A couple of days ago it was 18 degrees and sunny – T-shirt weather. But yesterday and today were a rude wake-up call letting us know that those wonderful days of Spring have a way to go yet. The others were just “teasers”. It must be really hard for early-arriving insectivores. I noticed that Tree Swallows were few and far between yesterday and today – I hope they were taking advantage of those swarms of midges that the nice weather was producing to put on enough fat to fuel them through these days.

Marnie goes out on a “blog walk” each day and sends me pics of some of the highlights. Evidently it’s a route known only to her….and she wants to keep it that way (so it doesn’t get closed down). One great find was a Pine Warbler. This is a bird known for early arrivals but still…..

In Oakville Jared has been watching his feeders. Here’s a note from him:
Hi Rick
Been enjoying your blog, while completing University courses online, of course.
Will sorrowly miss seeing you and Nancy and being at Ruthven this May.
Hard to believe what’s going on…

Here’s a couple of photos from our backyard, we’ve had quite a few Fox Sparrows, they hang around 3-4 days then move on. Also saw a couple of White-Throated Sparrows, plus caught a glimpse of a female Eastern Towhee doing her chicken scratch.

I’ve included a picture of a young Cooper’s or should I say “dove population controller” sitting outside my bedroom window.

Last week we saw several Red-Breasted Mergansers on Lake Ontario while walking in Paletta, Burlington. (Sorry, no photo)

Happy Easter!

Take care, stay safe
Jared and Laura

P.S. Those little blue flowers are also called Scilla, or Siberian squill. They’re non-native (from Russia) and poisonous…however, like foxglove can be used as a heart medicine

And from Caledonia….Karen sends this:

Rick