Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Pileated Woodpecker

Fledgling



This fledgling waits for a parent to return with a tasty morsel and tries to pass the time by searching the sky, preening and investigating his immediate surroundings.
  

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Bald Eagle

Earlier this afternoon, there was a great commotion near the top of one of the spruce trees. I looked over to see a crow dive-bombing something in the tree. Only an Eagle or a Merlin could be making the crows so distressed.


Wednesday, May 14, 2014

A Frequent Visitor

In truth, the humans and wildlife share this place.

Snowshoe Hare

Monday, May 12, 2014

Compton Tortoiseshell Butterfly

Nymphalis vaualbum



Many times each day, this small orange butterfly travels to and fro along a narrow corridor with the garden at one end and a pond at the other.  Sometimes it perches for a brief time on a dried up leaf. When I approach, the butterfly takes flight and continues its exploration.

Friday, May 9, 2014

Rufous Hummingbird

The Rufous is very protective of his territory and guards a nearby food source with a determined vigilance while waiting for the arrival of the female.


Wednesday, May 7, 2014

A Mourning Cloak Butterfly

rests on a warm rock.    



"The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough."
~ Rabindranath Tagore

Sunday, May 4, 2014

It's Spring and the forest has come alive again

 Merlin, recently arrived

 Snowshoe Hare is getting a new summer coat

 Garter Snakes have left their winter den

 The Rufous Hummingbird has returned from his southern range

A warbler alights on a Saskatoon bush

Today's temperature is 9°C, with sunshine and a cool wind.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Sparkly Trees

Sunshine and blue sky.

the sun beating down
makes the trees sparkle
and the icicles to melt

It rained two nights ago, and in the morning all the shrubs and trees were coated with ice.  The fog rolled in, and we were soon in the doldrums.  Today, however, we are basking in glorious sunshine. 
 

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Visitors

Today, a doe and her youngster came to browse in the nearby brush as well as to check the bird feeders.  The youngster stayed hidden, but the doe was much bolder.  I have seen these two deer before - in the summer when the youngster was just a fawn and lately when they've both been browsing on the hillside.

A doe eats Serviceberry twigs

 while her youngster browses between the trees.

This additional photo shows that the doe is probably pregnant.

The gestation period for Mule Deer is about 210 days with the birth of possibly two fawns occurring sometime in May.

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Winter Birds


This morning there were two Bald Eagles perched in the trees calling to each other. Not much else was going on though apart from the chickadees flying back and forth to the feeders.