This morning on the trail

Lilac time in our garden

This morning on the trail

Ground level, down by the forest floor was interesting.

But looking waaaay up proved just as interesting.

As did looking up and across - a Turkey Vulture just hangin'

Today on the trail

The leave are really starting to fill in so its becoming more of a challenge to see the perching birds.  I was lucky enough to spot this Gray Catbird in the open.

This family outing was a little unusual in my experience.  Canada Geese generally lay a clutch of 2-8 eggs, but it appears that this pair only has one gosling.

That which doesn't kill you....

I've just spent and hour with The Writer, helping him start his blog - and we didn't kill each other!  Good thing as we're coming up to our 30th wedding anniversary on Tuesday and it would be a pity to miss that milestone.

Oxford Studio Tour 2013

Today has been a glorious spring day.  I started with a walk in the woods.  Then I met my friend, Ronalee,  at Louie's Restaurant for a delicious breakfast and we followed it up with a stop at location #11 on the Oxford Studio Tour.

We met three of the artisans and I wanted to share some of their work with you.

Crystal McMaster creates lovely jewellery and I bought myself a pretty little ring.  Here are some of Crystal's necklaces and rings.

Maggie Robinson creates fibre art, beaded jewellery and totes.  I bought a sweet birds nest brooch from Maggie.  Here's a whimsical, but practical piece of her fibre art.

Ronalee purchased a stunning necklace from Tracy Reesor of Two Cats Studio.  This is a shot of  some of Tracy's other pieces, aren't they great?!

 The Oxford Studio Tour continues tomorrow.  If you're in the area, check it out!

This morning on the trail

It was a beautiful fresh morning on the trail.

The Trilliums are starting to bloom.  There will be hundreds, if not thousands.

I think this might be a Barn Swallow but couldn't get a good enough view of the face and neck.  I was getting the cold shoulder.

And this was one ornery, bossy Canada Goose.  

shhhhhhh.........they're back......

We're not going to get too excited - yet.  But when we came downstairs this morning we were greeted with this sight.  This is a transom window above our front door and what you're looking at is a Mourning Dove in a nesting position.

 From 2008 - 2011 we had a successful run of nests and chicks over our front door.  Last year they appeared to move to our neighbours doorway but there was one successful nest in the tree on our front lawn.  So, we're hoping we have doves that will stay again this year.  We enjoy their presence so much - and I can't begin to tell you how entertaining they are for our cat, Gray.

For information about previous seasons and chicks, check out the individual year links under Mourning Dove Nest History on the right sidebar. 

Here's a view from outside our front door this morning..

Renewal

This little Trout Lily might not look like much, but it's like a ray of sunshine to me.  It means that I was able to walk on my favorite trail - the Youth Start Trail - on Monday evening for the first time since the end of September.  The City had closed this trail and one other to deal with the issue of the Emerald Ash Borer in a significant number of trees.  Over the winter a contractor removed the Ash trees from the two trails and the Youth Start Trail is finally open - yippee!!  Just in time to capture early spring blooms for my blog.

Migration of Tundra Swans

Each spring thousands of Tundra Swans migrate north across south west Ontario on route to their summer home in the high tundra.

The last time I posted about the migration we had visited the viewing area at the Aylmer Wildlife Management Area in March 2010 where there is ample opportunity to see large numbers of swans and large numbers of people who are there to see swans.

Yesterday we saw swans and had the view all to ourselves.  Granted we weren't as close to the majestic birds as we would be at the Aylmer site but it was nice to admire them all by ourselves.  We spotted them in a pond at the corner of Highway 2 and Hunt Road.