… in spite of some forecasts for snow next week.  Meanwhile the noonday sun keeps rising [until “sun – stop” (sol – stice)].

The Sandhill Cranes were seen scampering on the road across from my place.  Very skittish.  I was lucky to get this pic:

This doe was also very skittish and quickly bounded into cover, where she paused for a moment before disappearing into the bush at Grundy Lake….

A very nice specimen of Early Saxifrage…

The Bear Berries are quickly changing (chlorophyll) colour (to green from purplish/rust) with each passing day….

These Red Maple buds are well advanced, being in front of a south-facing rock reflector….

This Yarrow is in the same situation, in a rock cut on the north side of Hwy 522….

So is this blackberry bud …

This year I will follow the progress of moss spore capsules …

A pair of Killdeers were pouncing on bugs in Dave and Irene’s field in late afternoon.

Almost a “broken wing” display, but not quite….

Very interesting Burr Oak seen on Hwy 522.  We are close to the northern limit for Burr Oak —- often called “mossycup oak” because of the large cup at the stem of its acorn or “mossycop white oak” because of the rounded tips and valleys of its leaves,  a la white oak…..

I often try to sneak up on this little stream on Old Still River Road as the log is a common spot for painted turtles to sun.  Also a pair of wood ducks and a lone Great Blue Heron often frequent the stream.  This spring one of the dead elms similar to the ones in the distance was severely “visited” by a Pileated Woodpecker so we’ll be on the lookout for it also.

This morning I came across this wonderful resource: http://users.vianet.ca/turbrent/nipnat/Links/Field_Naturalists_Clubs.html

and mined down into it to see this type of report:

http://www.boards2go.com/boards/board.cgi?action=read&id=1461324166.6153&user=muskokabirdboard

I will scan those reports for early warning of the arrival of migrants.

PS:

I neglected to add this pic of a pair of Ring Necked Ducks to yesterday’s posting:

These remind me of ring billed GULLS … but also have a light ring around their neck … hence ring necked DUCKS!