tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49364901728184847952024-03-19T03:09:59.318-07:00Ash Out of DoorsA blog of fresh airAshleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186232212664011149noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4936490172818484795.post-77858816488660615192013-06-01T17:51:00.000-07:002013-06-01T17:51:52.776-07:00My Commute<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
I grew up in the
Ottawa Valley, and though I spent little time in the city , I had come to the
conclusion that it was kind of lame. </div>
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I went away to
Southern Ontario for university, and I fell in love with London - I loved its
many parks, and particularly the paths that followed the river. I even developed an odd affection for
Windsor, and I loved its bike paths too.
Then life brought me back to Ottawa.
Now living in the city, I finally got to experience it on two wheels,
and it brought me to two important conclusions: First, that I will fall in love with any city that
has good bike paths, and second, that Ottawa has the best bike paths of
anywhere I've been so far. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">I think something
changes when you get to know a city by bike.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">You get to know it more intimately, as though you and the city share
some important secret that those driving around in cars will never have the
privilege of knowing.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">You can go places
on bikes you can't go in a car.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">You see
more of the city from the saddle of a bike.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Most importantly, the best parts of the city are the parts with the bike
paths - the canal, the riverbanks, the parks, and the beaches.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Like looking through a person's profile
pictures on Facebook, Ottawa only shows you its good side when you're touring
the pathways.</span><br />
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Another bonus of
biking the city - suddenly your commute changes from a daily annoyance, to a
heart-warming daily reminder that life is pretty good. My commute from
work looks a little something like this.
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A tour through the
farm (yes, Ottawa has a farm in the middle of the city)</div>
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Down a lushly treed,
private lane.</div>
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Across a fully
functional, 200 year old lock.</div>
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Along a canal that every winter is transformed into the world's largest skating rink.</div>
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Around a bay.</div>
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Through a park.</div>
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And past a busy, sun-filled beach.</div>
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This is one of the
many reasons why I love Ottawa, and I get to experience it every day. :)</div>
Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186232212664011149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4936490172818484795.post-23650691017091560502013-06-01T17:36:00.000-07:002013-06-01T17:36:48.541-07:00Gratuitous Tulip Post<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
It's spring again,
and the tulip fest has come and gone - but not before I snapped a few photos of
course! Here are some of my favourite shots from this year (taken May 17th).</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdhPw3iAcPTLVGH2jyuSMMav-tKeAcmXu2VnBx5P0q4TYJZzbpfZY3iGDsDocvtYdkIttCyVTAQaz5qISorcyfsoUvBuaFGyQKDHjnF0LZY1-QejmWHxTGeqYZ6yYcexQ9bH-luck8iS0/s1600/P1090698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdhPw3iAcPTLVGH2jyuSMMav-tKeAcmXu2VnBx5P0q4TYJZzbpfZY3iGDsDocvtYdkIttCyVTAQaz5qISorcyfsoUvBuaFGyQKDHjnF0LZY1-QejmWHxTGeqYZ6yYcexQ9bH-luck8iS0/s400/P1090698.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was a perfectly beautiful day at Dow's lake</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkgBgXS-ScfJ0rZR4fSFbbKOp4qwqvtKbJmGHQffFOcEWdeEfqeCopJrzfrACDYmSaCi9pBSWnAjZE_5gN321Ae3wPaLjPgFDcTTiXDAaOPGG5uoGyNEa3Hs8vQdynVukVvsrILw2bEZ2F/s1600/P1090687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkgBgXS-ScfJ0rZR4fSFbbKOp4qwqvtKbJmGHQffFOcEWdeEfqeCopJrzfrACDYmSaCi9pBSWnAjZE_5gN321Ae3wPaLjPgFDcTTiXDAaOPGG5uoGyNEa3Hs8vQdynVukVvsrILw2bEZ2F/s400/P1090687.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This pretty, powdery combo was my favourite this year!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0krJErihyphenhyphenOopkhgdEZtObQ5pgu2YVKlGHN8PB0FKLi_wKdigOxT-IEqW0DJfGKtYFXyECv3kNsW02LtxMomRfvB2TFuH59wRuId4tPdpJtTR1YSfqwbHMX1bUyKpe9ZYfMCl6KjHouqV/s1600/P1090689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0krJErihyphenhyphenOopkhgdEZtObQ5pgu2YVKlGHN8PB0FKLi_wKdigOxT-IEqW0DJfGKtYFXyECv3kNsW02LtxMomRfvB2TFuH59wRuId4tPdpJtTR1YSfqwbHMX1bUyKpe9ZYfMCl6KjHouqV/s400/P1090689.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not only are the individual tulip beds lovely, but the combined effect of multiple tulip beds is always breathtaking!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg704-xva6D5oR1eEvPy2tpUDqMTmpSXpn7Jy108iiVKEhU7CnOv7SoylMWYvRLj2mOzmIdf655MzV12xO2gDKpPU30aiY1DxDuCGMMjw02XDDXnYle4iRew42h0h6UB-x4rVRmEdtV695e/s1600/P1090709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg704-xva6D5oR1eEvPy2tpUDqMTmpSXpn7Jy108iiVKEhU7CnOv7SoylMWYvRLj2mOzmIdf655MzV12xO2gDKpPU30aiY1DxDuCGMMjw02XDDXnYle4iRew42h0h6UB-x4rVRmEdtV695e/s400/P1090709.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waves of tulips - the wind had taken its toll on some of the taller varieties </td></tr>
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186232212664011149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4936490172818484795.post-4447326775937656132013-06-01T17:20:00.000-07:002013-06-01T17:20:38.007-07:00Silver Linings<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Back in April I was
in an accident and totalled my car.
Aside from a slightly busted wrist, I came out of it alright. I was given a bunch of money for my car, but
instead of buying a new one, I decided the time had come for me to invest in a
sweet new bike.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJRhF6HG-kmWz3xAVn2WtrpuaadE0jmXT61gIWv5-1zBgnL9Zl_GG6-58bYsOUkN3fsMTKDtf9wjhvQAS4S0M1xgZZgB6IJ16o5onlOcdrHjjuuOslTS-mY-YHOSYfLClw04d7rLBSatTf/s1600/1st+cast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJRhF6HG-kmWz3xAVn2WtrpuaadE0jmXT61gIWv5-1zBgnL9Zl_GG6-58bYsOUkN3fsMTKDtf9wjhvQAS4S0M1xgZZgB6IJ16o5onlOcdrHjjuuOslTS-mY-YHOSYfLClw04d7rLBSatTf/s320/1st+cast.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1st cast ever! Thank goodness I only had it for 8 days!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">You see, dear
reader, to this point I had been riding around on an old CCM mountain bike that
I got from Canadian Tire back in the mid 90s.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Don't get me wrong - it is a sturdy bike with a good heart, but it
wasn't exactly built for performance.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">More than that, I'm pretty sure the frame is made of solid steel - this
thing weighs a ton!</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Anyone who knows me
knows how much I love biking, especially in Ottawa.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">So it was high time that I got myself a bike
that suited the avid cyclist I had become.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wRkhmTf_tqXqKNawaf_JSSI3T5oQomcSqAEP538NPhAemWtOoDfYPQGH2EMV5oKyG6fNM7PXBvcZBuP3hfLf2duPNNZzDzhquDRIgxyIqU1alHy2XHKLHG0cOS_4mJDmw5gfz2ymR_lQ/s1600/P1090308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wRkhmTf_tqXqKNawaf_JSSI3T5oQomcSqAEP538NPhAemWtOoDfYPQGH2EMV5oKyG6fNM7PXBvcZBuP3hfLf2duPNNZzDzhquDRIgxyIqU1alHy2XHKLHG0cOS_4mJDmw5gfz2ymR_lQ/s400/P1090308.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sturdy old Cici</td></tr>
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Just after my
accident I was in a cast for 8 days until they determined my wrist wasn't
broken. At the time I was pretty bummed
about this whole accident situation. Now
that the cast is off and I have an amazing new bike (that I love like a third
pet), I feel like the accident was one of the best things that happened to me
and makes me feel hopeful that this year is going to be a very good year. If I hadn't been in that accident I'd still
be driving around in a car (that I had been talking about getting rid of for
over a year) and I'd still be riding around on my beastly old mountain
bike. In all situations, life is what
you make of it. In this situation, I
made my life more awesome!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZ40TqmzkBhyphenhyphenYw_x0FssuE_gUlrU9XK7A3jY77tvUAurdZeDIeVyGuL_tBy6nkdFi2Aqe3868mr_U-EyWkBxTU2VQJv3a7RiNkcxLjEhGxNgZZVBiZRR9c8imayhOcaImmNx1CsecUbMw/s1600/P1090835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZ40TqmzkBhyphenhyphenYw_x0FssuE_gUlrU9XK7A3jY77tvUAurdZeDIeVyGuL_tBy6nkdFi2Aqe3868mr_U-EyWkBxTU2VQJv3a7RiNkcxLjEhGxNgZZVBiZRR9c8imayhOcaImmNx1CsecUbMw/s400/P1090835.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Touring with B'Elanna through the Arboretum</td></tr>
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186232212664011149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4936490172818484795.post-27322886723229556502013-01-27T18:28:00.002-08:002013-01-27T18:28:24.432-08:00Your Guide to an Awesome Day on the Rideau CanalIf you've ever read my other posts in this blog, you'll know that I love the Rideau Canal. Ordinarily, you'll find me using the paths that run along it on sunny, warm days from spring til fall. As one who gets cold if it's less than <span style="font-family: inherit;">25<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16px;">°C, I don't spent a great deal of time outside in the Canadian winter. There is one activity, however, that can get me out on some pretty chilly days - skating!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Having grown up in a small town in Canada, skating was one of the highlights of winter. The neighbourhood rink was a hub of childhood social activity. Now that I'm older, I've outgrown the neighbourhood rink, but lucky for me, the canal is a source of winter fun for all ages. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<b><u>Top 5 Reasons Skating on the Canal is Super Awesome</u></b><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b>1. Skating is Great Exercise</b>: Skating at a moderate pace burns as many calories as doing high impact aerobics [<a href="http://www.nutristrategy.com/activitylist4.htm">1</a>]. Unless you're an avid inline skater, ice skating will challenge muscles you don't frequently use. Skating utilizes many leg muscles, in particular muscles in the hip joints - you're likely to feel the burn in the adductors, glutes, and quads. How's your core strength? While skating, the upper body is held in a forward position, engaging your core muscles. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b>2. Skating Keeps you Warm:</b> The great side effect of burning calories is the heat it generates. Like most Canadians, I've spent my fair share of time skiing, I even took up snowboarding last year. While these activities can keep you warm when you're on the slopes, waiting in lift lines and frigid cold breezes on the chair lifts are less than pleasant.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b>3. It's Cheap: </b>Skating requires minimal equipment - a pair of skates and appropriate winter clothing. If you're living in or visiting Canada in the winter, you already have the clothing covered (or at least you should). Skates are cheap to rent or purchase (especially if you buy second-hand). And oh yeah, access to the canal is free - no pricey lift passes. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b>4. It's Pretty Safe: </b>Sure, you're on ice, and it's possible to take a nasty spill. But compared to the high rates of hospitalizations that originate on the slopes [<a href="http://www.cihi.ca/CIHI-ext-portal/internet/en/Document/types+of+care/specialized+services/trauma+and+injuries/RELEASE_17JAN12">2</a>], a few bruises aren't so bad. And I haven't researched the statistics, but I'll wager a guess that no one has ever been lost in the wilderness on a skating expedition [<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2012/12/31/gatineau-park-snowshoe-rescue-second-time-in-a-week.html">3</a>].</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b>5. It's Patriotic:</b> Maybe not patriotic in the most traditional sense, but few things are more Canadian than lacing up a pair of skates for some fun with friends on an outdoor rink - the largest one in the world. Add in a visit to the Beavertails shack, a cup of hot chocolate and you've got yourself an idyllic Canadian experience unlike any other.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Now that you're thoroughly convinced that you're overdue for a skate, here are some tips to make your visit to the canal perfect.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b><u>Tips for a Perfect Day on the Canal</u></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><b style="line-height: 16px;">1. Dress Appropriately: </b><span style="line-height: 16px;">Unless you're visiting the canal with wee ones, you can expect to sweat. Wear moisture-wicking base layers, and loose outer layers. If it's a chilly day, track pants to keep the wind at bay are a good idea. </span></span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 16px;">Unless it's very cold, (or you're following new skaters at their pace), snow pants are likely to be too warm. </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 16px;">Depending on the wind direction, some sections of the canal can be very brisk - make sure you have a scarf to protect your face from biting winds. If you have new skaters, a helmet is advisable. The most serious injury you're likely to sustain while skating is a head injury. Hockey and skiing helmets are both designed for multiple impacts and are best for skating (and tobogganing too)[<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/01/19/toboggan-helmet.html">4</a>]. Bike helmets are designed to absorb the impact from a single blow, and are therefore less suitable (but still better than nothing). Helmets can also be rented at the canal. </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 16px;"> Are you planning on skating to Rideau, then heading to the byward market or downtown for some on-foot touristing activity? If so, bringing an spare dry t-shirt is a good idea - sweat gets mighty chilly when you cool down.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b>2. Drink Water: </b>Skating is a cardiovascular activity. When it's cold you may feel less compelled to drink water, but it is just as important to stay hydrated during winter activities as it is in the summer. Bring a water bottle!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b>3. Bring Cash: </b>How else do you plan to pay for your Beavertail? (A classic Cinnamon Sugar or Killaloe Sunrise will cost you $4 on the canal, and they don't take debit).</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b>4. Wear a Backpack: </b>Large enough for your skates and/or boots. While people frequently just leave their boots by the bench they lace up at (totally safe- it would be un-Canadian to steal someone's boots!), if you plan on skating someplace and then getting off the ice to walk around (say, for a tour of the ice sculptures), you'll need your footwear with you. It's also a handy place to put your water bottle and dry t-shirt, or anything else you might want if you're making a day of it.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<b style="color: #222222; line-height: 16px;">5. Sharpen Your Skates: </b><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 16px;">Preferably </span><i style="color: #222222; line-height: 16px;">before</i><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 16px;"> you get to the canal, though there is skate sharpening at the canal. Taking your skates to be sharpened beforehand will save you time, and will likely be cheaper elsewhere. Also, dull skates really suck.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b>6. Check the Conditions: </b>The <a href="http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/places-to-visit/rideau-canal-skateway/ice-conditions">skateway's website</a> has the latest updates on ice conditions, which sections are open and closed, and where the best (and worst) skating can be had. Outdoor rinks are at the mercy of mother nature, and conditions can change quickly - best look ahead and know what to expect.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Have any other great tips for an awesome day of skating? Leave them in the comments!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186232212664011149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4936490172818484795.post-76904760409407977682012-06-08T18:36:00.000-07:002012-06-08T18:39:24.343-07:00Blacklegged Ticks in Ottawa!Last weekend I decided to explore the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mer_Bleue_Conservation_Area">Mer Bleue Conservation Area</a>. We hit up trail 50/51, starting at P20 and looped around counter-clockwise towards P23. This section of trail wasn't too challenging, and would be suitable for an easy mountain biking excursion. Once we crossed over Dolman Ridge rd the trail heads down a steep slope. A sign warned us that the path ahead could be "seasonally wet", but since we hadn't had much rain in a while it didn't concern me. Apparently I was wrong. After decending the slope we found ourselves in serious muck, and there didn't appear to be much of a maintained trail - the area was totally overgrown. If it weren't for the little trail marker signs I would have believed we had strayed off the path somehow. With no sign of improved conditions ahead, we decided to return up the hill and doubled back the way we came, in spite of my preference for hiking loops.<br />
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We stopped for a snack at P23, at which point I discovered that I had acquired a friend while navigating the long grasses at the bottom of the ridge. I first learned about deer ticks while I was doing an internship in Missouri. After hiking in the woods the lady I was staying with insisted that we conduct a tick check. <i>"Tick check?"</i> I puzzled. Ticks are arachnids, the same class that spiders belong to. They have eight legs, and two distinct body sections: a tiny head, and a large, flat, shiny abdomen. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ixodes_scapularis">Blacklegged Ticks</a>, <i>Ixodes scapularis</i>, are endemic to Eastern North America. They have a limited range in Canada, and are found in only the southern most regions of the country. Or so I thought. I had never heard of them until I went to Missouri. When I started doing field work in the Long Point area of Ontario, I was reacquainted with them, as there are many in that area. They were abundant in St. Lawrence Islands National Park as well. Although the <a href="http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/id-mi/tickinfo-eng.php">Public Health Agency of Canada </a>doesn't list Ottawa as an established tick population, I can assure you, they're here!<br />
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So why do I care that blacklegged ticks have found their way to the Ottawa area? Ticks are parasites, and these ticks in particular carry <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease">Lyme disease</a>. Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium <i>Borellia burgdorferi. </i>Not all ticks carry the disease, and not all tick bites will result in transmission if the tick is carrying the bacterium. The likelihood of disease transmission increases with the length of time the tick remains attached, which is why prompt and thorough tick checks (of yourself and your pets!) are advisable after returning from the field in areas where ticks are known or suspected to occur. If you do find an attached tick, the safest removal method is to pull it out using tweezers as close to the skin as possible, without twisting or crushing the body of the tick.<br />
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Ironically, we chose to explore this trail in particular because the bog trail sounded too buggy. In addition to my new eight-legged travel companion, this well shaded trail was full of mosquitoes, so if you're bothered by that sort of thing, bug repellent is advisable if you are headed this way. In addition to the biting insects, we came across a creek where it was sunny and warm, attracting many dragonflies and a number of six-spotted tiger beetles (<i>Cicindela sexguttata</i>)!<br />
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Where there are bugs, there are critters around to eat them. Check out this little cutie we crossed paths with! Even baby American Toads (<i>Bufo americanus</i>) look old and disgruntled :)<br />
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<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186232212664011149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4936490172818484795.post-41432094300347642682012-05-09T18:11:00.000-07:002012-05-09T18:11:20.732-07:00Opening Weekend TulipsThis weekend was beautiful and sunny, and tons of people flocked to the capital for the opening weekend of the tulip festival. Most of the tulip beds are in full bloom now! Here are a few shots from May 6th.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpP7RDp-r22KpyqCA98UW-Y5srgU4gWWp_Nf2r-iQJIZzxipCBZcJ4w3kgsslkNAcV37JHdKXrT4vBh8yDWwCW9DrhVeGgDkQ_cthYpwThNZ6ORVfNRyDCr4ihS6zHxOS6PACSHnGRso9E/s1600/tulip+fest+may+6+(54)+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpP7RDp-r22KpyqCA98UW-Y5srgU4gWWp_Nf2r-iQJIZzxipCBZcJ4w3kgsslkNAcV37JHdKXrT4vBh8yDWwCW9DrhVeGgDkQ_cthYpwThNZ6ORVfNRyDCr4ihS6zHxOS6PACSHnGRso9E/s400/tulip+fest+may+6+(54)+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186232212664011149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4936490172818484795.post-72408860758751856092012-04-21T18:24:00.001-07:002012-04-21T18:25:55.934-07:00Ottawa in BloomThis spring has been unseasonably warm in the nation's capital. On March 20th, the first day of spring, it was <a href="http://climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climateData/hourlydata_e.html?timeframe=1&Prov=ONT&StationID=49568&hlyRange=2011-12-14|2012-04-20&Year=2012&Month=3&Day=20">25 degrees</a> Celsius here in Ottawa. Average monthly temperature for March? <a href="http://climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_e.html?stnID=4337&lang=e&dCode=1&StationName=OTTAWA&SearchType=Contains&province=ALL&provBut=&month1=0&month2=12">Minus 2.5 degrees</a>. On this glorious summery day, I celebrated by dusting off my bike and taking a tour around my favourite bike paths. This, naturally, lead me to <a href="http://maps.google.ca/maps?rlz=1C1_____enCA480CA480&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=Dow's+lake&fb=1&gl=ca&hq=Dow's+lake&hnear=0x4cce05b25f5113af:0x8a6a51e131dd15ed,Ottawa,+ON&cid=0,0,2543813936174775988&ei=W0aTT-OZO9PH6AGotsC1BA&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=image&ved=0CBUQ_BI">Dow's Lake</a>, where I decided to check on the progress of the tulips that are the star of the<a href="http://ashoutdoors.blogspot.ca/2011/05/april-showers-bring-may-flowers.html"> Canadian Tulip Festival</a>. Sure enough the tulips were getting an early start.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFwh4Ba1ZTa6OgYwV0DnaddQBsVFCnNECQz3hTbVeeURVNsGGL1dBaH7K26PXXrgt4fDmEmRSdH5I22e9aT4B9EU7cMx6hnwB_3Rx7SGseL4VyxcwTfci3PYTW3jD2NgEU7RwqO7lcTWV/s1600/1st+day+of+spring+tulips+(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFwh4Ba1ZTa6OgYwV0DnaddQBsVFCnNECQz3hTbVeeURVNsGGL1dBaH7K26PXXrgt4fDmEmRSdH5I22e9aT4B9EU7cMx6hnwB_3Rx7SGseL4VyxcwTfci3PYTW3jD2NgEU7RwqO7lcTWV/s400/1st+day+of+spring+tulips+(4).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tulip shoots stretch out towards the sun on the first day of spring</i> </td></tr>
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One month later, on a similarly beautiful day, I again visited the tulips. There's still two weeks until the start of the festival, but the tulips are well on their way. Some of the beds of early bloomers are 80% in bloom, while other beds are bursting with buds, waiting for their moment to shine. I'm sure by the opening weekend, they'll be in full swing. If you're planning on visiting this year, plan to go sooner rather than later. As you can see, there are already many beautiful blooms to appreciate. I find the best way to enjoy the festival, for those who live in the area, is to visit more than once throughout the month so that you catch the early, mid, and late blooming varieties. Here are a few of the early risers:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85xR9VwxCuq7D2AcxbMKM1Bw9oRUjhwTJe019Gg3CpInZcvbfMuqHw1uulvdgp5wG5G04kaw-kGe8qms9Ad_7Mmsdk0G8ZziEWjCoRzxit7rW5Gp1kn-hUo3NNx1hyphenhyphenZZazNj_LmEUsf64/s1600/C+Tulips+dow%2527s+lake+apr+19+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85xR9VwxCuq7D2AcxbMKM1Bw9oRUjhwTJe019Gg3CpInZcvbfMuqHw1uulvdgp5wG5G04kaw-kGe8qms9Ad_7Mmsdk0G8ZziEWjCoRzxit7rW5Gp1kn-hUo3NNx1hyphenhyphenZZazNj_LmEUsf64/s400/C+Tulips+dow%2527s+lake+apr+19+%252811%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This bed of soft flamingo pink tulips were in full bloom.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52pyIWvNxDu5BkdjXij_uJbtN2Jds4mXtxuLfr3XLv5zLSmJZu7VR16BM63EmTm3A4DhqNlMb7HdBu4FVn9MQMTbeFiTxY5Lc2baSw7W8HP8WSW00G9h2GBoW_jkMgNqhWSjo97WI7LJL/s1600/C+Tulips+dow%2527s+lake+apr+19+%252817%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52pyIWvNxDu5BkdjXij_uJbtN2Jds4mXtxuLfr3XLv5zLSmJZu7VR16BM63EmTm3A4DhqNlMb7HdBu4FVn9MQMTbeFiTxY5Lc2baSw7W8HP8WSW00G9h2GBoW_jkMgNqhWSjo97WI7LJL/s400/C+Tulips+dow%2527s+lake+apr+19+%252817%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The unique shape and tangerine colour of these tulips made them my favourite of the day</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCq-q-vOnemyfdDjew6ord8T-1Vtr5j2apmeDZ16_qySddx5eEKsd2Af2CiFS2akkX3A6zgGaFBvO-BKXu8EyYPr-tyYJ9leNK77mvKrhNw98MtN2wMMwTlsarn2AQPEZ2b_m4wwVS9wkK/s1600/C+Tulips+dow%2527s+lake+apr+19+%252824%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCq-q-vOnemyfdDjew6ord8T-1Vtr5j2apmeDZ16_qySddx5eEKsd2Af2CiFS2akkX3A6zgGaFBvO-BKXu8EyYPr-tyYJ9leNK77mvKrhNw98MtN2wMMwTlsarn2AQPEZ2b_m4wwVS9wkK/s400/C+Tulips+dow%2527s+lake+apr+19+%252824%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A sea of buttery yellow double daffodils, punctuated by fiery red tulips, overlook Dow's Lake</i></td></tr>
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Tulips and daffodils aren't the only flowers strutting their stuff in April. <a href="http://www4.agr.gc.ca/AAFC-AAC/display-afficher.do?id=1169813765804">The Arboretum</a> is located on the western shore of Dow's lake, and displays a wide variety of trees and shrubs. It's essentially a tree museum. It includes a collection of Kobushi (<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnolia_kobus">Magnolia kobus</a></i>) and Star Magnolias (<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnolia_stellata">Magnolia stellata</a></i>), which are native to Japan, but ornamental varieties are grown in North America and Europe. The flowers bloom before the trees leaf out, making them one of the earliest flowering trees in the area. Their elegant, creamy, white and pink blooms have a delicate, sweet fragrance that attract humans and insects alike.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PSezidwT6wq0wEKVBcE2Sh5JxxWNYVmCDlg_ds7dJNyJjQSmlJ2bFYINgkYbgYr3E8SqN4HP_XlrN2wmmIjxLdUYVsTl9VKznZEwkkFVPN4R5uKOm9SVgE5KJdJEFAxR-pf8K3a2lSbG/s1600/C+Magnolias+arboretum+april+19+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PSezidwT6wq0wEKVBcE2Sh5JxxWNYVmCDlg_ds7dJNyJjQSmlJ2bFYINgkYbgYr3E8SqN4HP_XlrN2wmmIjxLdUYVsTl9VKznZEwkkFVPN4R5uKOm9SVgE5KJdJEFAxR-pf8K3a2lSbG/s400/C+Magnolias+arboretum+april+19+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The petals of these magnolia blossoms are so thick and creamy, they look like they have been molded out of fondant </i></td></tr>
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One of the visitors enjoying these blossoms is also enjoying just about every corner of the city. The mild spring has brought a record high number of migrating Red Admiral (<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanessa_atalanta">Vanessa atalanta</a></i>) butterflies to the area. Here is a situation where global warming has been beneficial - warmer temperatures mean a successful breeding season, and lower mortality rates during their migration[<a href="http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/Mild+spring+fair+winds+flood+Ottawa+with+butterflies/6493323/story.html">1</a>]. The result is a city awash in fluttering red and brown wings, and plenty of photo ops for nature enthusiasts like me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSQ1n0O7NdaCRQesDjxRqAwtHaIQ7iHp1iFcJYhz0t5kuv4scj_NBSG_jsU4ih6q0qXvK0nzUle0DaIv-HjO9-3PZRHrqClYPhM0nO2wsK6IyeBhpoFufFY9FtCw5C6k1s4ePtZWYpayV/s1600/C+Magnolias+arboretum+april+19+%252814%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSQ1n0O7NdaCRQesDjxRqAwtHaIQ7iHp1iFcJYhz0t5kuv4scj_NBSG_jsU4ih6q0qXvK0nzUle0DaIv-HjO9-3PZRHrqClYPhM0nO2wsK6IyeBhpoFufFY9FtCw5C6k1s4ePtZWYpayV/s400/C+Magnolias+arboretum+april+19+%252814%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A Red Admiral indulging in the sweetness of the magnolia blossoms</i></td></tr>
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<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186232212664011149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4936490172818484795.post-29345800903821077952011-07-08T15:19:00.000-07:002011-07-08T15:19:24.686-07:00Long May You RunAs I've said before, spring/summer is the best time to make resolutions. Warm weather and longer days are terrific motivators. When I moved to the city this spring I resolved to take up running again. I have taken up running a number of times, and I often get bored of it after about a month and give up. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxc7XAnjorxvgCK4X4Y6_Zoj11cTpBbJd6SMj_Gosn1cBTNBBoma5jOJXLgS2uL0sMJ2GW1M-ienbOC7OqRsu15rI3ZyeQZJSyRu2dONFw4-2L455p0jUuvuzagU4STNURHnCFzKNcFSe/s1600/Riverside+Bike+Path+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxc7XAnjorxvgCK4X4Y6_Zoj11cTpBbJd6SMj_Gosn1cBTNBBoma5jOJXLgS2uL0sMJ2GW1M-ienbOC7OqRsu15rI3ZyeQZJSyRu2dONFw4-2L455p0jUuvuzagU4STNURHnCFzKNcFSe/s320/Riverside+Bike+Path+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riverside bike path, Ottawa, ON</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I think the reason why I have never stuck with running was because I never had any kind of goal. I was just running "to be healthier", which is noble, but there are no concrete milestones to achieve. Setting goals can be a powerful motivator, since people are naturally goal-oriented. But they have to easily be achievable, so it helps to break them down into smaller sub-goals. When you work on a big project, chances are you break it down into a collection of smaller tasks. Every time you complete a task, you can cross it off your list, pat yourself on the back, and move forward to the next task with a sense of accomplishment and a positive attitude. <br />
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At this point you're probably wondering what goal I have set for myself. I have two goals - one is reasonable, the other is a very serious challenge. Goal 1: Run a Marathon. Goal 2: Complete a Triathlon. I'm sure you can guess which of the two is the reasonable one. <br />
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Although many people run marathons all the time, it is still a lot of work. A marathon is 42km. That's really far. The <a href="http://www.iaaf.org/statistics/toplists/inout=o/age=n/season=0/sex=M/all=y/legal=A/disc=MAR/detail.html">world record</a> for the fastest marathon time is 2 hours 5 minutes. The average time to complete a marathon in the <a href="http://www.marathonguide.com/Features/Articles/2009RecapOverview.cfm">USA in 2009</a> was 4 hours 35 minutes. Could you run for 4 hours? I sure can't. So let's set some smaller goals, shall we?<br />
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<a href="http://www.canadarunningseries.com/zoorun/images/zoorunlogo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.canadarunningseries.com/zoorun/images/zoorunlogo.png" /></a>The standard race lengths are 5k, 10k, half marathon (21km) and marathon (42km). You can find all the races you want on the <a href="http://www.events.runningroom.com/hm/">running room</a>'s website. I can already run 5km, so the next step is 10km. I think this is an achievable goal for the summer, so I bit the bullet and signed up for the <a href="http://www.canadarunningseries.com/zoorun/index.htm">Oasis ZooRun </a>10k at the Toronto Zoo! The races usually are there to raise money for some kind of charity. I'm a poor <strike>student</strike> young(ish) person, so I have a rule that I only donate to animal/conservation type charities (Hey, I've got to draw the line somewhere!). The <a href="http://torontozoo.com/SupportTheZoo/">Toronto Zoo</a>, in addition to being an awesome zoo and providing education and enjoyment for people of all ages, also funds a number of <a href="http://torontozoo.com/conservation/conservationInitiatives.asp">conservation</a>, <a href="http://torontozoo.com/EducationAndCamps/">education</a>, and <a href="http://torontozoo.com/conservation/ResearchandVeterinaryPrograms.asp">research</a> projects, such as captive breeding and reintroduction of rare and endangered species. Now that's a race I'm willing to put my money on.<br />
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This race takes place September 24th, 2011, giving me about 2 and a half months left to train for it. If that goes well, I'll spend the fall and winter training for a half marathon sometime in the spring. Then if that goes well, I'll try to find a full marathon to run either in the fall, or the following spring. As for Goal 2, that's a topic for another post!Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186232212664011149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4936490172818484795.post-6487956024485235432011-06-28T14:39:00.000-07:002011-06-28T14:39:15.764-07:00These are a few of my favourite birdsIt's been 3 weeks since the end of the Spring Migration Monitoring program over at the<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Innis-Point-Bird-Observatory/137956216253541"> Innes Point Bird Observatory</a>, and I am long overdue for an update. Over the course of the four weeks I spent there, I learned how to confidently handle birds and extract them from nets, how to band them, and very tentatively measure, age and sex them. Although I'm about a thousand birds away from feeling confident enough to band birds by myself, my bird knowledge has grown by leaps and bounds. I still need a lot of work when it comes to birding by ear, but I can visually identify most of the common passerines.<br />
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I also developed a great affection for my new feathered friends. These little guys are full of personality, and this personality varies by species. For example, chickadees, despite their small size, are the feistiest of the lot, vigorously pecking at your cuticles as you try to wrestle the netting out of their death grip. Brown Thrashers live up to their name and scream bloody murder as you untangle their flailing bodies from the nets. Warblers tend to be calm and sweet, cooperatively posing for photos, patiently waiting for you to release them.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCiDf8KFQrlX00c8tp06L_WSAoYmb9g_vlbVaN9eR82ydXiPbnQA3ojYtQNrybqXWfn8tt4TF1VPng34x-QX8RpAQFP20TB0AVuKUywWmDRnnoyQnjMDd8ZyPQgDk8UlXp4WAVhh9gQL7R/s1600/Common+yellowthroat+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCiDf8KFQrlX00c8tp06L_WSAoYmb9g_vlbVaN9eR82ydXiPbnQA3ojYtQNrybqXWfn8tt4TF1VPng34x-QX8RpAQFP20TB0AVuKUywWmDRnnoyQnjMDd8ZyPQgDk8UlXp4WAVhh9gQL7R/s400/Common+yellowthroat+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>This Common Yellowthroat is trying his best to look snooty.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIhPLRK3QcsjRh2IlP1utNV8nq7cyo53pfXqYVda2UiAa7OnpTr30cAWW6qDFyAG1FE5sqXfvOdb7VGsuz53zkjvPlPn7xew1xOLBzFxsh5lI4BNLrMLWj1UuVL0c1OIOx5_TqQsvn1W-/s1600/Blue+Jay+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIhPLRK3QcsjRh2IlP1utNV8nq7cyo53pfXqYVda2UiAa7OnpTr30cAWW6qDFyAG1FE5sqXfvOdb7VGsuz53zkjvPlPn7xew1xOLBzFxsh5lI4BNLrMLWj1UuVL0c1OIOx5_TqQsvn1W-/s400/Blue+Jay+%25285%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Blue Jays have personality for days, but are surprisingly easy-going in the hand. Their feet are incredibly strong, and they are quite stubborn when you're trying to get them out of the net, but otherwise, not a challenging bird to work with. They even pose nicely for the camera!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScjeL0W4Q1hhn_wW0O6Lsx23PXWwPjnRBnfC_xyepQYkAmeJqNjAq30LhcdGWrULleJ2_QKieIgl9AT-EjOhtH17b0IU9H0UskMsxC1DxBdJfu2Qsv2bYr7x-EQNKTl0DQlPsuBfxdSuV/s1600/Ruby+throated+hummingbird+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScjeL0W4Q1hhn_wW0O6Lsx23PXWwPjnRBnfC_xyepQYkAmeJqNjAq30LhcdGWrULleJ2_QKieIgl9AT-EjOhtH17b0IU9H0UskMsxC1DxBdJfu2Qsv2bYr7x-EQNKTl0DQlPsuBfxdSuV/s320/Ruby+throated+hummingbird+%25283%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Hummingbirds (ruby-throated)- beautiful, surreal, weigh less than nothing; bordering on pathetic, they utter pitiful squeaks that sound like a baby mouse crying, and often require a few nudges before they realize they are free to fly away.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLnkPMNAOJXeg9lxaTtGXLwjUFQD9Tfadgb8BpsRFEpr0ohw55rg47zWHjkYIAZRDzQvsyJUxKOrWIL9rVnepuzoTxa9GE7M6nS-3Zp7sNqsQXPFvSKvYh1uMP5xbjGzvScUZX-D5Hwk_6/s1600/Wood+Thrush+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLnkPMNAOJXeg9lxaTtGXLwjUFQD9Tfadgb8BpsRFEpr0ohw55rg47zWHjkYIAZRDzQvsyJUxKOrWIL9rVnepuzoTxa9GE7M6nS-3Zp7sNqsQXPFvSKvYh1uMP5xbjGzvScUZX-D5Hwk_6/s400/Wood+Thrush+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Some birds don't like to be photographed. This Wood Thrush was giving <a href="http://seabrookeleckie.com/">Seabrooke</a>, the bander in charge, a piece of her mind.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnQWhPh5msO9P5LklQm5yBYbivnxi4-_U5HLos1oEhsVhyphenhyphenqUeIihKjTeouaVBxr77QjhB2jvRjvQtOrup6ijsI2uVFoHFZmF-y35YXMnPEKQfXHAs1HHZvCEogcTh3vM3owrUS8yvrh3r/s1600/yellow-bellied+flycatcher+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnQWhPh5msO9P5LklQm5yBYbivnxi4-_U5HLos1oEhsVhyphenhyphenqUeIihKjTeouaVBxr77QjhB2jvRjvQtOrup6ijsI2uVFoHFZmF-y35YXMnPEKQfXHAs1HHZvCEogcTh3vM3owrUS8yvrh3r/s400/yellow-bellied+flycatcher+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I often found flycatchers tricky to identify, as I was often fooled into thinking they were some kind of warbler. They are larger, have bigger heads, and are generally cuter (in my opinion), and have a small hook at the end of their bill for snatching insects out of the air. This Yellow-Bellied Flycatcher is puffing himself up to look more imposing. Are you intimidated yet?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZew0qeWPeSpzYjkztPsrZfRhVX71ybSAtwlbOiaImiO82ZYhVo5IM3tEjczFmmcNEjpN0VQ28RG-GDijafE9faiiANaisZqqxNdinNhlugPJpBjsO8NImKzv8XkgeXapmFMyWvHR9r39/s1600/Eastern+Kingbird+%25283%2529+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZew0qeWPeSpzYjkztPsrZfRhVX71ybSAtwlbOiaImiO82ZYhVo5IM3tEjczFmmcNEjpN0VQ28RG-GDijafE9faiiANaisZqqxNdinNhlugPJpBjsO8NImKzv8XkgeXapmFMyWvHR9r39/s400/Eastern+Kingbird+%25283%2529+-+Copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Many of the crested birds, like the Blue Jay above, will flatten their crests when you are holding them. This Eastern Kingbird is breaking the mold and doing his best to look tough, even showing off the rarely visible red streak in his crest. "<i>You wanna piece of me?!</i>"<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7UP51wCww3v0dbrUP3_iCBMSdwz9G58KczSbx_zS6RB9x1ncMFXAmv1mzKXHK35pjgJuffqi5aA9iTOKWDeYcnbswW2ttSCzonubQiwrBZn2HjeecCjxRfdRdyptLlPxQeCjYyqQ86xRx/s1600/Yellow-shafted+Flicker++%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7UP51wCww3v0dbrUP3_iCBMSdwz9G58KczSbx_zS6RB9x1ncMFXAmv1mzKXHK35pjgJuffqi5aA9iTOKWDeYcnbswW2ttSCzonubQiwrBZn2HjeecCjxRfdRdyptLlPxQeCjYyqQ86xRx/s400/Yellow-shafted+Flicker++%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Yellow-Shafted Flickers became instant favourites of mine. These attractive members of the woodpecker crew are sizable birds, as you can see, and they make you work for a photograph. One of the flickers we banded even resorted to rapidly pecking at the air in an act of defiance, a display which I can assure you looked incredibly silly. Male Yellow-Shafted Flickers can be easily distinguished from the females by their prominent black mustaches.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaEiyK9YVuOZrGE_J5MBcdAc15-919NvpSuVHiBRdooTF6I-GAak81eJ-ukZXFuk1BMws6ArpspThcWWzsmiwI0tGtXh-FJXB9FlCIGw6O5TZWEGGIpxQhCtCkDW30Kr12Or_FiTAL9bPy/s1600/P1070798.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaEiyK9YVuOZrGE_J5MBcdAc15-919NvpSuVHiBRdooTF6I-GAak81eJ-ukZXFuk1BMws6ArpspThcWWzsmiwI0tGtXh-FJXB9FlCIGw6O5TZWEGGIpxQhCtCkDW30Kr12Or_FiTAL9bPy/s400/P1070798.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Perhaps the smuggest of the birds is the Rose-Breasted Grosbeak. With his dashing black tux and bold red cravat, he has every right to be smug. His distinguished appearance is enhanced by his powerful beak, capable of cracking large nuts or inflicting painful bites to careless banders. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_AYqP-U_-thd-6s47Rt_Qio3zpjLqdg-AVmnm3fisvjJMsWnlxuJ7sGyLvIBMRogeG0IX2XSPsRKtH2r2xBuvxQnkgcAt0QOgG2derpa2AbMf0J8cYKoUGw1Rf_2h2Bk2KTZRcVkQSnz/s1600/P1070842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_AYqP-U_-thd-6s47Rt_Qio3zpjLqdg-AVmnm3fisvjJMsWnlxuJ7sGyLvIBMRogeG0IX2XSPsRKtH2r2xBuvxQnkgcAt0QOgG2derpa2AbMf0J8cYKoUGw1Rf_2h2Bk2KTZRcVkQSnz/s400/P1070842.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Another favourite of mine were the American Goldfinches. Sure they look cute, but it's their gentle, whistling chirps that really melted my heart. I had a pair get caught side by side in one of the nets, and they chatted back and forth as I extracted them. I like to think that they were reassuring each other that everything was going to be alright.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrd3G2dsqnnVVPqI4TvzGBPUW9fOFSXYe2WfG5dWUe4S3mqtwV03gvDk7jQUEMHC3Oh6IjPFMKtnsuWwk34MhCtHJygoogBsTYpb7Rg594VXEMK5pV3pq2W5y9j5ba2d8q9G937Vtq9hv/s1600/P1070766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrd3G2dsqnnVVPqI4TvzGBPUW9fOFSXYe2WfG5dWUe4S3mqtwV03gvDk7jQUEMHC3Oh6IjPFMKtnsuWwk34MhCtHJygoogBsTYpb7Rg594VXEMK5pV3pq2W5y9j5ba2d8q9G937Vtq9hv/s320/P1070766.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5ka4jxGEdjUnRYW5wZJ4IMWUY6Iu5QPJA_UiX0efhznlpFveGpfHqVOqKm6F-5tnwysMwip6td96bSLWNeexc4MbNWCKf34FHXPE0rH3DCnWNycJtnYpu5tKVyHMG-dSCvx2KapmfgR4/s1600/P1070767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5ka4jxGEdjUnRYW5wZJ4IMWUY6Iu5QPJA_UiX0efhznlpFveGpfHqVOqKm6F-5tnwysMwip6td96bSLWNeexc4MbNWCKf34FHXPE0rH3DCnWNycJtnYpu5tKVyHMG-dSCvx2KapmfgR4/s320/P1070767.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Is there any bird quite as dashing as the Baltimore Oriole? This older male's crisp black and orange plumage was almost fluorescent. He knows he's good looking.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnBLHqA87uuYZcz0MaCVJ9TxxWzSGJLm25Oz1ToQ94u0zYyoPXYS_Uvqkm87urTx2XJOuVdj0QZUJ7BD6kKYYcyfixD9MhLguG9TCOYP11rwLb7L4MoUP3RLz27ZCwXOdwQz-QcPy7hjNT/s1600/P1070791.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnBLHqA87uuYZcz0MaCVJ9TxxWzSGJLm25Oz1ToQ94u0zYyoPXYS_Uvqkm87urTx2XJOuVdj0QZUJ7BD6kKYYcyfixD9MhLguG9TCOYP11rwLb7L4MoUP3RLz27ZCwXOdwQz-QcPy7hjNT/s400/P1070791.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>There were many Tree Swallows that called the bird observatory home. Every day I watched them swoop and dive with ease and grace. I think it would be a lot of fun to be a tree swallow for a day, and I kept hoping that one of these skilled fliers would eventually get caught in one of the nets. I got my wish on one of the last days of the season. Looking sleek and dramatic, it is quite obvious that this bird is built for speed.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwzlWs2YTqJVCtzE9IGpRrvQ-Bp-MGkQS-jPn8BE0K52HqaD2x8pAvi0wCPfGhZPH4V9HvJicWyz6ZEheXa7V_-qMF4CJHPi3e7jo9V0mbBfuSSBT2cf_wEMZhmyYgX4pcvXsXFOHPeL8L/s1600/Cedar+Waxwing+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwzlWs2YTqJVCtzE9IGpRrvQ-Bp-MGkQS-jPn8BE0K52HqaD2x8pAvi0wCPfGhZPH4V9HvJicWyz6ZEheXa7V_-qMF4CJHPi3e7jo9V0mbBfuSSBT2cf_wEMZhmyYgX4pcvXsXFOHPeL8L/s400/Cedar+Waxwing+%25282%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Last but certainly not least, my all-time favourite bird is without a doubt the Cedar Waxwing. The superheroes of the bird world, these truly cool birds sport a badass zorro mask, flashy yellow tips on their tail feathers, and namesake red "wax" droplets on their wings. Obviously they're not actually wax, but instead modified feather shafts that extend past the feather barbs, and are bright, shiny red. Go on, I dare you to not love this bird!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5P0rzP4xhc3FdubFigxtMqrj4I_O1uXMlyG2Ch1yUdsuYpl0cq41P3lJ0KNjN6yP01gzCJVrqTCeeUZN15F6guBx818JqMB3i2W-FdLzcz6b65JcNeE5UftfiK43r_v_EYDpZIBHaRAa/s1600/P1070782.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5P0rzP4xhc3FdubFigxtMqrj4I_O1uXMlyG2Ch1yUdsuYpl0cq41P3lJ0KNjN6yP01gzCJVrqTCeeUZN15F6guBx818JqMB3i2W-FdLzcz6b65JcNeE5UftfiK43r_v_EYDpZIBHaRAa/s400/P1070782.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>As luck would have it, the last bird caught in the last net on the last round of the last day was a Cedar Waxwing. An excellent way to end a great season!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkO9xQElW9sQdj6SbqejGWeb_TeZyInpJumJQ89W6e01EWO3csPfz69jh6y2_kAQtPedQOohS2iqdHmZutLNpF5SMNOlOAfSPRHXU80nOtZthE55XSguOGmYTeCJmDU8Oi38WnIKEtFeCd/s1600/P1070783.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkO9xQElW9sQdj6SbqejGWeb_TeZyInpJumJQ89W6e01EWO3csPfz69jh6y2_kAQtPedQOohS2iqdHmZutLNpF5SMNOlOAfSPRHXU80nOtZthE55XSguOGmYTeCJmDU8Oi38WnIKEtFeCd/s400/P1070783.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight..."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186232212664011149noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4936490172818484795.post-92148195833525542422011-05-19T10:25:00.000-07:002011-05-19T18:50:20.503-07:00A Bird In HandI consider myself a biologist of creepy-crawlies. I'm an amphibians-reptiles-insects kind of biologist, with pretty good plant skills. Birds and I have never really spent a great deal of time together. I'm not a morning person. The great thing about working with "cold-blooded" organisms like amphibians, reptiles, and insects, is that they don't get up before the sun does because they need a while to warm up. With insects and reptiles you can easily start your day at 10am and not really miss anything, the best time for amphibians starts at dusk, and plants are there all the time and will adjust to your schedule (so nice of them, don't you think?). In the birding world, your day is ending around 10am. This scheduling conflict has left an enormous gap in my skill set.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQoAHoV-ajnhh5isqZIBIEEZ-JA5JqlQ0nye4MZYx9vKaSDJAw8LuT1AuDRx2nhTTUO8R54HWpBBF9zFb0hLbItjxewHTJE1mrZEhiBsnO26Ax5ne-myXw7uSFsoapUs7rzeOfirJ43mO/s1600/Black+and+White+Warbler+%25281%2529+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQoAHoV-ajnhh5isqZIBIEEZ-JA5JqlQ0nye4MZYx9vKaSDJAw8LuT1AuDRx2nhTTUO8R54HWpBBF9zFb0hLbItjxewHTJE1mrZEhiBsnO26Ax5ne-myXw7uSFsoapUs7rzeOfirJ43mO/s400/Black+and+White+Warbler+%25281%2529+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carefully extracting a Black and White Warbler from the mist net</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This spring I decided it was about time to fill in that gap. Lately my alarm has been going off at 3:30am. That's right folks - the middle of the night. This used to be about the time I would be going to bed, not getting up. So I drag myself out of bed (usually not until 3:45), and get myself down to the <a href="http://homepage.mac.com/ipbo/">Innes Point Bird Observatory</a> for 4:50am. Every spring, bird observatories across the country (and the world) put up mist nets to catch birds as they pass through during their migration. They extract the birds from the nets, measure them, weigh them, put a band on their leg, and send them on their way. The data they collect is used to study population trends, among other things.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMBfav5J8n6kcL-a3u77pAtg-zho0KT3janUrs7ctnGb38Ed57bF6A03SuGvHzs73-yb8zw9FV3UIUxc3utZRJBhUBaWaLhXjZQR2Q2KK-QwSxjQytCLh30tBZqbU4-_vtt2ztr5yF1mpz/s1600/Chestnut+Sided+Warbler+%25282%2529+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMBfav5J8n6kcL-a3u77pAtg-zho0KT3janUrs7ctnGb38Ed57bF6A03SuGvHzs73-yb8zw9FV3UIUxc3utZRJBhUBaWaLhXjZQR2Q2KK-QwSxjQytCLh30tBZqbU4-_vtt2ztr5yF1mpz/s400/Chestnut+Sided+Warbler+%25282%2529+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Chestnut-sided Warbler in "photographer's grip"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>As an intern at the IPBO, I am learning how to correctly handle birds and extract them from the nets. Along the way I'm learning how to identify the various birds that we encounter, and I'm trying to learn to identify their songs. So far I've managed to figure out some of the sparrow songs, but I'm finding the "birding by ear" bit to be pretty tricky. There are so many birds that I never even knew existed! For example, I've seen 9 different species of warbler so far, none of which I'd ever seen before. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0OC7gwkxriG-7fKu0fOHwfQHn3To-sV4c1iwUsnT3bv-1XSTHn1cqaSxJox0HcL8ChIacpEjwo6hM8MFDFpErQ7kf2a3-6WE-qw4bvqVOmNqtpPAqfRW-g_lkR_4CXN9-uWCJEOHTh6I6/s1600/Yellow+Warbler+%25281%2529+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0OC7gwkxriG-7fKu0fOHwfQHn3To-sV4c1iwUsnT3bv-1XSTHn1cqaSxJox0HcL8ChIacpEjwo6hM8MFDFpErQ7kf2a3-6WE-qw4bvqVOmNqtpPAqfRW-g_lkR_4CXN9-uWCJEOHTh6I6/s400/Yellow+Warbler+%25281%2529+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh-so-cute Yellow warbler. This wee guy weighs about as much as a loonie.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">While we're out checking the nets we sometimes encounter other non-avian wildlife, like this <b>adorable BABY PORCUPINE!</b> About the size of small canteloupe, this little ball of puff was just hanging out near one of the nets. He was sitting so still I nearly missed him! I'll bet under all that puff he's only about the size of a chipmunk. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8c6OE1T8IWu2pzmeLJcLEIX8gXbHOCkXQ8j0E4iAN0rortJxdIXMd1rlCyca1A-yQJrstz-0RD7NkaNck8NbVYBSOvRf00VCMYlrlNXzzbaGLIFi3R7z2H7eoRJTHCZTPdO6VHILg-bl/s1600/porcupine+baby%2521+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8c6OE1T8IWu2pzmeLJcLEIX8gXbHOCkXQ8j0E4iAN0rortJxdIXMd1rlCyca1A-yQJrstz-0RD7NkaNck8NbVYBSOvRf00VCMYlrlNXzzbaGLIFi3R7z2H7eoRJTHCZTPdO6VHILg-bl/s400/porcupine+baby%2521+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OMG Porcupine baby!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>You can follow all of my sightings on my <a href="http://www.projectnoah.org/users/AshleySummerfield">Project Noah page</a>! If you're not already familiar with Project Noah then you should definitely check it out - it's like social networking for nature lovers! It's a place for you to share all of your nature spottings with fellow nature enthusiasts, earn patches, join missions, and get help identifying things you're not quite sure of. They have a mobile app for Android and iPhone so you can post your spottings on the fly, or check out what other people have spotted in your area!Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186232212664011149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4936490172818484795.post-14533736097659700902011-05-13T21:42:00.000-07:002012-04-21T18:26:05.549-07:00April Showers Bring May Flowers<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
In our nation's capital, those flowers are tulips! Approximately one million of them, to be precise. Ottawa has been home to the <a href="http://www.tulipfestival.ca/">Canadian Tulip Festival</a> since 1953. During WWII, Princess Juliana of the Netherlands and her family found refuge in Canada. They lived in Ottawa, and her third daughter, Princess Margriet, was born at the Ottawa Civic Hospital. After the war had ended, Princess Juliana gave Ottawa a gift of 100,000 tulip bulbs as a thank you.</div>
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The Tulip Festival is a symbol of international friendship and a celebration of spring. Ottawa has a number of truly excellent festivals, and the Tulip Festival is the grand opening for the spring and summer festival season. It's a great excuse to get outside, and it's impossible to not get stunning photos.</div>
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On Wednesday the weather here was so beautiful, I got out my rollerblades for the first time this season, and I skated down the canal to Dow's Lake, the location that has the most tulips. Later that afternoon, Rick and I biked to Major's Hill park, next to Parliament Hill, to take in more of the action. If you decide to visit the festival, I strongly recommend bringing your bike, as Ottawa's bike paths are quite lovely. If you've never had a chance to tour the city this way, it will give you a new appreciation of our lovely capital.</div>
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The festival runs until May 23rd, and the <a href="http://www.tulipfestival.ca/schedule/">website</a> lists the events taking place throughout the festival. One of the volunteers informed us that the international food tents would be opening up this weekend, showcasing food from around the world. The festival is entirely free, so come one, come all! Hopefully the rainy weather will hold off for the crowds of people who will be stopping by the city to smell the flowers.</div>
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<br /></div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186232212664011149noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4936490172818484795.post-7099101771786074852011-04-16T22:28:00.000-07:002011-04-16T23:48:08.734-07:00Urban ducksI grew up in the Ottawa Valley, a mere half hour to our nation's capital, and yet, I don't think I really explored the city much until quite recently. It has a surprisingly large amount of green space, and the <a href="http://apps104.ottawa.ca/emap/?lang=en&emapver=lite&MAPNAME=ottawa_cycling.mwf">bike trails </a>that connect them all are pretty awesome. <br />
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</div><div>Last week I went for a 22km bike ride through the city, using almost exclusively the multi-use pathways. I started in Vanier, following the Rideau River south to Lees avenue, where I crossed the river and found my way to the Rideau Canal. I toured the canal to Dow's Lake and looped through the Arboretum before returning to Vanier. After my tour, I felt like I knew the city better, like all that time spent travelling around it in a car only skimmed the surface. I encountered many people biking, jogging, and walking. It felt so good to be outside in the sunshine and appreciating the urban wildlife. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBNr3Jj-G2QSS0j7tqX2FCM73fanga1uIrKAL0uKzw37VHDx6PriUmGAk1Ndy6KkNRnNHzul-Yb_sjloYoTBe3MKyf0I04PXGCxhtsIT9sBFP6fFXBXELODmpkU6nTAWHB-4tvNvKDd4D/s1600/P1070346+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBNr3Jj-G2QSS0j7tqX2FCM73fanga1uIrKAL0uKzw37VHDx6PriUmGAk1Ndy6KkNRnNHzul-Yb_sjloYoTBe3MKyf0I04PXGCxhtsIT9sBFP6fFXBXELODmpkU6nTAWHB-4tvNvKDd4D/s400/P1070346+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mallard couple and Wood duck couple on a double date</td></tr>
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<div>Along my travels I spotted lots of ducks, particularly along the Rideau River. Mallards (<i>Anas platyrhynchosi</i>), Wood ducks (<i>Aix sponsa</i>), and even a merganser were seen cruising through the city. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAm6Cf8c3fzQ9PYC6gePNsqfnfR7IiawiY19uKX_CkrbxwD81OpgbxTX-9KHmY87_RW-1oHYJEBu3qdMh3cS2tCJhOMvNqztd0BcN_3DjmudjvJGuzT1PbAurIHSjx9I7-1Sj4VuSc87cK/s1600/P1070348+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAm6Cf8c3fzQ9PYC6gePNsqfnfR7IiawiY19uKX_CkrbxwD81OpgbxTX-9KHmY87_RW-1oHYJEBu3qdMh3cS2tCJhOMvNqztd0BcN_3DjmudjvJGuzT1PbAurIHSjx9I7-1Sj4VuSc87cK/s400/P1070348+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female merganser - Hooded I think?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>I think this was a female Hooded Merganser (<i>Lophodytes cucullatus</i>), and I really really hope I'm right, because if there are female hooded mergansers around, the males can't be far behind, and in my opinion, male hooded mergansers are the silliest looking creatures we have here in Canada. <a href="http://www.google.ca/search?q=hooded+merganser&hl=en&sa=N&prmd=ivnsm&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ei=LHOqTbO3Aare0QGz4qz5CA&ved=0CEUQsAQ&biw=1034&bih=591">You be the judge</a>. Go on, I <b>dare</b> you to show me a more absurd Canadian animal!</div></div><div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lady Wood Duck</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqKE2mDBDqVdkmuRiyrtlYdFQohSS4NBRRvpStXFFwxdgalGO7s_lNDnDnkrtahRytm3SfAdoIFwi5991ovG3MU4qU3YMfPrzLtz6n5sxeuKlL3ZQkCZnOXdW4u8WGDkGdSO_iVNXFzOy/s1600/P1070347+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqKE2mDBDqVdkmuRiyrtlYdFQohSS4NBRRvpStXFFwxdgalGO7s_lNDnDnkrtahRytm3SfAdoIFwi5991ovG3MU4qU3YMfPrzLtz6n5sxeuKlL3ZQkCZnOXdW4u8WGDkGdSO_iVNXFzOy/s400/P1070347+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Wood Duck - he <i>knows</i> he's good looking</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>The wood ducks were pretty cool to see since I haven't seen them very often before. I guess I was looking in all the wrong places, since there were several pairs along the Rideau River last week. Wood ducks nest in tree hollows or <a href="http://www.ducks.org/conservation/waterfowl-biology/wood-duck-boxes">man-made nest boxes</a>. You may remember <a href="http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/planet-earth-forests-leaps-of-faith.html">this scene</a> from Planet Earth when the Mandarin Ducklings (the European relative of the Wood Duck) take their leap of faith from their nest way up in the trees. Habitat loss (including loss of suitable trees for nesting) and over-harvesting drove this once abundant species to near extinction in the early 20th century. Protection by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migratory_Bird_Treaty_Act_of_1918">Migratory Bird Treaty Act (1918)</a> and the construction of man-made nest boxes allowed wood duck populations to rebound and they are no longer a species at risk. </div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186232212664011149noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4936490172818484795.post-21207211567322205742011-04-13T17:16:00.000-07:002011-04-13T17:16:07.869-07:00New beginningsSpring is all about renewal and new beginnings. It's the time of year when seedlings sprout, new leaves are made, and birds return from their winter getaways to start new families. This fresh start feeling is felt by us. Chances are many of you are starting seeds indoors, eying a new summer wardrobe, opening up the windows and doing spring cleaning.<br />
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Every spring feels like a fresh start to me. Many people make their New Year's resolutions in January, but for me, the springtime feels like a much more appropriate time for this. If one of your resolutions is to get fitter, don't you think that's easier to accomplish when you're just dying to get outside for a run or a bike ride on those first warm sunny days, rather than trying to trudge your way to the gym in the dead of winter? <br />
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I'm full of energy, enthusiasm, excitement and hope. I shake off the cobwebs from a winter of hibernation, get outside, and go exploring. I fill with anticipation, anxiously awaiting the summer, like a kid waiting for Christmas morning. My head is swimming with summer daydreams of sandals, sundresses, beaches, roadside fruit stands. I can't wait for meadows to be in full bloom, abuzz with butterflies, bees, and insects of all kinds. Soon I will be hearing choruses of spring peepers, american toads, and grey treefrogs. I can't wait to happen upon snakes sunning themselves on hiking trails. The birds are already singing the praises of sunshine and April showers. Yes folks, spring is here, and it's time for a fresh start.<br />
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I have another blog, a <a href="http://nourishmevegan.blogspot.com/">food blog</a>, and I used to be quite dedicated to it. My vagabond lifestyle and other poor excuses have kept me from my food blog lately. While I have no intention of abandoning my other blog, this year I feel it's time for something new. This spring I've decided is the perfect time to start what I ought to have started a long time ago: a nature blog. I am, after all, an ecologist. And what a perfect time to start a Canadian nature blog than springtime - this is when all the action starts. This blog will be where I share with you my adventures in nature, and the creatures I encounter along the way.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186232212664011149noreply@blogger.com0