Despite a foot or more of snow being on the ground and still some flurries around noon today, it is gradually thinning and even revealed a solitary snowdrop yesterday? We could still have a late March dump but it won't usually stay for long. Today was our penultimate visit this year to the [...]
Not as cold this morning as anticipated, maybe -5C with a bit if wind but by tomorrow morning we are looking at -25C and with windchill an effect -35C to -40C which will give even hardy souls like us pause for thought before going out. Even with good snowshoes this was a hefty [...]
Winter in Quebec can be rather cold and tough but it has its compensations given a warm coat and boots. Sitting here this morning as the snow falls and the temperature falls faster we have been warmly enjoying the glorious flowers of three Amaryllis bulbs* while watching the indomitable Dark-eyed Juncos outside [...]
Thursday morning at this time of the year means we put on the snowshoes and go tramping ... looking for birds along the way, of course. Here are some of the regulars. Especially amused by the Cardinal looking longingly at the squirrel's snack. Rather less amused by the hanging squirrel that somehow [...]
2022 - Another Year of Birding As a new year starts I like to make a note of the birding “ticks” from the year just coming to an end. Here goes for 2022 … a couple of days early but I don't expect anything new between now and the weekend. First, it's important [...]
It took a lot of organisation to ensure that the first snowfall of the winter came yesterday, just one day before our first weekly duty session at the MBO (bird banding station). Along with a couple of friends who do the same on another day of the week, we will be regularly visiting [...]
Earlier this year, just in time for spring, I completed an early version of my book 1001 Species: A Natural History of a Small Town and offered it to the public as free PDF download. It enjoyed moderate success in the very small and rather niche market it was offered to and [...]
We spent this sunny morning wandering in the arboretum. The leaves have barely started to appear until the last day or two and so the forest floor is covered with ephemeral species flowers and simply glorious. It will only be like this for a week or so now and the weather forecast [...]
It’s been quite cool so far this April and today was no exception. A reasonable air temperatures but quite a cold wind … perfect weather to go and enjoy ducks we decided. Just across the river, and within the 8km self-imposed circle (that’s 5 miles for American friends) there is some often good [...]
People who know us know that we like to spend time with birds. This video (NOT made by me note) is the first in a series intended to educate Elementary School children from grades 3 to 6 about the important work that is done at the McGill Bird Observatory (MBO) in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec. [...]