Nature at Thanksgiving

A Lovely Day's Birding

in Southern Ontario

12 October 2014

     This is Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada, and yesterday we had the children and grandchildren at our house for dinner. It was a fine affair, but as is always the case at a holiday feast, we ate too much, so we decided that today we would get out and walk off at least a little of yesterday's excess.

     It was a picture perfect autumn day with bright sunshine, little wind and by early afternoon the temperature had climbed to about 15 degrees. It was quite wonderful to be outside enjoying nature.

     The day started well with a family of Wild Turkeys Meleagris gallopavo before we even left Waterloo. They crossed the road in front of us but before they disappeared into the bush we were able to get a couple of pictures.

     We had decided that we would go into Toronto and bird along the shore of Lake Ontario where one might reasonably expect at least some movement of migratory species - and we were not disappointed. Among the highlights we saw at least three Swainson's Thrushes Catharus ustulatus,  one of which was very cooperative in terms of having a photograph taken.

     This is a close up of the berries upon which the thrushes were feeding.

     It was especially pleasant to be at the water's edge and this is one of the many coves and inlets we covered.

     People were picknicking, no doubt motivated by the pleasant weather, and the thought that the winter months will soon be upon us. Some were even swimming, taking their last plunge of the season perhaps, although as we watched them enter the water it was easy to see from their reaction that the water was frigid.

     A Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis had grabbed what appears to be a circular pretzel and it was comical watching the bird try to swallow it whole, to no avail of course. Finally it seemed to realize that it needed to be broken up and it started to drop the pretzel onto a rock. But the gull outsmarted itself apparently, because the prize slipped between two rocks, out of reach of the bird's bill and was lost completely.

     This lady beetle is, I believe, a Multicoloured Asian Lady Beetle Harmonia axyridis, a species that has become one of our most common Coccinellidae since the mid 1990s.

     Regular readers will recall that I recently blogged about White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys and had a picture of a juvenile only. This species was very common today and there follows a picture of an adult bird and a second image showing adult and juvenile together.

     The colours of autumn for which this area is justifiably renowned are probably a little past their prime, but there are still many glorious hues to satisfy everyone's aesthetic. 

     Take a look at the deep scarlet of this Staghorn Sumac Rhus typhina.

    And this Eastern Black Oak Quercus velutina.

     It was a wonderful day's outing and we returned home happy and well satisfied, secure in the knowledge that we will do this again together many times over. 

American Coots (Foulques d'Amérique) on Lake Ontario

Burlington, ON

9 October 2014

     While abundant over much of the continent, American Coot Fulica americana is present here only in relatively small numbers. This little posse was discovered in Burlington swimming in a sheltered bay close to the shore.

     Many of the other species on shore seemed to be engaged in a group preening event.

     Only two Trumpeter Swans Cygnus buccinator were present and both were cleaning and rearranging their feathers. It is safe to say that they will soon be joined by many of their congeners and by early winter a couple of hundred will grace the bay.

     Not to be outdone, Mute Swans Cygnus olor were equally attentive to their toilet.

     And who can blame a stunning drake Mallard Anas platyrynchos for wanting to look his best?

American Goldfinches (Chardonnerets jaunes) Feeding on Coneflowers

Waterloo, ON

8 October 2014

     Over the past few years we have pretty much naturalized our garden and virtually every flower in there is a perennial. In fact, this year we did not plant any annuals at all. It is great fun to watch the succession of blooms from early spring right up until the fall. 

     We have a couple of species of coneflower and we always look forward to the time of year when finches, especially American Goldfinches Spinus tristis, feed on the seeds.

     The birds are well advanced in their moult towards definitive basic plumage when they will be a drab olive until the spring, but as the following pictures show there are still patches of yellow.

     First there were two birds feeding on the seeds.

     Then there were three.

     And then there were four.

Fungi in the Forest

Schneider's Bush

Waterloo, ON

7 October 2014

     One of the wonderful things about belonging to a local naturalists' club is the pleasure of going on one of the many walks conducted by the club. And so it is with the Kitchener-Waterloo Field Naturalists, of which I am privileged to be President this year.

     Yesterday, I took part in a walk conducted by Dale Ingrey, one of our distinguished members, through Schneider's Bush, one of the signature natural areas in our region. This walk was designed to take advantage of a fine fall day and to observe anything and everything that presented itself to a naturalist's curious eyes and ears. I didn't record the exact number of participants but it was in the order of nine or ten and we had a fine time under Dale's convivial and knowledgeable leadership.

     In the beauty of the autumn woods the following fungi caught my attention.

       It seemed especially beautiful and the presence of the fungi on the ancient log on the forest floor seemed like a textbook illustration of nature recycling every component of the ecosystem.

      My knowledge of things mycological is pretty sparse so I turned to my good friend Janet Ozaruk, a past president of the club for help in identifying it. 

      It is in fact a PEZIZA REPANDA, quite common, and usually found on rotting logs, or occasionally on the forest floor. There are a number of species of this type of cup or sac fungi, many requiring microscopic examination to identify.

      I learned something new!

      And to cap off the cycle of participation by the KWFN the property we walked over is owned by Jane Schneider, another member of our club, who so generously permits her property to be enjoyed by the public.   

      It's a good thing to belong to the KWFN!     

The Tranquility of Wetlands

Wetlands in Waterloo Region

6 October 2014

     I confess to having a great fondness for wetlands and I always find them to be a soothing balm from the madness of modern life that surrounds us. Peace and tranquility always seem to reign, although I fully realize that the dramas of life and death are continually played out as species compete to survive.

      On a wonderfully sunny, warm day, unexpected and very welcome in early October, what could look more serene than the following scenes?

     You have to wonder what compelled the Painted Turtle to climb so far up the log as it sought a place to bask in the sun.

     Next time you need to relieve a little stress in your life go and spend some time at your favourite marsh. I guarantee you that you will come away refreshed and renewed, and whatever your burden it will seem just a little lighter.

Northern Goshawk (Autour des palombes)

Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis

Waterloo, ON

6 August 2014

     We were alerted to this bird by five American Crows Corvus branchyrynchos who were harassing it, somewhat half-heartedly we thought, but the goshawk stood its ground.

     As we saw it fly into this tree we were immediately struck by the grandeur of this large, powerful accipiter. It was clearly bigger than the largest female Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii that I have ever seen. Given the time of year and the fact that raptors are well into their migration I suspect that this may be a juvenile bird.

     Except at migration points this species is seldom encountered and it is several years since I have seen one. My most vivid encounter with Northern Goshawk occurred many years ago near Dorset, ON when I unwittingly strayed into the nesting territory of a pair and I was attacked instantly. Both male and female dived at me, screaming their warning. I beat a hasty retreat and once I crossed the invisible line of their territorial boundary they left me alone. 

     A pair nested at the Ken Reid Conservation Area in Lindsay, ON during the time when I was Chairman of the Friends of Kawartha Conservation and we had to close off a whole area of the trails due to the ferocity of the attacks upon visitors. The pair bred successfully and once the young had fledged trail walkers were able to resume their hikes in peace.

     It was without doubt the highlight of a pleasant afternoon of birding for both Miriam and me.

American Robin (Merle d'Amérique)

Columbia Lake

Waterloo, ON

6 October 2014

     It always seems that after they have finished breeding American Robins Turdus migratorius disappear for a while and are seldom seen on lawns and in gardens as is the case from early spring onward.

     They are always a welcome sight and I think that even for people who are not specifically interested in birds they evoke feelings of warmth. They do not hesitate to nest in close proximity to humans and many a child has had his/her first experience with a wild creature when a pair of robins honoured their backyard with their nest.

     At Columbia Lake this morning I counted nineteen individuals and I think I may have missed a few. They were busy feeding on the grass and on berries in nearby bushes. Most of the birds were adults and I am wondering whether juveniles have formed flocks of their own.

      I was concentrating on photographing the birds on the ground before turning my attention to the berry bushes and the pictures here reflect that. Before I got a chance to take any more shots my battery died!