Marg, Lily and Other Stuff

     In life one has friends and acquaintances, people who pass through with more or less impact, sometimes hardly at all, and then one is fortunate to have to have true, true friends, who can be counted on, who entertain, who delight, to whom one is irresistibly drawn.

     Margaret Lewis-Macdonald is such a person.

     She recently celebrated her eightieth birthday, and such an auspicious event could not be allowed to pass without celebration, even under the dire circumstances imposed by COVID-19. 

     The whole event was organized outside by her stalwart husband, Graham, and went off without a hitch. 

     As you may note, Marg took it all very seriously.

     She had insisted that she wanted no sappy cards and that all greetings should be humorous or naughty! That describes Marg down to a tee!

     As it happened, other friends had birthdays at the same time, so it was a joint celebration for three birthday beauties.

Marg Wendland (80), Marg Macdonald (80), Lynda Buck (75)

     What a pleasure it was to celebrate with these  gorgeous ladies. Good friends, good food, good wine - what more could one ask for?

     Well, you could ask for Lily too!

     Before going any further, permit me to show you a couple of pictures of Heather as a baby, and note the stunning resemblance to Lily. It could be the same person! Down to the hair almost!

     We were joined on our walk this week by Shane, Lily's daddy, having recently shaved his beard and looking like an erstwhile Tom Selleck! 

     I am utterly convinced that as we continue these nature walks with Lily she will start to absorb the smells, sights and sounds around her, and that her character will be formed in part by these early encounters with nature.

     A girl has to have a sleep now and then.

     So that she can wake up lively and ready to look around.

     And what is life all about if you can't blow bubbles?

  

     On other fronts, we have a robust population of juvenile Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) at SpruceHaven. Many of them are content to perch on a wire and wait for devoted parents to zoom by, stuffing food in their mouths on the way past.

     I mentioned in an earlier post that Northern Flickers (Colaptes auratus) appear to have had a successful breeding season, and this recently independent bird was seen at Forwell Park.

     We pass through a tunnel on our way from Forwell Park to Hillside Park, and it is unfortunate that some of our less enlightened citizens cannot resist defacing the walls with their graffiti. Wouldn't it be wonderful if one of them could, even once, come up with something creative?

      The view above is looking back and I have spared you the pathetic nature of their crude daubing. You will be happy to know, however, that they can spell at least one word correctly, and it has four letters.

     If this American Crow (Corvus brachrynchos) perched high above considered himself superior he was right.

     If I am not mistaken, this insect is a Common Eastern Bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) and it was fascinating to watch as it got right into the corolla of the flower on which it was feeding.

     On a visit to SpruceHaven with the Morgans, Alan took these two wonderful shots.

Green Heron (Butorides virescens)

Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice) on coneflower

     We had arranged to meet Andrew and Lorraine Wesolowski at RiverSong to tour around and stay for lunch, and just as we arrived a White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) ambled slowly across the river.

     It was a wonderful welcome to a beautiful spot.

     Several Midland Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta marginata) were basking in the warm sun.

     Sometimes you have to make room for a friend.

     Lorraine is an accomplished photographer and managed this superb shot of an Osprey (Pandion haliaeetus) flying along the Conestogo River.

     A Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) was perched a little out of range for a really good picture, but I think that what Lorraine achieved is delightful.

     Miriam and I made our first visit to the sewage ponds at Milverton, where Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) was far and away the most common species.

     For those not  familiar with the esoteric niceties of birding, sewage farms are highly prized habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds, herons, egrets and others, and by default therefore, equally cherished locations for birders. Eau de sewage is a powerful attractant, verging on pheromone for a dedicated birder!

     The highlight of this visit was to locate a Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus), quite rare in these parts.

     Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) were present, but not in the numbers one would normally expect at this time of the year.

     Many young Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) were enjoying (or not) their first flush of freedom from the nest.

     Eastern Kingbirds (Tyrannus tyrannus) were no less common.

     As you can see, COVID-19 has not really slowed us down one bit!   

River Song and Chef Bruce Duff

     On the scales of delight and satisfaction a visit to RiverSong ranks at the apex.

     John and Susan Pries, the owners of this paradisaical sanctuary along the Conestogo River have been gracious in welcoming Miriam and me several times. And everyone else is welcome too.

     Where else can you go to be greeted by a very accessible Osprey family? Mom was there as usual.

     And it won't be long before the kids are ready to strike out on their own.

     It has given us hours of pleasure to watch these birds almost from the first day they arrived back from the south.
     John is a consummate naturalist who has recorded 131 species of birds at RiverSong, to say nothing of Snapping Turtles and Midland Painted Turtles, Milk Snakes and Red-bellied Snakes, Eastern Garter Snakes, American Toads, Leopard, Chorus, and Green Frogs, Bullfrogs and Spring Peepers. What would a riverside property be without Muskrats? Deer visit and Groundhogs and Raccoons find a home there. Meadow Voles and Deermice seek food and shelter. And we haven't even mentioned butterflies and moths, dragonflies and damselflies, coleoptera, hymenoptera, hemiptera and diptera -  the list goes on. A wide range of trees populate the property, wildflowers thrive in abundance, ferns in profusion.
     For the avid birder, or for the most casual of budding naturalists, a bird sightings list is provided with a field guide and binoculars for those who don't have their own.

     Local artists are able to display their work which is offered for sale.

     Most of us arrive by car, but some choose a more ecologically friendly alternative.

     Last year, John and Susan, decided to retire from the catering side of the business, while retaining their residence at RiverSong, and the commercial operation was transferred to Chef Bruce Duff.

     I am sure that Bruce could not have imagined that soon after starting his venture the pandemic would essentially shut down his business. He has persevered, however, and now that patio service is permitted, is doing well, serving a range of delicious food.

     In addition to the permanent menu, daily offerings are available.

     On a hot summer's day, what could be more appealing than homemade ice cream?

     The patio is very appealing.

     At present Bruce is offering patio dining only (and takeout) but when the cold weather arrives he has ample room inside to accommodate his clientèle, while scrupulously maintaining the mandated distance requirements.

     It bears pointing out that anyone eating at RiverSong is free to roam the property and take advantage of the becalming, soothing atmosphere of this tranquil spot.

    It is just the antidote for frazzled nerves caused by the pace of modern society, or angst generated by COVID-19. This is the place to put your phone away and immerse yourself in the tranquil beauty that is RiverSong.

     Patrons come for many reasons. Some just to enjoy excellent food at reasonable prices, but many I have no doubt have earmarked RiverSong as their favourite lunch venue for all the reasons described above.
     And there are goodies to take home too.

     Perhaps we will see you on the patio soon.

     Before heading out to RiverSong feel free to contact John (john.h.pries@gmail.com) to see whether he is available to give you a tour of the property, or contact me and I will organize an outing for you and accompany you to interpret the wildlife if you wish.
     In difficult times such as we are going through now, it behooves each one of us to support local businesses, which will continue to be the lifeblood of our communities. Chef Duff will appreciate your support and you will discover a truly pleasurable corner of this wonderful landscape we call home.