Canatara Creatures!

Canatara Park hosts a wide variety of habitats that support plant and animal life. We never know what we may find when walking the trails!

A pair of Carolina Wrens were singing in the park this morning as they searched for bugs on dead wood. They will also come to backyards if food is available as they enjoy sunflower seeds and suet-filled feeders in the winter. 

The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is the only woodpecker in eastern North America that is completely migratory. I found one today (November 12th) which is the first one I have seen in several weeks. Although a few individuals remain throughout much of the winter in the southern part of the breeding range, most head farther south, going as far as Panama. Females tend to migrate farther south than males.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-bellied_Sapsucker/overview

White-throated Sparrows regularly visit backyard feeders or peck at seeds that have fallen beneath them. If a brush pile is nearby, it will give White-throated Sparrows a place to take cover between trips into the yard to feed.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-throated_Sparrow/overview

The weather has been cold, but definitely not cold enough to freeze up small lakes. A pair of Hooded Mergansers had a relaxing swim in Lake Chipican on Tuesday.

Other species including a House Sparrow, chose November 11th to have a bath in the cold lake.

American Goldfinches were lined up for their turn in the "bath water."

Although Common Teasel is quite a pokey plant, American Goldfinches aren't bothered by the spikes. They will happily stand on the bristly, dried flower heads to extract seeds.

The Northern Cardinal is a fairly large, long-tailed songbird with a short, very thick bill and a prominent crest. A male was recently spotted snacking on berries from a Snowberry bush. They eat mainly seeds and fruit, supplemented with insects, especially when feeding young. Common fruits and seeds include wild grape, mulberry, sumac and black oil sunflower seeds.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Cardinal/id

Bird friendly winter gardens that include a water source, food and shelter, help to attract birds such as Northern Cardinals (female in photo) throughout the cold months. When choosing plants for a garden, consider different canopy levels for diverse shelter needs. Brush piles can also provide a safe place for birds to hide.

Bird friendly winter gardens

Eastern Chipmunks aren't often seen locally in snowy weather. This chipmunk didn't listen to the weather forecast!

Although I have not seen a Beaver in Canatara this year, improvements to their lodge show that they are active in the area. Mud has been added to the exterior and leafy branches have been gathered for winter food. They will store food inside the lodge during the winter months. Beavers are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dusk and dawn.

Tell tale signs of Beaver: Pointed stump and wood chips!

A Raccoon appears to be sleeping soundly, high in a tree. Sun was shining on it for at least part of the day!

 Close to Home!

A Hermit Thrush visited our backyard...

and plucked a juicy grub out from between the walkway stones!

Meanwhile in Canatara Park lots of life can still be found! Caterpillars including this Large Yellow Underwing, are searching for shelter from predators and the upcoming cold weather! It was found on the underside of a leaf.

A spiky looking Ruby Tiger Moth caterpillar on a spiky leaf.

Milkweed seeds waiting for a windy day to burst from the pod and spread seeds for next year’s Monarch population.

Red-breasted Nuthatch storing seeds under tree bark.

White-breasted Nuthatch, checking that the coast is clear before flying away. It is interesting watching nuthatches. Many times I have witnessed one bird stealing the hidden food cache of another bird.

Spruce cones are loaded with tiny ‘winged’ seeds, nestled under the cone flaps. The tree is like a grocery store for hungry birds, including this Red-breasted Nuthatch. Look closely as the Nuthatch has a winged seed is in its beak. The 'wings' help falling seeds 'fly' away from the parent tree, just like the keys on Maple Trees.

Black-capped Chickadees also depend on Spruce Cones as a food source.

Black-capped Chickadees have been putting on a nice display lately as they search for seeds and insects on goldenrod and other plants.

Tufted Titmice are typically difficult to find locally in the summer months when raising young. They are now flying in winter social groups with Nuthatches and Chickadees, making them slightly easier to find.

Dark-eyed Juncos are the Snow Birds of the middle latitudes. Over much of eastern North America, they appear as winter sets in and return north each spring to breed.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Dark-eyed_Junco/overview

Big yawn from a well camouflaged Mallard hen!

Redhead ducks are beginning to gather on what is left of Lake Chipican. Low rainfall this year has greatly reduced the size of the lake.

Frosted Mapleleaf Vibernum - a sign of approaching winter weather.

Pinery Pinery Provincial Park

  Early November!

Forest birds and winter finches were few and far between on two recent visits to Pinery Provincial Park. Birds located near the water were much easier to find. A pair of Canada Geese were visible from the Boardwalk along the Riverside Trail.

Looking at Heritage Trail deck from across the channel.

Other Birders paddled down the Ausable channel in their kayaks.

A pair of American Crows strolled down the mostly deserted beach. 

An Asian Lady Beetle took shelter behind a stone from the Lake Huron winds.

Looking South-west towards Kettle Point from Dunes Campground beach.

Another strolling bird - Herring Gull

Mixed flock of Mallards and Double-crested Cormorants

A few Black-capped Chickadees expressed interest in sunflower seeds.

Juniper berries, although abundant on this branch, are not nearly as plentiful elsewhere.

Falling oak leaf suspended in spider silk.

Canoes stored for the winter.

Park Map

 End of October Things!

Dark-eyed Juncos have returned from their summer breeding grounds. They spend a lot of time at ground level, but this individual found a feast of seeds on a Goldenrod flower head. Dark-eyed Juncos are one of the most common birds in North America and can be found across the entire continent. They are easy to recognize in flight by the bright white outer tail feathers.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Dark-eyed_Junco/overview

Merlins are small, fierce falcons that use surprise attacks to bring down small songbirds and shorebirds. Merlin populations have largely recovered from twentieth-century declines thanks to a ban on the pesticide DDT and their ability to adapt to life around towns and cities. The name 'Merlin' comes from esmerillon, the old French name for the species. Merlins used to be called 'pigeon hawks' because in flight they look somewhat pigeon-like.

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

The Merlin was not able to eat his prey in peace (Song Sparrow in the talons) due to constant harassment from a Blue Jay.

Black-capped Chickadees are commonly found hanging upside down from clumps of dead leaves in the fall. The leaves often house overwintering insects and the chickadees know that food can be found in the clumps. This chickadee appears to have extracted a snail from the leaf clump!

A Winter Wren also found food within a clump of leaves. This tiny ball of energy is plump and round with a stubby tail that it usually holds straight up. It delivers its song with 10 times more power than a crowing rooster, (per unit of weight)! They are rather weak fliers that hop and scamper among fallen logs, inspecting upturned roots and vegetation for insects.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Winter_Wren/id

On a windy day, a Great Blue Heron chose a perching location that was blocked from the force of the wind. With its varied diet, it can spend the winter farther north than most herons, even in areas where most waters freeze.

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/great-blue-heron

Hermit Thrush - It should be heading south soon.

An irruption year has been predicted for winter finches due to low food sources further north. More Pine Siskins (and other winter finches) than usual are expected to visit Southern Ontario this winter. Pine Siskins can temporarily store seeds totaling up to 10% of their body mass in a part of their esophagus called the crop. The energy in that amount of food could get them through 5-6 nighttime hours of subzero temperatures!

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

Winter is the time to look for Snow Buntings in southern Ontario. They can be found in fields amongst crop stubble and also along lakeshores. The Snow Bunting, above, stopped on the steps at Canatara Beach on the shores of Lake Huron on November 29th. Snow Buntings are also restless during the winter and fly to a new spot every 10 minutes or so.

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

With their enormous bills, Evening Grosbeaks can crush seeds that are too large for Common Redpolls and Pine Siskins to open. These smaller birds often seek out the grosbeaks and eat the food scraps they leave behind.

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

Painted Turtle surrounded by fall colours: It was taking advantage of one of the last basking days of the season. The sun helps them to digest food more quickly. Stored food helps turtles survive the winter in mud beneath the water.