06-MAY-2011
Snapping turtle
Photographed by Jeewa in the Arboretum, but a reminder that we have (or had) two in our pond last year and the year before. Have not seen them yet, but hopefully they are there. Or perhaps this is one of "ours" seeking greener pastures.
06-MAY-2011
Spring azure
Our first butterfly photo of the season at FWG comes courtesy of Jeewa who saw this pretty little azure. Although you can't tell when the wings are close, it gets its name from the brilliant blue of the wings when open. Seeing these butterflies flitting along is like seeing flashes of blue appearing and disappearing in front of your eyes. Silvery blues, summer azures and eastern tailed blues are the other two very similar "blues" in this area.
06-MAY-2011
Trout lilies (Erythronium americanum)
One of our most familiar and most abundant spring ephemerals in the region. Jeewa photographed this at the FWG, near the Interpretive Centre.
06-MAY-2011
Turkey vulture
Jeewa noted that there were two vultures over the garden, and one landed on the barn, as you can see here. However, the next photo shows why the bird didn't stay long!
06-MAY-2011
Turkey vulture harassed by crows
The crows dislike any big bird, and even though vultures are scavengers, carrion eaters, the crows probably don't realize that they won't predate upon their young and so they are doing their best to chase this guy away, and succeeded.
06-MAY-2011
Yellow-rumped warbler
Jeewa found this bird in the Arboretum. However, I've put it in here because they are all over the FWG at present, calling, flitting from tree to tree, often at eye level. They are an exceptionally pretty little bird!
06-MAY-2011
White-crowned sparrow
These sparrows are moving through the area in numbers right now. While they don't nest at FWG, they certainly nest within the Ottawa area.
06-MAY-2011
Daffodils
There are several clumps of golden daffodils in the garden, and if you stop and look, you will find a number of insects come to nectar on them.
06-MAY-2011
Tree swallows
Jeewa found this pair getting ready to set up home. You can see that the one entering the box has some nesting material. Tree swallow nests are usually very cosy, made mostly of grass but thickly lined with feathers.
06-MAY-2011
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
Not so long ago I was commenting that the bloodroot seemed quite late as it was just beginning to appear, the flowers still in tight buds. Today many of the plants have finished flowering! However, there is still time to get out and enjoy them, but I wouldn't leave it too long.
06-MAY-2011
Andrena dunningi bee
At noon today it was sunny and warm and these bees became increasingly common as the afternoon wore on, even when the clouds covered the sun and the wind turned cooler. Claudia and I watched them for a long time as they hovered over the bare soil and occasionally entered the nest sites that are scattered across a wide area where the soil is bare. Naturally, along with these Andrenids, we saw some Nomada bees, which are parasitic in the nests of the former.
04-MAY-2011
Dutchman's breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)
There is a nice clump of this native wildflower along the Woodland Walk in the Backyard Garden. It is very similar to Squirrel Corn (Dicentra canadensis), but this is the species I find most often out in the woods.
