A New Yard Bird!!

I was not expecting to see any food running around on the lawn while heading out to get groceries at lunch today.  Its a good thing Turkey, wasn't on my grocery list!

On Monday, Deryl found a Black Vulture meandering around a field near Forest. It was a surprising find for Lambton County! They are expected in South-Eastern US, but are expanding their territory to the north. In order to find a Black Vulture for our bird list, we usually need to travel to Queenston Heights and attempt to pick one out of the hundreds of Turkey Vultures soaring high above the Niagara Gorge!

If you look carefully, a little raccoon face is peeking out of the tree hole.  I can't imagine he is a very large animal, or he wouldn't be able to move in and out of the cavity.

Another creature "stuffed" in a hole! This Red-phased Screech Owl 

was enjoying the sunshine near Petrolia earlier in the week.

A female Red-breasted Merganser spent some time 

relaxing on a log close to shore in Canatara Park.

A Brown Thrasher surprisingly posed for the camera at Camp Saredaca.

This male Red-bellied Woodpecker seemed to be waking up with the morning sun. I have yet to see a female with him.  He has been busy calling and excavating at the end of our street. We think its the same one that comes to our backyard feeders.

Lots of invertebrates are emerging from their winter hibernation.  A couple of water striders  "skated" along the surface of the pond earlier in the week. Despite the cold temperatures, they were active because of the warm, sheltered location.