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2017 A Year in Review

Kristen Martyn- Regent Bowerbird

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Most of us have patches of thistle in our yard tha

Most of us have patches of thistle in our yard that we mow over when it comes time to cut the grass. It's not very attractive when it's first starting to grow, and it hurts a heck of a lot when you step on it in bare feet! 😆 But when allowed to grow and bloom, thistle becomes an incredibly valuable plant for butterflies and birds! Thistle is highly sought after by butterflies for its nectar-rich flowers, and loved by birds like American Goldfinches for its seeds. Goldfinches also use thistledown (cotton-like strands attached to thistle seeds) as a primary source of nesting material to line their nests. 🐦🦋
#thistle #nativegardening #nativeplants #canoncanada #canada #conservation #conservationeducation #explore #exploreontario #getoutside #mydiscoverycanada #nature #ontarionature #sharecangeo #shareyourweather #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wildlifeaddicts #outdooradventures #outdoorphotography #naturelovers #naturephotography #macro #macrophotography

Mourning Cloaks seem to be having a good year so f

Mourning Cloaks seem to be having a good year so far! These beauties are flying around everywhere lately. Parks, gardens, forests, shorelines, you name it, Mourning Cloaks are there. 🦋 These masters of disguise can be found across Canada (as far north as the tundra!), and are one of the few butterfly species whose range reaches Europe and Asia. Though they do feed on nectar from flowers, you are more likely to see a Mourning Cloak feasting on the sap from maple, birch, or poplar trees. Mourning Cloaks are also one of many butterfly species who partakes in "mudpuddling", meaning they extract nutrients from damp dirt, sand, manure, compost, scat, carrion, and rotting fruit. 🦋
#mourningcloak #mourningcloakbutterfly #butterflies #pollinators #spring #canoncanada #canada #conservation #conservationeducation #explore #exploreontario #getoutside #mydiscoverycanada #nature #ontarionature #sharecangeo #shareyourweather #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wildlifeaddicts #outdooradventures #outdoorphotography #naturelovers #naturephotography #macro #macrophotography #insectsofinstagram #insectphotography #butterflyphotography #gardenforwildlife

Believe it or not, these gorgeous cacti grow in On

Believe it or not, these gorgeous cacti grow in Ontario! 🌵 The Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus is an extremely rare cactus species found only in two areas of southern Ontario. Though cacti are known for being some of the toughest plants out there, the Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus is listed as Endangered and is threatened by habitat loss due to winter storms & eroding shoreline, and are also threatened by agressive invasive species such as spotted knapweed who outcompete the cacti. 🌵
#easternpricklypearcactus #pricklypear #cactus #cacti #nativegardening #nativeplants #canoncanada #canada #conservation #conservationeducation #explore #exploreontario #getoutside #mydiscoverycanada #nature #ontarionature #sharecangeo #shareyourweather #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wildlifeaddicts #outdooradventures #outdoorphotography #naturelovers #naturephotography #macro #macrophotography

Anyone else waking up in a fog this morning? 😴😆

If you have Eastern Cottontails in your yard, you'

If you have Eastern Cottontails in your yard, you've probably noticed that they poop A LOT. 💩 But did you know that they have two different types of droppings? The round, dry, brown "pellets" that you see in your yard are made of entirely waste material, with all nutrients extracted from it. The other type that they produce is called a cecotrope, and technically isn't feces, but more like a dietary supplement that they ingest. Rabbits produce cecotropes, which are soft and greenish in colour, often in early morning and consume them immediately. Though it may seem rather gross to us, these soft pellets are nutrient-packed and critical to the health of a rabbit! 🐰
#easterncottontail #bunny #poop #wildbirdsunlimited #winterbirding #barrieontario #birding #birdlife #birdlover #birdphotography #birds #birdsofinstagram #birdsonearth #birdwatching #canoncanada #canada #conservation #conservationeducation #explore #exploreontario #getoutside #mydiscoverycanada #nature #ontarionature #sharecangeo #shareyourweather #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Look at those luxurious antennae! 😍 Cecropia Mo

Look at those luxurious antennae! 😍 Cecropia Moths are the largest moth species in North America, with a wingspan of nearly 16cm. Males and females are almost identical, with the only major difference lying in the antennae. Female Cecropia Moths have rather slender antennae, where as males have very prominent and feathery antennae. These appendages are detect female pheromones, helping the males track them down in order to mate and produce the next generation of Cecropia Moths. 🦋
#hyalophoracecropia #cecropiamoth #canoncanada #canada #conservation #conservationeducation #explore #exploreontario #getoutside #mydiscoverycanada #nature #ontarionature #sharecangeo #shareyourweather #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wildlifeaddicts #outdooradventures #outdoorphotography #naturelovers #naturephotography #macro #macrophotography #insectsofinstagram #insectphotography #butterflyphotography #gardenforwildlife

Have you noticed any Eastern Bluebirds with their

Have you noticed any Eastern Bluebirds with their babies lately? If you have, chances are they are from their second successful brood of the season! 🐣 Eastern Bluebirds will typically rasie one clutch of 2-7 chicks in early spring, and repeat the process before the season ends. By the time the second brood fledges, the young from the first are off on their own, while the second brood will often stay with the parents throughout the winter months. 💙
#easternbluebird #bluebird #wildbirdsunlimited #barrieontario #birding #birdlife #birdlover #birdphotography #birds #birdsofinstagram #birdsonearth #birdwatching #canoncanada #canada #conservation #conservationeducation #explore #exploreontario #getoutside #mydiscoverycanada #nature #ontarionature #sharecangeo #shareyourweather

This isn't a sea creature that's learned to live o

This isn't a sea creature that's learned to live on land 🌊😂 it's a Black Firefly larva! Did you know that there are over 20 firefly species in Ontario and they are under threat due to pesticide use, habitat loss, and light pollution? 😮 While it's obvious why pesticide use and habitat loss are a problem for fireflies, what harm can light do? Fireflies communicate with one another and find mates by using their iconic flickering abdomen, and these behaviours are disrupted by artificial lights! 💡 You can help protect fireflies at home by eliminating pesticide use and shrinking your mowed lawn space, and by shutting lights off at night whenever possible. 🌚
#blackfirefly #fireflies #lightningbug #spring #canoncanada #canada #conservation #conservationeducation #explore #exploreontario #getoutside #mydiscoverycanada #nature #ontarionature #sharecangeo #shareyourweather #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wildlifeaddicts #outdooradventures #outdoorphotography #naturelovers #naturephotography #macro #macrophotography #insectsofinstagram #insectphotography #butterflyphotography #gardenforwildlife

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