The Nuthatches of Ontario

     I am quite confident in my judgement when I say that nuthatches (Family Sittidae), small birds with a remarkable ability to scurry down a tree head first, elicit both appreciation and admiration, from ornithologist and layman alike. They are superbly adapted for an arboreal lifestyle and derive everything they need, from shelter to food, to a place to raise a family from the trees they inhabit. 

     In Ontario we are fortunate to have two species, both quite common, each one enchanting in its own way.

White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)

     White-breasted Nuthatch seldom fails to put in an appearance on our walks through suitable habitat, often announcing its presence by its high-pitched nasal call. It is not shy, and will come to humans for food, often in the company of Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus). Chickadees seem to be hard-wired to exploit humans for food, and White-breasted Nuthatches appear to have learned the technique. 

Amherst Island and Ottawa

     For a couple of years, my oldest grandson, Sam, has been hankering to visit Amherst Island, but you all know what effect COVID has had on everyone's travel plans. Finally, with restrictions lifted a little we were able to make it there.

     Miriam and I travelled up to Belleville the previous afternoon to spend the night, before meeting my daughter, Caroline, son-in-law, Andrew, Sam and his girlfriend, Mel, the following day at the Amherst Island ferry. We were also joined by our friend and fellow naturalist, Wendy, who was visiting her daughter in Kingston, and took advantage of the opportunity to tag along with us to see what we could find.

5 February 2022

Amherst Island, Lennox and Addington County, ON

     Miriam and I were the very first in line at the ferry terminal and settled in to wait for the others to arrive. 

As it turned out the absence of information on the notice board should have provoked a few questions in our minds, but more about that later.

     As best I recall it was around minus 25 degrees and Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) and Mallards (Anas platyrynchos) huddled in a little open water near the dock.

Some Local Beauties

      I thought I would share with you a few of the local beauties in my life, all seen around here recently. I beg to assure you that the list is not exhaustive!

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

     This common bird, is uncommonly beautiful.

     Rarely a day goes by without a Blue Jay, but they are never less welcome for their familiarity.

Odds and Ends

      Winter has been a strange affair so far, with snow and relatively cold temperatures one day, followed by above freezing conditions day after day thereafter, with precipitation in the form of rain. The regular species  have been active at the feeders, including a very welcome Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus). 

     More often than not a male has graced us with his presence, so we were especially happy to see this female.

Highlights From Here and There

      This post represents a few highlights from recent walks, and events at home, with no theme other than nature is on display!

     The Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) which provided such a stunning burst of colour when in bloom, has gone to seed, but is no less spectacular.

     Mother Nature weaves her magic tapestry in many different ways.

The Mill Race Trail with Staunch Naturalists of Waterloo Region Nature

      Slowly, but equally surely (at least for now) the restrictions on assembly made necessary by COVID-19 are being relaxed.

     With great elation I have welcomed the opportunity to lead outings for our nature club again, starting a recent series with a visit to the Mill Race Trail in St. Jacobs. More field trips will follow right through until the end of the year, and I will be sure to report on them all.

13 October 2021

Leader: David M. Gascoigne

Participants: Miriam Bauman (effectively a co-leader), Karl Malhotra, Pauline Richards, Andrew Wesolowski, Adrienne Zoe

     Three others who had signed up for the walk were sidelined by medical issues of one kind or another

Andrew, Karl, David, Pauline, Adrienne

     A friendly Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) came to bid us "Good Morning" before we even set foot on the trail.

     The Mill Race Trail is beautiful at any time of year, but in the fall, bedecked with leaves, it is perhaps at its most charming.

Photo courtesy of Andrew Wesolowski

      Pannicled Asters (Symphyotrichum lanceolatum) continue to delight a curious naturalist right into October.

Photo courtesy of Andrew Wesolowski

     On a typical outing the participants have a wide range of skill levels and for some the opportunity to see a White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) at arm's length is a singular pleasure.

     I can tell you that the pleasure does not diminish with familiarity!

     If anything is as certain as death, taxes and conniving politicians, it is that Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) will come to secure their just reward almost from the moment when you first enter their realm.

Photo courtesy of Andrew Wesolowski

     They repay you with joy at every step along the way.

     It would be an odd day when chickadees and nuthatches were not spotted along the Mill Race, and the third "reliable" would be Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens).

     In recent years Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinensis) has become almost as predictable as a downy.

     I am quite sure that we notice this tree on every visit to the Mill Race, wondering when the next fierce wind will bring it down.

Photo courtesy of Andrew Wesolowski

     I think we have been looking at it for at least ten years, however, so it is perhaps better anchored than it appears. The winds of November will soon be shrieking, however.....

     How charming the surface of the water looks with a covering of autumn leaves.

     American Beavers (Castor canadensis) have been busy and the water is backed up behind their dam.

Photograph courtesy of Andrew Wesolowski

      There were lots of Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) busy flycatching from the treetops.

     October weather has been unseasonably warm and there was no shortage of flying insects.

     Ripe Japanese Barberries (Berberis thunbergii) would normally beckon them, but today they seemed indifferent to the fruit shining brightly in the foliage.

Photo courtesy of Andrew Wesolowski

     An American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonius) was making inroads into a Black Walnut (Juglans nigra).

     Eastern Chipmunks (Tamias striatus), the darlings of the rodent world, were scurrying everywhere, busily gathering winter storage, and chattering to every human interloper who passed by.

     Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) and a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) were content to share the resources of the Conestogo River, both probing for their food of choice, without competition.

     There is little quite as peaceful as Mallards (Anas paltyrynchos) outside the frenzy of spring courtship, a time when raging hormones dictate aggressive behaviour. Fall is the time of easy living and relaxation and togetherness is the order of the day.

     The presence of several Ruby-crowned Kinglets (Regulus calendula) was highlighted by one especially cooperative individual who, contrary to all kinglet protocols, permitted portraits to be taken!

     Fungi, as a general rule, do not attract a great deal of attention, but on this walk several discussions were held as we observed different types, so it was fitting that our outing ended with a fine stand of Velvet Foot (Tapinella atrotomentosa).

     Thank you Karl, Pauline, Andrew and Adrienne. What engaging companions you were on a balmy October morning. 

     Let's do it again!

16 October 2021

Would have been participants: Christine Alexander, Miriam Bauman, Dog Brunton, Victoria Ho, Jennifer Leat, Geoff Moore, Tracey Rainer, Colleen Reilly, Zach Stevens, Roger Suffling, Selwyn Tomkun

Guests: Meghan Singaraja with her son, Gabe.

     My plan is to run the entire series of walks mid week, with a repeat on the weekend for those who work.

     Unfortunately, rain dashed our plans and we had to cancel this outing. 

     Some things we can control - the weather is not one of them.  

A Post on the Post and Other Tidbits

 Nature's repetitions are never boring.

Tim Dee  

     Of late we have been mainly confined to home by COVID lockdown, with only short excursions permitted, with a little birding here and there, so this blog entry is a combination of about a week and a half of odds and ends.

On the Post

     Three Bridges Road in St. Jacobs has been a favourite birding spot for many years, and the number of species seen there is quite remarkable for a very ordinary country road.

     One of the attractions is a post where people place bird seed and it has been a bit of a magnet for various species. 

     On 1 February we placed a little seed on the post ourselves and waited in the car for birds to take advantage of the handout. In mere minutes we were joined by a Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus), always the most numerous species.

     White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) appears to travel with the chickadees, for as soon as one appears the other is not far behind.

     Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is fairly predictable too, although not as reliable as the previous two species.

     A gambling man would have a safe bet predicting that Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) would show up nine times out of ten.

     This female was collecting seeds from the top of the post and stashing them immediately below.

     This seemed a little counter-productive to us for the chickadees and the nuthatches were there to witness it, and sometimes as many as three downies were present in the immediate vicinity, and I doubt it escaped their attention either.

     But what do we know of the ways of a woodpecker?

     Several other species have used the post over the years and by digging into the archives I can show you some of them.

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) with House Sparrows (Passer domesticus)

Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes caorlinus)

     The post is located about a hundred metres from the Conestogo River where a group of Mallards (Anas platyrynchos) was busily feeding.

     It was starting to get dark when we left and we experienced a beautiful sunset as the day came to a close.

The Mill Race Trail

     We have had our first cold snap of the winter recently, and even though it has not been unduly cold by normal late-January, early-February standards the temperature stayed low enough for a few days to freeze local ponds and streams.

     Some enterprising skater had turned the Mill Race into a kilometre-long rink. Perhaps he (she?) had friends to help clear the snow to expose the ice.

     A Dark-eyed Junco paid little heed to it all.

A Drive through the country

     White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have no doubt benefitted from a mild winter with less than usual snowfall, and this individual looked sleek and healthy in a field of corn stubble. 

     It was far enough away that it did not take flight when we stopped the car and Miriam stepped outside to take a picture.

     Winter snows lend a special charm to the landscape, and strangely, even though the farmhouse and outbuildings are there, a hint of desolation.

     For the second time in the past couple of weeks we saw two Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) side-by-side in a tree, uncharacteristically close at this time of the year it seems to me.

     Snow Buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis) can appear like a swirling cloud in the snowy fields, and are constantly in motion, stopping to feed, but bursting into the air again at the slightest provocation, real or imagined. Despite our best entreaties this small flock was not inclined to approach us any closer.

     Perhaps we will see more on our next search for them and be able to share better images.

     An American Kestrel (Falco sparverius), relatively rare in recent years, had succeeded in capturing dinner.

Our backyard

     One might be forgiven for concluding that birds in the backyard have put on a special effort to keep us entertained during lockdown, for they have been numerous and, of course, are close at hand.

     One of the most pleasing of recent events is the presence of a male Red-bellied Woodpecker as a regular visitor.

     It is not the first time a red-belly has graced us with its presence, but this one seems to have found everything entirely to his liking and we see him quite often.

     A couple of Hairy Woodpeckers (Dryobates villosus) have similarly found that the Gascoigne/Bauman Café is a fine place to dine.

     As many of you will know, Hairy Woodpecker bears a strong resemblance to Downy Woodpecker, but is larger, with a longer, more robust bill. Some find it hard to differentiate the two species without seeing them together, but in the case of the male, the back of the head is diagnostic.

     The red cap is broken on a Hairy Woodpecker, on a Downy Woodpecker it is continuous.

     It is rare that we fail to see a Mourning Dove, almost from first light until the end of the day. Our highest count of late was twenty-one.

     White-breasted Nuthatch is equally common although not in the same abundance as Mourning Doves. We routinely see two and from time to time have noted a third.

     What would backyard bird feeding be without pesky squirrels to both distract and entertain, to give you fits, and moments of unalloyed delight?

     Let me leave you with a few more images of Red-bellied Woodpecker, a species named no doubt by a drunken taxonomist with a perverse sense of humour.

A red belly is hardly its most prominent feature!

     That little smudge you see is apparently what passes for a red belly.

     Ah well, the suet tastes good.

     And it helps a fellow get by on a cold winter's day.

     We will have to see what other pictures and bon mots we can bring you next time. I am beginning to think another drive through the hinterland is called for.

     So long for now.....