Last week, when the weather brought sunshine and temperatures into the teens, we made time every afternoon to walk in a different local park.
The Coves in November was very quiet.
We heard few birds and saw none until we visited the bird feeders on a property adjacent to the trail. Here we found a pair of House Finches and a Northern Cardinal taking advantage of the feast.
As we returned to the car, we detected the high-pitched, wheezy call of Cedar Waxwings. There was a large flock high in the trees, almost out of sight. Now and then a few would drop down to harvest berries from the honeysuckle bushes below.
The following day, under clear blue skies, we went to Kilallly Meadows Environmentally Significant Area (ESA). We walked through wooded trails and past the Thames River and open fields of wildflowers and grasses. Again, there were few birds in evidence aside from Dark-eyed Juncos, American Robins, Northern Cardinals and a few Mallards in the river.
Plants look different in the fall, but still can be identified.
Common Buckthorn bushes are prolific seed producers as evidence by the berries we saw on the bushes and on the ground. These shrubs are designated as noxious weeds and an invasive species in Ontario. Buckthorn thrives in a variety of habitats and forms dense thickets that crowd and shade out native plants. According to Ontario’s Invading Species awareness program, its seeds germinate quickly and prevent the natural growth of native trees and shrubs. Although birds and animals eat the buckthorn seeds, they are not as nutritious as the seeds of native shrubs.
American Sycamores tower over the landscape, easily identified by their distinctive pale, patchy bark.
The next day took us to the Civic Garden Complex, a beautifully landscaped park with trails leading down to the Thames River. Ornamental plants and specimen trees added colour and interest to the park.
American Beech trees line the trail along the river. These trees are identified by their smooth, silver-gray bark and autumn foliage.
Close to the parking lot, we could hear the quiet calls of Golden-crowned Kinglets. They were foraging for the berries of the Common Yew, but refused to stay still or show themselves long enough for an unobscured photo. Kinglets are late migrants that sometimes stay around into the late fall or later, as long as they can find food. On the right is a photo of a Golden-crowned Kinglet from November 11, 2018.
And there was more sunny weather to come!
The Music of Stan Rogers
We first heard Stan’s song “Forty-five Years” on the radio. Then we saw him at an outdoor folk festival. His warmth and energy won us over.
But our appreciation for Stan skyrocketed when we saw his generousity in performing songs by other folk musicians. This live performance is one that we may have attended at The Groaning Board, a restaurant in downtown Toronto.
There is a wonderful CBC Television documentary about Stan Rogers. Here are two samples. The full documentary and a recent recording are at the end of this note.
P.S. Although Stan died in an airplane fire in 1983, his music is still being performed and recorded. This video is the most recent I could find. And yes, his music can still move me to tears. —Glenn