20190505 Laurie Lawson O.E.C.
Mark Rupke from the Laurie Lawson Outdoor Education Centre led 28 naturalists on a walk to observe spring wildflowers, trees, birds, wetlands and other features of the property. The extra large group size was great to see and was the result of a joint outing of members from the Willow Beach Field Naturalists and the Peterborough Field Naturalists. Mark did an excellent job with the guided walk.
Many members were thrilled to finally see some welcome signs of spring including Bloodroot, Yellow Trout Lily, Early Blue Cohosh, Wild Leek, Red Trillium, Marsh Marigold and Eastern Skunk Cabbage. Everything appeared to be about one week late compared to past years. Notable was the lack of yellow flowers on the Marsh Marigold plants. Among the Trilliums only the occasional Red was observed. During a previous outing on May 5 2016, the forest floor was carpeted with White Trilliums in bloom. Unusually cool and damp weather during April and May likely contributed to the late season.
A small group of naturalists at the rear of the line observed a pair of Common Garter Snakes in the middle of mating. There was a smaller male entwined with a larger female. The male periodically quivered its body against the female. They did not attempt to move away despite our presence. It was the first time for many of us to observe this behaviour.
Another very cool observation was the Black-capped Chickadee nest cavity. Mark and some helpers had just recently observed the Chickadees removing small bits of soft wood from the cavity and dropping the bits on top of them! During our outing there was no sign of the Chickadees but the bits of wood were still plainly visible.
Birds were not plentiful but keen birders in the group found the following: Gull sp 5, Turkey Vulture (3), Red-bellied Woodpecker (1), Downy Woodpecker (1), Hairy Woodpecker (1), Northern Flicker (1), Eastern Phoebe (1), Blue Jay (1), American Crow (1), Black-capped Chickadee (10), Red-breasted Nuthatch (3), White-breasted Nuthatch (1), Brown Creeper (3), American Robin (2), American Goldfinch (6), Chipping Sparrow (1), Song Sparrow (3), Swamp Sparrow (1), Brown-headed Cowbird (1), Common Grackle (7), Black-and-white Warbler (1), Northern Cardinal (1).
(Photographed May 5, 2019 at the Laurie Lawson Outdoor Education Center, 8000 Telephone Road, Cobourg, Ontario, Canada - photos by Don McLeod)
Read MoreMany members were thrilled to finally see some welcome signs of spring including Bloodroot, Yellow Trout Lily, Early Blue Cohosh, Wild Leek, Red Trillium, Marsh Marigold and Eastern Skunk Cabbage. Everything appeared to be about one week late compared to past years. Notable was the lack of yellow flowers on the Marsh Marigold plants. Among the Trilliums only the occasional Red was observed. During a previous outing on May 5 2016, the forest floor was carpeted with White Trilliums in bloom. Unusually cool and damp weather during April and May likely contributed to the late season.
A small group of naturalists at the rear of the line observed a pair of Common Garter Snakes in the middle of mating. There was a smaller male entwined with a larger female. The male periodically quivered its body against the female. They did not attempt to move away despite our presence. It was the first time for many of us to observe this behaviour.
Another very cool observation was the Black-capped Chickadee nest cavity. Mark and some helpers had just recently observed the Chickadees removing small bits of soft wood from the cavity and dropping the bits on top of them! During our outing there was no sign of the Chickadees but the bits of wood were still plainly visible.
Birds were not plentiful but keen birders in the group found the following: Gull sp 5, Turkey Vulture (3), Red-bellied Woodpecker (1), Downy Woodpecker (1), Hairy Woodpecker (1), Northern Flicker (1), Eastern Phoebe (1), Blue Jay (1), American Crow (1), Black-capped Chickadee (10), Red-breasted Nuthatch (3), White-breasted Nuthatch (1), Brown Creeper (3), American Robin (2), American Goldfinch (6), Chipping Sparrow (1), Song Sparrow (3), Swamp Sparrow (1), Brown-headed Cowbird (1), Common Grackle (7), Black-and-white Warbler (1), Northern Cardinal (1).
(Photographed May 5, 2019 at the Laurie Lawson Outdoor Education Center, 8000 Telephone Road, Cobourg, Ontario, Canada - photos by Don McLeod)
