Pleasant Fall Day

Hyde Park Drainage Pond, London, Ontario

It was a pleasant day today compared to the heat wave we had the last couple of days.  There was a nice breeze, too.  I saw a Great Blue Heron, Mallards, Killdeer, Ringed-billed Gulls, Belted Kingfisher, Blue Jays, Crows,  Mourning Doves, Robins and Grackles.  Some butterfly species, Cabbage White, Clouded Sulphurs and a Monarch.   

Killdeers

Belted Kingfisher

There were a few Woolly Bears around.  They are the larval stage of the Isabella Tiger Moth.

Woolly Bear Caterpillar

Clouded Sulphur

Scorching Fall Day

Springbank Park, London, Ontario,  25 degrees, humidex 30, sunny.  By the afternoon, its going to be 31, humidex 38.  Record breaking temperatures going into the weekend.  We are under a heat warning.

First Day of Autumn

Saw Killdeers, Mallard, Double-crested Cormorant, Belted Kingfisher, Carolina Wren, Blue Jays, Grackles, Robins, Black-capped Chickadees, Cardinal and warbler sp.

We are in a heatwave, so I went out this morning for a short time. Finding some trees almost completely turned red.

Killdeer

The Thames River water level is very low.

Thames River

Staghorn Sumac

Cape May Warbler

Silver Dollar Plant

Grebe having Lunch

September 20, 2017 - Partly cloudy, 25 degrees, hot, humid

Hyde Park Drainage Pond/Rail Trail, London, Ontario

Crow, Cardinal, Mallards, Great Blue Heron, Pied-billed Grebes, Ring-billed Gull and Robin
Monarch - 2
White Cabbage - 2
Sulfur sp - 4
Damselfly - 2

Great Blue Heron

New England Aster

Pied-billed Grebe eating lunch.

Sunning Cormorants

September 18, 2017
Wonderland Rd S Drainage Pond - Middlesex County

Part sun/cloud, warm, 25 degrees, wind 22km/S
I took a walk around the pond this morning to see what was there.  The Caspian Terns are gone.  I saw Ring-billed Gulls, lots of Double-crested Cormorants, Canada Geese, Mallard, Cooper's Hawk, Killdeer, Mourning Dove, Blue Jay, and Cardinal.
Monarch (1), Cabbage Whites (5)

Ring-billed Gulls

Double-crested Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorants

Lots of goldenrod, etc around the pond

This Cooper's Hawk came flying in over the birds in the pond and caused quite a stir.

Cooper's Hawk

Mallard

Cabbage White

Assiniboine Park and Forest

September 12, 2017 -  Manitoba

Assiniboine Park - The Winnipeg Public Parks Board was formed in 1893 and purchased the initial land for the park in 1904.   It's a large park with a conservatory, Leo Mol Sculpture Garden, English Garden, Zoo, walking paths, and outdoor theatre.  I went through the English Gardens...beautiful gardens and walking paths.

Most of the week were record breaking temperatures.  On September 12, was record breaking heat of 34 degrees breaking the high record ever, records started in 1872.  It was a dry hot day so it's not as bad as Southwestern Ontario heat. 

English Gardens

English Gardens

Assiniboine Forest - one of Canada's largest urban nature parks, comprised of over 700 acres of urban oak and aspen forest. One km of paved Sagimay Nature Trail takes you through the forest and meadows to the Eve Werier, (environmentalist, 1924-1974) Memorial Pond. The woodchip trails radiate from the Sagimay Trail.

I love the prairie grass. This grass is the Big Bluestem.  It turns to a rusty colour in the Fall.

Eve Werier Memorial Pond

Eve Werier Memorial Pond

There was an air advisory.  The smoke from the wildfires out west were blowing westernly spreading wildfire smoke across the prairies. The picture of the sun was taken 3:30 in the afternoon as the sky was looking pretty hazy.  I can smell the smoke, too.  

Blue Jay

Woodchip paths

There was a little flock of birds flying tree to tree.  There were chickadees.  Other little birds were with them but could not identify them as they were moving around in the leaves of the aspens.

I saw this bird far up the path so I had to zoom in and this is what I got.  I thought I had a better picture.

I really cropped this picture.  It seems to me to be a Palm Warbler.

Oak Hammock Marsh

September 11, 2017 - Winnipeg, Manitoba

The Winnipeg area was in a heat wave - temps above 30, sunny. 


Oak Hammock Marsh Wildlife Management Area north of Winnipeg, Manitoba joint project of Ducks Unlimited Canada and Government of Manitoba.

I saw 2 Yellow-headed Blackbirds, Gray Catbird, Greater Yellowlegs, Wilson's Snipe, Red-winged Blackbird, Canada Geese, Bank Swallows, Crows, Coots and Mallard.  

Gray Catbird

Restored wetland of 3600 hectares.  The marsh supports as many as 299 species of birds, hundreds of species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects.

The pictures I took from above are from the rooftop of the building observation deck.

American Coot

Lots of Canada Geese

I took a walk around the marsh.  There are many walking trails.

Saffron-winged Meadowhawk?

Prairie Grasses

Richardson's Ground Squirrel

Richardson's Ground Squirrel

Greater Yellowlegs

Clouded Sulphur

Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre

?

Wilson's Snipe

Greater Yellowlegs

Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre is a very nice looking building. Below are stain glass windows overlooking the marsh.  There are exhibits, displays, a scenic cafe, a gift shop, theatres, and meeting rooms.