Our decision to visit the Carden Alvar in Ontario, Canada, did not disappoint when we sighted this Yellow-bellied Sapsucker on a fence post along Wylie Road. Read more
Tag: Carden Alvar
Eastern Meadowlark in the grasslands at the Carden Alvar
You will have to look at my photos closely in order to see the Eastern Meadowlark, but despite the distance between the bird and ourselves, Bob and I were thrilled to see it in the grasslands of the Carden Alvar. Read more
An Osprey carries branch to its nest at Carden Alvar
On a mid-June visit to Carden Alvar in Ontario, Bob and I opted to tour the area in the reverse direction from our first visit when we crossed Canal Lake at dusk. First thing in the morning provided better light for photography, and there was no lack of activity near the Osprey nests. We were hoping that the Osprey did not drop its load as they flew over! Read more
A Brown Thrasher Hunts for Bugs at Carden Alvar, Ontario
The day in June that we chose for our visit to the Carden Alvar, in Ontario, Canada, was a steamy one. Our first stop was at Cameron Ranch, where friends had photographed beautiful expanses of Indian Paintbrush wildflowers only a couple of days earlier. The flowers were past their prime, but we came face-to-face with this brown thrasher as it sat on a fence post with freshly caught insects. Read more
Black Bear With Her Three Young Cubs at Carden Alvar
Bob and I have learned so much through different groups on Facebook, and one of the areas that was brought to our attention was the Carden Alvar here in Ontario. Our second visit in mid-June was a bit late and too hot for much activity where migrating birds were concerned, but our list of sightings was still long and included this female Black Bear and her three cubs. Read more
Osprey enjoys flight above Carden Alvar, Ontario
After spending all day at the Carden Alvar in Ontario, basically patrolling along Wylie Road north to the T intersection and back again to McNamee Road, Bob decided that we should continue to check out some other areas of that protected habitat before we made for home. Cameron Ranch and Canal Lake both deserved a short visit, and near the causeway that crosses the lake we discovered one pair of Osprey already occupying a nesting platform. Read more
A Wilson’s Snipe at Ontario’s Carden Alvar
Bob and I came home from Ontario’s Carden Alvar very satisfied with our experience in that unique habitat. The combination of grasslands, forests, shrublands and wetlands creates a landscape that is not only favoured by a wide variety of wildlife but also is attractive to those people who go in search of the birds and animals that live there. One such bird that we managed to see was a Wilson’s Snipe. Read more
A Brown Thrasher at Carden Alvar
Our first time visiting the Carden Alvar had Bob and me astonished by the myriad sounds of nature that combined into a marvelous symphony: choruses of frogs, whirring of Wilson’s Snipes, echoing conk-la-rees from the Red-winged Blackbirds, and Savannah Sparrows raising their voice in song. On several occasions, all were overshadowed by another lively bit of birdsong that had us mystified…until we finally spotted this Brown Thrasher. Read more
Blanding’s Turtle At The Carden Alvar
Bob and I had been looking forward to getting up to the Carden Alvar in Ontario, Canada, for at least a couple of years. I was filled with excitement at the prospect of seeing a number of early spring migrants and birds that favour the specialized habitat of the alvar plain, so it came as a pleasant surprise to also come across a rare Blanding’s Turtle. Read more









