That time of year again A couple of days ago we took our exercise in the arboretum (again) and found the trail we were exploring to be leading us past one after another after another "mushroom" which were popping up and spore shedding everywhere we looked. There will be more in the coming [...]
Not that we have any urge to escape from the garden - this lockdown business is not causing any mental disturbance at all - but occasionally we like to check up on what the wild world is up to and so we take ourselves five minutes down the road to walk the trails [...]
Golden Light Three years ago a group of Arboretum volunteers created the "Canada 150 Trail" to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the creation of Canada.Quite by chance it was found this year that the Birch Alley that forms part of the trail is directly oriented towards the setting sun for the few [...]
Chalet Pruche from Birch Alley After three months being officially closed the arboretum is gradually opening up again, starting with members only. This morning we made our first visit for three moths or so under bright blue skies and pretty well had the place to ourselves. It was glorious. Of [...]
I was leading a field trip (ie: guided morning birding walk) in the arboretum earlier today. A gloriously sunny, but cool, morning. Birding was hard but we managed to find a satisfying dozen-plus-one species altogether which is par for the course at this time of the year unless you are very lucky. [...]
On Saturday morning, Bird Protection Quebec organised a birding field trip in the Arboretum to which Arbo members were invited and which several joined. For my sins, I was delegated to organise and lead the outing. I don't go on many field trips (I have problems with more than six people together at once) [...]
House Wren Troglodytes aegon - the commoner of the two Wrens around here. We also have Troglodytes troglodytes, the Winter Wren, which is the same species as the European Wren called simply "Wren" over there. rather less commonly seen and this isn't it. [...]
Two years ago as part of the creation of the Canada 150 Trail in the Morgan Arboretum a subset of volunteers from the friends of the Morgan Arboretum created "The Copse". As I have said in earlier posts, this is a small collection of trees and shrubs, all native species, selected for their [...]
Interactive Trail Maps Ever since I was six or seven years old and went out "hiking" with my father, I have been fascinated by maps. I was never so proud as the day I could navigate for us with the aid of a compass and Ordinance Survey "inch to the mile" map without [...]
In Search of Spring Flowers in the Arboretum It's the time of year when the trees are in blossom and forest ephemerals are flowering and making the most of the available light before the tree leaves cast the forest floor into shade. Mid-week the Arboretum suggested a walking route that would take visitors [...]