Tuesday Rambles with David - Laurel Creek Conservation Area

15 November 2016

     This account of the most recent Tuesday ramble around local areas is later than normal, because the day after the outing took place we all left for Cuba.
     Franc, who supplied most of the pictures did not have the time to edit them until after our return on 23 November and I doubt I would have had the time to create the post even if he had.
     Our usual group, minus Mary, who had other things on her mind, met at my house and we went over to Laurel Creek together - a mere five minutes away. The area is closed to vehicular traffic after Thanksgiving but we were able to park outside and walk in.
     Laurel Creek contains a variety of habitat types and depending on the time of the year a wide variety of birds.

     The Tamaracks Larax laricina are especially attractive in the fall as their foliage turns to gold.

     The cones of this tree are a favourite food of crossbills (loxia sp.) and during irruption years are a reliable site to locate these interesting birds.
     There was ample High Bush Cranberry Viburnum acerifolium to provide food for American Robin Turdus migratorius and the fruit will no doubt support flocks of Cedar Waxwings Bombycilla cedrorum during the winter.

     Black-capped Chickadees Poecile atricapillus are very common indeed and chattering flocks followed us throughout. People routinely bring their children to Laurel Creek so that they can enjoy hand-feeding the birds. We had brought sunflower hearts with us to enable us to revisit our inner child.

     Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis was seen quite frequently too, although seldom in a position where good pictures could be taken. Franc captured the male and Miriam the female.

     The reservoir has been drained for the winter, with only small patches of water remaining in depressions. Mallard Anas platyrynchos and Canada Goose Branta canadensis were the pre-eminent species, but these handsome male Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis were also present.

       Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens is the "default" picid here, a beautiful, hardy little bird that ably survives the harshest conditions that winter serves up. No doubt these two are busy caching seeds to be retrieved later when other food is hard to find.

     These tiny crab apples harbour fat, juicy grubs and will be exploited by a number of species.

       Most Golden-crowned Kinglets Regulus satrapa migrate through our area, but some populations remain and survive our winter. This species is nearly always recorded on Christmas Bird Counts. Whether these two are residents or passing through it is impossible to know.

     We were all very happy to see a couple of Brown Creepers Certhia americana. This is another species with both a migratory and a resident cohort. Brown Creeper is quite common but is often overlooked due to its ability to camouflage itself against the bark of a tree, which comprises its entire world. It depends totally on tree trunks and branches for food and nest sites; it knows no other habitat.

  

     Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis and American Tree Sparrow Spizella arborea are two species that arrive in late fall and spend the winter and early spring with us.

     Miriam captured this picture of some of us walking back to the park gate.

Franc, Judy, David, Carol

     This Garden Cross Spider Araneus diadematus was not to be outdone as it ambled across our path.

     

     This family of arachnids was introduced from Europe and is now fairly widespread. I am not familiar with its life cycle but I assume that it will soon enter hibernation for the winter.
     As always it was a great walk with great friends. The day after we all went to Cuba together, accompanied by a few others. The next Tuesday morning ramble would be in a different location indeed!

Tuesday Rambles with David - Columbia Lake and SpruceHaven

25 October 2016

        It was a fine day, a little cool but sunny, when we all gathered at Columbia Lake in Waterloo for our regular Tuesday outing, with high expectations of finding some interesting birds.

        The foliage at Columbia Lake was at the peak of its colour, one of the reasons why autumn is so magnificent at this latitude. Some of the trees are nothing short of breathtaking and any panoramic view is a riot of reds and golds.

      The pictures used on this blog post are a cooperative effort by Franc and Miriam. Franc is the consummate photographer among us, with the best equipment, so the selection is heavily weighted in his favour. 

      Here is a delicate, lovely image of a Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis. 

     This species comes in a multitude of sub species and this morph is commonly known as Slate-coloured Junco. It is not hard to appreciate just how appropriate that designation is.

     In addition to a fine selection of birds, small mammals such as squirrels and chipmunks were very active. This Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis was industriously searching for nuts and seeds to cache away as a safeguard against food shortages in the winter.

       It is sleek and glossy and appeared to be in peak condition. I am sure it is well equipped to handle the cruel conditions winter sometimes brings.

       Autumn Meadowhawk Sympetrum vicinum is one of our latest dragonflies and we were happy to see this individual highlighting our walk.

     A Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis high overhead was seen flying with a fish in its bill.  You can bet that this was not a winter food item and would be gobbled down very quickly!

      This is the time of year when waterfowl from the north start to appear in large concentrations composed of a number of species. Columbia Lake did not have a great range of ducks but a couple of pairs of Gadwall Anas strepera were close enough for Franc to record their image for posterity!

     We saw fairly large groups of Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris; not quite the murmurations for which this species is renowned, when large flocks coalesce into one massive aggregation, but impressive nevertheless.

     A dense stand of bushes containing many berries hosted good numbers of several species, feeding on the food bonanza so easily available. As might be expected Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedroroum, a classically frugivorous species was quick to claim its place at the table.

     We stayed for quite a while at this area since there was non-stop activity. As you can see everyone was engrossed.

     Well, maybe everyone except Jim! Franc had his camera cocked and ready.

     A pair of Bufflehead Bucephala albeola were far out on the lake.

     But many Canada Geese Branta canadensis flew overhead.

     Raptor migration is well advanced by now, with many species having totally migrated out of our area. Numerous Turkey Vultures Cathartes aura were riding the thermals southward, but this Red-tailed Hawk Buteo canadensis might be either a migrant or a resident bird.

     The berry crop attracted several pairs of House Finches Haemorhous mexicanus and it was interesting to watch them feeding. This species is a regular patron at backyard bird feeders and this was an opportunity to study them taking natural food.

     White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis is an iconic bird for many of us; its song when breeding in the north woods is often interpreted as Sweet Canada, Canada, Canada. I am always delighted to see this very handsome species.

     A couple of Red-bellied Woodpeckers Melanerpes carolinus put on an amazing display for us, chasing each other and seemingly engaging in some kind of mock combat or other ritualized behaviour. They were hardly still for a moment, with aerial tumbling, grappling and diving, with flashes of colour to dazzle the eye. This picture gives but the barest idea of the deft choreography we witnessed.

          Judy and Mary had other things to do, so they declined to accompany us to SpruceHaven, but the rest of us made our way there to finish the morning in good style. 

     Clad in its autumnal best, SpruceHaven looked stunning.

     A Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis was unconcerned at our presence as it fed on peanuts at one of the feeders.

     American Goldfinches Spinus tristis have lost their bright regalia by late fall, but they still look very handsome in their delicate, muted dress.

     We have located twenty-five salamander boards in the woodlot, all made by Franc and Jim, so I was pleased to take Franc and Carol to see where they have been distributed. We hope to discover a range of species under these boards next spring.

     There is a wide range of fungi in the forested area of SpruceHaven, far beyond my realm of expertise to identify, but this formation was very interesting indeed.

     In the areas planted by Sandy to create wildlife habitat (she has done so much work and it it is truly a credit to her vision for nature) Highbush Cranberry Viburnum trilobum provides welcome food for a variety of berry-eating species.

     I had not realized that Carol was making her maiden visit to SpruceHaven. We welcome her warmly and hope that she will return often, so that she too can enjoy the wonders of this Shangri-La in St. Agatha.

     It was a great outing. Tomorrow we will do it all over again!