From the Earth to the Sky

 The American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrohynchos is my nemesis bird of 2024/2025.  I first heard of them roosting on the tip of Point Pelee NP last fall.  I thought, what an amazing thing! Pelicans in Ontario!  I since have discovered that though they are not common migrants, they have been seen more and more in recent years.  I did try seeing them there, taking the early shuttle, but since learned that as soon as they see people, they fly out into the lake, so no luck.  I watched ebird all fall , trying for them at Rondeau and Holiday Beach to no avail. The American White Pelican is a large white migratory seabird native to this continent.  They are one of the largest birds in North American and can measure 5 ' long with a wingspan of 9'!  They are quite a hefty bird weighing from 11 to 30 pounds, feeding mostly on fish and other aquatic organisms, using their large soup ladle bill to scoop the food from surface, they don't dive like other pe...

 The Northern House Wren Troglodytes aedon is a small nondescript brown songbird with a big personality!  You can often hearing them singing constantly and loudly from high in a tree, their 'rush and jumble' song in the middle of summer.  For weeks I have been listening and looking to see if I could see this bird in a large maple tree across the road that emanated this effervescent song from dawn til dusk.  Do you think I could see him?  Nope.  Not amongst the fully leafed out maple.  I thought to myself that it shouldn't be so hard to observe and photograph such a common bird, but it was for me! Today I went to Wawanosh Wetlands in Sarnia for my weekly before work visit.  The place was abuzz with lots of nesting going on.  As I was trying to outrun the mosquitoes I noticed a small glowing bird high in a tree singing his heart out.  Could you believe it..it was a male Northern House Wren on territory. I was happy that I finally got to se...

 I do enjoy photographing and learning about the dogs that I meet when I go on my nature forays.  My own true love is my rescue pup Ariana, or affectionately known as Ri.   I need to preface this story to say that in my childhood, my family always had dogs, but most of my adult life, into my marriage, I was a cat person.  My ex husband was a cat magnet and we always had multiple.  When we decided to part ways, I thought I would like to have a dog, as a companion and guardian.  I adopted Gyrllie from the Sarnia Humane Society in 2010, then a year later I adopted Bailey from Lobos animal shelter.  They were wonderful dogs and we would go on at least 2 walks per day and the dog park, etc.  Gyrllie was attacked at the dog park once and she became traumatized and dog reactive.  We continued our walks but avoided the dog park.  Gyrllie passed away from a spleenic mass at the age of 11 and Bailey a year later at the age of 13 from cancer....

 Birding on a regular basis makes one very aware of our surroundings.  There are some very interesting, and sometimes disturbing things that I have seen while out and about.  Here are a few of them.  Enjoy! The government docks down in Sarnia is one of the best places to bird in winter. There was an active bear in MacGregor park this spring. An abandoned farm seen while out atlassing this morning. Looking out in the boardwalk at Bird Studies Canada A tree with some beaver damage at the Pinery. A bench in winter at Wawanosh. Birder crossing sign! The moon! Former Sarnia Landfill After a trail at Inverhuron Another good spot for winter birding, under the Bluewater Bridge in Sarnia Marsh boardwalk tower at Pelee Work on Lake Huron erosion in Bright's Grove Canoe Launch at Pinery Turtle nests at Pinery! Rabbit tracks Warning: Graphic content Fox remains on a byline Fish remains on the beach Osprey nest on top of the lighthouse at Wheatley Harbour, note the drone The park...