22-DEC-2014
Grey squirrel
This fat little grey squirrel is sitting on a post in the Backyard garden, just waiting for me to leave so he can continue feeding on spilled seeds under the feeder. Greys look particularly chubby in winter as their coat thickens and they put on weight to help them through the cold months.
22-DEC-2014
House finch, male
A few house finches, chickadees, and a couple of white-breasted nuthatches were taking turns grabbing seeds from the feeder.
22-DEC-2014
Viburnum trilobum
The fruit of this shrub glistens on a grey winter day. It pretty well hangs onto the shrub all winter long as wildlife don't find it very tasty at all.
22-DEC-2014
White-breasted nuthatch
These birds are engaging and entertaining, always moving around, feeding vigorously.
22-DEC-2014
Eastern cottontail rabbit
As I started to head down the trail from the Interpretive Centre, this very large rabbit came bounding behind me, but stopped when it saw me. It seemed very curious and kept turning its head to look at me. I was trying to get some half decent photos as it was so close,when a large dog saw it and, heading straight for it, caused the rabbit to flee. I tried to grab the dog and I yelled at the three young people to keep their dog on a leash (it is the law at the garden and the farm), but they shrugged and said the dog wouldn`t catch it anyway. I was not a happy person! And nor could I believe that I, an avid dog lover, would even say what I said!
22-DEC-2014
Hoarfrost
In a few areas in the garden, primarily those fringing open areas, hoarfrost was heavy on the vegetation. However, on the Central Experimental Farm, all the vegetation lining the driveway was covered with hoarfrost, creating a winter wonderland effect.
22-DEC-2014
Dark-eyed junco
One of several in the Backyard Garden at the Fletcher Wildlife Garden in Ottawa. They were eating spilled seeds underneath the feeder. many juncos leave the area in winter, but enough stay behind to make a visible presence.
22-DEC-2014
Burdock seeds
A non-native plant that has been around for a long time in Canada, it can spread and form huge thickets for a few years, and then vanish, only to pop up elsewhere. It is a biennial plant. Birds, butterflies, moths, and other insects get caught on these spiky heads. In winter it is birds seeking the seeds encased in these seedpods, and in summer it is moths and butterflies seeking to nectar on the flowers, which can also entrap delicate insects.
22-DEC-2014
White-breasted nuthatch and black-capped chickadee
The suet feeder in the Backyard Garden at the Fletcher Wildlife Garden in Ottawa, is very popular with nuthatches and woodpeckers, although chickadees and other birds will periodically have a nosh at it. Chickadees were most numerous at the garden today, as usual, but in addition to them, the two nuthatches, there was a pair of cardinals flying and feeding together in the old woodlot, As well, about 4 dark-eyed juncos, 7 house finches, and three downy woodpeckers were found in the short time I visited the garden today.
22-DEC-2014
White-breasted nuthatch
One of two nuthatches feeding on the suet in the Backyard Garden feeder at the Fletcher Wildlife Garden in Ottawa.
22-DEC-2014
Window with stick ons
The dragonflies on this window are designed to break up the reflection of the trees, and prevent birds from crashing into the window. Millions of birds die needlessly every years from hitting windows. This is a very inexpensive way to prevent some collisions; we bought these stick-on silhouettes at Dollarama.
22-DEC-2014
Memories of summer
Looking through a window in the Interpretive Centre at some colourful flowers used in some of our displays. Also, another dragonfly to help prevent birds from hitting the window.