Lockdown Is Not Quite The Stranglehold It Was.

      I think that like most Ontarians we are happy that restrictions are being lifted very gradually, but based on past experience wonder whether (and when) the hammer will come down again. The politicians are all anxious to restore conditions to near normal, and take the credit for it of course, but many of the medical experts are cautioning that by being too ambitious we may jeopardize the progress we have made to this point.

     For the moment let's enjoy what expanded freedoms we have and look to the future with optimism.  In the meantime nature does not change, and we continue to find solace and pleasure in ways that are so much part of who we are.

24 May 2021

Berlett's Road, Wilmot Township, Waterloo, ON

     I spotted a Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) as I was driving and pulled over to take a picture.

     It looks as though it is asking me what I am doing!

     In the same field were several horses, wonderful creatures, so sturdy and strong.

     They were attracted to the reeds around a pond; I assume that the forage is sweet and tender there.

     These horses give every impression that they are well cared for.

SpruceHaven, St. Agatha, ON

     I heard a Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) and after a while located it.

     You may bestow upon yourself the Eagle Eye Award if you can find it on the left side of the tree!

     The ponds in Teen Hollow are filling as they should, and all is proceeding in a fashion that assures that within a couple of years we will have a functioning wetland. 

     American Toads (Anaxyrus americanus americanus) have laid their eggs in the water and there are now thousands of tadpoles.

     It is a transformational experience in human terms to witness the natural transformation of the landscape, and I cannot overstate that it is the wisdom of Dave, Jamie and Sandy that grants us this opportunity.

26 May 2021

Laurel Creek Conservation Area, Waterloo, ON

     A very commendable programme has been launched by our public library, to encourage outdoor education, and to enable people to participate in the opportunities to explore nature offered in the conservation areas falling under the jurisdiction of the Grand River Conservation Authority.

     For a period of a week a free pass to all the properties is offered and covers up to six people entering at the same time. In this way a family of six - grandparents, parents and children perhaps - can  enjoy a period of outdoor recreation together. At the same time, interest in the conservation areas is rekindled after a long period of closure due to COVID regulations.

     In addition to the complimentary pass a kit is provided, containing a pair of binoculars, three field guides dealing with caterpillars, wildflowers and butterflies, and a map showing the locations that may be visited, all contained in a pouch any naturalist would be happy to own.

     This is a terrific scheme to get people involved in conservation and natural history; taxpayers' money being spent wisely!

     Laurel Creek is mere minutes from our house and that is where Miriam and I chose for our first visit.

     When our grandchildren were younger we used to buy an annual pass, but had not visited for a couple of years, so it was a pleasure to return.

     A male Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) was ardently cajoling females to join him to perpetuate the species.

     There appears to be a tick above his eye, which we hope will drop off once it has gorged and is satiated.

     Eastern Kingbirds (Tyrannus tyrannus) were seen flycatching at will.

     If one were to nominate a species to take a prize for avian fecundity, Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) might be a unanimous choice. It seemed that families were everywhere and there is no denying that goslings are cute!

     In an area where we have observed Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina) in the past, a nesting area has been constructed, and we hope that eggs are incubating below the surface of that sand.

     Miriam thought she heard an Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) singing but could not be sure; it was extremely windy and the sound was carried away. Validation was provided on our way out of the park when she heard another and spotted it almost right away.

27 May 2021

Glen Allen, Wellington County, ON

     This is an area that we visit quite often, but generally in the winter when we are on a mission to find Snowy Owls (Bubo scandiacus) so you can imagine our delight, and surprise too I must say, when we discovered two colonies of American Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)under two different bridges.

     When we first stopped the car many were gathering mud and a couple of males were scrapping for mating rights with a female, but the moment we opened the car every one of them exploded into the air. Even the promise of sex couldn't convince them to wait a minute or two!

Conostogo Lake Conservation Area, near Glen Allen, Wellington County, ON

     Armed with our pass we visited another GRCA property.

     This lake was created when Miriam was a young child and lived not far from the dam that was built to contain the water.

     As a sure indication that COVID-19 has seriously impacted the activities in the park, the picnic benches are stacked and out of commission, at a time when they should be occupied by people enjoying an outdoor picnic.

     We sat on a section of a dock that had been hauled out of the lake to enjoy our coffee and cookies, and a male Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) arrived to keep us company.

     Several Eastern Kingbirds were flycatching, and you can see one perched in typical fashion, waiting for aerial insects to pass by.

     The campgrounds are closed at present so we were able to drive through areas where we would not be permitted unless camping there, and noted that campsites are both pleasant and spacious.

     There is an upper and lower component to the conservation area and we decided to explore both. 

This is the lower section looking back at the dam.

     The view along the riverbank is quite lovely.

     American Black Currant (Ribes americanum) has gained a foothold in the area, a native species among so many invasives.

     I have been unable to identify this caterpillar specifically, but I am confident that it is of a Tiger Moth (subfamily Arctiinae).

     Bitter Wintercress was abundant (Barbarea vulgaris), with an unidentified beetle on the flower.

     It is without question that Tatarian Honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica) is a very attractive plant, visually that is, but its appeal stops there.

     It is considered by many to be a noxious weed. It is highly invasive, with seeds dispersed by mammals and birds, and spreads rapidly, leading to a dense understory thicket. Native plant growth is inhibited and biodiversity is reduced as a consequence.

     This is another case of human folly in introducing species that do not belong, with serious ecological disturbance being the result.

     Common Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) presents no such dire issues, and is equally beautiful to my eye.

     We watched an American Robin (Turdus migratorius) deliver food to its young and then settle down on the nest to regulate their temperature no doubt.

     A male Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) looked down on us from on high as we left to head for home.

     We have very much enjoyed the two visits facilitated by the entry pass and look forward to a few more before we have to return the pass to the library. More to come in the next post I hope. 

More Local Observations

      As the lockdown continues, with its ever-confusing array of regulations, some of which seem totally contradictory, all of our walks and observations are very local. It perhaps reinforces the point that there is much of interest without going far afield. It seems also to make crystal clear that we have elected a cadre of idiots, destructive idiots at that, to run the province. I read an interesting op ed recently that discussed the fact that to practice medicine you have to be well trained, to be an engineer you have to be qualified and certified, to earn your living as an architect you must understand how to construct a building that will stand, but to be a politician you need no prior training at all. You only require the ability to convince the electorate that you are less of an odious choice than your opponent, and then devote all your attention to staying in office, whatever it takes. Our premier dropped out of a community college after only two months and has no higher qualifications of ANY kind, yet we reward him with our vote, feeling he is ready to run the affairs of a province larger in area than many countries, and with natural riches to be exploited, environments to be  destroyed, greenbelts to chop up, regulations to be diluted or abolished. Ah, what a wise electorate we are! And this is who we expect to successfully manage a pandemic. Hah!

 

09 April - Our backyard, Waterloo, ON

     Towards the end of winter we were visited by a few Pine Siskins (Spinus pinus), but recently as many as twenty have been feeding in the backyard. 

     I assume that these are birds from farther south stopping off on their way north to breed in the boreal forest.

09 April 2012 - The Mill Race Trail, St. Jacobs, ON

     This trail, mere minutes away from our home, has long been a favourite.

     We have walked it so often that perhaps this Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) recognizes us!

     This beautiful yellow flower is found in the genus Sternbergia and I believe that it is Sternbergia vernalis. It is quite similar to croci. 

     I don't recall having seen this plant on the Mill Race Trail before, so I suspect that it has origins in a domestic variety. The range of invasive, introduced and native species seems to blur more each year, and it is clear that we will never be able to return to the pristine landscape viewed by the first European settlers in the area.

     Turtles turn their thoughts to procreation at this time of year, and we saw three Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina), probably females, ready to exit the water and find a suitable substrate in which to lay their eggs.

     Snapping Turtles are quite ill-tempered and if you wish to help one across a busy road, be very careful how you handle it.

     In the water, however, where they are at home, they pose little threat to bathers, preferring to feed on the decomposing flesh of organisms that have died and sunk to the bottom.

     People who buy summer cottages on a northern lake, without knowing anything about the ecosystem, sometimes mount frenzied hunts to rid the water of Snapping Turtles, in the process overturning the ecological balance and degrading the quality of the lake which they have selected for their weekend pleasure. It is a foolish pursuit founded in ignorance.

     If one bird can be counted on to cheerily accompany us on our walk it is Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus).

     When I took out my pencil to make a few notes a chickadee immediately landed on it, and so started a game of "Perch on the Pencil" enjoyed by several individuals. And by the human holding the pencil I might add!

     Being ever cognizant of my passion for birds' feet, Miriam took a nice picture of this bird's anisodactyl configuration.

      So many tree species have been attacked by a fungus or insect invader, that I sometimes wonder  what our forests will look like fifty years from now as more and more species succumb.

     Ash (Fraxinus spp) have been decimated by the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) and one of the attempts to control it is preemptive removal of its host trees.

     It is heartbreaking to witness so many apparently healthy trees being sacrificed, but it is a necessary action in the ongoing struggle to protect our forests.

     We spotted a female Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) busily working up and down a trunk.

     It appeared to locate and capture a choice item of food.

     Rather than gobble it down immediately, the woodpecker proceeded upwards, perhaps wishing to dine with a view!

     We stopped in the village of St. Jacobs to enjoy a coffee, where it is only available to take away of course, and the process to get it seemed more difficult than one might have possibly imagined before COVID influenced every action we take.

     Many creative ways have been devised to urge people to maintain their distance from each other, and in a Mennonite area, where horses and buggies are commonplace, I thought this was charming and effective.

09 April 2021 - Benjamin Park Trail, Waterloo, ON

     Having walked the Mill Race Trail in the morning, we opted for the Benjamin Park Trail behind our house for our afternoon walk.

     An American Robin (Turdus migratorius) was drying off after a vigorous dip in the creek.

     And a handsome male Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) was letting all the females in the vicinity know that he was their best choice.

     And you will not be surprised that we could not resist a quick look at "our" Eastern Screech Owl (Megascops asio).

10 April 2021, SpruceHaven, St. Agatha, ON

     Sprucehaven is abuzz with activity, and breeding, and preparations for breeding are taking place everywhere.

     Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) have returned from the south and are checking out nest boxes.

     When a pair are seen together at a nest box there is a very good chance they intend to occupy it.

     Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis) have also concluded domestic arrangement and one nest box has a full clutch of five eggs.

     Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) are no less determined to perpetuate the species.

     The highwater mark of this visit was our first Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) of the spring, a robust singing male.

     Even at a distance the pinkish bill of this species can be seen.

     In some individuals the colour is very pronounced and in older field guides has been described as "bubblegum pink".

     I find this species exceptionally appealing and there is always a level of contentment at seeing the first bird of the spring.

     Its song is very pleasant and has been likened to a bouncing ball.

     

     We were actually back in the car ready to leave when we spotted this bird, so it was a very satisfying way to end our visit.

     Until the next time, happy enjoyment of nature!