Hummingbirds and Orioles

With the addition of a hummingbird feeder and some orange slices to our backyard menu. we now have both some Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and some Baltimore Orioles visiting.

We've seen as many as three Hummingbirds in the yard at once, though not all at the feeder.  We're almost more likely to see them perched in a tree, though we've rarely seen them perched anywhere previously.  They certainly perch on the feeder for a bit with every visit.

The male Orioles have got to be one of the most stunning birds we ever see.  And never before have we seen them up close as we are now. Usually they've been a distant bird in a tree.

We've seen two males and at least one female.  The female here has gentler colours, more yellow than orange, somewhat parallel to the difference in colours for the male and female Goldfinch.

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Thanks for all your suggestions yesterday.  I'm working on it!

Backyard Birds

Our backyard is just buzzing with birds, many of them in pairs, suggesting they may be nesting nearby.  Some of them you'd expect; others are unusual here.  It all makes the view out our back windows constantly fascinating, and early in the morning, quite noisy!

The Goldfinch are the most consistent visitors, sitting on the feeder all day and stuffing themselves with sunflower seed.

Up until a few weeks ago the Juncos were steady visitors, but they have now left for the boreal forest further north to nest.  The Mourning dove is still around, but is very secretive now.

We have a pair of Song Sparrows nesting nearby.  They are heavily striped with a dark chest spot where stripes coalesce, and two dark cheek patches.

There's a Cipping sparrow someplace nearby; its call a steady trill.

We have a pair of Blue Jays that visit regularly, hunting for sunflower seeds under the feeders.  It's always nice to see their bright colours.

And every now and then a Downy Woodpecker will fly in for a snack - one of the few birds that likes the niger seed.

The most unusual birds (to me) is a pair of Purple Finch, the male washed with bright pink colour, and the female heavily striped dull brown.

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You can see the limitations of an iPhone camera here very easily, especially in the badly blurred 2nd and 3rd photos above.  If you zoom fully to get the photo, you can't crop the photo further without blurring it.  At the moment I'm very disappointed in my photography.  I need to seriously reconsider my whole approach to photography including my cameras.

It's Gardening Season!

I'm struggling to find enough time to blog these days, partly because it's gardening season!  I know it's a good two weeks too early for frost sensitive plants here, but there's lots we need to do with the landscaping - planting a tree or three as well as some shrubs.  And it's time to plan for planters to go on the deck or by the front door (keeping in mind the bright red flowers that Hummingbirds like).

We were lucky to have the help of a crew of friends to do all the heavy digging, whilr I sat on the deck and supervised.  The result was a very nice start on our plan for this tiny property.  After ten years on 3 acres, this urban lot is pretty tiny.

For this property we're choosing exactly what plants we want to try, including some beautiful Rhododendrons.  At the northern edge of their range certainly, but we're going to give them a chance and see if they survive. 

A flowering shrub that we know will thrive and brighten up every spring is the Forsythia, two of them to create a nice large patch.  A Magnolia, a Redbud and some ferns completed the mornings work.

There is of course the added pleasure of sourcing these plants out in local nurseries, so we drive around and see what's available.  Today we came home with more plants - we'll be busy for several weeks!

Buds on the Trees are Swelling!

Besides the wildflowers (yesterday''s post), the emergence of leaves on the trees also fascinates me.  In fact, this is the biggest single change of spring, transforming the world to green.  I noticed the other day that the buds on a few trees are swelling, so it won't be long now.

This is a big poplar tree across the road that I can see from my bed.  It will be one of the first in bloom.

At the end of the cul-de-sac where I ride are a group of Silver Maples.  They have these clusters of deep red buds.

Though it's a distant photo, these are Beech trees,with their reddish brown narrow pointed buds.

The trees behind our own house are a mix of White Ash and Sugar Maples.  Only the Sugar Maple buds are swelling; the White Ash will be the last trees to show signs of life.

Here's a closer look at the Sugar Maple buds; they will be opening and looking green soon.

Early May

Sorry for being missing in action for a few days.  Wonderful time of year, and we're very busy.  I'm also drawn more and more to write about living in a wheelchair, but that's taking a lot of thought and background reading.  May is of course the time of year when I'd most like to be headed down the trail in the woods, but I can only rely on memories.  So I'm going to pull up some pictures from the past to share.

Here in southern Ontario it will be about 2 weeks yet before we see this (if you know where to look), but Trilliums are always the wildflowers that we watch for.

In fact, well before that the Hepatica will bloom.  They're probably in bloom already, surrounded by last year's dark purple/brown leaves.

The Bloodroot are early bloomers too, the leaves curled around the stem and out of sight in this picture.

Enjoy spring!

Georgian Bay

Sunday afternoon we drove to Collingwood, seeking some more shrubs to plant.  Pockets much lighter, we drove the back way home.  Both going and coming, Georgian Bay was a blue as we have ever seen it.  

 Nottawasaga Lighthouse, Collingwood - can you see it?

 Christian Island on the horizon beyond buoys marking Thornbury harbour.

Georgian Bay off Meaford.  The sandy plume in the foregound has been churned up by the waves; the further sand plume marks the course of the Bighead River where it empties into the bay.

Georgian Bay north of County Road 22.

Sunset!