Monday, May 28, 2007

Dwarf Iris


This picture was taken on 21 May 2007 on our property. They are only about 1 1/2" high and are classified as being Provincially rare and are a protected species. We live in what is called an "Area on natural and Scientific interest", or ANSCI area. These little guys grow in dappled shade areas on bush trails that criss-cross our property.

Baltimore Oriole


These pictures were taken during May 2007 in our back yard. We had two pair nesting on our property last summer and it seems they plus all their siblings have returned. If you're trying to attract Orioles, an orange cut in half and stuck on the stub of a branch works well. You can also get Oriole feeders which are similar to Hummingbird feeders, but have a larger opening. My wife tells me that my choice of a Flowering Almond branch as a perch was a bad choice because the pink clashes with the orange on the Oriole. Myself, I like it but what do I know. What do you think?





















































Green Heron


This photo was taken 20th May, 2007 in our back yard. We have been lucky in that this is the second year that we have had a pair of Green Heron's nesting fairly close to our pond. They are frequent visitors to the pond where they find an abundance of frogs, minnows, tadpoles and other tasty treats which they prefer. They actually have a fairly long neck which extends when they're in the attack mode.

American Woodcock


This picture was taken on 27th May 2007 in our back yard. This bird is seldom seen as it is almost invisible when in a background of dried leaves. They are generally nocturnal, but this guy slammed into a friends RV that was parked in our back yard. He stunned himself for awhile but finally woke up and walked off into the bush. One peculiar thing about them is that they will hold their head and legs still and rock their body back and forth, front to rear. It's quite amazing that while doing this, their head doesn't move. Their main food is earthworms and insects. They lay their eggs in a depression on the open ground.

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Red Headed Woodpecker


This picture was taken on May 8th, 2007 in our back yard. Once abundant, they are now listed as a vulnerable species in Canada and threatened in some States. Their decline in population is mainly due to competition for nesting sites by Starlings and loss of habitat. They prefer to nest in cavities in dead trees.