Northern Parula and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Kirkup Woods: May 2020

On this day, I wanted to explore the area just west of Lake Simcoe and, completely haphazardly, came across this place:

It was perfect for a walk on a sunny day and there were trilliums everywhere.

Butterflies were out:

and a few mammals:

High in the trees and moving quickly and frequently was a Northern Parula. This very small warbler is becoming more common in the last 20 years or so. In my youth, I do not remember ever seeing one. None of these photos is perfect but you get an idea of this beautiful little bird:

Large birds such as hawks and penguins are very careful to send their “scat” as far away as possible as you can see in this Osprey sequence:

In Toronto, we only see Sapsuckers in migration but they enliven cottage country with their “Morse code” tapping, their whining calls and excited activity near their nests. Males have a red throat as this one does:

Other birds:

NATURE POETRY

May is bee in blossom,
May is birds a-nesting,
May is picking violets on a hill;
May is young and twenty,
May is Sunday-besting,
May is eager Jack and willing Jill.     – The Old Farmer’s Almanac 1961

Miles Hearn