Skunk Cabbage at Dickson Wilderness Area

skunk cabbage_dickson Conservation area_ontario

skunk cabbage, dickson Conservation area, cambridge, ontario

It is so much fun to go hiking and birdwatching in the springtime.  With all the migrating birds arriving daily in Ontario, we never know what surprises are in store for us at places like Dickson Wilderness Area, near Cambridge, Ontario.  The same can be said for all the tender new growth that is pushing its way up out of the cold soil.  With each passing day, new treasures are to be found amidst the bleached leaf litter on the forest floor.  Eastern Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) is always one of the very first plants to emerge from the frozen earth because this plant is capable of generating its own heat and can even thaw its way through a thin veneer of ice. Read more

Moose enjoys spring sunshine in Algonquin Provincial Park

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On a visit to Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Bob and I were thrilled to discover a Moose (Alces alces) in a boggy area just to the side of the highway.  It was a nice spring day, so the Moose was encouraged to leave the protection of the forest and soak up the warmth of the bright sunshine. Read more

Our Hike In Ashford Castle’s Mystical Forest

photograph of the ancient oak forest at Ashford Castle near Cong, County Mayo, Ireland.

forest beside ashford castle

The estate property of    Ashford Castle    boasts a dense, healthy forest thanks to the efforts of previous owners Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness and his eldest son, Lord Ardilaun.  Sir Benjamin had thousands of trees planted during his occupancy of the castle after acquiring it in 1852, and in later years, when the estate passed to Arthur, he expanded the plantings to create extensive woodlands. Read more

Elk In A Snowy Meadow Near Lake Louise

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One afternoon during our stay in Banff National Park, Alberta, Bob and I decided to take a drive from Lake Louise along the Bow Valley Parkway, a quieter highway than the Trans Canada, only two-lane versus four.  We were in hopes of spotting some wildlife and were on the lookout for elk in particular.  Seeing another vehicle pulled to the side of the road, we slowed to have a look.  At first, we didn’t notice the Elk laying in the snow but rather thought the tourists were admiring yet another beautiful mountain peak. Read more

White-tailed Deer In The Wild At Lynde Shores



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White-tailed Deer In The Wild At Lynde Shores

two deer along pathway at lynde shores - whitby

In mid-March of 2014, Bob and I took a drive out to Thickson’s Woods in Oshawa to look for the Great Horned Owls reported to have been seen in the tall pines there.  On our way home, we took a slow drive along Hall’s Road South, which borders the Cranberry West Tract of Lynde Shores Conservation Area in Whitby.  There, we espied a small herd of White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) lingering in the warm sunshine. Read more

An Opossum visits my Toronto backyard

opossum heads towards garden - toronto 1

opossum in toronto backyard - 6

On one of the first really warm March days of the season, Bob and I enjoyed a walk to our local park.  We were thrilled to see an Opossum scouting around for some food there amid the snowdrifts, and it reminded us of the three that had visited our own backyard in late December.  We had seen no sign of them since then.  We were no sooner home from the park when a little visitor came calling…a very large Opossum (Didelphimorphia). Read more

An Opossum Enjoys A Sunny Winter Day

possum sitting under a tree - toronto park

Finally getting a break in the frigid winter weather, Bob and I seized the opportunity for a walk in the brilliant March sunshine at Milliken Park, in Toronto, Ontario.  It seems we were not the only ones taking advantage of the warmer temperatures.  An Opossum was out strolling  atop the deep snow, on the search for something to eat. Read more

A Cooper’s hawk after a wet night in Comox



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A Cooper’s hawk after a wet night in Comox

coopers hawk - comox - bc - 1

On our morning outing to Comox from Bowser, British Columbia, Bob and I stopped at the edge of the Salish Sea.  Nothing much was stirring in the Sound, so we walked into an adjacent brushy area and came upon a very wet Cooper’s Hawk. Read more

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