The Three Rs message ~ uniquely applied

(Photo by BarrytheBirder)

Two new birdhouses have been added to the UofT's Koffler Scientifiic Reserve, at Jokers Hill, in King Township.   The boxes themselves look ordinary enough, but the perches are rather eye-catching and innovative.   They're spark plugs!   Someone at Jokers Hill has embraced the Three Rs movement (reduce, reuse, recycle).   Perhaps it's the work of John Jensen, Reserve Manager.   Whoever is responsible, good for them.   These two new boxes are unusually high, about 3.5 metres and have been mixed in with several other birdboxes, which are rapidly filling up with Tree Swallows.   One female Bluebird (see photo below) was trying to claim a box this afternoon, but she was constantly harassed and thwarted by the swallows.        

I hope she persists and is still around next weekend when I lead a 'Birding for Beginners' class around and about Jokers Hill.   Anyone interested can check it out at http://www.ksr.utoronto.ca/ .   Spring has been so tardy in these parts, that there will be little in the way of leaf cover on the deciduous trees, so spotting birds next weekend should be greatly enhanced.   Of course, the birds have to show up.   Today, I spotted a pair of Turkey Vultures, a few Flickers, Tree Swallows and a Bluebird (as just mentioned above), Meadowlark, White-throated and White-crowned sparrows,  lots of Robins, Cowbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds, Song Sparrows, an Eastern Phoebe, plus all the other birds that over-wintered here.   I also heard an Ovenbird.
Please comment if you wish.
BtheB

Toronto's Distillery District revisited



I took a one-hour walking tour around Toronto's old distillery district today with my old friend, and former boss, Murray Skinner (right).   I'd visited the area a couple of times in the past, but this time I got to shoot a few pictures.   Our guide was a young fellow who certainly seemed to know his stuff and Murray and I quite enjoyed ourselves.    To stroll around here is to step back in time.   Dozens of movies have been filmed here.   It is a popular destination for art and dining (Murray and I had a an excellent Lunch at the Mill St. Brewery).   In the photo at top, a portion of the original grey limestone distillery  building is seen, still impressive after 131 years and having burned once.   The distillery's wood fittings and alcohol made for a grand night-time conflagration, which could be see from the American side of Lake Ontario.   The limestone walls were 42 inches thick and remained standing which meant that the building could be entirely retrofitted.   Grim stories of the distillery includes floors of the some buildings being only 5' high, as only young children, in the late 1800s, worked in some areas, thus saving headroom and space.   Al Capone was a visitor during prohibition and sometimes left calling cards that showed up as bodies in the harbour, or so the story goes.   Now tourists are everywhere, dodging Segways, shootings photos and videos, patronizing fascinating gift shops (no chain store operators here).   Murray and I should have toasted the young royals on their wedding day, but instead toasted our own good health.

The old Distillery District, in downtown Toronto's east end, is reputed as  the best surviving, intact, area of Edwardian architecture in Canada.   Please comment if you wish.

BtheB                                                                                                               (Photos by BarrytheBirder)

White-crowned Sparrow arrives

Photo by BarrytheBirder

The first White-crowned Sparrow, last year, showed up on May 1.   It is 3 days earlier than that this year, despite the cold, wet April we have had.   So the White-throated was later by three days, and the White-crowned was earlier by three days.   There's no second-guessing Mother Nature.   She will always prevail.

Please comment if you wish.

BtheB

Cornell's Team Sapsucker ~ 264 species in one day

Black-bellied Whistling Duck ~ photo by Greg Page

Cornell University's Team Sapsucker has just set a new record for most bird species seen in one day, in the United States.   The team beat the old record of 261 species by three, to set a new record of 264.   In the process, the 6-member team raised over $250,000 for bird conservation.    As I searched for a suitable picture to accompany this item, I came across this adorable duckling photo, taken by a fellow named Greg Page.   One of the species on the Cornell Team Sapsucker's check-list was the Black-bellied Whistling Duck, which is what this little quacker will grow up to be.   Congratulations to Team Sapsucker for their tremendous acheivements.   More details are available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/wsb.   
Please comment if you wish.

BtheB

Audubon ~ born 226 years ago



John James Audubon

April 26, 1785 ~ January 27, 1851

On the way to becoming an art legend in his own time, and culminating in the publishing of Birds of America, John James Audubon regularly destroyed his own drawings and paintings as his method of demanding better work of himself.   He studied many styles of drawing, painting, materials and never stopped trying to improve his work throughout his life.   There were times when even the gods seem to be against him.   After some time away from home, in 1812, he found rats had eaten his entire collection of over 200 drawings!   He started over and re-did his drawings to even higher standards.   To this day, his work is the standard by which the best bird artists compare and measure their efforts.  

Green Heron

'A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world

is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his children'.

                                                                                                  -- John James Audubon

Please comment if you wish.

BtheB

Ballot box blues

I am deprived and have been struggling to save my composure.   No camera for 10 weeks (thanks for nothing Nikon) and 4 days without the computer (damnable trojan horses).   The computer came home today after 4 days in rehab, so here goes.   The next Canadian national election is to be held on May 2.   My wife and I however voted yesterday in an advance poll.   Today I received the following anecdote from old friend, Barb McGowan.

While walking down the street one day a member of parliament is tragically hit by a truck and dies.   His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.
"Welcome to heaven", says St. Peter.   "It seems there is is a problem.   We seldom see a high official around these parts, so we're not sure what to do with you".   "No problem, just let me in", says the man.
"Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from higher up.   What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one day in heaven.   Then you can choose where to spend eternity".   "Really, I've made up my mind.   I want to be in heaven", says the MP.
"I'm sorry, but we have our rules".   And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.   The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a golf course.   In the distance, is the clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.
Everyone is happy and in evening dress.   They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had getting rich at the expense of their fellow Canadians.   They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and champagne.
Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly and nice guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes.   They are having such a good time that before he realizes it, it is time to go.   Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises.   The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him.
"Now it's time to visit heaven".   So, 24 hours pass with the MP joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing.   They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.
"Well then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven.   Now choose your eternity".   The MP reflects for a minute, then he answers: "Well, I would never have said it before...I mean heaven has been delightful...but I think I would be better off in hell".
Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage.   He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above.
The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulder.   "I don't understand",  stammers the MP. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time.   Now there's a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable".   "What happened?"
The devil looks at him, smiles and says: "yesterday we were campaigning."
Today you voted."
Yikes!   Have I become so old and jaded that this tale prompts a wry laugh?   I need to get out and suck in some fresh air and get back to writing about things that are green, sunny, and bursting with the promise of spring.   Four federal elections in seven years - there aught to be a law.
Please comment if you wish.
BtheB

White-throated Sparrow ~ pretty bird

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Our first White-throated Sparrow showed up yesterday, three days earlier than last year.   Last year the weather was beautiful in mid-April, while this year the weather is cold, windy and quite unpleasant, but the White-throated was three days earlier.   Go figure.   Anyway, the sparrow seemed to be renewing acquaintances with the lagging Juncos and the newly arrived Cowbirds.   I'm not sure we give sparrows enough credit for their appearance.   The White-throated and White-crowned are thoroughly pleasant to look at, and especially in the early spring.   Please comment if you wish, and I hope you have some to admire also.

BtheB 

A teapot of towhees

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Eastern Towhee

Pipilo erythrophthalmus

My friend and neighbour, Canadian author, Heather Robertson called yesterday asking me about the identity of a bird, in her backyard, which she did not recognize.   Her description clearly suggested an Eastern Towhee.   This is the first one I have heard of this year, hereabouts, and it is obviously eager to be about the business of spring ritualizing.   I took the towhee picture, above, last spring, in my own backyard, when it was was much warmer, early in April.   Today is April 15 and despite a bright sun, it is still cool outdoors and the grass has not grown yet, here, a half north of Toronto.   Towhees are common in southern Ontario, but are mainly found in the eastern half of the United States, where they number around 11 million in this day and age.   I really like the collective noun 'teapot' or 'tangle' of towhees.   I'm not sure why these names were chosen, but their alliterative appeal is obvious.   Please comment if you wish, especially if you know the origin of 'teapot of towhees'.

BtheB

A look back ~ a look ahead ~ do we see?

    Click here:   Gulf Oil Spill News, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

'Lady' Osprey lays 51st egg!

The Scottish Wildlife Trust has announced that 'Lady', the 26-year-old Osprey has not only returned to her nest in Perthshire, Scotland,  but she has laid her 59th egg.   Lady has now bred 48 surviving chicks.   Most Ospreys live to eight or ten in the wild, producing up to 20 eggs.   You can watch Lady by going to: www.swt.org.uk/wildlife/webcams/lockoflowes2/ .   Check out previous blog on Lady back on April 3.

Please comment if you wish.

BtheB 

Inner peace

My old friend Peter Marsh, is, in his own mind, a knower of all things.   Here is yet more evidence of his ability to stumble across neat bits of human and not-so-human wisdom:

If you can start the day without caffeine,
If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,

If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,

If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,

If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,
if you can take criticism and blame without resentment,

If you can conquer tension without medical help,
If you can relax without alcohol,

If you can sleep without the aids of drugs,
Then you are probably the family dog!

Poem unattributed ~ photo: Charlie Chaplin in A Dog's Life ~ 1918 

Please comment if you wish
BtheB

Garter Snake and grandson

Please bear with me as I make the connection between the heading above  and the picture at right of me and my grandsons.   The picture was taken last month in Cancun, Mexico and shows my two grandsons, William the elder, and Spencer the younger, on the beach.   My camera was damaged on the flight back and I have been 3 weeks now without it.   It hasn't stopped me from getting out and about and writing about my adventures.   I've used some old photos of mine plus I've borrowed much too freely from others, to illustrate some of my scribblings..   In any event, William, the elder grandson, accompanied me on a walk around Bond Lake today, not too far from our homes.   We saw a phoebe, heard some hawks and chickadees and came across a Garter Snake.   I picked it up to show William and he was captivated to see its flickering tongue.   I briefly noted for Will's behalf, that the snake regularly uses its tongue to take note of its surroundings, and then quickly handed it over to him, saying  "Take him and put him down over there", before he could think twice about.   I was instantly proud of Will, who will be five in 2 weeks time, for his instant willingness to take hold of the 2 ft. snake and place in the leaves, at his feet, from whence it slithered away to find a better place to catch some April afternoon sunshine.   His mother said later this afternoon that he eagerly recounted his real snake encounter in the woods.   This grandparenting can be so much fun.

Please comment if you wish.

BtheB

Buddha's birthday

April 8th is the birthday of Prince Siddartha Gautama, who became known as Shakyamuni Buddha.   Buddha's birthday also happens to be that of my youngest daughter.   But far from being transmorgrified into a religious philosopher, she is an agnostic.   She is however, like the name Buddha also means, a teacher and a very good one at that.   She is on hiatus presently, raising her own small children and writing.   But this item is not about her birthday, but rather about the day of her birth. April 8th, 1975 to be precise.   We lived on a farm in King Township and my wife was scheduled to give birth to our second child by Caesarean section.   Spring was upon us but a severe, late-winter snowstorm hit three days before the big event.   Blinding snow blew perfectly flat across the fields and against the buildings.   Snow drifts rose right up to the eavestroughs on the house.   Nothing was moving on the roads.   Part of the trip to the hospital might have had to be made by snowmobile, but we didn't have one.   Fortunately, others nearby did and arrangements were made, just in case. 

This 36-year-old black and white photograph shows just how high  the snow got in front of the house.   But the day before the scheduled surgery, the winds died down, the snow stopped piling up and the digging out began.   My wife's uncle, a nearby farmer with a huge tractor-mounted snowblower, made it in the long farm laneway to the front of the house.   Digging with shovels got the doors uncovered, paths opened up, and the car uncovered.   The real event, of course, was the birth of our second, beautiful, little daughter.   Mother and daughter were fine.   Even now, 36 years later, winter is not over for me until April 8th is past.   Please comment if you wish.

BtheB    

Great Backyard Bird Count ~ 11.4 million birds

Photo by BarrytheBirder

The 2011 Great Backyard Bird Count numbers are official: 11,471,322  birds seen, 596 species seen, and 92,206 checklists submitted.   The most frequently seen species was the Northern Cardinal, followed by the Mourning Dove and the Dark-eyed Junco.   The most numerous bird seen was the  European Starling, followed by the American Robin and Common Grackle.   Not surprising, because of their southern latitudes, Texas, followed by California and Florida, were the states (or provinces) reporting the most species.   For the first time in the 14-year history of the GBBC, a Brown Shrike and a Common Chaffinch made the list of 596 species.   Closer to home, the most frquently seen species in Ontario was the Common Redpoll, followed by Common Merganser and American Goldfinch.   My GBBC top three, most numerous, species were Common Redpoll, American Goldfinch and Dark-eyed Junco.   That Common Merganser placing for Ontario is interesting because it doesn't show up on that many checklists, but when it does, it's in spades.   Most of the sightings are along the north shore of Lake Erie.   The small town of Blenheim, alone, counted 9,601 Common Mergansers on just 4 checklists.   Out of curiosity, I checked my youngest sister's village in Northern Quebec, on the eastern shore of James Bay.   For the first time ever, a checklist was produced for Wemindji, Quebec, with five species recorded over the 4-day count.   The most numerous bird in Wemindji was the Spruce Grouse at 17.   There were only 21 reported in the whole darned province!   The other four were Willow Ptarmigan, Sharp-taled Grouse, Common Raven and the ubiquitous, Black-capped Chickadee.   Once again go to: http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/ to get all the nifty details.   Below are photos I took of some of the birds on my GBBC list.   

                                                    

Please comment if you wish.                                                         (Photos by BarrytheBirder)

BtheB

2nd of April ~ 1st Meadowlark

mmmmmEastern Meadowlarkmmmm

Sturnella magna

Photo by Jean Iron/OFO

I tramped around the Koffler Scientific Reserve this afternoon as part of my preparations for the Birding for Beginners course that I will be leading on Saturday, May 7, 2011.   The usual suspects were in abundance: crows, robins and chickadees.   But I was pleasantly surprised to get a good look and hear the high, buzzy call of an Eastern Meadowlark.   Now if it will just hang around until the 7th of May.   Please go to http://www.ksr.utoronto.ca/ for details of the course and registration info.

BtheB

First Great Blue Heron of the year

April Fools Day brought the first Great Blue Heron that I have seen this year.   It's still quite cool, with snow and ice about, but there is lots of open water also.   This GBH was flying north over King City and appeared to be heading for either Lake Marie at the Marylake Augustinian Monastery, or Lake Jonda at Seneca College.   The all-white morph of this big, beautiful bird is only found in the Caribbean and Florida.   Please comment if you wish.

BtheB                                                                                            Photo by BarrytheBirder

Beginner birding at Jokers Hill ~ a reminder

Tree Swallow photo by BarrytheBirder

I'd like to make a reminder, for anyone who might be interested, about the Birding for Beginners Workshop which I will be leading on Saturday, May 7th, 2011, between 9.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m., at the University of Toronto's Koffler Scientific Reserve, at 17000 Dufferin Street in King Township.   Cost is $60 per person and includes a sandwich luncheon and refreshments from Dorio's Catering in Kettleby.   Registration opens on April 15th.   More info available at: http://www.ksr.utoronto.ca/.   There's nothing quite like a May day, at the top of the Oak Ridges Moraine, in King Township.
BtheB

Near Glen Huron, Ontario

            Oh those sweet moments

            Spying green moss and white snow

            in spring's blinding light

Haiku and photo by BarrytheBirder 

Please comment if you wish.

BtheB



Happy Valley never disappoints

My wife and I walked along the crest of the King Ridge today, in the Happy Valley, and it was King Township at its best: wild but quiet, overwhelming but gentle, brilliant but beautiful.   We were rewarded for our efforts by spotting a Turkey Vulture (a very early migrant, in my opinion), two Hairy Woodpeckers and a skunk (in broad daylight no less).   It was very cold and windy on the steep, woody ridges but down in the valleys we almost languished in the sunny, spring sunshine.   The picture above shows a memorial to Roberta Langtry, one of the benefactors of the Happy Valley Forest.   I always give a silent thank-you to this lady each time I tread here.   As old as the old-growth Happy Valley Forest is, it is still 50 years from climax.   I can't help but think that in 50 years time, the appreciation of people who will be living in a vastly more populated GTA (Greater Toronto Area) than that in which I find myself, will be infinitely more appreciative of the Roberta Langtrys of this world.   Best wishes for the joy and liveliness that is the promise of spring.   Please comment if you wish.

BtheB  

Haircuts at Hogan's Inn

Migawd!   Is it really 55 years ago since Bob McWaters and his father Dave, cut my hair in the barber shop that is now Hogan's Hunt Pub in King City?   The answer is yes, and it is 55 years since I last saw Bob McWaters, the barber, until this week, that is.   Bob now resides in the Maple Health Centre on Keele Street North in Maple, a few kilometres south of King City.   Hogan's is a fine, upscale dining room and pub, in what was Armstrong's Variety store in the mid-1950s.  The barber-shop was in the basement.   It had 2 barber chairs as I recall, a pool table, and a big old pop cooler with the tall bottles of Coca-Cola, 7up, Pepsi, and Orange Crush (my favourite), etc., standing in icy cold water, up to their pop-off tops.   There was also a white barber's towel attached to the cooler lid for drying off your bottle of pop.   There were also mens' magazines.   No, not that kind of magazine, but real mens' magazines about huntin', and fishin' and cars. The reunion with Bob came about as a result of a picture I had put into a blog, a few weeks ago, of a King Township farm pond.   I thought Bob's father, Dave had constructed this pretty pond but during my research discovered he had not.   But I was surprised to discover the McWaters family had lived there for a little while.   A chat with Bob's sister, Jane, who lives just outside King City, led to me enquire about her father Dave, and brothers Bob and Jack, who I had lost contact with long ago.   She told me where Bob was and suggested I drop in on him.   Bob suffered a bad accident a few years ago which left him with what appears to be damage to some fine motor skills.   He also speaks slowly and softly.   None of which kept him from reminding me that we played on the same baseball team, nor asking about numerous guys with whom we had gone to school and hung around with.   Bob only mentioned one girl by name and I was surprised to hear her name, because it was my wife's older sister.   He described her as "... a really nice girl".   Bob and his brother Jack were lifelong bachelors, but here was what I mused might be a decades-old infatuation re-surfacing for a moment.   We were both quite capable of discussing the here and now, but we both seemed content and comfortable to dwell in the past, on this occasion.   Next time, who knows?   We shook hands and agreed to see each other again.   I hoped, as I left, that it was as pleasant a visit for Bob as it was for me.   I mentioned the name McWaters to my friend Ken McQuarrie, the proprietor (for the last 50 years) of Clearview Motors, on Keele Street South, in King City, and he of course remembered the McWaters clan.   He told me also of another barber from that era.   Half a century ago, if Dave or Bob McWaters didn't cut your hair, then the next nearest barber was in Maple.   His name?   It was Mel "Clipper" White, from whom you were pretty much guaranteed to get a haircut that never looked the same twice.   Finally, I must mention Bob's brother Jack.   Several year ago, Jack retired to Elliott Lake in northern Ontario.   One day he drove into the backwoods and got involved in trailing a moose to take photographs.   He was with an acquaintance and they got lost in the woods.   The other fellow found his way out the following day but Jack wasn't found until the third day.   He had tragically passed away from hypothermia.   When I mentioned to another old King City friend, John Dew, who new the McWaters's well, that I thought I might write a blog about the McWaters's, he quickly suggested, as a title: "Still McWaters run deep".   In a strange way, it seemed entirely fitting, but rather as an epilogue, I think.   Please comment if you wish.

BtheB                                                                                          (Photos by BarrytheBirder)

4 elections in 7 years ~ that's contemptible

CANADIAN ELECTION ~ MAY 4th

I know, I know.   The cartoon's cynical, but I am too.   I'm also sadder but wiser.   Why can't politicians just get on with the job?    Please don't come to my door, unless you're ready for an earful ( Green Party candidates excepted).   Please comment if you wish.

BtheB

Regrets about not snorkelling

The Lionfish ( Pterois antennata )

For the first time in many years, I did not snorkel on a recent Caribbean holiday.   My wife and and I have snorkelled in Mexico, The Caymen Islands, Jamaica, Cuba, Florida, Turks and Caicos, Barbados, St. Marten, St. Lucia, Aruba and Bonaire.   Two weeks ago, the whole family visited Cozumel and while I spent most of my time birdwatching and trying to get over the 400 life-birds mark, everyone else went snorkelling.   My wife, my daughters, and my sons-in-law all did it, and even my two oldest grandchildren were given a bit of an introduction to it.   I went for one short swim close to shore.   Today I was looking at The Guardian newspaper website, from England, and the saw the picture above (bottom one) of Lionfish.   The top Lionfish photo is a Wikipedia shot.   As I read about Lionfish and there invasion of the Caribbean and eastern U.S. waters, I found myself wishing I had gone snorkelling after all.   Frankly, watching schools of spectacularly-shaped and colourful fish, up close, is as thrilling as birdwatching.   I would really like to have had a Lionfish moment - not to the point where one would sting me, however.   The Lionfish is native to the Indo-West Pacific Ocean, but now has the distinction of being the first non-native marine fish to establish a self-sustaining population along the U.S. Eastern seaboard, and in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea.   It was first reported in the mid-1980s along the Florida coast, but didn't become numerous until 2000.   In its new locales, it has no natural predators and is disrupting natural ecosystems and is decimating stocks of over-fished species.   Its fins give it the appearance of having a lion's mane, hence its name.   It's venomous sting is painful to humans, but not fatal.   I could find one in an aquarium, but I'm rather anti-aquarium, in the same way I'm against zoos.   I'd rather see creatures in the wild.   Please comment if you wish.

BtheB 

Grackles get a cool reception

cccccCOMMON GRACKLEccccc

Quiscalus quiscula

(BarrytheBirder Photo)

A week of warmer weather and the diasappearance of snow meant the arrival of a flock of Grackles two days ago.   They were joined by a few Starlings and one Red-winged Blackbird.   Today they were all greeted by what is hopefully the last snowstorm of the winter.   The remaining winter birds (redpolls, juncos, finches, sparrows, mourning doves, etc.), whose numbers had dwindled somewhat with the pleasant winter, were left to grumble on the sidelines while the blackbirds took over the feeders.   The only exception were the chickadees who blithely carried on, zipping in and out, as if nothing was amiss.   Life just isn't fair sometimes, but it always goes on and it's always about food first, in nature.   Please comment if you wish.

BtheB  

Last Mexican vacation bird photo...

Blue-capped Sandpiper

Baileyia spencerii

 ...also known as my 2 1/2 year-old grandson 

  

                                                                                             (Photos by BarrytheBirder)

Kirk Wipper lays down his paddle

Kirk Wipper, Canadian camping icon and Godfather of the Canadian Canoe Museum died last Friday. March 18th.   Kirk's death was not really a surprise, as he was 88 years old, but the way he died was startling.   Kirk choked to death while eating.   There is great sadness over his death across the country.   I only met the man once.   I was introduced to him by my friend, Mike Ormsby, a year or so ago, and the short time I spent in his company was a warm, mind-expanding and unforgettable experience.   I will leave eulogizing him to the thousands who are more capable than me.   Many already have and by simply typing Kirk Wipper into Google you will learn of the man and his accomplisments in detail.   Below, is a photo I took of Kirk (right) and Mike (left) on that memorable day that I met Kirk in his home.

Mike Ormsby and Kirk Wipper

Mike Ormsby was a student and employee of Kirk for several years and their friendship lasted until Kirk's death.   Kirk's home near Peterborough, Ontario, was decorated with many items reflecting a Canadian natural history interest.   I took a picture of one such item: a table-top carved by Basil Self, which hung in a commanding position above a fireplace.   It is pictured below, left.   Kirk thought this Basil Self carving was a wonderful work of art. 

Basil Self was a carver and furniture-maker of some repute many years ago, in King Township, where I live.   I am quite familiar with the piece of work pictured here.   The design was extremely popular  among collectors of Basil's work and he produced many versions of it for appreciative fans.   My own brother has a similar version in his Parry Sound home where it serves its intended purpose as a table.   I must say that Kirk Wipper's use of the carved table-top is an inspiration.   It hung like a huge  a coat-of-arms in a baronial mansion, with a uniquely Canadian outdoorsy flavour.   My condolences go out to Kirk's wife, Ann, especially. and to the thousands of people who regarded this man as  as a teacher, an enviromentalist, an inspiration, a champion and a friend.   Please comment if you wish.

BtheB      (Photos by BarrytheBirder) 

Maple Syrup or Petimezi ~ take your pick

After I blogged about Gordon Craig's Hammertown Wood Maple Syrup, Effie Kadoglou of Volos, Magnesia, Greece, near the Aegean Sea, wrote to me, asking about maple syrup.   She wondered if it was anything like petimezi?   Straight to the search engines.   Petimezi is an ancient recipe and specialty of the Greek island of Crete.   It is a naturally sweet syrup poured onto ice cream, yougurt, pancakes and even snow.   Sound familiar?   Yes, but Petimezi is made from grapes, not maple syrup sap.   It is made by cooking down grape must or 'moustos' for several hours, until is becomes dark and syrupy.   Final colour depends on the grapes being used.   Below (left) is a Wikipedia photo of Greek Petimezi and on the right is some almost-finished King Township Hammertown Wood Maple Syrup.   Oh that they were side by side, in the here-and-now, with me sampling them on pancakes or ice cream.   I'm sure Gordon Craig would join me in a taste-test.   Thanks for your comments, Effie.  

Please comment if you wish.

BtheB

60-year-old albatross gives birth

This is Wisdom, one of the world's oldest known wild birds (60+ years) who has just given birth to what is probably the 35th chick in her lifetime.   Wisdom is a Layson Albatross who lives on Sand Island, in the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in the Pacific Islands.   Not did she just give birth but she survived the recent Japan tsunami that killed many of her neighbours and their young on the island they share.    Wisdom was first banded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1959, when she was about five years old and was incubating what was probably her first egg.   Over the years she was re-banded six times.   Wisdom is the oldest wild specimen in American records, documented during the 90-year history of the U.S. and Canadian bird-banding research program.   Wisdom is estimated to have put in two to three million miles of flight time in her lifetime.   Chandler Robbins, a USGS scientist, was the first to band Wisdom in 1956 and he repeated the feat, 45 years later, in 2001.   Thanks to my former business colleague, Sandra Althoff for drawing this item to my attention.   (Photo by John Klavitter / US Fish & Wildlife Service)

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BtheB

Ahhh, spring!

According to my calendar, winter has ended and spring has begun.   My tracking of backyard winter birds has ended with 19 species making appearances.   Common Redpolls were the most numerous with 224 of them showing up at one time.   American Goldfinches were second with 61 birds at one time, and the elegant little Juncos were third most numerous, at on time, at 34, along with the Treesparrows.   The Juncos, shown above (female - left / male - right) will be the last leave - they always are, it seems.   Following is the complete list.                                                      

    Common Redpolls - 224

American Goldfinches -   61

Dark-eyed Juncos -   34

American Tree Sparrows -   34

Mourning Doves -   19

House Finches -     8

House Sparrows -     6

Northern Cardinals -     5

Blue Jays -     4

Chickadees -     4

Starlings -     3

Red-breasted Nuthatches -     2

White-breasted Nuthatches -     2

Downey Woodpeckers -     2

Grackles -     2

Hairy Woodpecker -     1

Cooper's Hawk -     1

TOTAL SPECIES -      17

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BtheB                                                        (Photos by BarrytheBirder)

23 lifers added to bird list

My family vacation to Cozumel, Mexico, produced 53 species of birds, 23 of which were new life-birds for me, bringing my life list to 421 species.   One of the 23 new birds was the Western Spindalis (Spindalis zena), pictured at left, a songbird who joined me at lunch one day.   This bird used to be known as the Stripe-headed Tanager.   While a number of the birds I saw, both old and new, can be found in many other parts of Mexico, plus countries like Guatemala, Belize and San Salvador, this bird was special because it occurs mainly in the Bahamas and places like Cuba, Turks and Caicos, the Cayman Islands, and even extreme southern Florida.   For a long time, it was thought that the only place it resided in Mexico was on Cozumel Island, off the Yucatan Peninsula, and that may still be the case.   Foolwing is a list of the 23 birds that I have added to my life list.   Finally, after many years, I can order a '400' button from the American Birding Association to go along with the '100' and '200' buttons that I wear on my Tilley hat.

1.   Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
2.   Common Black-Hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus)
3.   Solitary Eagle (Harpyhaliaetus solitarius)
4.   Ruddy Crake (Laterallus ruber)
5.   Northern Jacana (Jacana spinosa)
6.   Great Potoo (Nyctibius grandis)
7.   Vaux's Swift (Chaetura vauxi)
8.   Green-breasted Mango (Anthracothorax prevostii)
9.   Mexican Sheartail (Doricha eliza)
10. Ivory-billed Woodcreeper (Xiphorhynchus flavigaster)
11. Dot-winged Antwren (Microrhopias quixensis)
12. Greenish Elaenia (Myiopagis viridicata)
13. Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher (Todirostrum sylvia)
14. Tropical Gnatcatcher (Polioptila plumbea)
15. Gray-breasted Martin (Progne chalybea)
16. Black Catbird (Melanoptila glabrirostris)
17. Cozumel Thrasher (Toxostoma guttatum)
18. Cozumel Vireo (Vireo bairdi)
19. Yucatan Vireo (Vireo magister)
20. Northern Parula (Parula americana)
21. Golden Warbler (Dendroica petechia) in part
22. Western Spindalis (Spindalis zena)
23. Melodious Blackbird (Dives dives)

A Tricoloured Heron is preparing to 'mantle' for fish in a Cozumel mangrove pond.   Mantling is a birding term used to descibe a bird's bringing forward of its wings in an umbrella position over its head to shade its vision of fish beneath the surface of water.   It also refers to certain raptors which will spread their wings in an umbrella-fashion over a recent kill to hide it from would-be thieves.

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BtheB                                                                                            Photos by BarrytheBirder