At this time of year, the pond at the Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre is alive with activity. Compared with the summer months, the pond is nearly double in size due to a high water table, runoff, and the spring thaw.
442 Hits
At this time of year, the pond at the Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre is alive with activity. Compared with the summer months, the pond is nearly double in size due to a high water table, runoff, and the spring thaw.
By David Hawke -- As we jump over that figurative seasonal puddle from March into April there can be noted a very dynamic shift within the natural communities. Winter things are disappearing and spring things are showing up in every habitat type from wilderness to urban.
By David J. Hawke -- The calendar has finally caught up with what wildlife have known for a few weeks… it’s spring!
By David J. Hawke — The upcoming thaws will be a welcome change to the season for most of us, but for the local beaver families the soft ice and open water will be as exciting as the lifting of COVID restrictions have been for us. “Get me out of this one-room lodge!!”
By David Hawke -- Let me do a quick recap of the recent winter weather: plus 5C thaw, rain showers, then minus 25C, four inches of snow, plus another six inches of snow, then minus 25C again, and now four more inches of snow.
By David Hawke -- Good morning to all you wild sports fans and welcome to Day 76 of the Wildlife Winter Olympic Games. I'm Buck Boaring, your host for the day, and joining us to report from the field is Chip Underfoot. Yes, indeed, these 90-day Games are indeed proving to be as exciting as ever, with each event providing both crushing defeats and ultimate survivals. Let's go to Chip who's covering the early morning events at Bird Feeder Stadium. Chip, are you there?
By David J. Hawke — A couple of weeks ago this column mentioned that there are a lot of conferences going on right now; and the trend continues!
By David Hawke -- Ah, mid-winter and love is in the air.
By David J. Hawke — My snowshoes gave a pleasing “whoof… whoof… whoof” sound as I broke trail after that recent dump of snow. The snowfall certainly brought about the need for these winter appendages, as without the webbed devices Julie and I would have been floundering a bit.
By David J. Hawke -- Ah, winter: that time of the year when all good field workers hunker down over piles of data sheets and screen shot after screen shot of last summer’s work.
By David J. Hawke -- The pattern of holes in the snow revealed where a red squirrel had come forth from the distant sheltering spruce trees, tunneling under the fresh fallen snow for about a metre, popping up to get its bearing, then tunneling again for another metre or so. The lure of peanuts and sunflower seeds was strong, so the little imp risked this crossing of the open garden area, hoping to find food and not become food.
By David Hawke -- It's nice to have time to read the Daily Journal, but just make sure you're dressed for the occasion. A parka is an asset and snowshoes might help at times. Despite the need to bundle up, a good read of the community news is most always rewarding and helps you keep abreast of what's happening around you.
By David Hawke — Around the time our calendars flip from December to January, the white-tailed deer of our area are succumbing to an annual miracle. At least the guy deer are. It starts with an itch, escalates to an obsessive notion to rub things and suddenly the top of their head falls off! Plop, plop, in the snow, just lying there.
Julie finally had a day in which to get caught up on a few of the hundred or so little jobs around the house that needed her attention. As she worked by the window, sorting through a few decades’ worth of unlabelled family photos, she would look up occasionally to watch the antics of the birds and squirrels at the feeders.
The nice thing about wild turkeys is that they are so big you can't miss them. Seeing them that is. Whether they're swarming your bird feeder or trudging across an open corn field, turkeys get noticed. For the birdwatcher trained to constantly peer into thick piles of brush to detect small feathered life forms, tripping over a flock of turkeys feels almost ‘other-worldly’.
By David J. Hawke -- The heron sits hunkered down in the yellow-brown vegetation, almost hidden from my view. Ice has formed all around the little cattail oasis, and snow hangs from the nearby tree limbs. The water at its feet remains open only because a small stream keeps enough current flowing to prevent a total freeze up. The heron does not look happy.
Just because you’ve got the garden harvested, the snow tires on and the storm windows in place, you may think that you have nothing to worry about. Well, guess again… you need to be anxious about pigs.
By David J. Hawke -- While flipping through a Natural History magazine (circa 1995… see, we do so read our magazines) I came to an article written by Stephen Jay Gould, of Harvard University, that addresses the ages old question, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him?"
Enter your email to receive updates from us. You can unsubscribe at any time.
