Watchlist of Potential Great Lakes Aquatic Invasive Species

http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/Programs/glansis/watchlist.html

Live Eagle Webcam

April 15, 2011: It rained today on the eagle nest. Very windy too.  Mom looks to be getting a little grumpy.  She is all preened and puffed-up after getting drenched.  I can't stop watching.

 http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles

Window Strike

Video of the release 

UPDATE!! Our feathered friend will be released tomorrow, April 14th at 8:00am at the office.  He has recovered well.  

I was reading my mail at the office front window at the end of the day, when I heard a loud knock on the window.  To my dismay I saw a still Hairy Woodpecker lying on some rocks by the window.  I gasped,  dropped the mail on the floor in shock and rushed towards it.

I picked the him up tentatively, holding either side of his head.  He barely moved.  Through the window a group of confused coworkers watched with concern. I rushed back inside, past onlookers and downstairs to find a box to put the bird in, trying to protect it from any added shock.  My hands were a little shaky. I then left a message at Salthaven and headed to Mount Brydges.

When I arrived, a seasoned volunteer, Deb,  greeted me with concern. We took the Hairy in to the clinic.  As I carried the box I could feel the bird stirring.  A good sign.  We opened it up and peeked in - the bird was standing!  As Deb picked him up he struggled strongly.  I was elated for a second. He seemed strong.  Until Deb showed me his one eye was badly injured.  He could not open it. 

We retrieved Brian Salt from the raptor trailer where he was busily grinding down a hawk beak and talons. He came with us to examine the woodpecker. Again the Hairy struggled fiercely.  Brian administered some medicine to alleviate the swelling and advised that if everything goes well, I may be able to bring the bird back to the office for release in three or four days.  It is a good feeling to have a trusted place to leave an injured animal to recover. Thank you  Salthaven!

Liriodendron tulipifera - Tulip Tree

 

I read awhile ago that the terminal bud of the tulip tree looks like a duck bill.  Ever since, identification of these trees in winter has been simple.

Rubber boots definately required! Westminster Ponds, London, ON

The trail - almost over my rubber boots.

Today I walked around Saunder's Pond (yellow), about 2kms in total.  Yesterday's path around Tumbleson Pond is in red.  Despite it being cool and cloudy there were still turtles basking.

Bird List
American Robin
American Goldfinch
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Hermit Thrush
Song Sparrow

Lots of woodpecker activity

Northern Cardinal
Wood Duck
Ring-necked Duck
Mallard Duck
Canada Goose
European Starling
Northern Flicker
Downy Woodpecker
Kingfisher (by sound and fleeting ID)
Bufflehead
Black-capped Chickadee
"Slate-colored" Dark Eyed Junco
House Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird

No coat needed - Westminster Ponds, London ON

How many turtles can you see?

Bird List
Pied-billed Grebe
Hooded Merganser
Ring-necked Duck 
Bufflehead
Canada Goose
American Robin
Red-tailed Hawk

Other
Midland Painted Turtles
Cottontail Rabbit
Question Mark Butterfly (tentative ID)

I wanted to get a rough idea of how far I travelled yesterday, following any curiosity that popped up.  I put a rough track on Google Earth and looks like more the 4kms. I marked some of my observations on the map below. Turtles are at UTM: 17T 0482350, 4754996

Strathroy Sewage Lagoons

Waterfowl List

Horned Grebe
Northern Shoveler
Bufflehead
Blue-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Hooded Merganser
Goldeneye
American Coot
Bonaparte's Gull
Canada Goose
Mallard

Other Birds
Turkey Vultures
Song Sparrow
American Robin
Northern Cardinal

Other Animals
Muskrat

The water in beside the lagoon was a funny colour. Iridescent and rusty with lost of algae growing.

Spring comes and goes so fast. Don't miss the willow catkins. This twig was observed at Strathroy Wetlands Marsh Walk on my lunch. On the right is willow gall.  Also spotted a great blue heron - a resident.

From http://www.talkaboutwildlife.ca/profile/?s=1892:

Pine-cone Willow Gall Midge
Rhabdophaga strobiloides

General Description

By Nora Bryan

You will probably never notice the minute, slender, fragile Pine-cone Willow Gall Midge, which is found everywhere willows are found. If you've ever been puzzled at what appear to be pine cones growing on willow shrubs, then you've seen the interesting galls that these tiny flies make. These galls, which are about the size of a white spruce cone, really do like pine cones, except that they are pale green and a bit fuzzy.
It is the larval stage, or maggot that lives within the characteristic gall. The larva is a minute featureless maggot. If you ever were to see one under a microscope you would see it's characteristic T-shaped breastplate.
Galls are a kind of arrangement between the host plant and the gall-making insect, and they can have very bizarre forms. Although galls rarely do significant harm to the host plant, they probably don't gain any benefit from the gall either. The gall is a reaction of the plant to the specific gall-making insect. The insect is concealed within the gall, and has to create an opening in the gall to get out when it is an adult.

Finally a glimpse of the muskrat I've been following

After tracking a muskrat (photo from March 8, 2011 - note the slender tail marks) at the Strathroy Conservation Area, I finally saw him swimming about today at lunch. Skunk cabbage is everywhere, but no signs of amphibians. There was also a strong smell of pesticide. Gold Crowned Kinglets were very active in the spruce trees.

Mole Salamander, genus Ambystoma

Yesterday with the help of friends, I witnessed a possible Blue Spotted/Jefferson salamander hybrid. These mole salamanders (genus Ambystoma) are difficult to identify, but some of the distinguishing characteristics are longer toes on hindfeet and lighter background colour for Jeffersons and more predominant blue pattern on the Blue Spotted.

Mole Salamander, genus Ambystoma

Eastern Garter Snake

We also found two Eastern Garter Snakes. There is a lot of colour variation among this species. Notice the lack of lateral striping in this specimen. The Butler's Garter Snake is distinguished by having a smaller head in proportion to body size.