Salamander

Cataraqui Trail @ Indian Lake Road
March 5, 2006

Clear sky with calm air. Temperature approx. 0 C.
A deer was seen down on the frozen lake below the railway causeway. It watched us for awhile, and then trotted across the lake and into the forest. An adult Bald Eagle was seen flying low over the beaver ponds to the north side of the trail [UTM 18T 0393267, 4936407 (WGS84), 13:27 hrs]. It then drifted upwards to fly in circles high above us, gradually drifting south towards Opinicon Lake. A woodpecker - probably a Pileated, could occasionally be heard from the White Pine forest on the other side of the beaver pond.

This weekend, there was a lot of squirrel and woodpecker activity around the farm. At one point, there were 3 Red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) on top of the bird feeder log. One of the squirrels is new to the front garden and can be recognized by the white tip of its tail (see above photo). Perhaps it is hoping to masquerade as a fox. One of the squirrels was probably the Psycho squirrel but it’s difficult to be sure. However, one of the squirrels did seem to behave oddly, clinging to the side of the feeder log and staring at the other 2 squirrels sitting up top and then occasionally rushing them to force them off. That certainly jives with its usual behaviour.

Also seen this weekend — a Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) pecking and probing at the bark of a dying Poplar tree in the backyard, and both Downy (Picoides pubescens) and Hairy Woodepeckers (Picoides villosus) seen at the suet feeders. Don also was able to approach a Hairy Woodpecker that was working on a Poplar tree over in the woodlot on Feb. 26th.

The Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) was seen and photographed feeding on sunflower seeds atop the feeder log over the weekend. It seems to be visiting before dawn and very late in the evening.

Tags: Red squirrels, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus, Eastern Cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus, Pileated Woodpecker, Dryocopus pileatus, Downy Woodpecker, Picoides pubescens, Hairy Woodpecker, Picoides villosus

Feb. 19, 2006:
Yesterday, we hiked the Hemlock Ridge and Beech Woods trails at Charleston Lake. We found many Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) tracks on the snow. We hiked the same two trails last weekend (Feb. 11), and on that occasion, found a porcupine about 4 meters up a poplar tree near the trailhead. Later in that hike, we encountered what was probably the same porcupine, about 200 meters up the trail. It quickly ambled back in the direction of the trailhead. On Feb. 19th, we found the woods laced with porcupine highways such as the one in the above photo. Obviously, the porcupines are quite active. I followed one set of tracks to an opening in the cracked granite ridge.

Also seen on this trip were two Barred owls (Strix varia) along the Hemlock Grove trail [UTM 18T 0418257, 4928574 (WGS84)]. We had seen one moving about among the hemlocks on Feb. 11, but this time, we saw two at the same time, moving along through the treetops ahead of us. We’ve seen and photographed a Barred Owl in this same grove a couple of times in recent years.

Other birds seen on this trip were a Common Raven, flying overhead, calling loudly; as well as a Hairy Woodpecker in the spruce grove on the Beech Woods trail. Ruffed Grouse tracks were frequently seen along both trails, as were the tracks of deer, fox, and coyote.

Tags: Porcupine, Erethizon dorsatum, Barred owls, Strix varia