What a spring! One day it is too hot, the next day snow and freezing temperatures, then rain, rain, rain. It has made it hard to do gardening. Nonetheless we are pressing ahead.

Our gardener for the season is Kathy Michaluk, who is often joined by volunteer Rose Anne Prevec. When shrubs and plants arrive more people will be assisting. Monica Brecht and her sister, Mike and Ryan will all be lending a hand.

The beavers have caused considerable damage to the shrubs along banks and the pathway to Canal Park. We shall doing some replacement planting with fast growing willows.

If you hurry to the Garden you will see the beautiful Captain Cootes Red apple trees in full bloom. There are quite a few Painted Lady butterflies on our pearly everlasting, also the occasional Red Admiral finding just the right stinging nettle. We are off to an early start.

We hope to keep “Seen in the Garden” up-to-date, and there will be a our usual series of Saturday talks – so far the line-up looks great.

JC

Thur., December 1st, 2022 to Tues., February 28, 2023.

It is already December which means once again the Urquhart Butterfly Garden, in partnership with the Hamilton Conservation Authority, is holding a Winter Photo Contest. Please see the poster below for submission guidelines.

You may take your photographs in Canal Park (including from the observation platform) as well as in the Urquhart Butterfly Garden.

There are only two categories:
Birds and Other Wildlife – identification required  
Natural Winter Scenes – includes plants, landscape shots and etc.

Wildlife is easier to see in the winter.  There are dozens of little Hooded Mergansers in the canal right now and a lot of other bird life.  The beavers have been busy, and you will see one if you are observant in the early evening.

Please remember that when you submit your pictures in February, you must include your name, address, and phone number.

Best of luck to all!

GOOGLE FORM SUBMISSION LINK:

A link to the entry form may be found HERE:

https://tinyurl.com/contest-form

ALL submissions are due by 11:59 PM Tues., February 28, 2023. Late submission will not be considered.

All photos entered (up to 3 per category) may be entered using a single form. Repeat submissions will not be considered. Any questions please contact: winterphotos2023@gmail.com

IDENTIFICATION RESOURCES:

There are many excellent digital resources for help with plant and wildlife identification. Fortunately, most are free of charge.

Winter Plant identification is difficult, at times impossible, and is therefore optional for the winter contest. We have included a plant ID link for any interested in broadening their natural history knowledge.   

Correct identification of birds and all other wildlife is required and can be accomplished with the resources provided. Incomplete or incorrect identifications are factored into the judging process.

As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to winterphotos2023@gmail.com for ID hints if you are truly stumped.

BIRDS
Hamilton Naturalists’ Club Birding Checklist: https://hamiltonnature.org/birding/birds/
Download a free checklist to the birds of the Hamilton Study Area (HSA), a circle with a 40 km radius centered on Dundurn Castle.

The All About Birds website, Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/#
Read species accounts and compare similar species. Also Links to the Merlin Bird ID App.

The Merlin Bird ID App: https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/
Upload photos for AI assisted identification. A caution: While Merlin is often correct, it is in development and may result in errors. It will typically point you in the right direction but treat it as a starting point.

The Sibley eGuide to Birds App, Version 2: https://www.sibleyguides.com/product/sibley-birds-v2-app/
Comes at a cost of $19.99 but also serves as a traditional field guide. Hard Copy of the Sibley Guide also available.


INSECTS
Bug Guide: https://bugguide.net/node/view/15740
Upload photos for ID help or browse entries


PLANTS & ALL WILDLIFE
iNaturalist Canada (plants, birds, insects, mammals): https://inaturalist.ca/
An excellent resource for ID help and storing observations. Works better with a (free) registered account but can be used without.