Spring in the wild areas

A pileated woodpecker at Rare in April

Spring, as everyone knows, is a time of renewal.  It can be dramatically different from one year to the next.   2 years ago my family and I went trout fishing in Algonquin Park from May 9th to 11th.  It turned out to be a winter canoe trip!  An inch of snow fell on the 9th.  Last year, on April Fools Day, I went hiking at Rare, and snow was still on the ground.  This year, the ice went out from Lake Opeongo in Algonquin on March 25th, by far the earliest date in the 40+  years of tracking ice-out in the park.  
    The snow birds return, the deer feast after winter, the reptiles appear in the heat of the day, and, oh, yeah, the fishing gets better as the bugs appear-trout and bass love bugs!  Here are a few photos from this year's spring season.

---

Canada geese, and 17 migrating trumpeter swans near Cambridge.

This Giant Swallowtail butterfly stopped me in my tracks in May down by the Grand River in early May.

This Giant Swallowtail was found at Rare, and is considered to be rare.

This osprey was near the Grand Allee trail at Rare, and is most likely the male of the Rare pair.

A nice trillium on the Grand Allee.

This is the most recent 'super' moon.

Cliff Swallows at John E. Pearcey Provincial Park, west of Port Stanley.

An eastern bluebird at Pearcey Provincial Park on the May long weekend.

A spectacular eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly at Warwick Conservation Area on Lake Erie

A yellow warbler at Warwick Conservation Area on the May long weekend.

Lake Erie, near West Lorne.

One of the red admirals that invaded southern Ontario earlier than usual in April.

An indigo bunting at Rare in June.

A wild iris on the banks of the Grand River at Rare in late June.