White Snakeroot.

‘Labour Day’,

After noticing this very subtle white flower for some time I was finally able to identify it as White snake root [Eupatorium Rugosum]. It is situated along the driveway and abundant throughout the property. It stands about half a metre tall and in shade. This is a very common plant around here yet I was unable to find it in various flora books for Ontario such as Ontario Wildflowers – 101 Wayside Flowers, by Linda Kershaw, 2002 Lone Pine Publishing, ISBN 1-55105-285-7. Only after accessing an older copy of A Field Guide to Wildflowers of Northeastern and North-central North America by Roger Tory Peterson and Margaret McKenny, 1968, ISBN 0-395-08086-x, was I able to positively identify it. Web searches were not that helpful either in identifying this plant. After identification – the hard part, there was much literature to be found.

Recorded ocurrence of purple loosestrife

I received a Purple Loosestrife Survey Form in the mail and completed and mailed it today. This lot may be considered as a potential Galerucella beetle release site.

Forest Management Plan sent

The Forest Management plan is completed and sent to the Provincial Ministry of Natural resources.

Joined OFAH

Joined OFAH.

Joined the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH), in response to their impressive and proactive approach to habitat conservation initiatives. It is largely because of OFAH efforts that I have been alerted of the Purple Loosestrife control program.

August 17, 2004.

Joined Ducks Unlimited Today

Signed up with Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC), in response to their proactive approach to wetlands preservation and their proactive role in the loosestrife program.

“Ducks Unlimited conserves, restores and manages wetlands and associated habitats for North America's waterfowl. These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people.”

A Real Purple Loosestrife Solution !!!

After much persistent internet hunting found a solution to the purple loosestrife (pls) invasion problem It originates right here in Ontario. Carroll finds the purple field very beautiful, but then I figure less purple will look nice too. We just have so much of it. It takes hold very well on disturbed soil and since our driveway and property around the house has been newly build it has spread profusely. And this is in addition to the pls monoculture in our open field as well as in the wetland area.

The University of Guelph http://www.uoguelph.ca/mediarel/96-07-19/purple.html has successfully tested two species of beetle over an extended 8 year period that eats pls to 90%. The test was in a controlled environment to examine its affect on other plants. This is exciting news. The beetle does not eliminate pls. As pls dies off so does the beetle and as it grows the beetle follows. So pls will again become just a nice wild (sic) flower again. The program was sponsored and operated as a joint effort of Ducks Unlimited, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, Beetles Ontario, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Wetland Habitat Fund.

I have applied for the beetle release program on this property, and plan to do the required work in monitoring the progress of the beetle as required of the program.

I have applied for the beetle release program on this property, and will gladly do the required work in monitoring the progress of the beetle as required.

Of Frogs, Flowers, and Weeds.

Spotted several dozen (many) leopard frogs of various sizes, green and brown (yellow) variety.

Wild flora identified:

Black Currant [Ribes americanum] found among the remains of an old drive shed before the house.
Spotted touch-me-not aka Spotted Jewelweed [Impatiens capensis] along east side of driveway.
Tall enchanter’s nightshade [Circaea Lutetiana]
Harebell [Campanula rotudiflora]
Yarrow [Achillea millefolium] has a white flower.
Field is full of purple loosestrife [Lythrum salcaria L.] also along driveway and many other places.
Wild Cucumber [Echinocystis lobata] in field of Area G clearing and along driveway.
Cattails [Typhalatifolia L] in a pond in field of Area I.
Cow vetch [Vicia Cracca] in residential acre before the house.

Frogs and Snakes.

Sighted many small (3 cm.) leopard frogs as well as full grown leopard frogs in the tall grass areas around the residential acre. There are two colour phases observed. A green frog with gold spots and a more yellowing variety with gold and black spots. My nearest neighbour has seen large frogs eating the smaller frogs.

Sighted a green and black 50 cm. garter snake. They can be found sunning in open areas and on rocks. The snake is harmless to us, probably not to frogs.

A few Sugar Maple Trees

Examined trees for identification. Found 3 sugar maple trees along the southern border fence line among the basswood, along the road allowance between lots. It is not a Norway Maple since the buds are too small.

Start of Paper Logbook

A woodlot manager must keep a record of management activities to qualify as a bona-fide woodlot as per the MFTIP.

On this day I had started the paper MFTIP activities record or log. It has been copied over to this blog on October 29th. 2004.

Choruses

May 15, 2004

Choruses

Fell asleep to the chorus of frogs and woke up to the chorus of bird. Not much sleep to be had you would think but it is actually quite soothing.

Bear encounter

This morning just as I left for work there were wet bear prints on our back porch which must have occurred just minutes before I left the house at 0600 hrs. The prints are quite large about 10cm by 15cm. A week earlier a bear has taken out a couple of chunks of a snowmobile seat cushion in the same yard.

I have also noticed bear prints in soft mud by some drill wells in a clearing at the end of our road along the road allowance.

I am an active composter and wonder if that is what is attracting the bear. Did some digging and found ways to improve on rapid control of compost odours, It is all about encouraging aerobic versus anaerobic decomposition.

Walking Pigeon picked up

The pigeon owner from the nearby village of Metcalfe, Ontario, called and dropped by to pick up the bird. Apparently his pigeons have been watched by a goshawk causing many pigeons to flee, which this female did. The bird expended so much energy flying without replenishment that its muscle mass was so depleted that it could no longer fly. The fancier will keep her now for breeding purposes.

Walking Pigeon

I have found a live pigeon walking about on my property today. It had a band with the markings CU OTT 2003 3397. It has been here several days but I never noticed the bands until now. The bird seems healthy in that it rests on one leg, has good droppings and seems interested in the food. It does not fly well so it has been walking a lot. The breastbone is quite bare so it may be emaciated to some extent. I have captured it easily and put it in a small cage to protect it from predators including our cats.

Sent an email with this information to crpu@execulink.com for Canadian Racing Pigeon Union, requesting them to contact the owner. Determined that the pigeon belonged to the Centennial Homing Club which is local. Club contact information is in my planner.

The Really Great

" Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great, make you feel that you too can become great."

-Mark Twain.

Conservation Land

Began looking into the Conservation Land Tax Incentive program. There are 16 acres at the rear of the property that qualify as conservation land according to the tax form.

Gaggles and Gaggles of Canada's

While driving to work heading north on Highway 416 towards Ottawa this morning I saw many many gaggles or “V”s of Canada Geese flying north. I estimated that there were several tens of thousands of geese.

Rough Legged Hawk

Were visited by a Rough legged hawk as we were sitting in our living room enjoying our view on this day off. It perched on the large manitoba maple that is off beyond the clearing before our house.

Attended the Kemptville Focus Session - Landowner Incentive Workshop (Future Afforestation Program)

Attended the subject workshop and focus session. The material in interesting and provided me with considerable insight into the Kyoto Accord and the issues with carbon sequestration. The landowner incentive concepts that were being sought however did not seem too practical to me. In a nutshell the concept presented was about setting up partnerships between carbon consumers such as forest harvesting companies and oil companies with woodlot owners or potential “carbon storers”. The carbon consumer would contribute afforestation where a land is not reforested but rather converted from a non-forest ie farm or vacant land into forest, and in return the consumer would acquire “carbon credits” as a form of currency. I found it a difficult concept to adopt let alone comprehend. Why not just convert the “carbon credits” to dollars, which we all understand? This could be achieved through tax credits or penalties.

What complicates this idea is that not just forests lock-in carbon. According to a Ducks Unlimited Magazine article, swamps and marshes are also notable contributors to carbon and greenhouse gas sequestration.

Attended Forestry Fair 2003

Attended the Forestry Fair in Kemptville Ontario. Arrived a little late bu was on time to buy to silver maple saplings and to watch the end of the wood auction. Met a colleague canoe builder who was buying a large 2 feet (60 cm) diameter log of cherry wood for his business.