Recent videos: milkweed, Hermit thrush

Milkweed

I recently participated in the Milkweed Watch citizen science site, by reporting milkweed sightings. We've had so many little trips, I'd seen a lot. I don't think I need convince anyone why we need to watch for them. Happily, we have thousands of plants here, and many more in fields and ditches nearby. I think they must be more scarce in other parts of our province, and Canada and in the US, but we had a ton of Monarchs this year! The migration map is interesting.

Hermit Thrush

These are so difficult to photograph! I guess that's why they call them Hermit Thrush! We have a healthy population in our forest, these are from 2013, and 2012, respectively.

You can see why they are difficult to pin down, they just bop all over the place! This is down the hill, across the meadow and into the forest, just before the wetland. They are adorable, and will soon leave. For now, the insects are plentiful. They look for bugs in the leaves.
Perfect camouflage, too!
Mostly, you can hear a ticked off red squirrel in the forest. It chose not to sing.
"The Hermit Thrush’s beautiful, haunting song begins with a sustained whistle and ends with softer, echo-like tones, described as oh, holy holy, ah, purity purity eeh, sweetly sweetly. "
Hermit thrush from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.