From the Earth to the Sky

 I met this lovely family one day while I was birding.  Charlie is a lovely mixed breed that is an energetic trike, but that doesn't let that stop him.  He enthusiastically met me with a goofy smile!  He is a rescue from Texas.  Babe is a lovely European Cane Corso that the gentleman also rescued, she is a bit shy but what a lovely girl! Cash is a gorgeous fluffy Golden Retriever with a real eye for treats!  He was adopted from the Sarnia Humane Society and was very underweight.  He is a good boi who is so lucky to have found his forever home, and he is up to fighting weight! Last but not least is Hazel..  A very sweet chocolate lab puppy with a very unique ripply coat!  Her pet parent and her where enjoying the nicer weather that we have been having!

 Last Sunday I went to Hullett Marsh with OFO.  It was a good trip, nice to connect with other like minded folk.  On the way home I didn't want to waste the daylight so I thought I'd go to the Forest Sewage Lagoons, which are always worth going to for birds.  Instead, for some reason, I thought I'd stop into the Pinery Provincial Park, as I had just bought an annual pass.  My favourite trail there is Riverside so I started on that trail, got to the boardwalk and looked out at the water.  There were a couple of nice ladies there and we were chatting about the canoeists coming along and how they would negotiate the long log that may be in their way.  I did a double take and put up my binos, lo and behold it was my boss and her husband going for their first paddle of the year!  Joanie and Otto Vallinga are avid outdoor enthusiasts and absolutely love the Pinery!  I shouted to them and we had a nice chat...Joanie told me about the Pileated Woodpe...

 As some of you know, I'm more of a 'sunrise' person rather than a 'sunset' person.  Last Sunday I travelled to Hullett Provincial Wildlife Area, also known as Hullett Marsh just outside of Clinton in Huron County for a OFO tour.  On my way I thought I'd check out the rainshadow fields just outside of Pt. Franks on 21 for some birdspotting.   There were the usual suspects plus a surprise solitary Sandhill Crane  Antigone canadensis . I was happy to see this bird as I had seen them in Essex, in Norfolk and in Chatham Kent, but none in Lambton yet.  They were making a lonely rolling loud unique tone.  All of a sudden I heard a returning call over my shoulder and saw their mate? calling from yonder.  I quickly got my camera out and in the red light of sunrise these were the results that came out.  Sandhill Cranes are a very elegant bird to start with, but the light created an otherworldly presence.  Like a pterydactyl feeling a bit ext...

 I have been thinking, on this Earth Day, what the impact of my day to day life has on the planet.  I am far from perfect but I have been doing the 'low hanging fruit' of recycling, composting, upcycling, using less for years now.  It is part of my life, and I do try at work but it is challenging in a child care centre, though I have taught children over the years about these principles,   But there is something that is on my mind, that I know that I don't do well.  I drive.  I drive to work, I drive to local birding hotspots, I drive to far birding hotspots (not usually more than 2 hours) I drive to visit friends and family.  I drive.  I don't have an electric car, I have a 20 year old Honda CRV.  I didn't start driving til I was 40 (23 years ago) then I took public transit, walked or rode my bike.  I would like to commit myself to cycling or walking to birding spots.  I know a very accomplished local birder who rode his bike ...

 On this mild dreary Good Friday I thought I'd stick close to home and check out LH CA .  I have been here in the past with not much luck. I haven't been here in Spring so I wasn't expecting much.  Boy was I wrong!  This is a fabulous natural area with a variety of habitat from Cedar groves to Maples, to farm fields, to wetland to waterways!  I hiked all the way in almost 3 Km, thinking I'm not going to be able to photograph any birds, I hear them but they are so small and fast, I can't photo them.  I was almost at the entrance, I could see my car, when all of a sudden I felt like Snow White!, the birds were surrounding me and I got some good looks and some decent photos.  I got good views of Brown Creeper Certhia americana, Yellow Rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata, a first of year Pine Warbler Setophaga palmarum, as well as both Golden crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa and Ruby Crowned Kinglet Corthylio calendula .   Also a very well camoflage...

 This morning was a cold, windy very overcast morning in Sarnia.  I was torn on where to go on my before work expedition.  The light was poor for photography and I didn't fancy a long trek with this NW wind.  Blackwell Trails (or Twin Lake Park) was where my trusty Honda pointed to.  I was hoping to see a Common Loon Gavia immer as I ran into a lovely couple one day and they said that a pair always show up here in April.  No Loon, but as I was walking this fairly short trail my Merlin app picked up Yellow Rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata.  I noticed some movement in the brush and thought that I would never be able to see let alone photograph this pretty bird.  The YRWA gave me some good views and I was able to get some half decent photographs!  I was over the moon.  These early migrants have been back in town for a couple of weeks now, and I have heard them, but this was the first time I was able to get a good honest look and some photo...

 I wanted to delve into the word 'glimmer' that I used in my previous post.  In this world of anxiety and unpredictability, I like to look at the positive side, when I can.  Walking in nature always gives me a 'glimmer' even in the harsh winter that we just experienced (some of the best waterfowl can be seen when the ice is in).  Yesterday the visit by the CEDW gave me a glimmer, as I didn't get any good photos up until then.  Sometimes when you feel like giving up, Mother Nature rewards you.  I do like experiencing the birdsong and seeing the tiny little birds flit around the brush, but the best is when you can actually photograph a bird.  Even though the photos of the CEDW had a stick in front (as usual) I got it doing an interesting activity.  

 When we first moved here in 2009, we bought a house in Alvinston (that's another story), and the closest market towns were either Strathroy or Petrolia.  I fell in love with Petrolia and would later move there (minus husband!).  One of the first places I wandered was Marthaville.  It is an area of manmade ponds and a small pine plantation.  I loved it for the botany (amazing Asters and Goldenrods) and insects.  I haven't been there all winter, but I saw that some people had birded here so I thought I'd go and check it out.  I was pleased to see that St. Clair Conservation Authority had did some work to getting rid of the horrible phragmites in there.  There are also non native fish and plants, go figure!  The birding was pretty decent and I got a FOY Eastern Towhee Piplio erthrophthalmus and Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor (flyover) as well I was treated to a Cedar Waxwing Bombycillia cedrorum ! The CEDW were very gregarious and some came...

 One of the highlights of my foray into nature is the awesome dogs and their owners I run into.  They are usually friendly and willing to talk about their dogs and sometimes the birds.  Here are some puppers I met the last week or so.   The first good boi I met was Cooper, a young cattle dog mix, such a beautiful sweet soul, a very unique coat! Then there was Maggie.  A super sweet 16 year old Havanese.  Still active and going for daily walks.  Lovely! Then I met Neela and her sister and brother!  Neela is a 11 year old Bouvier de Flandres walking at good pace with his  Russell siblings Gus and Sophie. So amazing to see this mixed age group family.  Neela was super sweet!