New year birding

Compare to yesterday, today's weather is perfect for doing outdoor activities.  I trekked around the Arboretum and Fletcher Wildlife Garden (FWG) recording my first birds of 2017.

By the way, I started a Facebook page called PSYL Photography that will feature some of my photographs.  If you visit Facebook more often than my blog, then perhaps that is a good place to subscribe to.  Thanks.

Now, onto today's sightings.  There were many common birds around the Fletcher Wildlife Garden feeders, such as the chickadees, juncos, and more.

I saw some White-breasted Nuthatches (Sitta carolinensis) wedging seeds into tree barks.

Road trip to Colorado

After three long days of driving, I am finally back in Colorado!  My labmate and I left Canada on Monday (May 30th), which may be a miscalculation because it was Memorial Day in US and we sat and waited in the car for almost two hours to cross the border.  Because of the delay, we spent the first night in Ann Arbor, Michigan (instead of the usual first night destination: Kalamazoo).

We saw two White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) outside our hotel the following morning.

Winter bird-watching at Fletcher Wildlife Garden

I went to the Fletcher Wildlife Garden today hoping to see some birds (especially this one recorded from two weeks ago).  I did not see the owl but ended up seeing many regular wintering species, and most of them were hanging around feeders or trees with fruits.

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Mud Lake and Petrie Islands (Post #1,000)

Knowing that I will be very busy this coming school semester - teaching, taking one class, and working on my own research project, I doubt I will be spending a lot of time outside and enjoying nature.  So for the past few days, I have been going out and taking advantage of the last free days before school begins next Tuesday.  The places I went to were Mud Lake and Petrie Island, and I went to each place twice because there are so many things to see.

Mud Lake

A lot of Water lilies (Nymphaea odorata) floating on the lake.

Bird-watching on long Easter weekend

I hope everyone is having a good long Easter weekend thus far.  My Easter weekend involved bird-watching and spending time with new friends (humans, birds, and one dog).  Here are bird pictures from different places.

Strathcona Park

Male Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)

Mid-week birding - hints of spring returning

I recently learned that McCarthy Woods near where I live also extend to the other side of McCarthy Road and wildlife is more active on that side of the road (probably because that part is behind houses and some people have put up feeders).  I walked through there two Saturdays ago, but it was drizzling so I didn't took any photographs.  I did a lot of errands today, and before I went to the grocery store in the afternoon, I detoured to that area and did some bird-watching.

Unidentified finches - either house or purple.  I am never good at telling them apart.

Weekend activities - helping a friend & bird-watching

I really should take pictures every single day, otherwise I could not remember what I did each day (unless something really significant happened that day).  For example, I didn't take any photos last weekend and now I couldn't remember most of what I did then.

Well, I did bring my camera with me this weekend to record helping out a friend on Saturday and then bird-watching this morning.

Photograph of a staircase.  I really like patterns and lines when looking up/down stairways, such as these inspiration images (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) captured by one of my favorite photographers.  My image was taken inside one of the biology buildings on campus, but it wasn't very interesting so I replicated and flipped the image next to the original image.  Not too bad.  I need to find more interesting staircases in Ottawa.

Woodpecker and Water Bug

While walking along the path next to the Athletic Centre at Trent this morning, I saw a Hairy Woodpecker pecking away.  I only had my point and shoot with me, so I took a video.

Went out for a walk around the school building in the afternoon and I saw a giant water bug (Family Belostomatidae) crossing the parking lot.  I picked it up (while avoiding its proboscis) and decided to bring it home to get a photo of it.

While in my room, it started flying towards the light.  Feeling bad for it (and being kind of nervous of a large-sized insect with a nasty bite flying around in my room), I let it go right after.  Very cool encounter though.

Slow Down

Reading two different blog posts with the same title must be a sign for something, I believe, especially when they are titled "Slow Down" (posts 1 and 2).  I definitely need to slow my life down a bit and not get overwhelmed with all of the things I have to do and complete.

I am still taking photos, but just can't find the time to upload them onto my computer or blog about them.  Until now, that is.

2013.03.23 - walking to school on a Saturday.  The snow is mostly gone now.

Wildlife this weekend - Chickadee, Woodpecker, and Squirrel

I walked (part-way) to school today (sunny but very cold) and yesterday.  Tomorrow is Family Day here in Ontario, so a long weekend this week.  Hooray (although no buses at all, so I might walk all the way to school tomorrow or I might just stay home and read and relax, I have not yet decided).

Took this photo just a few hours ago.  Lots of chickadees around the feeders behind one of the school buildings.  Others were House Sparrows and goldfinches.  Those were all that I saw.

Saw this Hairy Woodpecker along the Parkway Trail yesterday.  It was pecking at my eye-level and fairly close to me.  So I was able to get some shots despite all of the branches in the way.

Summer-like, Sunny Sunday

The weather today is very warm and sunny, good conditions to be outside and bike to school (yes, I still go to school on most weekends).

Trent's library overlooking the Otonabee River.

Biking to school made me realize how out of shape I am. Need to start discipline myself for the coming field season - perhaps bike to school everyday from now until I leave?

I also brought my cameras just in case I saw something.

I saw this Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) (note the longer bill, relative to the Downy Woodpecker's) behind the DNA Building. The snow has more or less melted, making the trails extremely soft and muddy, and my shoes were pretty much covered in mud in the end.