Rondeau Ric

When you are little you don't notice that a night is special, then you know the adults seem excited. Later you know more and you get excited about a special night. Eventually you lose interest and it just becomes another night, no need to stay up late. I don't do midnight. Happy New Year.

  Nashville warbler, Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, May t, 2019. The reddish colour actually occurs mid-way in the feather, with the tip and base being gray. Leiothlypis ruficapilla

It has been raining since 6.00 am, it is now 5.19 pm.  I might build an ark.  Here is a touch  of colour for a very dreary day

The sun actually came out for about 1/2 hour today, which was unexpected. So, I bundled up and went for a ride on my etrike.

Oh, Mr. Bluebird on my shoulder. (What's up Mr. Bluebird?) It's the truth, its actual. And everything is satisfactual. Zip-a-dee-doo-dah! Zip-a-dee-ay! Wonderful feeling. Wonderful day.

Another grey day, drizzle and unpleasant. Taken May 3, 2013 in Holland at a tulip farm. 

Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. September 2010. Monarch butterflies roosting overnight during migration. The monarch is the only butterfly known to make a two-way migration as birds do. Unlike other butterflies that can overwinter as larvae, pupae, or even as adults in some species. Lots more grey days forecast over the next two weeks.

 This is Mickey, one of two new kitten/cats we adopted at the beginning of the summer. A.K.A. McFloppy, McFurry and Mic Mic. Occasional GET OUT OF THERE/THAT!! He used to fit in my hand. A  rather mellow, laid back dude.

Two cats in a chair. Our new kitten/cats sharing a little heat on a cold winters day. Mickey out front, Nellie in the back. Dec 17, 2024.

I can see the bottom of my bowl in one place. Why are you starving me? Meet Nellie, a.k.a. The Queen of Chaos, Kingdom of Havoc. She can go from a sweet lap cat to maniac in a split second. FYI she is strictly an indoor kitten/cat  

Fox Sparrow. We usually see a few fox sparrows this time of year. Unfortunately, shortly after this photo was taken, a Cooper's hawk flew in and killed and flew off with the fox sparrow. Rondeau Provincial Park, December 8, 2024, Ontario, Canada. Passerella iliaca. Named for the rich red hues that many Fox Sparrows wear, this species is nevertheless one of our most variable birds, with four main groups that can range from foxy red to gray to dark brown.

It is the season of slip, slide, and fall. Of dead car batteries and doors that are frozen shut. Of slippery, ice covered roads. Of summer tired cars trying to navigate snow covered roads. Of zero visibility due to white outs. Of emergency road closures due to multiple vehicle accidents. Of sickness, influence, and colds. Of frostbit and runny noses and potential hypothermia.  Of snow shovelling induced myocardial infarction (heart attacks.) Of frostbit and runny noses. Of Seasonal  Affective Disorder which can last 4-5 months.  Of  cold, bitter, dark days. Of people who think -40 degrees is great weather for out door activities. Those that are happy to hibernate for four months, I say hello, for you are kindred souls.

I think I know why we have no birds in the yard today. Sharp-shinned hawk sitting in the bush behind our water feature. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, December 4, 2024 Accipiter striatus Female Sharp-shinned Hawks are about a third bigger and heavier than males. This is a typical pattern for many hawks and owls, but otherwise rare in the bird world.

Downy woodpecker at the stream today. We have the heater in to keep the water open. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, December 3, 2024. Dryobates pubescens Woodpeckers don’t sing songs, but they drum loudly against pieces of wood or metal to achieve the same effect.