As I continue to be afforded the great pleasure of leading outings for Waterloo Region Nature, I am offering two options for local destinations, a mid-week choice for those who are retired or are otherwise able to attend on a work day, and at the weekend for those poor souls who still toil for a living. The number of participants, and the range of skill levels, make it a great pleasure to take part in these activities. I can do no better than to quote the words of Betty Brechun in response to the first leg of these latest forays, "It's so nice to pick
up identification pointers and learn some interesting bird facts on the outings
you lead. And pleasant company all around...." I think Betty said it all!
02 March 2022
The Linear Trail, Cambridge, ON
Leader: David M. Gascoigne
Members: Christine Alexander, Miriam Bauman, Shirely Bauman, Betty Brechun, Pauline Copleston, Lisa Den Besten, Angie Koch, Curtiss MacDonald, Geoff Moore, Alan Morgan, Anne Morgan, Pauline Richards, Kathy Waybrant (13)
Anne, Alan, David, Kathy, Angie, Curtiss, Pauline C., Christine, Betty, Geoff, Pauline R., Shirley
Lisa was a little late arriving and I didn't think to ask Miriam to take another group picture, so she will not be recorded for posterity! Not in the group picture anyway.
The footing was a little precarious on the trail, which has been subjected to a constant freeze/thaw cycle in recent days, and was little more than a sheet of ice. Skates might have been a better choice of footwear. A couple of eminently sensible people had cleats attached to their boots and marched along with confidence; the rest of us slithered, teetered and balanced as best we could!
It was not long before we saw a female Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) and as befits the esoteric make-up of this group, a discussion ensued as to the etymology of the name. The specific epithet gave us no trouble, but as for the genus, Anne pointed out that "Melan" hints at black. In order not to jeopardize my reputation as a stickler for scientific precision (do I hear Lisa muttering "fanatic" under her breath?), I embarked on a search for the answer!
