Glen Haffy C.A. and a Backyard Cooper’s Hawk: Late Dec. 2021

I last visited the Gen Haffy Conservation Area near Mono Mills in June 2020.

Here are some photos from that day:

Orange Hawkweed
Yellow Hawkweed
Philadelphia Fleabane
Jack-in-the-Pulpit

Glen Haffy is located within the Humber River Watershed, at the junction of Ontario’s two most dominant geological features – The Niagara Escarpment and the Oak Ridges Moraine. 

Here is how it looked on an overcast December 2021 morning:

melting snow from overhead tree droplets on snow

Some botany:

Ground-hemlock (Taxus canadensis)
Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)
Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)
Wild-cucumber (Echinocystis lobata)
Common Burdock (Arctium minus)
Bittersweet Nightshade (Solanum dulcmara)
Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)
Canada Goldenrod (Solidago canadense)
Basswood (Tilia americana) with ice
Polypores
Ash Borer damage
Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
Alternate-leaved Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)
White Pine (Pinus strobus)
Lichen
Goldenrod gall
American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
Trembling Aspen (Populus tremuloides)
Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)
Mullein (Verbascum thapsis)
Ice on grape tendril
Queen Anne’s-lace (Daucus carota)
White Birch (Betula papyrifera)
Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)
White Spruce (Picea glauca)

During a recent light snowfall, a Cooper’s Hawk alighted in our backyard and I took these photos through the window pane:

Cooper’s Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk

NATURE POETRY

O World, thou choosest not the better part!
It is not wisdom to be only wise,
And on the inward vision close the eyes,
But it is wisdom to believe the heart.           – George Santayana (1863–1952)

Miles Hearn

3 thoughts on “Glen Haffy C.A. and a Backyard Cooper’s Hawk: Late Dec. 2021

  1. Patricia Lund

    Happy New Year to you Miles.
    Thank you for all your posts which you have faithfully produced every day of the year. I read them every day always learning something new. I have learnt mostly how to differentiate all the different ducks and am amazed at how many different varieties we have here in Ontario. I need a quiz to be tested on all these ducks. I have learnt a lot about the different sparrows and finches but still find some of them indistinguishable and am amazed that you can always spot the sometimes small difference between them.
    May you continue on your walks in 2022 but with a group.

    Reply
  2. rosemarie fischer

    what Patricia Lund says!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ditto…ditto…ditto…..could not say it better…many THANKS,Miles

    Reply

Leave a Reply

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