There is a growing awareness (still a long way to go) that tidying the garden as we go into winter is a bad thing to do. Leaving our garden “scruffy” until spring means that birds like these American Goldfinches can find something to eat without needing to rely on our feeders.
These birds were eating seeds from a small-flowered form of sunflower.
Pearly Everlasting as winter begins and we wake up to garden frosts
A bramble bush almost ready to drop its leaves – so much colour this year
A week ago these trees were heavy with gloriously golden leaves. Last night the temperature dropped to -2C and this morning all the leaves are on the ground. There was ice in puddles. Snow can’t be far away.
Giant ice crystals forming over watery ruts in a farm track
In the arboretum there is a long line of birch trees originally collected from each of the Canadian provinces and territories. Ostensibly all the same species they exhibit interesting differences.
You’d be hard pressed to find a more appealing little sparrow in the winter than these visitors from the north – tough as old boots.
A small flock of eight Eastern Bluebirds spent 20 miniutes feeding on rowan berries in the garden on a clear, sunny January afternoon with temperatures of -16C (-27C with windchill). They are “supposed” to be far away to the south in warmer places than this. Gorgeous little birds.
More pictures on our other website at sparroworks.ca
