Coldstream CA

Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis, (white flowers above) is an early blooming native flower. According to Wikipedia:  "Bloodroot is one of many plants whose seeds are spread by ants, a process called myrmecochory. The seeds have a fleshy organ called an elaiosome that attracts ants. The ants take the seeds to their nest, where they eat the elaiosomes, and put the seeds in their nest debris, where they are protected until they germinate. They also get the added bonus of growing in a medium made richer by the ant nest debris."  Most of the ones I saw had tucked up their petals and leaves for the night. I would like to see a time-lape video of the opening and closing each day.

The bright yellow of  the marsh marigold flowers, Caltha palustris, are not captured by my photographs. The camera most auto adjust the colour, dulling it down. These flowers, although invasive, are a welcome sight each spring because of their vibrancy.
 

These eggs were in a pool of an intermittent tributary to the river at Coldstream CA.  I guess that they are American Toad eggs based on a description from a USGS webpage: "Toad eggs and tadpoles can be found in almost any aquatic situation, from muddy farm ponds to clear swampy areas, and are distinctively different from those of other frogs. Toads lay their eggs in long strings that may be benthic or entwined in (but not attached to) vegetation."

 USGS Guide to Frog and Toad Eggs

These turkey vultures were roosting in the spruce trees at the maintenance entrance on Coldstream Rd.  There has to be at least 20 settling in for the night.

Chorus Frog, Spring Peepers, Woodcock, Vultures and more

The frogs are calling loudly - on Swan Line near Mitchells Bay we heard chorus frogs.  The locals tell me they've heard them for two weeks!  Tundra Swans continue to congregate in the field on the south side of the road. A snapper quickly crossed the road in front of our truck also on Swan Line.  Killdeers, robins and grackles are out in force.  We also saw a Northern Harrier  outside Strathroy on Calvert.

After work, at Clark Wright CA in Strathroy I started out by seeing a stickleback fish in the water on the path (on top of grass).  Turkey vultures soared above. A kingfisher flew back on forth over a pond calling out its territory. A dead Great Horned Owl just off the path was a strange sight.  As dusk spring peepers started calling.  Acccording to Dave Martin " Typically, they start calling at this
pond in the last week of March but we have had them earlier than today -
namely on March 8, 2000. As well, in 1995, we first heard peepers
calling on March 15."   A woodcock also called from not far from the parking lot.  On my way out, I heard something that sounded like dripping, at first I couldn't recognize it, but after some inspection I found hundreds of tiny grass hoppers jumping away from me. 

Clark Wright CA

American Robin, Turdus migratorius

Great Horned Owl, Bubo virginianus

If you look carefully there is a stickleback (?) in the photo above.  This fish was observed on the walking path at Clarkwright

Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura