Signs of Spring in the Don Valley: April 2021

As days grow longer and temperatures warm, there is lots of activity in both botany and the bird world in the Don Valley.

I even encountered my first snake of the season:

Garter Snake

Some botany:

Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
Silver Maple (Acer sachharinum)
Silver Maple (Acer sachharinum)
Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)
Manitoba Maple (Acer negundo)
Choke Cherry (Prunus virginiana)
Hawthorn (Crataegus)

The largest flowers were the European Pussy Willows:

European Pussy Willow (Salix caprea)
European Pussy Willow (Salix caprea)
European Pussy Willow (Salix caprea)
European Pussy Willow (Salix caprea)

About every one hundred metres there is a Song Sparrow:

Song Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Song Sparrow

Other birds:

Tree Swallow
Downy Woodpecker (female)
Hairy Woodpecker (male)
Hairy Woodpecker (male)
Mallard (male)
American Robin
American Robin
Turkey Vultures
Turkey Vultures

MAILBOX

Man does excellent bird imitations:

NATURE POETRY

Again rejoicing Nature sees
Her robe assume its vernal hues,
Her leafy locks wave in the breeze,
All freshly steep’d in morning dews.         – Robert Burns (1759–96) 

Miles Hearn

2 thoughts on “Signs of Spring in the Don Valley: April 2021

  1. Lisa Volkov

    He seems good! And it’s so good to see a place I love so much, with its wonderful signs of spring. Thanks, Miles!

    Reply
  2. Trudy Rising

    I’m jealous of that young man, not only does he know the Latin names, he also sounds like them. My husband used to say my Baltimore Oriole attempt sounded more like a Veery. Humph!

    Thanks, Miles. The rain really brought out the flowers — Blood Root blossoms almost out in the ravine below Sunnybrook Hospital!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.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