Birds in the Arboretum

The Royal Botanical Garden Arboretum in Dundas is a fine place for a stroll. I donned snowshoes and stomped around for a few hours last week, hoping to run into some White-winged Crossbills and get some pictures, but I failed - they are around, but rarely come down low enough for photography. Nevertheless, there were many other woodland denizens in evidence, including this White-breasted Nuthatch.

Male Red-bellied Woodpecker - sexed by the extent of the red crown, running right down the forehead to the bill. Females have grey foreheads.


Male Northern Cardinals really shine at this time of year, amongst the drab colours of winter.

Look at those beautiful frosted feather edges.

A few White-throated Sparrows hang around the feeders here in southern Ontario, even when it is -20ยบ C.

Much less concerned by the chill are American Tree Sparrows. These are real northern birds - in Ontario they only nest on the taiga around the fringes of Hudson Bay.