We’ve had another cycle of cold and snow followed by unseasonably mild weather. On Wednesday, it reached 9C. We heard House Finches and Northern Cardinals singing. The House Finches appeared to be building a nest on one of the downtown buildings.
On Tuesday, the sky was clear and we were hopeful of seeing birds at Fanshawe Conservation Area. Fanshawe Lake, created by damming the Thames River was still frozen, but water flowed freely over the dam.
It was good to be out in the sun, but our walk produced few sightings. A skunk lurked under a picnic table at the trailhead. A few Dark-eyed Juncos foraged in the grass at the edge of the path. Three American Crows perched high in a tree, cawing raucously. Black-capped Chickadees bobbed in the bushes, but did not venture into the open, even for some sunflower seeds. A flock of pigeons dotted the concrete buttress of the dam.
At this point in the winter, we long for spring growth and colour. Valentine’s Day flowers from Wandering Bee and tulips for Family Day were welcome sights.
We can also visit our archives for a glimpse of warmth and colour. We recently searched for insect photos to add to one of Susan’s articles for the nature club. Here is a selection, just for fun!
Their names are also fun: Black Swallowtail, Blue Dasher, Bicolored Striped Sweat Bee, Common Crane Fly, Differential Grasshopper, Eastern Carpenter Bee and Garden Webworm, Margined Calligrapher, Virginia Ctenucha Moth, Monarch butterfly, Scudder’s Bush Katydid, Seven-spotted Lady Beetle and Variable Field Ant.
