Rondeau Ric

Lots of young birds being fed by adults. These are hairy woodpeckers using the suet log as a take out restaurant. Picoides villosus Hairy Woodpeckers sometimes follow Pileated Woodpeckers, and sometimes appears when it hears the heavy sounds of a pileated excavating. As the pileated moves on, the Hairy Woodpecker investigates the deep holes, taking insects the pileated missed. source -  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/ …/Hairy_Woodpecker/lifehistory

This is why I have to keep adding water to the pond. Turdus migratorius Although robins are considered harbingers of spring, many American Robins spend the whole winter in their breeding range. But because they spend more time roosting in trees and less time in your yard, you're much less likely to see them. The number of robins present in the northern parts of the range varies each year with the local conditions. source -  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/gu …/American_Robin/lifehistory

Found this starling chick on the road. Moved it to the sided, hope the adults can find it. Not a fan of starlings, but one at a time they aren't bad for an invasive species. Sturnus vulgaris Starlings are great vocal mimics: individuals can learn the calls of up to 20 different species. Birds whose songs starlings often copy include the Eastern Wood-Pewee, Killdeer, meadowlarks, Northern Bobwhite, Wood Thrush, Red-tailed Hawk, American Robin, Northern Flicker, and many others. source - https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/European_Starling/lifehistory

Red winged blackbird and a Hairy woodpecker, Rondeau Provincial Park, June 26, 2017. A red winged blackbird and a hairy woodpecker were having a dispute over the suet feeder in the yard yesterday. The hairy won

This is part of the skyline of Barcelona Spain. The large cathedral just left of centre is The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família. Construction was started in 1882 and is projected to be completed by 2026.

Needed a new a pump for the pond/stream which necessitated rearranging the rocks and bits and pieces. At first I bought a 1500 gallon per hour pump. Quickly realized I wanted 1500 litre per hour pump. The 1500 gph would have shot the water out of the pool and half way across the yard. I don't think woodland birds like to surf. Piranga olivacea The female Scarlet Tanager sings a song similar to the male's, but softer, shorter, and less harsh. She sings in answer to the male's song and while she is gathering nesting material. source -  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/g…/Scarlet_Tanager/lifehistory

We put out grape jelly for the orioles and it turns out that gray catbirds like it as well. Not big enough to push orioles off, he just waits his turn. How Canadian. Dumetella carolinensis The Gray Catbird’s long song may last for up to 10 minutes. source - https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Gray_Catbird/lifehistory

Hovering Jay. A close relative of the Blue Jay. We have a suet feeder for woodpeckers that blue jays ad grackles keep raiding. It is a piece of log with holes drilled into it that is filled with homemade suet. Woodpeckers can hold on and feed without problem. The jays have to hover and stab at the suet as this one is doing. Cyanocitta cristata The pigment in Blue Jay feathers is melanin, which is brown. The blue color is caused by scattering light through modified cells on the surface of the feather barbs. source - https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue_Jay/lifehistory

Went looking for a fawn a friend saw, missed it but found this Blanding's turtle near the parking lot of the trail. Watched until it was safely across the road. Emydoidea blandingii Blanding's Turtles live in shallow water, usually in large wetlands and shallow lakes with lots of water plants. It is not unusual, though, to find them hundreds of metres from the nearest water body, especially while they are searching for a mate or traveling to a nesting site. Blanding's Turtles hibernate in the mud at the bottom of permanent water bodies from late October until the end of April. source - https://www.ontario.ca/page/blandings-turtle

I was trying to think up a good title for this image. I thought of something like 99 map turtles on the dock, 99 map turtles... Didn't fit but now I've got 99 bottles of beer on the wall stuck in my head. Is it yours now. Misery loves company. . Graptemys geographica Female northern map turtles may take more than 10 years to reach maturity. They nest from June through July and lay a single clutch of up to 17 eggs. They hatch in the fall, and in some cases the hatchlings overwinter in the nest. The incubation temperature of the eggs determines the gender of the hatchlings. source -https://www.ontarionature.org/protect/species/reptiles_and_amphibians/northern_map_turtle.php

Feeding Junior Male cardinal feeding one of the two young it is bring into the yard.

Junior! I've told you to leave me alone when I'm having a bath. Go eat a worm or something. Turdus migratorius An American Robin can produce three successful broods in one year. On average, though, only 40 percent of nests successfully produce young. Only 25 percent of those fledged young survive to November. From that point on, about half of the robins alive in any year will make it to the next. Despite the fact that a lucky robin can live to be 14 years old, the entire pop ulation turns over on average every six years. source -  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/gu…/American_Robin/lifehistory

Male ruby throated hummingbird, Rondeau Provincial Park, July 15, 2017 Usually see the female but this male has started coming into the feeder. Archilochus colubris Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are eastern North America’s only breeding hummingbird. But in terms of area, this species occupies the largest breeding range of any North American hummingbird.

The sloughs are starting to dry up due to lack of rain. Mostly stagnant which the birds may not find appealing. More traffic at the pond like this Baltimore Oriole. Icterus galbula Smaller and more slender than an American Robin, Baltimore Orioles are medium-sized, sturdy-bodied songbirds with thick necks and long legs. Look for their long, thick-based, pointed bills, a hallmark of the blackbird family they belong to. source -https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Baltimore_Oriole/id

Anne spotted an Eastern Fox Snake heading into our little pond. A quick photo through the window was all I could get. By the time I got outside it was in the heavy brush next to the yard. New yard reptile. Pantherophis gloydi The eastern fox snake is the third-largest snake in Ontario and can reach a length of up to 1.7 metres, although most individuals are smaller. Its body is yellow to light brown with large, dark brown blotches down the back and two alternating rows of smaller blotches along the sides. This snake has a reddish brown head with dark bars around the eyes and a yellow chin. Its belly, which is also yellow, has alternating brown patches. The scales of this species are lightly keeled (ridged down the centre) and its anal plate is divided. source -https://www.ontarionature.org/protect/species/reptiles_and_amphibians/eastern_foxsnake.php

Not sure if this is a wood satyr or not but that is what we could in the field guide. Lots of butterflies around the hop bush/tree in the yard.

This immature common grackle came into the pond which is saturated with midges. Not sure if it had a drink of water or if it was the special of the day, Midge Soup. Quiscalus quiscula Common Grackles appear black from a distance, but up close their glossy purple heads contrast with bronzy-iridescent bodies. A bright golden eye gives grackles an intent expression. Females are slightly less glossy than males. Young birds are dark brown with a dark eye. source -https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Grackle/id

Not even waste. This Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly was on the road at Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. Not sure what type of scat, such a polite word for poop, it was but there were half a dozen butterflies on it at one point. Papilio glaucus This unique species of swallowtail is a quick and strong flier, gliding when able. The males are a bright yellow, while the females can exhibit two different color forms; yellow and black and black and blue. The darker form is more common in the southern states. source Garden with Wings.

From earlier this spring. Nice when the name matches the bird. Vireo griseus The White-eyed Vireo bathes by rubbing against wet foliage. source - Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Out on Tulip Tree Trail today and came across a young raccoon. It wasn't sure about me. Eventually it turned around and went back to Mom. A few minutes later I saw about 8 kits and Momma did seem happy to see me.

One of the trails at Rondeau Provincial Park is named the Tulip Tree Trail. Oddly enough there are tulip trees along the trail and right now they are blooming. As you can see they come by their name legitimately.  Liriodendron tulipifera The tulip tree is a large, fast-growing tree, up to 35 metres tall with a trunk up to 160 centimetres in diameter. As its name suggest, the tulip tree produces beautiful yellow-green flowers that are about 5 centimetres long. They have 6 petals and are shaped like tulip flowers and bloom in the spring. Its leaves are 7 to 12 centimetres long and are straight across the top, with 4 lobes beneath. They are light green and turn yellow in the fall. The tulip tree's bark is smooth and dark green when the tree is young, then turns brown and ridged. source -Ontario.ca

A female ruby throated hummingbird was searching through the low growing Solomon's Seal a few days ago. Archilochus colubris Ruby-throated Hummingbirds normally place their nest on a branch of a deciduous or coniferous tree; however, these birds are accustomed to human habitation and have been known to nest on loops of chain, wire, and extension cords.

Seen from the pontoon boat along Rondeau's sand spit near Erieau. Hydroprogne caspia The oldest recorded wild Caspian Tern was at least 29 years, 7 months old when it was found in Louisiana in 1989. It had been banded in Michigan in 1959. The average life span of Great Lakes Caspian Terns is estimated to be 12 years. source - Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

A red eyed vireo from earlier this spring on one of the trails at Rondeau. Vireo olivaceus A tireless songster, the Red-eyed Vireo is one of the most common summer residents of Eastern forests. These neat, olive-green and white songbirds have a crisp head pattern of gray, black, and white. Their brief but incessant songs—sometimes more than 20,000 per day by a single male—contribute to the characteristic sound of an Eastern forest in summer. When fall arrives, they head for the Amazon basin, fueled by a summer of plucking caterpillars from leaves in the treetops. source- Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Anne spotted this green heron from the pontoon boat while cruising the shoreline of Rondeau Bay. I drive the boat, she finds the birds. Today we had great blue heron, whimbrel, black terns and this green heron. Very interesting to watch it pluck an insect, usually a midge, and drop it into the water to entice a fish within striking range. Butorides virescens The Green Heron is one of the world’s few tool-using bird species. It creates fishing lures with bread crusts, insects, earthworms, twigs, feathers, and other objects, dropping them on the surface of the water to entice small fish. source- Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

This yellow rumped warbler is showing the yellow rump, head and wing patches. Nice of him to co operate. Setophaga coronata When Yellow-rumped Warblers find themselves foraging with other warbler species, they typically let Palm, Magnolia and Black-throated Green warblers do as they wish, but they assert themselves over Pine and Blackburnian warblers.