Fall's a critical time to be watchful for wildlife on roads especially near wetlands & natural areas. Many species are dispersing from summering areas; young turtles & snakes are on the move. The small Watersnake didn't make it, but adult did. Blanding's Turtles on the move, too.

This is the transition of one of our gardens from 2019 to 2022. Birds are starting to nest in the trees and shrubs, frogs and snakes are finding shelter amongst the vegetation and woody debris, and insects are pollinating flowers and preying on each other. Much better than lawn.

The native Aster patch we planted two years ago in a garden we designed is really working for the pollinators in this last week of September! Great structural variation among the different species. Love the blue and white colour combination.

Found this Skipper Butterfly on the spectacular blooms of our native New England Aster. Hard to specifically ID but possibly a Fiery or Peck's Skipper. First time seeing this butterfly. #NorfolkNature #nativeplants #butterflies

Who needs an outdoor carpet when you wake up to this beautiful fall tapestry! And for the sake of the insects and invertebrates...leave the leaves on site!

Recent photo of the seedhead of our Hairy Beardtongue with morning dew and webbing. Also photos of this beautiful plant through the past growing season. A must-have for your garden! #NorfolkNature

Like fields of cotton...only it's meadows of Canada Goldenrod gone to seed! With record breaking warmth this weekend the native seeds were flying in the breeze but there will certainly be plenty left for early wintering birds. American Goldfinch were enjoying it today.

The BirdLife International 2022 State of the World’s Birds found nearly 50% of all #bird species in decline. New eBird Trends maps show exactly where declines are happening, as well where #conservation measures appear to be working & could be replicated elsewhere. bit.ly/3hBnihm

So excited to finally share our exciting news! Stay tuned for videos showing the full arc of our dramatic month-long search for this elusive species. For now, enjoy the first ever photo and video of the long lost Black-naped Pheasant-pigeon.

Anyone want to garden with native plants to attract birds, bees, insects and butterflies? Birds Canada has a website that helps you plan a garden to do just that. It provides you a list of plants based on your location, sun and soil conditions birdgardens.ca

Some great #LongPoint #birding to start the new year. Hundreds of tundra swans, geese, and ducks resting and feeding in the inner bay.

Two weeks after the intense pre-Christmas weather bomb, mild weather has melted the snow (aside from the deepest drifts) & rainfall has been abundant. It was time for a walk in the woods to celebrate the colour green again! This moss covered old-growth sugar maple was superb!

Very vocal and hungry tundra swans enjoying some open water along the edge of a marsh on Long Point inner bay.

One of my favourite forest plants to observe in winter is Partridge Berry (Mitchella repens). These small, ground hugging plants are evergreen & produce red berries late in the season that overwinter (if not eaten by birds/small mammals). Great native plant for the shade garden.

It's wonderful, almost mystical, to discover a roosting owl and quietly observe it. This beautiful Great Horned rested peacefully at a private Ontario spot. Well, not entirely peaceful...it was mobbed periodically by small #birds. (Respectfully photographed from great distance.)

A recent, lovely photo from one of our gardens, of a Purple Coneflower seedhead, minus the seeds - most of which would have been eaten by the local wintering birds. #NorfolkNature

A recent study reveals that Black Swifts can stay aloft for up to eight months and that they ascend to almost three miles in the sky during moonlit nights, a finding confirmed by a fortuitous lunar eclipse. audubon.org/news/a-lunar-e…

Dreaming of spring garden projects? Here is the rain-fed garden pond we built fall 2021 and then summer 2022. It's small but lovely to sit at. Have had frogs, toads, garter snake, birds and even a Blandings Turtle (for a couple of days). Again, build it and they will come!

It's a great time to get outside and enjoy spring migration while also looking for evidence of breeding birds for the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas. This Red-headed Woodpecker recently arrived in Ontario and has started excavating a nest cavity.

#Nipigon 13 (NIP013), located north and west of Ogoki Lake is now 23,084 hectares in size and not yet under control. Smoke drift from this #fire is impacting parts of Northwestern Ontario. Visit firesmoke.ca to access the current smoke forecast conditions.