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blue jay
giant silk moth
Great horned owl
pileated woodpecker
indigo bunting
Barred Owl
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red trillium
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Ruby-throated hummingbird
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Wood frogs in spring
Category Archives: Creatures of Altona
The Journey
From the moment I entered these woods, it’s been ‘my Altona Forest’. Just as it’s your Altona Forest. And the forest belongs equally to all the creatures who live there and depend on its sanctuary. It’s a special place that … Continue reading
Posted in Along the Trails, Creatures of Altona
1 Comment
Tomorrow’s Bees
In just a few weeks, the first bees will emerge in early spring. I’ve been thinking a lot about native bees and the immense obstacles they are facing with climate change, environmental toxins and chemicals, and loss of habitat. We … Continue reading
Elegant Deceiver
Black and orange can mean either viceroy or monarch butterfly. Learn to spot the differences Continue reading
Posted in Along the Trails, Creatures of Altona
Tagged butterfly, differences, monarch, native species, viceroy
1 Comment
Amphibians Beyond The Ponds
Feeling like ‘a frog is a frog’? Just a little curiosity is all you need to take the leap and discover their amazing song, life cycle, and contribution to our woods. So I’m going to challenge you to go to … Continue reading
Posted in Along the Trails, Creatures of Altona
Tagged amphibians, frogs, GTA, native species, wetlands
1 Comment
Leave It To Beavers
The most amazing thing happened to Lacey’s Pond this spring … it rained and rained … and then rained some more. That’s a whole lot of water. Those familiar with Lacey’s Pond in Altona Forest will know that the native cattails took hold … Continue reading
Posted in Along the Trails, Creatures of Altona, Forest-Friendly Practices
Tagged beaver, pond
6 Comments
Bird-Brained Quest
Inadvertently, I’ve had a winter project. After a fleeting sighting early in winter, a woodpecker has been taunting me. For months. I was only able to catch a shadowy, blurry far-off photo – but it was definitive: a red-bellied woodpecker … Continue reading
Posted in Along the Trails, Creatures of Altona
Tagged altona forest, birding, carolinian, red-bellied, woodpecker
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Woodpeckers of the Winter Woods
One of the best things about winter walks in Altona Forest is being able to see woodpeckers clearly and frequently. They are often found busily tapping for insects or their larvae and will generally ignore you watching them or aiming … Continue reading
Posted in Along the Trails, Creatures of Altona
Tagged altona forest, bird watching, birding, downy, hairy, native species, pileated, woodpecker
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Oh Possum!
This time of year brings flocks of juncos to my birdseed, woodpeckers to the suet, and a strange set of footprints under my feeders. I watch carefully to see a possum wander into my garden at dusk or early evening. … Continue reading
Posted in Along the Trails, Creatures of Altona
Tagged Didelphia virginiana, forest, ontario, opossum, possum, urban wildlife
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Meeting Mothra
Let me be frank: I knew absolutely nothing about the giant moth I met today. I really dislike bugs and strive for a mutual-avoidance policy. Yes; that’s pretty closed-minded of me. However, I got to be a part of something … Continue reading
Posted in Creatures of Altona
Tagged cecropia male, cecropia moth, giant silk moth, Hyalophoa cecropia, moth, native, ontario, polyphemus
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Feeding and Protecting Hummingbirds
Hurray For Spring! What signals spring for you? Tulips? The last stubborn bit of that pile of driveway snow disappearing? A visit to the garden centre? My spring truly arrives when the ruby-throated hummingbirds return to my garden. They are … Continue reading
My Altona Forest 