Catching up........

      Over the past while I have been posting mainly about my recent visit to Cuba, so this post will comprise a miscellany of items.

At Home, Waterloo, ON

     Miriam's crows continue to be faithful and appear regularly knowing that they will be fed.

     Eastern Chipmunks (Tamias striatus), freed from hibernation, enliven the backyard by chasing each other all over.

     As mentioned above pampered crows come to be fed, and occasionally Miriam makes peanut butter sandwiches for them and cuts them into bill-sized squares.

     Sometimes, however, the squirrels get to it first.

The Mill Race, St. Jacobs, ON

07 March, 2024

     As might be expected, Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) were out in full force.

     It was exceptionally pleasant on this occasion to be joined by Mary Ann Vanden Elzen and Janet Ozaruk.

     Now that's a pair of joyful faces!

29 April, 2024

     

     A chipmunk and a Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) obligingly consented to appear in the same shot - and neither demanded royalties!''

     It's prime spring migration time for Zontrichia sparrows and the first to put in an appearance was a White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis).

     It was followed in short order by its kissing cousin, White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys).

     Red-winged Blackbirds were common and not at all shy, especially males doing their best to entice females into their harem.

     Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) is both common and delightful - and beautiful too.

     In wetlands around southern Ontario, Marsh Marigolds (Caltha palustris) decorate the area in a most agreeable fashion. I look forward to their emergence every year.

     Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis) graces us with its presence quite early in spring.

     Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) has been exceptionally prolific this year and barely a day goes by without seeing several of them.

     It was great to see Spotted Sandpipers (Actitis macularius) back in all their familiar haunts.

     Even though I had no seed with me I "cheated" a little and stretched out my hand for a friendly Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) to land on.

     White-breasted Nuthatches (Sitta carolinensis) were not shy either.....

      ..... and it wasn't long before one visited my fingers.

     How lucky we are to have this intimate association with a wild creature, and how wonderful it is that they do not flee from humans, fearing for their lives.

     A male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is always a show-stopper.

     A chipmunk is probably the most common mammal on our walks at this time of year.

     Later in the year they will feed on Woodland Strawberry (Fragaria vesca).

     American Robin (Turdus migratorius) foraged on the ground, searching for tasty morsels of every description, both animal and vegetable.

     It's hard to rank the star of the show, but a frenzy of mating American Toads (Anaxyrus americanus americanus) was a candidate for the title. 

     At times it seemed like the single strategy was to jump aboard anything that moved!

     It was indeed a toad bacchanal, an orgy of lust.

     Whew!

     A White-throated Sparrow revealed itself nearby, but I doubt that it was interested in the super-charged goings on.

     Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) is a great favourite of mine, and it was prolific.

     It seemed appropriate somehow that a cardinal should be the bird to wish us goodbye.

     There is much more to catch up and I will intersperse those posts between other events of interest - and several book reviews.

     Life is never dull, I can tell you that!