A Porcupine for Saturday Critters

I didn't find much yesterday but what I did see I found interesting! This porcupine was a surprise as I don't often see this rodent species. What I found so surprising about it was the soft appearance of its back. It even looked kind of cuddly, however its quills were very visible on its tail. I did some research about its soft looking back and discovered that: "Porcupines have  soft hair but on their back, sides and tail, it is usually mixed with sharp quills."These quills typically lie flat until a porcupine is threatened, then leap to attention as a persuasive deterrent. Porcupines cannot shoot them at predators as once thought, but the quills do detach easily when touched." National Geographic source:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/group/porcupines/
So be wary and know that its soft , furry appearance is not an invitation to pet.

A Pine Warbler in our feeder area!

Early last evening around 6 p.m. I saw a bright flash of yellow in Bird Alley! I reached for my camera, tracking the yellow!

It was interested in the bird food I had scattered on a table.

After I had taken enough pictures and the bird had gone I searched through my bird guide books., one specifically on Warblers, but so many of them had beautiful birds with a very noticeable yellow beauty that I was unable to chose or decide which one had been just outside my window?Then I remembered having had a warbler feeding on birdseed a year ago and we had id' ed it as a Pine Warbler,so back to the bird guide books.... ! And YES! it had been a Pine Warbler

that I had taken pictures of

in Bird Alley.

A Snowgoose with Canada Geese for Camera Critters

I have been checking on this lone juvenile  Snow goose for about a week now, and this morning  I was able to get the best picture I have taken of it all week in the same frame with three other Canadas.

I am linking this morning with Eileen's blog, Saturday Critters. which can be found at

viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com

My Morning Birding Finds

   My Birding this morning revealed nothing new but I did re-find the lone Snowgoose with the small
flock of Canadas that it has been feeding and travelling with

. I found a couple of pairs of favourite duck species. A pair of Wood Ducks

and a pair of Common Goldeneye.

The winner of the most colourful ducks today goes to a male Mallard with its beautiful gorgeous green head, its outstanding colour this morning as it scratched its ear? with a bright orange foot while at the same time it's scratching movement causing it's attractive blue body patch to be shown.

A most wonderful primary and secondary colour show! The white dot on the head of the male Common Goldeneye never fails to impress me with its beauty and its appearance really fed my interest this morning to find more birds but the location of the Common Goldeneyes was my last water area to visit this morning. So perhaps tomorrow might turn out to be an extra special day. During this time of self isolating, the beauty of Nature holds a most wonderful nvational enticement to get out and enjoy our environment. I am hoping to soon find Painted Turtles sunning themselves Soon,but first, a few beautiful warm sunny days are required. And then there are the wildflowers to find . Mayflowers

and Coltsfoot

and Dandelions are now up, next week I shall find my spring favourites, dog-toothed violets, and then soon after Purple Violets,, and the little Northern White Violets which grow on our side lawn. Jack-in the Pulpit grows in the Pines and many more beautiful wildflower species can be fund around the community. Blue Flag ,a look alike Iris, grows abundantly around ditches and edges of fields..
And after wildflowers comes the beautiful study of Butterflies and Dragonflies and Damselflys. The abundance and beauty of nature holds enough interests to fill my entire spring season.
As long as my camera and car are willing companions,then my days will be full.

A Road Crossing adventure

I had many interesting sightings this morning : Canada Geese, a Snow goose, a pair of Wood Ducks, a few Ring-necked Ducks, an Eastern Phoebe, several Grackles. On my way home there was a road crossing adventure. I spied a male Mallard Duck on the shoulder of the road waiting to cross, so I pulled my car over. meanwhile I had noticed two deer on the road shoulder just ahead of me. As the Mallard started to cross an oncoming car also stopped to help shepherd the Mallard across the road safely.

At the same time the deer were taking advantage of the stopped traffic and it crossed the road behind the parked car.

Once the Mallard and the deer were across. The other car and I pulled back onto the highway and drove on. As I pulled into the traffic lane, I saw a flutter of wings as the female Mallard which had been on the road shoulder with the male( unknown to me) flew across the highway to land in the ditch opposite. But all was well and ended wel

Ring-necked Ducks

In the picture above are two male and one female ring- necked duck.You can faintly detect the white eye ring of the female and the lighter coloured spur on its body The white spurs on the males can easily be seen.

Snowgoose second day update!

This morning I went to the exact location where I had seen the Snowgoose yesterday and the Canada flock was there and in the background a bit beyond the Canadas I saw the white Snowgoose!

The flock was silently feeding as I observed them and then all of a sudden the took off in flight.  The white of the snowgoose was a standout feature as it trailed behind the main flock of Canadas.

I hoped that I would not lose sight of them and frtunately they landed on the water of a n. earby pond. I could still see the snowgoose in the background.

Look carefully to off center left and you can find the snowgoose in the water.

The snowgoose then settled on s small island of land that had risen a bit from the water.

And that is where I left the snowgoose when I returned home around 7:30 a.m. this morning.  I shall check later on this  afternoon

to see if it is still in the region.

A juneville Snowgoose

I wentbout early this morning, around 8 a.m. thinking thatbirds like to feed early.actually I was hungry too, but everyone else at my house was still sleeping. I came upon a flock of Canada Geese, about 25 or so, and at the edge of them I saw a white plastic bag ( or so I thought) , but then the plastic bag  started moving around

eeding! I suddenly realized that I was watching a Snowgoose! Snow geese are not native to my area or common. Every season a few are sometimes seen among Canada flock, but I had never seen one this close to my home before!! How amazing! And how beautiful it was! Upon returning home the curiosity of why it had a black beak was solved! We were able to I D it as a juvenile Snowgoose!  I hope it is still in my area to be seen, early tomorrow morning. However I have just been out checking the area this afternoon and broadening my search area and not a goose was in sight. Neither a Canada’s or a snowgoose

Eastern Phoebe for Saturday Critters

I had pulled my car over to the shoulder of the highway and I was watching a pair of black ducks in the pond below. The morning light on the water was very beautiful! I had rolled down my car window to get a better view.

From my open car window I became aware of bird twittering and whisperings and then I heard a bird shout its name! "Phoebe". I was immediately alert  and pulled my car a little closer to the woods at the side of the pond. I could see movement within the area. then I spotted it! An beautiful Eastern Phoebe was sitting on a tree branch. How sweet it was!

I then left the area but returned there once more before I went home.Pulling up beside the pond again I saw a beautiful Great Blue Heron there in the water!

The heron decided to change location and flew off into the beautiful reflections of white birches on the water there in the background.

And that was the end of my observations at the pond yesterday morning.

I am linking this morning to Eileen's Saturday Critters which can be found at viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com

Have a safe day everyone and a lovely weekend.

Feeding Tree Swallows.

Yesterday morning I chanced upon a very interesting activity of a huge number of Tree Swallows. These birds feed on bugs and insects and I saw many swallows swarming over the surface of an enclosed water space. They were moving so quickly that I could not focus on just one individual bird to get a photo. However from the many group pictures I was able to capture, I was able to isolate one bird and crop its picture from the many. A second photo shows several birds grouped together in their swirling and swooping.  

It was fascinating to observe them! Nature is full of surprises if you take the time to look around and observe the behaviour of the many creatures we share our daily lives with, you may find much beauty and delight in their behaviours. Hopefully I find something as equally as fascinating today. if so I will let you know about it tomorrow!

Field Sparrow sighting

       Field Sparrow seen on April 22, 2020 in  our feeder area.

Its white eye ring and its pinkish bill are its defining 

identification features!

My first Great Blue Heron sighting of 2020

On Saturday, April 18 I saw a Great Blue Heron! and I hadn't even been expecting to see one!  It was so very beautiful, standing upright on the edge of the pond shore and its breeding plumage was so lovely, as well as its reflection there in the water.

Wood Ducks for Saurday Critters

 I still enjoy finding ducks and yesterday I chanced upon a couple of Wood Ducks in flight!

above is the male Wood Duck in flight.. below is the female Wood 

Duck, mostly identified by her grey feathers and her white eye patch.  She was slower in getting into flight than the male, although I enjoy her beauty as I caught her  in motion. I like her feathers in motion!

I am posting this morning to Eileen's Saturdays Critters which can be found at

viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.ca 

Common Goldeneye in flight

Yesterday morning I was very pleased to discover that my favourite pond for viewing  returning ducks had been almost clear ed of its surface ice. I like taking photos of ducks from my car at this location because my car can be parked on the road nearby and adjacent to the pond at this location. However the pair of Common Goldeneye present at the pond at that time saw mead I was watching them and the only picture I was able to get of them at the time was of their taking off in flight. I am especially pleased to have a good view of the female Goldeneye in flight.

Crocus blossoms 2020

How beautiful and what an uplifting find this afternoon!  By some weekday next week I have no doubt that I shall have Crocus in full bloom outside my kitchen window, something to anticipate  as I make my morning cup of coffee each start of day!  How beautiful and awesome!