Happenings and Sightings of late

 07 October, 2022

At home, Waterloo, ON

     Somehow, in my last post I forgot to include the visit of a Northern Yellow Sac Spider (Cheiracanthium mildei) to our bathroom. 

     It scurried off hastily to some secluded corner and we have not seen it since.

     This species is synanthropic so it was not surprising to find it in our house. It is known to build its silken retreat in corners where wall meets ceiling, but we have seen no evidence of this, so perhaps our eight-legged friend died, or found its way to another part of the house where we have not yet discovered it.

20 October, 2022

A ramble through the countryside

     The black morph of Eastern Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) is found only in the northern part of its range, and people unfamiliar with it could be forgiven for thinking it a separate species.

      We have been having what is tantamount to a love affair with horses of late, unabashedly I might add. They are nothing short of magnificent.

     I am not sure of the exact breed of these draught horses, but they are huge animals. The largest of this group seemed about as big as a small elephant.

 

     It had the strange habit of grabbing onto the bridle of one of the others and leading it around in the manner a human might do.

     What a splendid group of domesticated beasts.

     One other horse was in the same field, but seemed to keep its own company.

     A farm on the outskirts of Wallenstein rents a couple of Mute Swans (Cygnus olor) to adorn their pond each year. They are still present but will probably be returned by the end of the month.

     As soon as our vehicle rolls to a halt the swans swim out towards us, evidently accustomed to people feeding them.

     A Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is always an impressive sight cruising overhead.

     From giant horses with feet as big as pancakes to the smallest foal, equines are endearing.

     Did someone declare a national day of rest for Ring-billed Gulls (Larus delawarensis)?

     Not for a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) this lethargy. There are fish to be caught.

     Several Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) were feeding in weedy vegetation along the banks of the river.

     No doubt they kept a watchful eye on the heron whose tastes in food are very catholic; it wouldn't hesitate to gobble down a Song Sparrow hors d'oeuvre given the chance.

     The serenity of a river or stream is hard to beat.

     Miriam and I have seen this scene more times than if I were to count the fingers and toes of all who read this post - and double it - yet it never ceases to impart a sense of calm and an impression of timeless beauty. 

This river will be flowing gracefully long after we have become compost!

     You would probably be hard pressed to find a cheering section for Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) in North America where the species is not native, but they are part of our avifauna (deliberately introduced by us it bears noting) and deserve our respect - and perhaps even grudging admiration.

     A couple of trees were laden with them.

      No one has anything but warm, fuzzy feelings about a Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens).

     Blue Jays (Cyanocitta cristata) appear to have been exceptionally numerous this year, sometimes moving through our area in large flocks.

     Mallards (Anas platyrynchos) in a stream are a source of perpetual delight, in some ways evoking the child in all of us.

     The quiet dignity of a Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) is an enduring image.

21 October, 2022

At home, Waterloo, ON

     As we were getting into the car I noticed a Seven-spotted Lady Beetle (Coccinella septempunctata) on the driveway.

     This invader from Europe has become the dominant ladybug in North America, so much so that I seldom see native species any more.

Another ramble through the countryside

     Not far from our house is a tree farm/garden centre, and at this time of the year pumpkins are a big item.

     People buy them to bake pies and muffins, and to make delicious pumpkin soup, and they are carved as Jack o' Lanterns for Halloween. 

     It's a special time of year, especially for children who look forward to getting dressed in their costumes and going door to door to gather treats. Dentists of the world no doubt rub their hands in glee!

     The beauty of the landscape thrills us.

"The bluebird is like a speck of clear blue sky near the end of a storm, reminding us of an ethereal region and a heaven which we had forgotten."

Henry David Thoreau

     It is not so many years ago that Eastern Bluebirds (Sialis sialia) were in a very steep decline. Bluebird enthusiasts took up the fight to save the Eastern Bluebird (and other species too), principally by erecting nest boxes in suitable habitat, and scrupulously monitoring and maintaining them, and the results have been spectacular.

Adult ♂

Juvenile ♂

     Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) were streaming through on migration, although remarkably a few stay here for the winter.

     I remember about thirty years ago finding a  Turkey Vulture on a Christmas Bird Count and it was exceptional. Thank goodness I had a partner to authenticate the sighting since it was prior to the ubiquity of digital cameras. Today it is still a rare event, but no longer unexpected.

     At several Mennonite farms, late season produce was available for free or on a pay-what-you-like basis.

     It is a bit of a reaffirmation for me that human goodness can still be found. Good food should not be permitted to go to waste and this largesse is a laudable act of charity and kindess.

     Is there a more sublime sight that a horse and buggy travelling along a country road?

     It is common practice for Mennonites to enlarge their houses as successive generations get married and require a home. Sometimes they become very big, with addition after addition.

     You get an impression of a community that supports and nurtures Mennonites when a business is devoted to harnesses.

      There are businesses specializing in making and repairing carriages too.

     We passed this roadside apple tree where much of the fruit had already fallen to the ground and Miriam decided that apple sauce was in the cards.

     She was very fortunate that I was in the car to provide precise directions to the best ones to pick!

     I am pleased to report that she did an excellent job.

     Along the way we saw three Northern Harriers (Circus hudsonius) and Miriam, fresh from her apple-plucking success, was able to get at least a reasonable picture of one of them.

     The Great Blue Heron we had seen the day before was in the same spot in the river; no doubt the fishing is good there.

     We passed another apple tree when a gust of wind dislodged quite a lot of them. Sheep grazing in the field evidently heard the noise and recognized it and came running over to gorge on the fruit.

     Who knew that sheep were fond of apples?

     Back at home we set our stash on the counter.

     What a great day out. How fortunate we are to inhabit this precious corner of the globe, our home, our solace, our refuge and our joy. 

Trivia

     I was asked recently why I use the term Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus) on my blog as opposed to the name Rough-legged Hawk as in common usage in North America.

     The taxonomy and nomenclature that I follow is that of the IOC World Bird List (the current version is 12.1), where buzzard is generally used rather than hawk, especially for buteos. It has always been a bit of a puzzle to me why in North America we use names that are different from those used in the rest of the English-speaking world. The IOC list has now gained wide acceptance, even by most international tour operators for the checklists they provide to their clients, and since my readers span the globe it is my choice too.

     As for the logic, or lack thereof, of some raptor designations, I can do no better than to cite the text from The Bird Name Book, Princeton University Press, 2022.

"Eagle or Hawk or Buzzard?

The assignation of many of these names has historically been quite arbitrary. The buteos are named buzzards everywhere except North America, where they are called hawks, and sometimes the New World Vultures are even referred to as buzzards. Likewise the term 'eagle' refers to several birds of prey, some of which do not have a close genetic relationship. Generally speaking, there are significant differences between eagles and hawks in terms of their size, eagles being significantly larger than most other birds of prey."