Ragged Falls under major flooding on the Oxtongue

spring flood waters rushing over Ragged Falls, Oxtongue River, Ontario

Ragged Falls - spring flooding of falls - Oxtongue River - Ontario - April 20 2013

In the spring of 2013, Bob and I happened to be at Oxtongue Lake, Ontario.  It was far from a normal spring visit.  With the recent warm temperatures, the abundance of late spring snow had all but melted away.  This caused substantial and normal runoff conditions, but when combined with the heavy rainfalls, it resulted in volumes of water and Ragged Falls under major flooding on the Oxtongue River. Read more

Eastern Garter Snakes in Whitby’s Thickson’s Woods

garter snake sits among pine needles and studies me - thicksons woods - whitby

Bob and I went to Thickson’s Woods Nature Reserve, in Whitby, Ontario, one spring, to check on the growth of the Great Horned Owl chicks, but we were treated to wildlife observations of quite a different kind.  As Ontario’s spring weather finally started to include warmer days, it was no surprise to discover a number of Eastern Garter Snakes taking advantage of the warmth where direct sunlight penetrated to the forest floor. Read more

Osprey return to their nest at Youngs Point

Osprey return to their nest at Youngs Point

Two Osprey in their nest at Young's Point - Ontario - Canada

In the spring of 2013, the Osprey had been sighted at Youngs Point, on the Trent-Severn Waterway at Lock 27, a small village just north of Peterborough, Ontario.  They had returned to their nesting grounds for the season.  On a trip up that way, Bob photographed and filmed the pair perched on their nest. Read more

Black-Capped Chickadees Excavate A Nest In Thickson’s Woods

Black-capped chickadee with full peak of woodchips - thicksons woods

Black-capped chickadee on tree beside nest holes - thicksons woods

You know that spring has sprung when you see birds building their nests.  One spring, at Thickson’s Woods Nature Reserve in Whitby, Ontario, a pair of Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapilla) worked industriously to hollow out a cavity in a dead tree trunk, preparing to lay their eggs. Read more

Great Horned Owlets In Their Nest In Thickson’s Woods

Great Horned Owlets In Their Nest In Thickson’s Woods

great horned owl chicks and mother in nest -- - thicksons woods - whitby - ontario

Bob and I had not gone out to Thickson’s Woods Nature Reserve, in Whitby, Ontario, for about 5 weeks in the spring of 2013.  Nor had we heard if the babies had hatched, so a visit was in order to check on the status of things.  What a thrill when we sighted two Great Horned Owlets in their nest. Read more

Skunk Cabbage Blooming in Cootes Paradise

Skunk Cabbage Blooming in Cootes Paradise

Skunk Cabbage plant, spathe bract, cootes paradise, hamilton, ontario

I have lived in Ontario my whole life, and despite trekking through the bush as a child, and doing endless hikes as an adult, this past spring was  the first time that I have ever come across a Skunk Cabbage plant at Cootes Paradise, in Hamilton, Ontario…lots of them, in fact. Read more

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