Photo public domain.
Killdeer and juvenile
I promise I won’t dwell on the negatives! In my column for March of this year I wrote that this time of year was always two steps forward and one step back but this year it seems more like one step forward and three steps back! But to be positive at least we have been spared extensive flooding.
Before we contemplate the wonders of nature that we should be seeing soon, let me take a moment to tell you about several things I’ve seen in the last little while.
The last day of March we woke up to a heavy fall of snow. It was hard shovelling but it had a magical quality. Walking the dog it was still snowing and I heard the silvery notes of a Song Sparrow. With the whiteness and the silvery song it was even more magical. Then I saw him in the top of a snow covered cedar. Beautiful! And later on the walk the mournful call of a Killdeer floated through the air. The Killdeer seemed to fly around unsure of where to land–there was no shore or sandbar visible for this sandpiper-like bird.
Many of us are captivated by the size and habits of the Great Blue Heron. These statuesque birds hunt along the shores and banks of ponds and streams. And when they fly their wingspan is impressive and their long legs trail straight out behind them. One day in early April I saw 4 herons on the pond together! That’s the most I’ve ever seen at one time.
Because of this mixed up season the birds at my feeders seem to be both winter and summer birds at the same time. The male goldfinches are slowly moulting and developing their breeding plumage. In transition they look like some weird species with bright yellow along with muddy patches. The male cardinal at the feeder with these bright yellow birds surprises me for a moment and then the penny drops: usually the goldfinches are sporting their winter drab when they take their place beside the cardinals. To my eye the bright red and the bright yellow are odd together–very beautiful but distinctly odd.
What’s next? Let’s be positive and not contemplate any more blasts of winter. Soon the first goslings should be on the millpond. Normally they appear around the first of May. However there are at least two minks around the pond and knowing what good swimmers they are, I can imagine them robbing the nests on the island. This may well reduce numbers. Watching the female geese as they sit on their nests I have wondered how they have coped with these heavy, cold downpours of rain.
The first wild flowers have already appeared. Coltsfoot bears attractive yellow daisies and they have managed to bloom in protected spots. These are not woodland plants, rather they grow in areas where the soil is poor and has been disturbed. However the real glory of spring for many of us is found in our woodland flowers. Keep your eyes open when you walk any of our forested trails. Soon, trilliums, bloodroot, and uvularia will be brightening these places. Look for both the early red trilliums and the pristine white variety which is the floral emblem of our province. Another white wild flower is the bloodroot. The daisy-like flowers open for only a day or two before the leaves grow. If you look closely the immature leaves are clasped around the stem of the flower. If yellow is your colour look for the elegant hanging flowers of uvularia. The common names of bellwort or merry bells are, of course, based on the shape of the flower. The botanical name is rather more anatomical and comes from the uvula that hangs in the back of our mouths.
Finally watch and listen as the returning birds sing in order to claim territory and find a female all in the attempt to guarantee the next generation of their kind.
What’s next? We must remain optimistic. The Spring Peepers have started calling in the wetlands at night. The goslings should be on the water soon. This is definitely a time of year when you will want to get out. Get out! And enjoy!
GET OUT! by Glen Spurrell
