A Bit of This and That:

European Starlings are great vocal mimics. Individuals can learn the calls of up to 20 different species. Starlings often copy Killdeer, Meadowlarks, Wood Thrush, Red-tailed Hawk, American Robin and Northern Flicker. A few weeks ago a Starling tried to trick me into believing a Killdeer was nearby.  Although a few Killdeer had been spotted in SW Ontario at the time, I could not see one.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/European_Starling/overview

Ring-billed Gulls are easy to find at the Sarnia Bay.

I saw my first moth of 2023 on February 28th. I believe it is a Fall Cankerworm Moth. It was lying on the frozen path and not moving. I was able to gently pick it up and found a nearby rotting stump away from the path to set it down. After spending about 2 minutes on my hand, the warmed up insect crawled quickly into a hole for shelter.

Tundra Swans are on the move. 50 birds flew over our house on February 27th.

It can be difficult to identify tracks. When the snow continually thaws and freezes, track shapes and sizes can be altered. It was easy to see the owners of these slushy tracks as Mallards were sitting at the end of the trail!

Some Pussy Willows are in full bloom now. Pussy Willows are the tree's flowers before they are pollinated. The soft coating of hairs acts as insulation to protect these early bloomers from cold temperatures. 

https://www.bbg.org/news/what_are_pussy_willows_anyway