The Circle of Life

Spring is well under way and the circle of life begins anew and for the birds a busy time indeed.  Even as new migrant arrivals are still showing up each day many birds have already hatched their first clutch and are frantically flying back and forth alternating between gathering food and sitting on the nest to protect their young from the elements.  The American robin an early arrival has a nest built and occupied before there are leaves on the tree (see below).

Early days

It seems like no time before the eggs are hatched, three in this case.

All three have hatched

  Both parents participate in the feeding and caring for the young and as the nest is almost on a level with our bedroom window we can easily watch these diligent parents go about their daily routines.  When the chicks are young one parent usually sits on them keeping them warm while the other brings food; seamless shift changes take place in the blink of an eye as one parent relieves the other allowing it to obtain food for itself.

Robins are model parents of the bird world, from providing a substantial home to nurturing and feeding the nestlings and the continued feeding and protection of the fledglings as they hop around our lawns or sit in the shrubs awaiting their next meal. A particularly hazardous time for the fledgling with its very limited ability to get off the ground leaving it very vulnerable to predators the worst of which is the neighbourhood cats.   Not all birds take parenting so seriously, in fact some like our Brown-headed cowbird take a particularly modern attitude and out-source the whole business. They are one of several species that are parasitic choosing to lay their egg in another species nest leaving the responsibility for hatching, feeding etc to the host bird leaving the Cowbird free to get on with its life.  They usually choose a smaller species as host in this instance the nest of a Chipping sparrow and although the usurper's egg is quite different it is accepted by the sparrow.

The Chipping sparrow is one of the smallest sparrows we have and the Cowbird is a similar size to a Redwing blackbird so the sparrow is going to have its work cut out for it and sadly the sparrow's own brood is doomed.  Before long we have four chicks in the nest that have to be fed.  As you can see below there is little doubt as to who will get the lion's share of the food and the Cowbird chick will quickly outgrow its adopted family.  Eventually it will push it's siblings from the nest to perish, leaving it the sole survivor and ward of the harassed Chipping sparrow whose every minute will be devoted to the care of this giant.

2011 Jock River Race

It's spring!

Saturday April 9 was a glorious day for the 2011 Upper Jock river race which for me has become a Rite of Spring and this year my first time on the water; and don't I know it!

I'm sure it is a no-brainer for most that it is probably not a good idea to do an aerobics class the day before a race especially if you haven't done one in a year or more, but in what must have been yet another senior moment I did just that.  Five minutes in the boat and my quads started to glow and my lower back and hip were beset with what I believe must be sciatica which made for what seemed to be my hardest paddle ever.

By the time I reached the finish I couldn't quite sit upright. (below)  I thought I might be needing a crane to get me out of the boat.

Anyway it was still great to be back on the water and I managed to avoid the rocks so still felt a sense of accomplishment, of course this was somewhat mitigated when this laddie passed me.

I guess there were so many turned up that by the time he arrived it was standing room only!   I only saw one couple in a canoe come to grief in the long set of rapids about 1 - 1.5 kms from the finish and in true paddler form the young fellow got his canoe safely to shore while the girlfriend was left to fend for herself in the rapids.

Most dunking occurs at the start line which is in an area of fast flowing water and you have to tread water while you await your turn at the rope strung across the river, this in itself can be pretty tricky particularly for kayaks as the rope can drop and foul on your rudder with disastrous results.   As usual we had some dedicated Tko representation with Phil and John who started in heats after me but were seen whizzing by so I gave them by best friendly grimace as they passed.

Phil

John

And Art another friend from Brockville comes screeching in to the finish, he was moving along pretty good and should probably have a fast time.

Art

So begins another paddling season and I look forward to many future Jock races, next week is the Raisin but I think it would be prudent for me to sit that one out.  Photo credits to my better half who used my new camera for the first time.

Winter Birds




Snow buntings



With the recent snow it still feels like winter even though we are only 11 days away from the equinox and to remind us there are still plenty of winter avian visitors to be seen in the fields around rural areas.   Some sizable flocks of Snow buntings can be seen flying over open fields or along country roads as they land to re-supply with the gravel necessary for digestion.  On sunny days the flock is easily identified by their black and white markings as they sparkle in the sun swooping back and forth before alighting on fields, trees or road.   These birds have travelled south to winter here where food is more plentiful and will return to their tundra breeding grounds in the Arctic islands and extreme northern Quebec by April's end. 



Common redpolls



 Another species which visits us during winter months is the Common redpoll; sometimes in large flocks but this year I have only seen small groups of perhaps 10 - 20 birds coming to feeders in my area.  In the east they breed in northern Quebec and may wander as far south as North Carolina in winter.  They can be recognized by their bright red caps, black chin patch and males have a pink breast.   The open farmland around where I live also is home to the Horned Lark which is a year round resident but more noticeable in winter as they move around the fields in small flocks in search of food, prefering those fields containing corn stubble.  As spring progresses they split off in pairs returning to the area of their birth to begin the mating cycle.



Horned larks



I enjoy spring's progression, accepting cues from the birds and the lengthening days with noticeable changes in the sun's temperature and elevation. Cardinals and Nuthatches have already given tentative song and any day now will see the first Red-wing blackbirds return from their southern migrations to stake out and defend their own little bit of territory against all comers until the later arrival of the females when the life cycle is renewed once again.