Jack’s Walk

It’s a sunny, warm day here and Jack felt like stopping to take a rest. He really isn’t fond of warm weather and right now he’s still wearing most of his winter coat so he heats up quickly. I think with weather like this, though, the annual shed is about to begin. It’s a laborious undertaking for both of us with hair that comes out in handfuls and more handfuls. You can brush him until your arms ache and still more hair comes.  It’s a tsunami of hair and there is just no way to stay on top of it. Let the vacuuming begin…

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Jack’s Walk

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We went to the park again today and I can’t get over how much the goslings have grown in just a few days. They’re at a sort of “homely cute” stage with beaks that look too big for their heads, fuzzy hairdo’s that stick out in all directions and the beginnings of eye marks that make them look sleepy. I think they’re adorable. The parents keep a careful watch, but don’t seem to mind us being around. These are park geese who live here all year and are very used to people and dogs. Of course, Jack is also pretty laid back and usually lays quietly on the grass while I take  photos.

Jack’s Walk

Jack and I strolled through the tulips at the park today. Our city plants thousands of bulbs every fall and they vary the colour from year to year so it’s always a surprise in the spring to see what opens up. This year it’s purple, my favourite, and the best part is that once they’ve finish blooming the city will sell all the bulbs at a good price. They start again with new bulbs in the fall and local residents get the pleasure of more tulips around the whole city.

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The grackles are courting

 

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She lands first. Then he, about a foot away.

He looks at her sideways and puffs himself up. She looks at him sideways and hops away.

He hops to her again and raises his beak to the sky while glancing at her sideways. She raises her beak too and also glances at him sideways.

They repeat the throat display with lots of sideways glances. Once. Twice. Then she hops away again.

He hop follows her and puffs himself up again. One more throat display and then suddenly they fly away, she first and he hot on her tail.

Enter the next pair (or the same pair…it’s hard to tell) and repeat.

This has been going on all day and I can hardly tear myself away from the window. My back fence is definitely a hot pick-up place for grackles this year. I can hardly wait to see all the babies. (photos taken by spy cam through the bedroom window)

Jack’s Walk

Jack and I were out in the country this morning looking for wildflowers and we found trilliums. They grow in wooded areas all over the province and are protected by law, so no digging up plants to bring home. They’re one of my favorite flowers and a real treat to find because the flowers come and go so quickly. Usually they come in sequence with red trilliums first and white trilliums last, but this year they’re up and blooming together. In fact, all the wildflowers are up and blooming together this year. In the space of one week of warm weather all the leaves have arrived and the flowers are blooming. It’s like spring has exploded this year.

Red Trillium

White Trillium

 

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