27-JAN-2011
Sharp-shinned hawk
I was just thinking that there was not a lot to photograph at the FWG when I rounded the corner of the centre for a last look before leaving, and saw this guy sitting in the sumac tree, having a vigorous preening. He was largely unaware of me until I got to within about 10 feet and then he glided away into the Ravine. Not surprisingly, the BYG was silent and no action at the feeders! Not long after the hawk left, a few tentative chirps from chickadees sounded from the blue spruce. Then more calls and after about another minute the chickadees emerged. I didn't see any other birds at the feeder, however. Over in the Old Field, the thickets held 9 mourning doves all huddled together in a crabapple, and house finches were singing away, probably relieved at the relative warmth. I found some pigeon feathers around the old field and a few remants of what was clearly a meal for something.
Down in the Arboretum, the bohemian waxwings were back in force, perhaps 250-300, probably the same huge flock that was regularly noticed before Christmas. I hadn't seen them for a long time, and it was a pleasure to watch them stripping the crabapples of fruit. They were less wary of people, and didn't mind me standing nearby. However, they moved constantly and I got few good shots of them. Not that that matters, as it was just a pleasure to watch them. I was not alone. Many people stopped to look and marvel at the spectacle.
24-JAN-2011
Mourning dove
It was a very cold day, -23 at noon, but it was sunny and that always makes a difference, psychologically if not in fact! This was one of two mourning doves sitting huddled on a crabapple branch. A little later, I found five more doves sitting on the south side of the Interpretive Centre where the sun was hitting.
24-JAN-2011
Red at 23 below
There were five red squirrels in the BYG today, and like all creatures, they need even more fuel in this weather. This little guy looked rather cold, sitting hunched over with his paws folded.
24-JAN-2011
Ice crystals
Where moisture had hit a twig and frozen, these ice crystals formed.
24-JAN-2011
Female Northern cardinal
The feeders were busy places. Two female cardinals, 6 chickadees, several house finches, and a host of red and grey squirrels were in the BYG, while 5 mourning doves flew from the roof of the Interpretive Centre to the sumacs. Over at the Ash woods feeder, another 8 to 10 chickadees, 10 house finches and a couple more mourning doves, as well as a few crows and squirrels were noticeable.
24-JAN-2011
Black-capped chickadees
Someone had thrown some seeds under a Tartarian honeysuckle near the Ash woods feeder and this was appreciated by the chickadees because of the cover afforded by the shrub and the lack of competition from the bigger finches. The chickadee on the left seemed almost frozen in place so I was quite worried. I kept approaching closer and he didn't move. I thought it might be injured, but when I got within a foot or so, he flew higher into the shrub and then flew to the feeder and fed. I think it was the cold that had got to him. I felt pretty immobile too after five minutes standing in one place.
21-JAN-2011
Mallard, female
There is not much open water around the farm these days, a little bit in the Arboretum, and a small patch near the pond at the FWG.
21-JAN-2011
Blue jay
Jeewa managed to get a nice photo of this blue jay at the FWG. One was around for a few days last week. I saw it on Thursday and Jeewa on Friday. We never see many jays at the FWG. Occasionally in spring and fall they'll show up, perhaps several at a time, but never staying for long.
21-JAN-2011
Mallow seed pods
A very artistic rendering of these common mallow seedpods each with a snowy cap, by Jeewa.
21-JAN-2011
House finch, male
Jeewa took this lovely photo of a male house finch, bright red against the dark background. We seem to have somewhere between 10-15 house finches around at the moment, usually found at both feeders.
21-JAN-2011
Leaping Grey
A very nice action shot of this grey squirrel in full bound!
21-JAN-2011
Tunnel and tracks of a mouse
Jeewa took this photo of mouse tracks entering and exiting a tunnel in the snow.
14-JAN-2011
Beaver
Despite the pond being almost entirely frozen, the beaver is managing to get out onto the ice. I think he must be hungry. And he may be coming out to try and repair the dam which someone keeps breaking. It is an offense to do so in winter as the animals can suffer or even freeze to death. This is deemed cruelty to animals and is an offense under the Criminal Code.
13-JAN-2011
Deer track
Looks like we've been visited by a deer again! Jeewa found this track at the garden yesterday, but didn't see any sign of the animal.
13-JAN-2011
Red squirrel at feeder
Jeewa took some great shots of this feisty little red squirrel who was determined to get at the feeder!
13-JAN-2011
Willow catkins
This beautiful shot was taken by Jeewa in the Arboretum. There is one willow tree, a native of Asia, that always sends forth catkins very early in the winter.
13-JAN-2011
White-breasted nuthatch
These birds (there are a couple of them) have been very active around the garden and are almost always found, sometimes alone, sometimes two together.
13-JAN-2011
Mourning doves
Jeewa photographed these four doves all in a row. I really like this photo, it has a dreamy, soft quality to it and the four all lined up side by side make for a good image. This is a small group compared to what we saw a couple of years ago. Perhaps their numbers will pick up later.
13-JAN-2011
Female Downy woodpecker
Jeewa was also at FWG on Jan. 13, and found this woodpecker busy in the woods.
13-JAN-2011
Red squirrel snow tunnel
Reds make these temporary tunnels under the snow as a safe way to travel. In this case, there was a red in the tree who, upon my approach, emitted an "eeek" sound and jumped straight into the tunnel! THere was another tunnel nearby, and though I waited some time for him to emerge, he didn't. Instead, I heard the sounds of an annoyed red squirrel in a spruce tree not far away.
13-JAN-2011
Red squirrel at feeder
The feeder near the Ash woods, has a large metal canister type thing, a squirrel baffle, underneath the feeder, around the pole. It works well to keep squirrels off the feeder. Invariably there are squirrels, usually reds, and sometimes chipmunks (fall and spring), who try to get to the feeder by running up the post under the baffle. This one was completely unafraid of me, being more focussed on trying to get up to the feeder. He was pretty riled up! He was murmuring constantly, all sorts of little disgruntled squeaks and peeps. Eventually he just gave up and sat on the ground eating the seed spilled on the snow.
13-JAN-2011
Peering out from under the squirrel baffle
This baffled squirrel is not happy about being unable to reach the feeder.
13-JAN-2011
Grey squirrel in Amur maple
This fat guy was one of 4 grey squirrels in the tree eating the maple keys. Many of the Manitoba and Amur maples have been stripped of their keys now, so I am hoping that there will be enough left to see them through the winter.
10-JAN-2011
Pelt of mouse eaten by crow
I watched a crow sitting high up in a maple, eating something. It was some sort of small animal with a long tail of a mouse. Eventually, a scrap of something fell to the snow below and I went to take a look. It was the pelt of a mouse, the whole body minus the head and some of the legs, about 1.5 inches long. Whether the crow caught the rodent or found it dead, I don't know, but crows will catch live prey.
10-JAN-2011
Mourning dove
A pretty dove sitting in a manitoba maple near the Ash Woods feeder. In some winters we have had as many as 30 doves congregating in this particular spot, but those numbers haven't been seen for several years, unfortunately.
10-JAN-2011
The pond in winter
Looking east toward the ravine, across the pond draped in winter snow. It was a cold day (-10, windchill of -20), but brisk and a great day to be outside.
10-JAN-2011
Beaver tracks
A well trod trail along the edge of the pond made by the beaver. Once the pond freezes completely, he'll be snug under the ice, but hopefully not too hungry.
10-JAN-2011
American crow eating Staghorn sumac
Another species that enjoys the seed heads of the staghorn sumac. This large stand by the Old Field has lots of nice red "cones" left. Another stand, a short distance away has been well browsed by red squirrels who have harvested the seed heads and stashed them in the forks of trees. In addition to crows, chickadees, red squirrels, many other birds feed on these seeds as winter wears on.
10-JAN-2011
Black-capped chickadee with sumac
There are not many sumac stands still with seed heads or "cones" left at FWG this winter. Those that have the seedheads have been pretty well picked clean. This one in the BYG has some seed heads, many well picked apart. The chickadees were very busy at them, as can be seen by this one.
06-JAN-2011
Acorn buried by grey squirrel
While red squirrels store great quantities of food in large caches, grey squirrels perform what is called "scatter hoarding", burying one food item here, one there. In winter, they must then find these buried treasures and obviously they do find many. Speculation is that their sense of smell is so good that they can sniff out the nuts, acorns, etc. even when they are frozen and snow covered. In this case, the acorn was frozen into the ground and the squirrel I came across was standing in place gnawing away at the acorn. You can clearly see the teeth marks.
06-JAN-2011
Red squirrel with walnut
This rascally red was not at all deterred by my approach, and settled back to gnaw away at the walnut. you can see that there is still some of the kernel inside.
06-JAN-2011
New ramp on the bridge
The bridge has its finishing touch! A ramp on either end. And what a difference it makes. Much easier to walk across it now, rather than taking a big step up (and down). Nice work!
06-JAN-2011
House finch, male
This handsome male house finch was sitting in the BYG, along with about 8 others. Also around the BYG feeder were about 8 chickadees, a mourning dove, two male and one female cardinal, a male downy woodpecker, and two white-breasted nuthatches. As I was looking at the birds there, I heard a raven calling from somewhere near the parking lot. But other than a few crows, some rock pigeons flying over, I didn't see a lot in the way of birds. Have not seen the bohemian waxwings for several weeks.
06-JAN-2011
Beaver looking for food
This little guy, probably a youngster born in 2010, was warily navigating the snow above the pond to look for trees.
06-JAN-2011
Beaver in pond
The beaver was very visible today and very active. It looks rather thin and I worry it does not have enough food. For it to be so active in mid-day, in an area where many dogs occur is a sign that it is hungry and desperate enough to be out and about far from the pond. Here, he has just brought a branch down to the pond and was in the process of dragging it into this hole.
06-JAN-2011
Northern cardinal, male
This lovely male cardinal was one of two males and a female cardinal in the BYG at the feeder. Another two females and two males were near the Ash woods feeder as well.
04-JAN-2011
A peek into the Backyard garden
A view of the trail heading around the corner of the Interpretive Centre and into the BYG (Backyard Garden). The feeder is usually a busy spot at this time of year. Today there were cardinals, downy woodpecker, white-breasted nuthatch, chickadees, and house finches, not to mention both red and grey squirrels, in the few minutes I was there.
04-JAN-2011
Rudbeckia seedhead
All the tall plants on side of the building, the grey-headed coneflowers, the various sunflowers, and so forth, are relished by birds and squirrels. Many of the seeds have long since been eaten, but some remain still.
04-JAN-2011
Bridge work
Work continues on the bridge over the Amphibian Pond. This time it is to install the ramps on either end. A generator was running above the pond and I'm quite sure the beaver was not impressed by this activity.