Saturday, January 23, 2010

Biggest Oak Tree in Timmins

During the Christmas Bird Count here in Timmins a very large oak tree was pointed out to me. I will have to go back and measure the tree this summer and add it to the Timmins Honour Role of Trees.

I really did not think an Oak tree would grow this large in the area.

We also came across a smaller Oak tree during the count. It is interesting that once you start looking and others are helping you look you can find all kinds of interesting things.

I think I also found the largest Blue spruce - to be confirmed this summer also.













Bonsai comes out of the closet


Today I took my white birch bonsai out of the closet. It has been sitting in the dark in a cool closet waiting for winter to be over.

The the tree winter is over today.

It is important for a tree to have a winter rest, even if it is only a short rest. I have had success with some native trees letting them have a winter only every 2 years. Given the right light and temperature a tree will keep its leaves all winter.

I watered and lightly fertilized the plant to help it get started. I expect the buds to start swelling in a couple of weeks and I should have a full tree before summer gets here.

We will have a little bit of summer in the house soon.

Very soon the greenhouse will be turned up and I will be able to see the greening of the greenhouse. I love to one day walk into the greenhouse to see all the tree seedlings spouting. Suddenly the cool dull huge space becomes a sea of green, with the fresh earth smell in every corner.


Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Pictures Birds Survival

The Timmins Public Library has let me know that they are posting information on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology photo contest.

All of you with a camera can participate.

Put Timmins on the map by submitting your winning photo.

Survival Challenge - Photo - Video - Art Challenge

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Data Entry Christmas Bird Count

I finally got it done!

You can find all the data at the Audubon Christmas Bird Count Page. This years data will be available after the Regional editor confirms the information.

You can look at all the data over time, make a graph by species, make a map of where species were seen and a few more interesting outputs.

Here is the data from both the feeder and field.

02 Ruffed Grouse
51 Rock Pigeons
01 Downy Woodpecker
08 Hairy Woodpeckers
09 Grey Jay
14 Blue Jay
14 American Crow
41 Common Ravan
102 Black-capped Chickadees
02 Boreal Chickadee
05 Red-breasted Nuthatch
27 European Starling
01 Dark-eyed Junco
29 Pine Grosbeaks
06 Evening Grosbeak

Total individuals 332
Total Species 15
Participants 07
Hours 14
Kilometers 150

I see now that I still have to update the Timmins Naturalists CBC page.

You can read about Pam's Christmas Bird Count and see a couple of pictures.

There is also a Facebook Group for the Christmas Bird Count.