Shagbark "Nuts"

For the last several years we have had a bumper crop of nuts from the shagbark hickory in the front yard. They bounce off the metal roof. Normally I just leave them for the squirrels and chipmunks to harvest. This year I picked thousands of nuts and shared those with the Land Stewardship Council who also came to pick their own. They will start these nuts and then distribute the small trees to land owners in need.

I also scattered nuts throughout the property. We already have many shagbark hickories but a few more are certainly welcome. They are excellent mast trees and grow well on this land. I also placed a large pile for the squirrels to enjoy and plant. The cat must have discovered that the squirrels, mice and other rodents also like the pile of shagbark nuts. She stalks the pile of nuts full time. I try to discourage her from hunting but that is her instinct.

Trees on Fire

This blaze of colour was looking down the steep, slippery slope to the tops of the deciduous trees that line George Lake. It was a fun experiment to see if I could capture the moment. I was still working on the painting when  I snapped this picture. There was still much to do.

Killarney Chair

It may look like a single Muskoka chair on the granite but this was Killarney. It had to be a Killarney chair. The empty chair is either a happy invitation to come and sit awhile on the edge of Killarney Channel – to slow down and enjoy the fall colours. For those who view the glass as half empty, it can be a lonely chair vacated by those who left with the summer heat. Either way, I had fun capturing the moment in oil with a rather large brush.

Turtle Hatch 2013

The eggs are much slower to hatch this year - way slower than they were supposed to according to the literature. We have only given a handful of turtles a free ride to the water's edge. This is a northern map turtle. Some of the stink pot eggs may have hatched but I have yet to see any of the 3/4 inch sized babies. Maybe I should wear my glasses all of the time.

Singleton Lake Loons 2013

Singleton parent and chick -July

Two loon chicks hatched out from the nest on the edge of one of our rocky islands. They ignored the cedar floating raft this year but were still surprisingly successful. A pair of bald eagles grabbed one of the chicks in June. The surviving chick was still on the lake as of Thanksgiving - the parents having abandoned it for southern skies in September. 

Here is some extra in formation that I found interesting...

Loons prefer clear lakes because they can more easily see their prey through the water. The loon stabs or grasp their prey with their pointy bills. They eat the prey headfirst  and swallow the prey whole. Loons swallow small pebbles, similar to grit eaten by chickens, to assist the loon's gizzard in crushing the hard parts of the prey. Loons may inadvertently ingest lead pellets, released by anglers and hunters, that contribute to lead poisoning and the loon's eventual death.
Despite the roughly equal participation of the sexes in nest building and incubation, analysis has clearly shown that males select the nest location. Thus male loons and not the females, establish their territories. This explains why the resident males fight so hard to defend their territories.
Contrary to popular belief, pairs seldom mate for life. A typical adult loon is likely to have several mates during its lifetime because of territorial takeover. Each breeding pair must frequently defend its territory against "floaters" (territory-less adults) trying to evict at least one owner and seize the breeding site. Territories that have produced chicks in the past year are especially prone to takeovers, because nonbreeding loons use chicks as cues to indicate high-quality territories. One-third of all territorial evictions among males result in the death of the owner; in contrast, female loons usually survive. Birds that are displaced from a territory but survive usually try to remate and (re)claim a breeding territory later in life.
Most clutches consist of two eggs, which are laid in May or June. Loon chicks are able to swim and dive right away, but will often ride on their parents' back during their first 2 weeks to rest, conserve heat, and avoid predators.
Chicks are fed mainly by their parents for about six weeks but gradually begin to feed themselves over time. By 3 months, chicks gather almost all of their own food and have begun to fly.  Typically only one chick survives.

Singleton chick Thanksgiving weekend

Gliding Squirrels

The Northern flying squirrel is one of two species of the genus Glaucomys, the only flying squirrels found in North America (the other is the somewhat smaller Southern flying squirrel which is moving northward with climate change). Flying squirrels are strictly nocturnal. From the picture you can see that they have large eyes and a flat tail. They also have long whiskers, common to nocturnal mammals. They prefer mushrooms and lichens as well as other typical squirrel food like nuts and eggs.
Flying Squirrels actually just glide.  Once in the air, they form an "X" with their limbs, causing their skin to stretch into a square-like shape and glide down at angles of 30 to 40 degrees. They maneuver well in the air, making 90 degree turns around obstacles if needed. Just before reaching a tree, they raise their flattened tails which abruptly changes their trajectory upwards, and point all of their limbs forward to create a parachute effect with the membrane in order to reduce the shock of landing. The limbs absorb the remainder of the impact, and the squirrels immediately run to the other side of the trunk or to the top of the tree in order to avoid any potential predators.
 Although graceful in flight, they are very clumsy walkers and if they happen to be on the ground in the presence of danger, they will prefer to hide rather than attempt an escape. That is likely how the cat hunted this one. Luckily I managed to extract it from the jaws of death – leaving it only with a salivated back.
Flying squirrels are generally under some form of protection... especially from me.

Distant Shores

By late morning the sun had taken the chill off the air and the fog was gone. I turned my easel toward the distant cliffs of the southwest shore of George Lake. That's my lunch in the brown bag... See the deformation zone on the western horizon? There is a low pressure area approaching. 

Sunrise at George Lake

Cool air was draining down the valleys into George Lake. Arctic sea smoke and the long shadows of early morning created a serene atmosphere as viewed from the beach. The lighting and fog was changing rapidly and I had to work fast to capture the moment. This was my "put in" point when I had my canoe with me.

Singleton Otters

Otters are elusive creatures to photograph. This one was playing and preening on the vacant swimming raft until I kayaked by. Sorry! We see them most during the winter - otters are active year-round but are mainly nocturnal except in winter. They may emigrate as a result of food shortages or environmental conditions, but they do not migrate annually.
The river otter is a member of the weasel family and establishes a burrow close to the water's edge. The den typically has many tunnel openings, one of which generally allows the otter to enter and exit via the water. A den is also called a holt or couch. Female otters give birth in these underground burrows, producing litters of one to six young.
The newborn pup is cared for by the mother, father and older offspring. Female otters reach sexual maturity at approximately two years of age and males at approximately three years. After one month, the pup can leave the holt and after two months, it is able to swim. The pup lives with its family for approximately one year. Otters live up to 16 years.
Fish is a favoured food among the otters, but they also dine on amphibians, turtles, and crayfish. The northern river otter can weigh between 5.0 and 14 kg (11.0 and 31 lb) and is protected and insulated by a thick, water-repellent coat of fur.
River otters are very susceptible to environmental pollution, which is a factor in the continued decline of their numbers.