No duck is as maligned as the shoveler, easily identified by the spoon-like bill that subjects it to so much ridicule. Many refer to them derisively as bottom feeders, and while it’s true they feed on animal matter more than any of our other puddle ducks… really? I think they are beautiful!
Northern Flickers spend lots of time on the ground, and when in trees they’re often perched upright on horizontal branches instead of leaning against their tails on a trunk. They fly in an up-and-down path using heavy flaps interspersed with glides, like many woodpeckers. This pair were on the road side by our farm.
The mourning dove call is a distinctive “wooo-oo-oo-oo” sound which may evoke a feeling of grief over the loss of a dearly beloved. But far from representing death, mourning dove symbolism can give us optimism with its spirituality. Beyond their sorrowful song is a message of life, hope, renewal and peace. This one was in our apple trees.
In Ontario, the Minesing Wetlands provide ideal breeding grounds for great blue herons and are home to one of the largest and oldest known colonies in the province, with more than 200 active nests. Which is exactly were this early arrival was found!
Northern Pintails dabble on the surface of the water and filter out seeds and insects with their bills. They also waddle at the edges of wetlands and through agricultural fields feeding on grain and insects. They form large groups and readily associate with other ducks during the nonbreeding season.
