Tag: Wildlife

Wildlife traditionally refers to non-domesticated animal species, but has come to include all plants, fungi and other organisms which grow or live wild in an area.

Opossums Foraging In Our Toronto Backyard

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opossum toronto 1

Bob and I always keep a keen eye on the goings and comings in our backyard.  There is constant activity centered around the bird feeders.  If it isn’t squirrels that have outsmarted our most recent positioning of the feeding stations, it is the delightful array of birds sparring for feeding rights that entertain us.  What a shock when one day Bob was walking to the garden house and spotted a new little critter under the arbour seat.  A Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) sat huddled in the shadows hoping to avoid detection. Read more

Elk On The Move In The Grand Canyon Village

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elk crosses roadway, grand canyon

When Bob and I first arrived at Grand Canyon National Park, it was getting late in the day, dusk in fact, so we were eager to find our accommodations in the Grand Canyon Village. As we drove down one stretch of the pavement, adjacent to the railway track, Bob caught sight of a number of Elk making their way from one side of the roadway to the other. Read more

Mule Deer along the Grand Canyon South Rim Trail

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mule deer, grand canyon national park

Bob and I had been at Grand Canyon National Park for a few days, and on top of exploring the phenomenal panoramic sights, we  had also been engrossed in the observation of a variety of bird species.  It was not until the morning of a guided Fossil Hike that we first came upon some Mule Deer.  People wanting to join the hike were to assemble on the canyon-side patio of Bright Angel Lodge, and there, just below the stone wall edging the pathway, a family of Mule Deer was having its breakfast. Read more

Tomato Hornworm Moths At Grand Canyon National Park

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Tomato Hornworm Moth in flight to Moonflower - Grand Canyon National Park - Arizona

After a full day of activity at Grand Canyon National Park, we were returning late to our room at Maswik Lodge when a flicker of movement drew my eye towards the stunning night-blooming Moonflowers.  We were not the only ones attracted by the glowing white flowers.  Numerous Tomato Hornworm Moths, also known as Five-spotted Hawkmoths,  were circling for a landing. Read more

Red Fox Smells the Flowers at Montreal’s Botanical Gardens

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Red Fox sniffs among Delicate plants - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean

As Bob and I were about to leave Montreal’s Botanical Gardens, after a day-long tour of the wonderful Mosaicultures garden exhibit, we came upon a Red Fox sniffing around the various plants in one specialized garden.  What a surprise to find this wild creature quite at home in urban Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Read more

California Condors At Grand Canyon National Park

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California Condor, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, U.S.A.

When Bob and I visited Grand Canyon National Park, our primary objective was to revel at the overwhelming and impressive scale of the canyon. Little did we know that our passion for birdwatching would be so richly rewarded both on the South Rim and deep within the canyon, itself. On one visit to Hopi Point, we were lucky enough to spot one of the two California Condors known to be nesting in a nearby rock face. Read more

Bobolink Whistles A Tune At Forks of the Credit Park

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Bobolink - sings out - kettle trail - forks of the credit provincial park - ontario

On an outing to Forks of the Credit Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada, Bob and I were winding down our day after having spent several hours on the beautiful trails there.  As we strode across Kettle Trail to regain the Trans Canada Trail and then the parking lot, an unfamiliar sound met our ears.  We soon spotted the source in a treetop not far away.  A bobolink in full song was in profile against an azure sky, making for a perfect snapshot. Read more

A White and Grey Rabbit in Toronto’s Milliken Park

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White and grey rabbit - looks at me - Milliken Park - Toronto - Ontario

On a walkabout in Milliken Park, in Toronto,  Ontario, Canada, Bob and I were surprised to see, hopping about the lawns and gardens, an unusual looking rabbit.  Unlike our common Cottontail Rabbit, this rabbit was white with a smokey grey snout and a grey wash on its hind quarters.  Could it be that someone’s pet escaped and is now making the park its home?  Or is it possible that someone released their pet for no longer wanting to care for it? Read more

Muskrats Eat, Swim, and Dive at Cranberry Marsh in Whitby

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Muskrat holds a stick in its hands - Cranberry Marsh - Lynde Shores Conservation Area

On a visit to the West Cranberry Tract at Lynde Shores Conservation Area in Whitby, Ontario, Canada, we were lucky enough to see some muskrats at the edge of the marsh foraging for food. Read more

Mink Hunts Muskrats in Ontario Swamp

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mink, etobicoke, Ontario

Bob and I spent one afternoon exploring a marsh near Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.  We barely had gotten underway when we spotted a member of the Weasel Family, a Mink, coming towards us, totally unconcerned about our presence in its habitat. Read more