tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101994522011-12-19T08:03:13.854-05:00Thomasburg is a small hamlet in the Municipality of Tweed in eastern Ontario. Behind my home here is a fallow field, swamp, cedar bush, old apple orchard and woods. Almost every day I take the same walk through this territory to see who's been by, and try to figure out what they've been up to.Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.comBlogger3571100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-23076460022253963062009-01-21T16:37:00.004-05:002009-01-21T17:07:11.676-05:00

I didn't know how little I knew this plain little bird. Every year I watch for the Pine Siskins, and almost every year, late in the migration or early in the winter I see one or two, or even a few. But that's not enough to learn a bird. I didn't know their flight call, I didn't know their song, I didn't even know how much they vary.The finch forecast was dismal on the subject:Pine SiskinA conifer

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-37978820542620222042008-12-02T18:59:00.001-05:002008-12-02T19:03:31.610-05:00

Just making a few changes--posting may resume soon.

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-39441785152709060722008-06-03T05:38:00.008-04:002008-06-03T06:46:10.296-04:00

It's been a while, but so much is happening now that spring is well underway (or nearly over) I thought I better start doing some updating.The ceiling of the front porch has been deteriorating rather badly over the last few years, so a couple of days ago I pulled it down to get ready for the new one my brother will be putting up in a few weeks. There was no way to do this without displacing the

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-61530632876410944552007-09-03T13:33:00.000-04:002007-09-03T13:51:22.761-04:00

If it's the end of another month, then it's time for the circus, Circus of the Spineless, a monthly collection of the best of invertebrate blogging from around the world. The latest edition (the 24th!) is graciously hosted by Demented Pixie of Naturalist Notebook. Check it out!Next month the circus will appear at The Annotated Budak.

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-48627873008347922512007-09-03T13:06:00.000-04:002007-09-05T11:35:21.162-04:00

International Rock-flipping Day (IRFD) really was international. The following is a list of blog posts and links to a couple of image sites (courtesy of via negativa), reporting/revealing what went on, what was found, etc. Note, especially, that Fragments From Floyd took the prize for a photo of a non-human rock flipper. Check out also the small but deadly (?) discovery Pablo made at

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-68369048082824224532007-09-02T18:54:00.000-04:002007-09-02T18:44:40.833-04:00

The day started well. I was out in the yard looking for the noisy Blue Jay family I could hear in the elms when I saw some other birds flitting to and fro--turned out to be a couple of Scarlet Tanagers in winter plumage, or young of the year or both. Not entirely unknown in the yard during the migration, but always a pleasure to see them. I moved down the lawn watching them and listening to a

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-7787849985171912262007-08-28T16:04:00.000-04:002007-08-28T16:50:46.298-04:00

Dave of Via Negativa has called for September 2 to be designated International Rock-flipping Day: a day for everybody to go outside — go as far as you have to — and flip over a rock (or two, or three). We could bring our cameras and take photos, film, sketch, paint, or write descriptions of whatever we find. It could be fun for the whole family!I've spent so much time this year looking into

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-65189719915319723002007-08-27T15:46:00.000-04:002007-08-27T17:48:42.154-04:00

I first saw this butterfly on a couple of occasions a couple of weeks ago--"what a big swallowtail that is," I thought to myself, "Not a tiger swallowtail either, and look at that strange yellow body..." Surely such a big swallowtail must be a Giant Swallowtail. But the Giant is a southern species, not known, I thought, in Canada, beyond the Carolinian region. I didn't get a photo then, but I

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-23198939748863769212007-08-24T07:42:00.001-04:002007-08-24T08:25:43.989-04:00

I found this on a baseball cap that was lying on the floor on the porch. On disturbance it started motoring along the concrete floor towards the wall of the house. That didn't seem good, so I encouraged it to climb onto a maple leaf also lying there and moved it into the garden. Then I went into the house to try to find out what it was--it was gone when I returned.Pretty caterpillar, on a leaf

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-41406627528601296202007-08-23T19:47:00.000-04:002007-08-23T19:48:08.165-04:00

This week John (of New Jersey) of A DC Birding Blog tagged me with a birder's meme (originated by Cogresha of Earth House Hold, a new blog to me, and worth checking out). The form is simple, just seven easy birder questions:1. What is the coolest bird you have seen from your home?This is the question that grabbed me. Not so easy when I started to think about it. The coolest bird. When I'd been in

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-19843227837852471212007-08-17T18:51:00.001-04:002007-08-17T18:57:59.205-04:00

Now that the goldenrod is blooming I've been looking for a yellow goldenrod crab spider doing what its name suggests it should. This morning I found one, mature, yellow and working the goldenrod--just in time to board the Friday Ark.If it hadn't been for the fly in her jaws I probably wouldn't have seen her.

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-66187371601804990472007-08-14T18:30:00.000-04:002007-08-14T18:56:23.196-04:00

I was out in the backyard the other night with a flashlight in my hand when a really big moth flew by in front of me and landed on the edge of a garden bed. Early in the season I saw a big sphinx moth of some kind (judging by the shape of the wings) feeding on petunias in hanging baskets on the front porch on several occasions, but I never had a flashlight handy (kept forgetting about it until I

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-46691183148609423082007-08-10T09:48:00.000-04:002007-08-10T10:35:41.051-04:00

This pretty creature visited the porch the other day, and happily walked all over my hands. If only macro shots of my hands were more flattering I'd post one here. Instead, here it is walking on the edge of the arm of a Muskoka chair (called south of the 49th parallel an Adirondack chair).Much more delicate than the brown Northern Walkingsticks (Diapheromera femorata) I posted about last year (

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-74772530382588504262007-08-07T07:20:00.000-04:002007-08-07T07:48:02.395-04:00

Everyone seemed to be doing it this year, so I gave it a try. I collected a couple of Monarch caterpillars (Danaus plexippus), and a few eggs and brought them in to watch them develop, and take them out of the predator-rich world. The largest of the ones collected turned out to be in its final stage as a caterpillar, and after a few days of rather voracious eating formed a chrysalis.By sheer luck

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-78171151750132935112007-08-01T10:54:00.000-04:002007-08-01T12:07:51.251-04:00

A few weeks ago there was big news (something about a client list) in the DC Madam case--a legal case involving a woman of a different name who ran an escort agency with the rather familiar name of Pamela Martin & Associates. Everytime something happens in the case I get a lot of visitors--oddly enough to the post Happy Birthday, PZ Myers!!Well, I haven't posted for a while, and nothing new has

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-82632600519541797122007-07-17T19:14:00.000-04:002007-07-17T19:17:40.260-04:00

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-13531805694128909052007-07-14T09:10:00.000-04:002007-07-14T10:44:46.804-04:00

I'm with Clare on this--where does the time go? Another great year of I and the Bird has passed--another year of great collections every two weeks of the best of bird and birder blogging, hosted by different members of the bird blogging community, a community that is still growing by leaps and bounds. The Anniversary Edition, #53, is up at the home of I and the Bird: 10,000 Birds, hosted by the

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-87758784697222085072007-07-14T08:27:00.000-04:002007-07-14T09:10:14.773-04:00

After a quiet period there's been quite a bit of singing lately as the birds who nest again started getting ready. So I was determined to get out for a bit of birdwatching. I did, and saw lots, but everyone looked so big! A common yellowthroat, really? It looks the size of a finch. And gradually I realized that it's the spider eyes. I am learning to pick out spider types by GISS, pulling me into

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-47602873731838097232007-07-10T13:53:00.000-04:002007-07-10T14:05:22.046-04:00

The Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta rubria) common butterfly around here, I believe, but this year there have been more than usual.This one looked and acted like today was its first as a butterfly.

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-33404481047801891592007-07-10T07:14:00.000-04:002007-07-10T07:58:56.581-04:00

A July bioblitz of the Rosa rugosa alba in the yard would take hours and hours, and could be done every day and produce new results each day. And this rose bush, about 2 metres high and almost as wide, is mere steps from the front door.I've been watching a number of Misumena vatia over the past few weeks (inspired by Spider WebWatch). These spiders, ambush predators, stay in one spot for extended

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-15789944655156846492007-07-06T07:27:00.000-04:002007-07-06T08:12:40.489-04:00

I'm pretty sure that this is the Acadian Hairstreak (Satyrium acadica). I would be absolutely sure except that the underside of the wings of this butterfly look more light brown than grey (a feature of the Acadian) to me. Pretty butterfly in any case--and to identify a hairstreak at all is new for this novice butterfly watcher.Like so many other critters, this butterfly was found feeding on

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-37495465943389064622007-07-02T06:53:00.000-04:002007-07-02T07:11:25.048-04:00

Circus of the Spineless #22, now up at Burning Silo. Be sure to stop by and take a look; it's a gorgeous collection of the best of last month's invertebrate posts from around the blogosphere. But before you go, enjoy the Northern Cloudywing Butterfly (Thorybes pylades), another triumph of Internet-assisted invertebrate identification.Northern CloudywingAnd look for next month's edition at Words

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-45209782804942311502007-07-01T09:30:00.000-04:002007-07-01T09:36:10.959-04:00

One of the ambassador spiders at Spider Web Watch is the Misumena vatia, or goldenrod crab spider. So far, I've observed ten different individuals of this lovely species, seven of which are living in the front garden. Below a sampling. The first two are spiders I found at the near edge of the far field. The rest, garden dwellers, in a sequence: small, smaller, smallest.In the late afternoon sun,

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-86111189322050759662007-06-30T19:36:00.000-04:002007-06-30T20:08:25.489-04:00

First, it's that time again, I and the Bird #52 is up at The Wandering Tattler. another splendid collection of the best of recent bird and birder blogging: the completely non-geeky edition. Check it out.The next edition, the second anniversary edition, will be hosted by the father of I and the Bird, Mike of 10,000 Birds, as Mike says:Believe it or not, the next edition of I and the Bird is our

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-79794966905781003512007-06-30T19:00:00.000-04:002007-06-30T19:30:19.976-04:00

Last week I was alerted by a message Bev of Burning Silo sent to the Eastern Ontario Naturelist to look for the Brilliant Jumping Spider (Phidippus clarus) on milkweed. (Here's a link to one of her photos of this spider, click next at the site to get another view)I went to look and almost immediately found one. My success at finding these guys is running about one in ten milkweeds, and better

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-31533862233179690042007-06-17T18:12:00.000-04:002007-06-17T18:53:22.140-04:00

Recently I had an exchange with Bev of Burning Silo in the comments on a post of hers about what was in her garden. She mentioned a number of species around in good numbers, and gave some tips and links for identifying them. We're more or less in the same region, so when she is seeing something, it's worth my while to go out and look for it, and vice versa.So I did, and I found lots. I just hope

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-65717961227845776342007-06-16T13:59:00.001-04:002007-06-16T14:17:54.856-04:00

I saw this critter feeding in the spirea yesterday (now in full bloom, and drawing quite a crowd).I thought is must be some weird kind of bee. Look at the fluff, look at the feet. But this ain't no bee. Look at the wings. This is a scarab beetle. A member of the genus Trichiotinus, a hairy flower scarab. (Possibly Trichiotinus assimilis?) And I know that now thanks to the good people at

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-46163830057859562007-06-16T07:38:00.000-04:002007-06-16T09:54:09.454-04:00

The name makes me think of the old song, Corinna, Corinna. And it's got this bit about birds (in Bob Dylan's version):I got a bird that whistles,I got a bird that sings.I got a bird that whistles,I got a bird that sings.But I ain' a-got Corrina,Life don't mean a thing.But this isn't a story about a bird that whistles, or a bird that really sings. Riparia riparia is also known as the Bank Swallow

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-3977687595861891712007-06-15T09:36:00.000-04:002007-06-15T10:03:42.071-04:00

The more I look at bumblebees the more apparently different species I find. Amazing! Below are three more I've managed to get photos of recently.Bumblebee on raspberry flowers last weekBumblebee on Rosa rugosa alba today--they love this rose!Bumblebee on the wild bleeding heart (Dicentra eximia).I think the last one is the same species as a couple that turned up in the house earlier in the season

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-42057526773343787842007-06-15T09:24:00.000-04:002007-06-15T09:55:02.876-04:00

Yes, that's right: head on over to The Birdchaser for a roundup of the best of recent bird and birder blogging from around the world, and you can enter the contest for a chance to win a great prize!The winner will receive a copy of The Audubon Society Guide to Attracting Birds, signed by the author, Steve Kress.All you have to do is what anyone would want to do anyway--read the collected posts

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-6548387041763005262007-06-12T07:57:00.001-04:002007-06-12T08:40:16.443-04:00

I found this bumblebee sitting still for long moments, then moving around a little--all the better for photographing, but I think this was probably its last day.I looked around to see if I could identify it--but no luck so far. And since I'm still not really familiar with bumblebee field marks, I didn't get all the pictures I should have to make identification easier.The bee is on a dicentra (

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-83665014501399341272007-06-11T07:21:00.000-04:002007-06-11T08:11:45.655-04:00

About a week ago, after one of the little hot spells that this spring has been rife with, I noticed that the wahoo in the yard had been completely stripped.Eastern Wahoo (Euonymus atropurpureus), strippedIt was entirely covered in webbing, revealing the culprit to be the euonymus caterpillar, larva of the spindle ermine moth. This is a specialist in the spindle bush, a European euonymus, and came

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-52006208126496152262007-06-04T14:14:00.000-04:002007-06-04T14:36:28.900-04:00

Mike of 10,000 Birds is this month's host of Circus of the Spineless--the blog carnival devoted to the invertebrates. But he's a bird guy. What's his interest in invertebrates?If it interests birds it interests Mike, and the invertebrates are of great interest to birds. So find out who snacks on whom, and what's been going on around the invertebrate world this past month at Mike's Circus of the

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-58327914787312317932007-05-31T08:28:00.001-04:002007-05-31T09:01:50.227-04:00

Yes, it's the 50th edition of I and the Bird, and it's up at A Blog Around the Clock, graciously hosted by Bora. Another wonderful collection, stories of discovery, danger, resolution, and general good times that have been had by birders from around the world.Go by and check it out, and be sure to take a look at Nuthatch's contribution from Bootstrap Analysis. Her post Where I've been & who I've

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-68749252093233729262007-05-30T18:12:00.000-04:002007-05-30T18:53:03.093-04:00

It has slowed down over the last few days, but for a while there my most popular page was "Who's that Eating the Mugo Pine?" a post I wrote on May 31 of 2006 about the European pine sawfly (Neodiprion sertifer). So finally, a couple of days ago, I thought I really must take a look at the mugo pine (Pinus mugo).Heads reared up--they think this will scare me offSure enough, there they were, sawfly

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-15799005273784416552007-05-29T18:59:00.001-04:002007-05-29T19:56:41.820-04:00

So I was out in the far field yesterday, getting on for seven in the evening. I was tired from little sleep the night before, but wanted a quick amble around. At the northwest corner I heard a song duel--very clear, very even, first one bird, then answered by the other, about 20 metres or less apart. I listened for a bit, I didn't know the song, but it was pretty ordinary, a mere trill, with a

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-8965945837034172742007-05-25T18:51:00.001-04:002007-05-31T08:27:21.968-04:00

Correction I try to be careful--but sometimes I'm not--and then even if I'm corrected, a misidentification may persist forever in the Google cache.I've adjusted the text below, and the title, in response to the comment Bev of Burning Silo kindly left on this post, pointing out that this is another spider altogether--probably a Pisaurina mira. The linked page includes a photo of what I think is a

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1226452297909557122007-05-18T06:41:00.000-04:002007-05-18T06:53:14.396-04:00

Courtesy of Bill Newman, a Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) transitioning into breeding plumage:Singing:All aboard the Friday Ark

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-89486995673846730142007-05-17T18:15:00.000-04:002007-05-17T18:43:46.286-04:00

Dave at Via Negativa has composed (found) a beautiful poem about the biggest big day that's ever been: birds galore, from all over, it's the current edition of I and the Bird, the carnival of the best of recent bird and birder blogging from around the world. He has also provided a spoken version for our listening pleasure. Go on by and see. And follow the lines. Especially, if you've never been

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-55696565122756794702007-05-17T10:43:00.000-04:002007-05-17T11:19:10.869-04:00

I'm staying down in Prince Edward County for a few days this week--and when I arrived I was shocked to see this: A broad swath of garlic mustard--and not the only one.Last year I noticed a small patch of this stuff up against the house here--I pulled it up and hoped for the best. There was also a little on the far side of the small woods below the house--I haven't gotten in there yet to take a

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-17307888487223842562007-05-14T08:34:00.000-04:002007-05-14T09:02:00.337-04:00

From inside the house this critter on the window screen looked like a bit of leaf or maybe a tree flower, with just a little more definition than you'd expect. So I went outside to get a better look, and found this pretty little, pretty well camouflaged, moth.Moth on screenI think this is a Lappet Moth (Phyllodesma americana), based on the colour and wing position. It's related to the tent

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-84550379781329121682007-05-12T08:10:00.000-04:002007-05-14T07:23:08.598-04:00

Every now and then I come up against evidence suggesting that I'm not as fluent in my native tongue (English) as I thought. Chrysalis? Cocoon? I don't know. So I looked them up in the Oxford Canadian Dictionary: cocoon: a silky case spun by many insect larvae for protection as pupae chrysalis: a quiescent pupa of a butterfly or moth; the hard outer case enclosing itWhich didn't help all that much

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-32495380286833789912007-05-11T11:59:00.000-04:002007-05-15T18:59:29.387-04:00

It's been a couple of days since I got out back--last time, not a warbler to be heard (although I've heard a black-and-white a number of times from across the street over the last ten days or so). Last weekend hummingbirds, house wrens, and chimney swifts arrived in the hamlet--now tree swallows and wrens are squabbling over the two nesting boxes in the yard. Chipping sparrows are getting very

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-8895640339177472142007-04-30T19:38:00.000-04:002007-05-16T14:22:54.672-04:00

I thought there were just a couple of species back in the swamp and wet edges of the cedar bush, I thought they'd be easy to identify. Wrong on both counts.Let's call it moss 1--I don't know if the darker slimy stuff is part of it, or another moss. It was definitely associated with it, not accidental to it.I chose three that seemed to me to be both common and distinctive (and a fourth, some kind

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-5488511577130755302007-04-29T09:41:00.000-04:002007-04-29T10:02:34.277-04:00

Today, the last official day of the Blogger Bioblitz I got out just before 7:00 a.m. (good thing too, because the sky cleared, and we are to be blasted by sunshine for the rest of the day--forecast high of 19C). I've got lists of birds and plants that I will report in another post. I wanted to dedicate this one to something new to me--though no doubt old hat to the field. Lichens. I came across

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-23794435953980770682007-04-25T09:20:00.000-04:002007-04-25T09:35:51.143-04:00

Saturday, April 21Saturday was the first day of the week-long Blogger Bioblitz event. Hot day--fierce sun, and I got a late start, so I thought I'd just do a reconnaisance of a location in the cedar bush, where the stream runs through, that I thought might be interesting. I'd hoped to list flora, but was frustrated in that the only recognizable flora were ones I already knew were there, i.e.,

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-20566269290558171862007-04-21T07:07:00.000-04:002007-04-21T08:52:46.923-04:00

Finally, suddenly, it is warm here. I went for a walk yesterday along the road through the Stoco Fen, and got downright hot. The skunk cabbages are up, leaves just starting (this is a few weeks later than last year: here is my post on them from April 3, 2006).April 2, 2006--Way ahead of 2007They're mostly further back from the road than they were last year because the water level is way down. Saw

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-6792692705732517142007-04-10T08:21:00.000-04:002007-04-10T10:10:39.899-04:00

One of the things I've been up to lately (instead of writing) is getting involved in the formation of an environmental group in the Municipality of Tweed (a big area that contains the village of Tweed and Thomasburg too--and lots else). I went to an all-candidates' meeting before the municipal election last fall. As it was during the previous municipal election campaign, the meeting was standing

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-66989493006332051962007-04-09T20:30:00.000-04:002007-04-09T20:41:51.892-04:00

They were here again this morning--at least I think it was them. But they weren't dancing like they did back in March...Now for the stare portion of our programAccording to Banfield (The Mammals of Canada), via the Fletcher Wildlife Garden website: Eastern cottontails breed in late February to early March and continue until September. Courtship is said to be quite energetic. Banfield (1974)

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-62444565181362304462007-04-01T09:48:00.000-04:002007-04-06T09:26:53.556-04:00

It's Circus of the Spineless time again, the blog carnival of all things invertebrate. It's up at Burning Silo. The theme is discovery. After you finish looking at my recent spineless visitors, "discovered" on the kitchen floor, head on over there for reports on the spineless from around the world.I think the burying beetle was the most interesting critter to appear on the kitchen floor, but

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-82868156034978472442007-03-23T09:59:00.000-04:002007-03-23T10:15:42.696-04:00

I've been away from cyberspace lately, except for an occasional short visit, so I've missed developments at I and the Bird. The most recent edition is up at Journey through Grace, a birthday celebration for host Jayne's 45th birthday. It's another wonderful selection of the best of recent bird and birding blogging, but what's striking about it for me is how many new blogs are represented.Mike at

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-72702817360244597462007-03-23T09:39:00.000-04:002007-03-23T09:54:52.955-04:00

Jake in the Yard (courtesy of Bill Newman)All aboard the Friday Ark!

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-67845137805077191622007-03-09T19:00:00.000-05:002007-03-09T19:06:29.378-05:00

Today the great defender of evolution and lover of all things cephalopodic, Professor Myers of Pharyngula is fifty!I came across Pharyngula early on in my forays into the blogosphere (2005), while searching for science and nature blogs, and have been a faithful reader ever since. I was dismayed to learn that the threat to science education in the United States is real, heartened to see science

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1170434928525173732007-02-02T11:33:00.000-05:002007-05-12T08:09:16.018-04:00

The circus is back in town: Circus of the Spineless #17: The Symbology of Invertebrates. Learn the meanings we've associated with spiders and snails, squids and butterflies, and the rest. Enjoy the great collection of the best of recent invertebrate blogging. Go to The Voltage Gate, now!!

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1170423133049594552007-02-02T08:03:00.000-05:002007-02-02T08:49:36.503-05:00

Had a searcher this morning looking to know how Groundhog Day in Canada worked out. The page that came up was my archive page from last February (here's a link to the relevant post). Well, that's just wrong. So I thought I'd better put up a report on the situation today. (And take the opportunity to correct an error in the earlier post--the identification of a prickly ash as a black locust...)

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1169855312031747452007-01-26T18:33:00.000-05:002007-01-26T18:48:32.130-05:00

Part 37? This is the same problem over and over. I still have no eye for the raptors--each identification beyond the few I know in context in which I know them (Northern Harrier flying over a field, Red-tailed Hawk sitting on a post, tree, etc. over a highway in winter, American Kestrel on a wire...) is a struggle.A neighbour sent me this photo taken in Thomasburg a week ago of what he has

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1169682696592398882007-01-24T18:33:00.000-05:002007-01-24T18:51:36.646-05:00

I and the Bird #41 is up at A Snail's Eye View. Go for the introduction, a celebration of Australia's first field guide, What Bird is That? published in 1931, illustrated in glorious colour. Then stay for the graciously hosted, diverse collection of the best of recent bird and birder blogging from around the world.I and the Bird #42 will be hosted by Neurophilsopher's Blog on February 8th.

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1169221434703530822007-01-19T09:44:00.000-05:002007-01-19T10:43:54.913-05:00

I didn't post for many days this month (January 2-16) and as a result traffic dropped off some, not just regulars but also searchers stopped coming so often. Then, before the no-post period ended, on January 15, I saw that there had been a small jump up in visitors. On that day I got seven hits from searchers using the terms "float like a hummingbird," bringing them to Floats Like a Hummingbird,

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1169052525368092812007-01-17T11:21:00.000-05:002007-01-17T18:57:08.986-05:00

My computer is old, my connection is slow. There has been an explosion of excellent science and nature bloggers. I can't get to them all, I can't get to the ones I already know and love often enough. So I was some pleased to learn that Bora (AKA Coturnix) of A Blog Around the Clock had, with the help of members of the science and nature blogging community, and the availability of POD

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1168957170881910502007-01-16T08:56:00.000-05:002007-01-16T10:15:21.483-05:00

When Jim and I found the Merlin (Falco columbarius) during our survey of our part of the Presqu'ile Christmas Bird Count he started to talk about birder's luck. How amazing that we intersected with that good bird during those very few moments in all our lives. We were there, the bird was there, we were looking....what fantastic luck. (Turns out that was the only Merlin seen that day--not

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1168961973923644962007-01-16T08:30:00.000-05:002007-01-16T10:39:34.590-05:00

In the better late than never category, I must recommend that if you haven't already done so, do go by and sample from the menu of the best of recent bird and birder blogging, I and the Bird #40, at Peregrine's Bird BlogAnd drop in at the online auction in support of the great work done at the Bird Treatment and Learning Centre in Anchorage, Alaska, the doings of which are reported by Dave at the

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1167766979585760612007-01-02T14:00:00.000-05:002007-01-02T14:42:59.743-05:00

Saturday (December 30) was the day for the Belleville Christmas Bird Count (CBC). What a difference from the Presqu'ile count of two weeks before. Dark, cold, and early I set out from Prince Edward County headed for the IGA on Highway 62 north of Belleville to meet my this-time partner Mel. The snow started as I reach Belleville, and was rather heavy by the time I reached the meeting place. But

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1167764408918439672007-01-02T13:42:00.000-05:002007-01-02T14:00:09.473-05:00

Circus of the Spineless #16 is up at The force that through... Another great collection of invertebrate posts--the last of 2006. Check it out.The first of 2007 will be hosted by The Voltage Gate at the end of January.And speaking of The Voltage Gate, stop by there today for the first Festival of the Trees for 2007.The next Festival of the Trees will be held at Gingko Dreams, so send your

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1167415931198452632006-12-29T12:50:00.000-05:002006-12-29T13:12:11.656-05:00

I'm down in Prince Edward County for the rest of the year (except for a brief excursion north tomorrow for the Belleville Christmas Bird Count). As always this place is excellent for birds. But for me, particularly for the Red-bellied Woodpecker, a bird I saw for the first time last year, and which is hanging around the yard every day since I've been down here this time. Beautiful bird, wonderful

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1167325602715462292006-12-28T11:39:00.000-05:002006-12-28T12:06:43.246-05:00

A beautiful holiday edition of I and the Bird, the carnival of the best of recent bird and birder blogging, is up at NaturalVisions. Straight from Sandy Claws, a great collection of posts from all over the world. Check it out!I and the Bird #40 will be hosted by Peregrine's Bird Blog, deadline for submisions January 9. See I and the Bird Central for details.And if you write about invertebrates,

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1166487738870827552006-12-18T18:46:00.000-05:002006-12-18T20:37:04.953-05:00

Yesterday was the Presqu'ile Christmas Bird Count (CBC).I guess I'm a floating counter for sure now. When the Belleville compiler (boss of the count) called me this year, he invited me to take part in two counts, Belleville and Presqu'ile. The Presqu'ile count centres in the park, I'm guessing, and the east side of the circle (this part I know) takes in at least part of Trenton (aka Quinte West),

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1166201699875502742006-12-15T11:16:00.000-05:002006-12-15T13:35:57.896-05:00

Wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) reintroduction in Ontario is a huge success story. Not so many years ago the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, working with the Ministry of Natural Resources, started the process of releasing wild turkeys from the US into suitable Ontario habitat. (Here are links to a couple of stories about the program.) The birds took off! Or rather, stayed,

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1166108668617052742006-12-15T09:16:00.000-05:002006-12-15T08:54:04.200-05:00

Duncan at Ben Cruachan Blog of Australia is the host of I and the Bird #38. And a very gracious host he is too. The carnival is a collection of the best of recent bird and birding posts from all over the world. And Ben Cruachan Blog is a wonderful place to read about and see the marvellous birds of Australia, beautifully photographed--not only exotic looking to my North American eyes, but

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1165962306249281862006-12-12T17:11:00.000-05:002006-12-12T18:53:47.030-05:00

After a brief cold snap we're back to unseasonably warm temperatures. The snow is gone now (except for a forlorn patch or two), but on Saturday there was still snow on much of the ground. Sure I see the occasional rabbit, and even more occasional fox or coyote, but once the snow comes I see that they are all everywhere, all the time. In the yard there are tracks of at least two rabbits (big and

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1165493889813152962006-12-07T07:03:00.000-05:002006-12-07T07:36:38.266-05:00

The circus is in town, the town called Words and Pictures. A wonderful presentation of invertebrate stories from all over the world, from water bears to banana slugs to harvestmen plus my own encounter with a burying beetle, and much, much more. Check it out!But first enjoy my most recent photo of a western conifer seed bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis), a perennial favourite among Google

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1165338435924240342006-12-05T11:48:00.000-05:002006-12-05T12:12:05.750-05:00

Last night we had our first real snow fall of the season.The air was cold but the snow was soft and thick, clinging to everything.The flock of House Finches that's been hanging around the feeders surveys the scene from on high.

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1165250605652411592006-12-04T10:37:00.000-05:002006-12-04T11:59:32.143-05:00

Thursday morning I left for a very quick trip to the archives at the University of Guelph. Great train connection got me from Belleville at 8:30 a.m. to Guelph at noon. Pouring rain!! Connections back not so good., So Friday afternoon I was to take a bus to Toronto--arrive around 7:00 p.m., then the train back to Belleville, and drive at around midnight 25 clicks up the highway to Thomasburg (so

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1164824970958091242006-11-29T13:19:00.000-05:002006-11-29T13:29:31.080-05:00

This is a recipe for a rich, tasty granola that sets me up for the whole day. Late lunch? No problem if you got a bellyfull of this stuff, loaded with nuts, seeds and fruit.Ingredients1/2 cup olive oil4 cups quick oats ("quick" refers to the cut of the oats, not instant oats!!)1 cup walnut pieces or crumbs1 cup, some combination of all or any of sunflower seeds pumpkin seeds pecan pieces

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1164470639691299152006-11-25T10:14:00.000-05:002006-11-25T11:49:34.170-05:00

Came across this at Snail's Tales, a quick test at bookblog to reassure you, or correct your false assumption, about your gender (or sex, "gender" is so often misused that the difference between the two is fading away) based on your writing.I submitted four posts (Hand spam?, Snowy Owls--Already?, The Chickaree and the Juniper Berries and Midsummer). Based on the best three out of four, turns

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1164301640426193882006-11-23T11:24:00.000-05:002006-11-23T12:07:20.576-05:00

This morning I found 4 comments on a post from June 2006 (Timing: A tale of two trees), apparently designed to entice readers to visit 4 different off-topic websites. Here's one of the comments: Health is the functional and/or metabolic efficiency of an organism,at any moment in time, at both the cellular and global levels.All individual organisms, from the simplest to the most complex,vary

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1163720327233684942006-11-16T17:59:00.000-05:002006-11-16T18:38:47.566-05:00

Last December snowy owls were all over the place, everywhere but here, as I wrote in Whither Snowys? Snowy owls came south in near record numbers (see this report from the GBBC). I've never seen one, so I published photos of a nice location for one to visit, but either not good enough, or they don't read blogs.This fall Dave of Bird TLC was fortunate enough to have a snowy come to live with him (

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1163444036928832342006-11-13T13:01:00.000-05:002006-11-13T13:53:57.630-05:00

I came across a link to this quiz at Pharyngula that identifes American accents by region (also picked up by John at A DC Birding blog). So I went and took it. What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana,

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1163165749529817132006-11-10T08:03:00.000-05:002006-11-10T08:35:49.926-05:00

I walked into the kitchen in the middle of the day to find this, more than 2 cm of beetle, in the middle of the floor. Well, you can't stay here, I said. But wait here while I get my camera. It did. So I did, and then lifted the critter up and carried it out to the front porch for a little photo session. Calm on the kitchen floor, it was perhaps feeling a little harassed from being carried, so

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1163115317044148562006-11-09T18:06:00.000-05:002006-11-09T18:42:29.873-05:00

I've been trying to watch for the last kinglet--so much more difficult than watching for the first. But maybe today? I was in Vanderwater Conservation Area (just east of the hamlet) for a walk (avoiding the deer hunters--the gun season opened here on Monday), and there they were, a small flock of kinglets, of which I could identify a couple of Golden-crowned, but didn't see them all well enough

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1162571749355199782006-11-03T18:24:00.000-05:002006-11-03T18:45:20.346-05:00

I was walking in the far field, and by the big red cedar near the apple tree I heard a red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus, écureuil roux, chickaree) scold fiercely, once. I couldn't see it at that moment, and it didn't sound again, so I forgot about it and went back to peering into the now much more open shrubbery looking for kinglets (last seen October 30: ruby-crowned kinglet (Regulus

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1162325380828085032006-10-31T14:36:00.000-05:002006-10-31T15:09:40.950-05:00

The monthly celebration of invertebrate blogging, Circus of the Spineless #14, is up at The Neurophilosopher's weblog. Complete with a fine selection of invertebrate illustrations from earlier times, a fantastic collection of invertebrate posts from around the world, and a video sideshow, a great time's to be had. Check it out! One post that jumped out at me was the from The Dax Files of Georgia

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1162312519514311472006-10-31T10:31:00.000-05:002006-10-31T11:35:19.760-05:00

At the turn of every season, an Environment Canada spokesperson offers up a long-range forecast. Winter this year, for the most part, warmer than normal and dry. Cynics suggest, and sometimes I am one, that the pronouncement signifies its opposite, so expect a long, cold, wet winter. Fortunately there are other ways to find out what's coming.The caterpillar of the Isabella Tiger Moth (Pyrrharctia

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1161957229081381912006-10-27T09:12:00.001-04:002006-10-27T09:59:29.586-04:00

Eastern Chipmunk, Tamias striatus, Suisse (ou http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamia)All aboard the Friday Ark!

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1161866885630405962006-10-26T08:21:00.001-04:002006-10-26T08:48:05.653-04:00

It's here, the 35th edition of I and the Bird, the carnival of bird and birder blogging. Up at, appropriately for the season, Migrations.Head on over for stories from around the world, of migrants, and of birds at home. Next up at Words and Pictures, Thursday, November 9 (submissions due, Tuesday, November 7). Go to I and the Bird Central for more information.

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1161710148161287432006-10-24T20:00:00.000-04:002006-10-24T20:06:58.923-04:00

One day last week, as every week, just about, I was headed down to Prince Edward County for the day to work. On the side of the highway just south of the hamlet I saw a road-killed coyote. I didn't stop, but even a passing glance was enough to see that this had been a good looking animal in good condition. Sad, but interesting too, because although I've only seen a handful of road-killed coyotes

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1161642389358083132006-10-23T16:58:00.000-04:002006-10-23T18:26:29.533-04:00

It's not entirely clear to me why I haven't been able to write here much lately. Something to do with being overwhelmed with the responsibilities of publishing, or a concern that the stories I have to tell that fall within the purview of the blog are getting repetitive, or some general fatigue caused by too many wars, and a government that is taking us down a bad, bad road much faster than I

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1160753390087468132006-10-13T10:54:00.000-04:002007-08-10T10:32:53.740-04:00

Lost in a folder marked "Sept18-flora," these images of northern walking sticks (Diapheromera femorata) I came upon cavorting in a raspberry patch. I was following a butterfly at the time, when the sight of three walking sticks in the canes stopped me. As I approached, gingerly, one of them dropped away, leaving two, busily engaged. I couldn't see for sure what was going on, but I photographed it

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1160751247112018772006-10-13T10:19:00.000-04:002006-10-13T10:54:07.316-04:00

Head on over to the Tortoise Trail for the Hootenanny edition of I and the Bird, the blog carnival of birds and birding!If you blog about birds and birding, consider taking part in the festivities next time, hosted by Dan Rhoads of Migrations. Send submissions to Dan (daniel-dot-rhoads AT gmail-dot-com) or Mike (mike AT 10000birds-dot-com) by Tuesday the 24th of October.A Red-eyed Vireo passing

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1159576029472046072006-09-29T19:38:00.000-04:002006-09-29T20:43:15.700-04:00

Walking at dusk tonight, down the lane to the lake (Lake Ontario) below the house where I sometimes stay in Prince Edward County, I ran into a flock of calling warblers. There was just enough light and co-operation to get a look at a Yellow-rumped Warbler, and then I knew the calls (which I've heard many times before). A little further on, light fading fast now, I ran into another flock, many

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1159484530373158622006-09-28T18:43:00.000-04:002006-09-28T19:02:10.933-04:00

Travel the world with Texas journalist, tax expert and birder Kay Bell of Don't Mess with Taxes, host of the 33rd edition of I and the Bird, the carnival of the best of recent bird and birder blogging. Head on over!I and the Bird #34 will be hosted by Pam at Tortoise Trail, October 12. Click here to learn more about the carnival.

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1159191901818601772006-09-26T19:37:00.000-04:002006-09-26T22:48:04.576-04:00

After a rainy Saturday, Sunday came bright and windy. Windy, especially after the leaves start to fall is about the least favourable condition for checking out birds. It's hard to see them among all the other movement, and very hard to hear them, or locate sounds that you do hear.Nevertheless, since I could feel the migrating birds all around me, I headed out to see what I could see. Across the

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1159296823244862582006-09-26T14:45:00.000-04:002006-09-26T15:31:48.360-04:00

Circus of the Spineless, through the night, through the artists (Peter and Craig) and patrons of Spineless Tattoo, at Deep-Sea News. A little taste of the action: Peter: Why the visit?Tough Guy: CaterpillarPeter: Caterpillar?Tough Guy: Caterpillar tattooPeter: I got that muchTough Guy: I was thinking something intimidating like a Hickory Horned Devil (courtesy of Fragments of Floyd) or Hornworm,

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1159058066497743672006-09-23T20:03:00.000-04:002006-09-23T20:36:11.316-04:00

This time of year a walk at dusk has to be quick and timely. It takes me a while to get used to the change from the long evenings of summer, so tonight, as often happens, I was late getting out, and after a comparatively brisk walk around the fields (half an hour instead of the usual hour-and-a-half), came home in the dark.The fields were full of birds I couldn't see, making calls that, for the

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1158678527674377962006-09-19T10:57:00.000-04:002006-09-26T19:21:01.386-04:00

Even more than spring migration, fall migration is a real test of birding skill. I need more of it--skill that is, not fall migration.Yesterday I stepped outside to see a flock of seven to ten birds (maybe more) flitting about in the lilac and Manitoba maple just off the corner of the house. Yellowish, dark wings, pale beaks, not too small. Orioles? They'd have to be Orchard Orioles, which would

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1158426275791987202006-09-18T11:30:00.000-04:002006-09-18T11:17:27.076-04:00

In August of 2003 I discovered this critter and some friends on garden tomato plants. I grabbed this photo but was unable to find out what this was until this past weekend. I posted the photo on BugGuide.net and within the hour I had the answer. It looks so much like a tomato hornworm because it is.A later blog search turned up a post at Pharyngula from last February that mentions this

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1158328135301307212006-09-16T13:30:00.000-04:002006-09-16T17:09:52.106-04:00

Late in the spring I noticed that a couple of tomato plants had volunteered in a small waste pile in the yard. The yard is somewhat managed around the house, but not exactly manicured--so sometimes a small pile of straw, for example, rather than getting spread on the garden bed it was intended for ends up staying put for a year or so, and attracting other stuff. This small pile must have

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1158344505951158882006-09-15T13:40:00.000-04:002006-09-15T14:21:46.080-04:00

A sure sign of fall's approach: the blooming of the asters.The little speck turned out to be a spider. Too bad I didn't take note of it--might have had a better picture.The Friday Ark #104: All aboard!

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1158248662653942362006-09-14T13:27:00.000-04:002006-09-14T13:31:50.660-04:00

Looking over the search terms that have brought recent visitors to Thomasburg Walks I noticed that someone had come on a search from Australia for "parts of the teddy bear bee." My post "Teddy-bear Bee" popped up, but I wondered why someone would have chosen to search for the spur-of-the-moment nickname I gave to what I learned was a leaf-cutter bee (Megachile).Turns out that there are bees

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1158242234538717552006-09-14T09:32:00.000-04:002006-09-16T12:15:28.586-04:00

I and the Bird #32, the blog carnival of the best of recent bird and birder blogging is up at the always lovely Sand Creek Almanac. Deb has put together an excellent collection of posts, reflecting the various forms that birders' passions take. Check it out!There's been birding in Thomasburg. I've been enjoying, and being frustrated by, the small flocks of migrants passing through. And watching

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10199452.post-1157762473313397112006-09-08T20:29:00.000-04:002006-09-08T20:41:13.333-04:00

Ever since the sedum first started to show the slightest bit of bloom they've been covered by these small bees.Friday Ark #103

Pamela Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167132802880894799noreply@blogger.com3