://islandmusingswithmarie.blogspot.com/

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    1. Ironically, Miriam was stung by a wasp yesterday. Her hand swelled up quite a bit, but she is rapidly getting back to normal now.

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  29. Love the blues of the Cohosh and the Chicory. Looking at the dried-up stream, those Mallards are fortunate to have a pond to paddle in!

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  30. Such a lovely walk with lots to see.
    Many thanks for all of the photographs.

    Enjoy this last weekend of August.

    All the best Jan

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  31. I love your writing style!!....it is very funny!....lovely pictures!!.....Abrazotes, Marcela

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  32. Such an amazing walk, David.
    And as always, beautiful photos.

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  33. What a beautiful and relaxing place! ... I'd like to ride a bike along those paths :-)
    Great post!

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  34. Hello David, :=) I always tend to write too much so I'll try to be brief this time. This is a very enjoyable post with many wild plants that also grow on the farm, Goldenrod and Bindweed being two of them. The Tamarack tree with it's cascade of tiny cones is a beautiful sight, and I liked the photo that focuses on the Wild Cucumber tendrils. I saw the tiny snail, and if you look you will always find small insects hiding in the wild. I love blue flowers like the beautiful Chiccery blooms, and the Blue Cohosh seeds. We have only had two light showers all year, the soil is hard,and the streams have also dried up. I have seen wasps, lizards flies as well as birds drinking from the water bowl on the balcony. I must look up if all insects need water to survive! Well, my attempt to be concise, has ended in a long comment again.:=(
    All the best David, and hugs from Portugal.

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    1. Write as much as you want, Sonjia. I thoroughly enjoy your comments. Hugs - David

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  35. Wat heerlijk als je zoveel van de natuur afweet en er zo mooi over kan schrijven ik zit te genieten.

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  36. You have some marvelous finds here -- truly beautiful. It looks like a fabulous walk in many ways. Cows vs. mallards? Does there have to be a winner? I might go with the mallards as the water is so lovely, but it's a very close call!

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  37. I do love your nature walks, David. So many interesting things to see (that so many folk never seem to see), and I agree with your comment about the mallards. So peaceful :)

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  38. I'm kind of relieved that even you sometimes have uncertainties in identifying birds. I don't feel quite as dumb anymore. What impressed me most in this post was the yellowjacket nest - I've seen "regular" wasps nests, but never a big one like this. It is fascinating, but I'm sure it's best to keep a safe distance and to leave them alone. I love how your and Miriam's keen eyes always find these tiny insects. I need to look for the Carrot Seed Moth - we have lots of Wild Carrot here, so maybe I'm lucky. I didn't even know of the existence of this moth before reading your post. I always learn something when I come back from your blog.

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  39. Hi David,
    There was enough to see during your nature walks, a lot of variety in flora and fauna. The most remarkable species in my opinion was the home sapiens, especially the sub species ebikeensium. On the list of endangered species the qualification of this kind has changed in the Netherlands into "common". In some areas you have to be careful, because they are not always able to control their speed and reactions. The number of accidents with bikers has increased the last years and especially the older ones seem to be a greater risk on the roads than expected.
    Greetings, Kees

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  40. I enjoyed your walk with all you saw and noted. Like Shoreacres, you tamarack made me think of salt cedar which is invasive and rampant in Big Bend along the Rio Grande. When my son was in preschool, we read that when honeybees are feeding you can touch them without danger of gettings stung. I thought that was interesting but imagine my shock the next day as my son walked down the flowering hedge lined driveway touching the bees as he went. And no, he didn't get stung.

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    1. Honeybees really are gentle creatures, Ellen. It is only as a last resort they will sting.

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  41. Great post! I enjoyed the humor along with the nature lesson.

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  42. Hi David - your neighbour sounds an ideal person around the lie of the land - she looks amazingly healthy - and obviously has a good taste in snacks too ... love the pictures ... and the notes, which I always enjoy reading. Cheers Hilary

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    1. She will probably emasculate me if she reads this, but she is sixty-nine years old, Hilary.

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  43. I can't imagine how glorious it would be to see a mink! I enjoyed your detailed description of Homo sapiens!

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  44. Oh, how lovely those blue Cohosh are.
    They look like lighting for a Christmas tree.
    David you always learn a lot of interesting information
    Hugs and greetings:)

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  45. David - I have never heard Bindweed called Granny Pop Out of Bed - Love that name! We have a Bald-faced Hornet Nest high in one of our Tamarack trees - we have been musing over why that location ... The Chicory is such a delicate shade of blue.

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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.

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