Redpolls at Gold Point: December 2020

I enjoy the challenge of finding and exploring areas that I am not familiar with. This morning I had a look at Gold Point which is at the Lake Ontario boundary between Oshawa and Whitby.

Beaver handiwork
Mollusks

Some botany:

Red-cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
Red Ash (Fraxinus pensylvanica)
Red Ash (Fraxinus pensylvanica)
Red Ash (Fraxinus pensylvanica)
Highbush-cranberry (Viburnum opulus)
Goldenrod gall
Canada Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)
Hawthorn (Crataegus)
Flat-topped Goldenrod (Euthamia graminifolia)
Red-osier (Cornus sericea)
Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago)
Wayfaring Tree (Viburnum lantana)
Lichen
Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
Butternut (Juglans cinerea)
Mustard flowering in December
White Elm (Ulmus americana)
Rose hips

I have seen Redpolls many times this fall; usually in Black Alder trees. This morning, about two dozen were at another of their favourite foods: Goldenrod seeds:

Common Redpoll
Common Redpoll
Common Redpoll
Common Redpoll

Other birds:

Great Black-backed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull with Red-breasted Merganser
Greater Scaup
Greater Scaup
Greater Scaup
Buffleheads (male)
American Robin
Black-capped Chickadee
Mute Swan
Mallards

If you have fought against hungry squirrels wolfing down all of that expensive birdseed, you will enjoy this:

NATURE POETRY

The vine leaves against the brick walls of my house,
Are rusty and broken.
Dead leaves gather under the pine-trees,
The brittle boughs of lilac-bushes
Sweep against the stars.                                        – Amy Lowell (1874–1925)

Miles Hearn

2 thoughts on “Redpolls at Gold Point: December 2020

  1. Pamela Stevens

    I enJoyed seeing the mustard still blooming and the one brilliant red Christmas decoration on the highbush cranberry. Thank you, Miles.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *