Catalpa Tree

Bought and planted a Catalpa [Catalpa Speciosa] east of our residence. Indentified a Swainson's Thrush.

Forestry Fair and the Buckthorn

Attended the Forestry Fair of Eastern Ontario held at the Ferguson Forest Centre Kemptville, Ontario.
The nursery had common plant stock grown from local seed for sale; wood was being auctioned off, many interesting tree burls were sold, solid trunks of various hardwoods even cherry wood were auctioned and there were a couple of portable sawmills set up to cut into boards any of the logs that were purchased.

Inside there were various environment, forestry and nature related booths on display. There were also a couple of sections selling books. NRCan Canadian Forestry Service had one booth set up to help identify diseases. This was where I was finally enlightened about the identity of the invasive Buckthorn that is taking over much of the open areas of our forest. It is very aggressive. The booth also displayed the emerald ash borer (dead of course) as well as examples of its damage, and also the Asian Longhorn Beetle.

Our forest has a large number of mature ash trees and I am truly worried about the impact of the borer if and when it gets here.

There were tables of books for sale. I bought three books, Trees in Canada, 500 pp., and Trees of Ontario, 240 pp., both identify the buckthorns. Shrubs of Ontario, 495 pp., devotes six pages to just the Buckthorn and looks like a very thorough work on all shrubs in this province.

Two species of Buckthorn were identified in this woodlot.

European Buckthorn [Rhamnus cathartica L.] (also called common buckthorn, purghing buckthorn, European waythorn, Carolina buckthorn); and

Glossy Buckthorn [Rhamnus frangula L.]. It is also called European alder-buckthorn, European-alder, columnar buckthorn, fen buckthorn, arrow-wood, black-dogwood. Now I understand the reason for a unique latin name.

The European (or common) buckthorn tends to be a small tree shaped schrub with several very close stems. It is quite pretty in appearance. It develops horrible thorns instead of a central terminal bud. I had one lodged in my finger which took much effort to remove. Its bark tends to be reddish and smooth. Its sap is very noticeably orangy yellow.

The glossy buchthorn is more of a bush and in these parts tends to have a grey stem with little specs. Typically its shape is one of two or three main stems spreading out widely from a root stalk.
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Trees in Canada, John Laird Farrar, Published by Fitzhenry & Whiteside Limited and the Canadian Forestry Service, NRCan, 1995 8th printing 2003. ISBN 1-55041-199-3

Trees of Ontario including Tall Shrubs, Linda Kershaw, Published by Lone Pine Publishing, 2001 1st printing. ISBN 1-55105-274-1.

Shrubs of Ontario, James H. Soper and Margaret L. Heimburger, Published by Royal Ontario Museum,1982. ISBN 0-88854-283-6

Glowworms

Observed glow-worms [family Phengodidae] one evening after dark among the gravel along the sides of the driveway. In my 50 years of living in Southern Quebec, New Brunswick and Eastern Ontario, I have never seen these insects before. I have seen lightning bugs or fire flies but not this. They look like faint little green lights amongst the gravel and can only be observed in pitch darkness. The insect is positively identified by the website.

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.