A Little from Home, a Little from Elsewhere

12 October, 2023 

At home, Waterloo, ON

     Most of our garden flowers were spent, past their prime, withered, moribund or dead, yet this one Day Lily (Hemerocallis liliosphodelus) showed its shining face to the world. 

     Miriam was suitably excited and so was I.

20 October, 2023

     Some time ago an old American Linden (Tilia americana) was removed from in front of our house, and weeks later a crew was dispatched by the city to install a replacement tree. Voilà - our new Hawthorn (family Rosaceae).

     We will look forward to watching it mature and bear fruit. I will send a memo to all the waxwings and robins in the neighbourhood that they should imprint this location on their memory!

23 October, 2023

     A signal event in the fall, is to have Dark-eyed Juncos (Junco hyemalis) return to our backyard, so it was with delight that we glanced out one morning to see them there.

     A female -

     And a male -

     They will be our constant companions until next spring. We have told them that we will soon have a visitor from Australia, so no doubt they will be getting ready to put on a show for him.

05 October, 2023

Millennium Pond, Waterloo, ON

     This small wetland, hard by a major traffic artery in Waterloo, was the site of considerable activity.

      Many Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) were present, our smallest duck, always very appealing.

     A male Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) appeared to have a broken wing, and while it was coping quite well, it's hard not to conclude that the first Bald Eagle (Haliaetus leucocephalus) to spot it will make short work of it.

     A Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) emerged out of the reeds.

     Several Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) were present and easily seen.

     Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) is always a pleasing sighting.

     Here it is with a Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca).

     The final attraction was a Sora (Porzana carolina). Patience was required to see it, but when it emerged from hiding in the cattails it would parade up and down for several minutes. This is not an especially rare bird, but like most rails, is difficult to see.

17 October, 2023

The Linear Trail, Cambridge, ON

     As you may see this is a delightful spot for a walk with several different habitats to enjoy, a wildlife watcher's dream.

     Perennial Wall-Rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia) is really quite lovely.

     A lonely last flower of Dame's Rocket (Hesperis matroalis) seemed destined to take the prize as last bloom of the year.

     Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) are massing for migration and they were strewn along the riverbank in groups of twenty or so.

     Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) still thrives in mid October.

     Miriam was walking down to the river to get a little closer to a gull to take a picture when she came across what appears to be an erstwhile encampment of homeless people. One may well suppose that detritus is not high on their list of concerns, but it is tragic to stumble on a mess like this.

     It is profoundly disturbing that in 2023, when there are billionaires in this world whose wealth is both obscene and inexhaustible, that our fellow citizens, troubled perhaps by demons we can't imagine, have no choice but to live in this manner, poorly clothed, helpless in the face of severe weather, and sometimes forced to find food in garbage cans.

     An elegant female Mallard (Anas platyrynchos) refocussed our attention on the wonderful world of nature we had come to enjoy.

     Seen below is the American Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus) that Miriam was trying to approach when she stumbled on the homeless camp.

     I have tried to come up with a logical explanation as to how rocks came to be piled up on this marooned log, but nothing makes sense.

     The river is quite shallow there, albeit rapid, so perhaps teenagers with time on their hands thought it would be a bit of a prank.

     Common Soapwort (Saponaria officionalis) is quite beautiful in contrast to its not altogether sonorous name.

     Annual Wall-Rocket (Diplotaxis muralis) is a vibrant addition to a fall landscape.

     A Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias), looking for all the world like a relic from the Mezozoic, flapped lazily upriver.

     Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) is a hardy little shorebird, arriving first and leaving last, and we were very pleased to see a few still probing among the pebbles for choice morsels.

     In many spots the ground was carpeted by Common Ivy (Hedera helix).

     There was a prolific crop of berries this year on a wide range of trees and American Robins (Turdus migratorius) were finding lots to eat.

     A juvenile was doubtless learning much from the adults as it perfected its critical survival skills.

     Greater Yellowlegs migrate a little later each year it seems and we were not surprised to see three of them sail in, two of which are shown here. 

     A male Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pileatus) was doubtless proud to show off his head adornment.

     Little is quite so peaceful as a group of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) dabbling in the water together, or just cruising along on the current.

     Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) is a late bloomer, and very agreeable, too.

     Myrtle Warblers (Setophaga coronata) remain long after most other warblers have gone, and several worked the branches and leaves wherever we walked.

      Chicory (Cichorium intybus) is always a show-stopper.  

     The confluence of the Grand and Speed Rivers is always worth checking; over the years several rarities have been sighted there.

     Ring-billed Gulls (Larus delawarensis) suddenly put up in a swirl, and settled back down just as quickly. We have no idea what disturbed them.

     High overhead a North American Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos canadensis) barreled on through, but it's doubtful this was the cause of the gulls' consternation. This bird was bent on migration and a gull snack was hardly worth stopping for.

     It's a poor picture, I know, but it was really high and I think Miriam did well to get anything at all. There is enough detail to identify it as a third year immature based on the white bases to the inner primary feathers.

     While the gulls were agitated, a Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritus) was a model of calm and remained on its arboreal perch.

     Several Ruby-crowned Kinglets (Corthylio calendula) entertained us as only kinglets can.

     An infallible indication of fall in Ontario is the ubiquity of Wooly Bear caterpillars, the larvae of Isabella Tiger Moth (Pyrrharctia isabella), seeking a sheltered place to spend the winter. To see them is to have an encounter with an old and cherished friend.

     If I were a betting man I'd wager that you enjoyed this morning walk with us.

     We'll do it again soon.