Spring in Canatara!

Despite the cold temperatures, nature is waking up! A Snapping Turtle lurks just beneath the surface. Snapping Turtles can live to be over 100 years old. They spend so much time underwater that algae grows on their shells. This can help them to blend in with their surroundings. https://www.ontario.ca/page/snapping-turtle

Mayapples

Purple Violets and Mayapples managed to survive the cold weather and snow last week.

Look closely at the photo and you will see a Northern Flicker and a European Starling. There was some intense interaction between the two birds. I'm happy to report that the Flicker was the victor! The Flicker grabbed the Starling by the leg with his beak and pulled the Starling from the cavity. Starlings were introduced to North America in the late 1800's by a group of Shakespeare enthusiasts who believed America should have all of the flora and fauna mentioned in Shakespeare's books. To survive in their new home, Starlings needed to adapt. They became aggressive and took over occupied nesting areas and food sources. Today they are the most abundant songbird in North America, but that came at the expense of many native birds whose populations declined. http://www.lakemetroparks.com/birding-blog/january-2021/european-starling-invasive-pest-or-misunderstood

It has been a few years since I last saw a Coyote in the area but one ran down the trail ahead of me recently. The coyote's senses of hearing and smell are so well developed that a sudden odour or noise can make it change its course in mid-step!  https://www.hww.ca/en/wildlife/mammals/coyote.html