A few weeks ago I visited a Caledon farm which has over 10,000,000 flowering sunflowers.

Though nothing like those numbers, the Todmorden Mills Wildlife Preserve has many hundreds of three large yellow-flowering species.

Cup Plant

Coneflower

Woodland Sunflower

Other botany:

MAILBOX

Hi Miles – I thought this might interest you – yesterday I finally figured out what the noisy, small raptors are that have been living in our neighbourhood since early spring – Merlins.   Perhaps this isn’t so unusual but I’ve never seen them here before and haven’t heard of them living in suburban Toronto. Our house is at Islington and Rathburn.

Since early spring I’ve been trying to figure out what these noisy small raptors are. But they fly so fast that I haven’t had a good look at them. Yesterday one flew low and slow over my head enroute to the tall firs next door. I noted the pale underbody and pointed wing tips and managed to match the description with the distinctive vocalizations they make (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XapYS4tFfNU) . They’re Merlins!

We have Peregrine Falcons and Red-tailed Hawks that hang out here but never prior to this spring have I seen these turbo-speed raptors!  Maybe that’s why we aren’t seeing as many Finches, Chickadees, Sparrows and Nuthatches….

NATURE POETRY

The nectarine and curious peach 
Into my hands themselves do reach; 
Stumbling on melons as I pass, 
Insnared with flowers, I fall on grass.      – Andrew Marvell (1621–1678)

Miles Hearn