April’s weather continues to be erratic. A sunny day on Sunday followed last week’s heavy rain and flooding. Despite the “red sun at night” on Sunday, the gathering clouds brought snow on Monday that stayed on the ground through Tuesday’s cold temperatures. From an overnight low of -10C on Tuesday night, the temperature is expected to rise to 14C by Saturday…In the meantime, we woke to snow on the ground on Thursday. Snow continued throughout much of the day before turning into a mix of rain and wet snow.
Snow on Monday, April 7 and Tuesday April 8, 2025
Ross Park
Our Sunday walk was in Ross Park, a small pocket park near the Western University campus that now has a pedestrian bridge across the Thames. A cycling and pedestrian path along the river leads to the North London Athletic Fields on the far side of the river.
There are several Northern Red and White Oak trees in the park, including a gnarly old oak near the parking lot. Acorns and oak leaves littered the ground below the trees.
We noticed several bees hovering just above the warm soil and sometimes landing briefly. iNaturalist identified these as a kind of Cellophane Bee. According to Wikipedia, these are solitary ground-nesting bees that build cells in underground nests that are lined with a cellophane-like plastic secretion.
Most trees were bare and only a few plants were in bloom or showing signs of life. Some violets, Scilla, Lesser Celandine, Wild Garlic and Bull Thistle are introduced species that have naturalized in our parks. Lesser Celandine and Wild Garlic are considered invasive because of their spreading habits.
As we walked, the air was filled with birdsong. We identified 13 species of birds. A large flock of American Robins foraged on the ground. A few birds called from perches.
Brown-headed Cowbirds and a cardinal also foraged on the ground.
Song Sparrows were in full voice.
Red-winged Blackbirds trilled from the river’s edge.
A Bald Eagle soared overhead and another kind of bird.
Western University Alumni Stadium Trail
We took a short walk along the trail by the Alumni Stadium where we were happy to see an Osprey perched on the nest box high above the stadium lights. It looks like Ospreys will nest there again this year.
There were signs of emergent life in the mostly dormant landscape.
Osprey News
We are somewhat puzzled by our Ospreys’ seeming lack of courtship or mating behaviour. Perhaps we’ve missed it. The male has been successful in catching fish despite the opaque muddy water in the Thames. He consumes it on the low platform. We haven’t noticed that he takes what remains of the fish to the female on the nest. More often, we have seen her on the low platform with him, presumably waiting for her turn with the fish.
Although they had been spending more time side by side on the nest, more recently we usually see the female alone on the nest. When he is present, the male usually perches on the low platform, even when he has no fish. We have wondered whether this is a repeat of last year’s standoff over where to establish the nest. Time will tell.
Perhaps the cold and windy weather has dampened the Osprey pair’s spirits. It has certainly made it difficult for us to set up video surveillance to follow their interactions more closely.
During times of high wind and snow, the female Osprey has spent time off the nest, but always returns. Here she is after the snow on Thursday, weathering the rain that is falling.
Two More Years of Rocking Songs: 1962 and 1963
What do you think happens in 1964? There are softer songs I like from before 1964 to review.
Playlist for 1962
Playlist of 1963
