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.

  

Rufus Hummingbird

sits in the wild rose bushes

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.

Swallowtail Butterfly

Sitting in the Morning Sunshine

A Frequent Visitor

In truth, the humans and wildlife share this place.

Snowshoe Hare

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.

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.

A Mourning Cloak Butterfly

rests on a warm rock.    

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

~ Rabindranath Tagore

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.

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Sitta canadensis

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. 

 

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.

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.

Fresh Snow 2°C

 9:00 a.m. - a deer rests on the hillside
 

Perhaps you can also see the smaller mammal in the foreground.

On This First Day of Winter

A Mule Deer runs through the forest.

-8°C

Our First Snowfall

and a surprise visit from a small flock of Waxwings. Temp. -12°C

Bohemian Waxwing in a Saskatoon Bush

It was such a pleasure to observe these beautiful birds on this sunny winter's day.
 

Wintry Morning

 A dusting of snow, 0°C

Immature Bald Eagle in a Spruce tree

Frosty

 Juniper

How does such a little bird make such a big noise!  That's what drew our attention immediately upon setting out on our walk in the woods on this frosty morning.

We searched the sky and surrounding trees to locate the sound and finally found our bird at the top of a spruce tree.  The nuthatch called incessantly, first in one direction, then in the other direction.

A pleasant surprise.

(I haven't seen the Red-breasted Nuthatch since the White-breasted Nuthatch arrived here a year ago and decided to stay.)     

Happy Birds Dining on Sunflower Seeds

Foggy Morning

Sunny Afternoon

The other day I liberated from the garden a drooping sunflower that was full with seeds and attached it to one of the bird feeders.  The chickadees seem to be enjoying it very much.

Yesterday's Sightings:

1 Varied Thrush poking around on a log

1 White-Breasted Nuthatch on a tree nearby

I was surprised to see the thrush as I thought she/he would have flown south by now.  The nuthatch is very territorial, and I watched to see what the little bird had in mind.  The nuthatch flew straight at the thrush obviously trying to drive the bigger bird off.  This tactic had little effect on the thrush, and he simply hopped into an opening under the log.

1 Ruffed Grouse
Chickadees