A Carolina Wren Although we see them every year now, the Carolina Wrens are still uncommon, not to say rare, around here. Last winter we had two (at least?) on our feeders almost daily and in the spring a pair nested in a flower pot on our front porch and fledged a [...]
Around the edge of the garden is a quite dense thicket of bushes and trees where the outdoor staff, the "Wild Things". do whatever it is they do. Just every now and again I venture in there to see what's happening and to collect the rent. [...]
At the end of September we successfully completed the eighth season in a row at the Garden at Fritz where, as faithful followers will know, our community grows free and fresh and organic produce for local food banks (click the link to know more) The numbers have to be tallied but a rough [...]
Oat and Seed Loaf The search for the perfect daily bread recipe continues and this is the latest iteration worthy of sharing with the bread-making chums of my acquaintance. This loaf is one I make regularly for toast and sandwiches … slicing bread in other words. The recipe also makes excellent rolls for [...]
Since the start of the Covid restrictions far away in early 2020, Bird Protection Quebec have had to replace the regular weekly, guided field trips at weekends with a series of innovative and interesting “virtual” field trips. This weekend past participant birders were invited to do a Big Sit. In a Big [...]
Warbler Soup! The waterfall earned its keep today with six species of migrating warblers plus a warbling vireo. Shortly after luncheon there was a terrific commotion on the header pool of the waterfall with between 15 and 20 small birds frantically competing for the chance to splash in the water. They splashed around [...]
Happened across this little fairy fungus on the edge of a wood-chip path at the Fritz Garden this morning. Later in the day it will already have 'deliquesced' and turned black and slimy - hence ink cap - but it was lovely around 8am. (Apologies for having to admit it was taken with [...]
The local teenage Robin gang met at the swimming pool after lunch but being teenagers couldn't help squabbling :)
Sometimes a parent never gets a break. Two juvenile American Goldfinch were looking confused sitting on the stem of sunflower wondering where seeds were. Still in the "learning to be a bird" stage of life they had yet to work out that they needed to be on the face of the flower. [...]