By ANN BROKELMAN Well, summer sure left us in a hurry this year! It was the first of October, it was cool, and the winds were blowing something fierce. As an optimist, I try to remember that, while I may not like all types of weather, there will always be an animal that will take […]
By ANN BROKELMAN This summer I became a crazy butterfly lady. After having knee surgery in July, and almost immediately getting cabin fever because of my limited walking, I decided to try raising monarch and black swallowtail butterflies. What started as, what I thought would be, a quick learning curve for a small scale science […]
By ANN BROKELMAN Here’s a quick story about a little animal we often hear, but rarely see. One day, while I was looking for shorebirds and herons, I saw a beautiful plant, who’s name I couldn’t tell you for the life of me, which caught my attention and brought me over to it for a […]
By ANN BROKELMAN Have you recently sat in your yard and just listened to all the songs being sung? Maybe it’s too hard to really remember and compare summer to summer, but I honestly don’t think I’ve ever heard so many birds in my yard. Even my husband, Erle, asked if we’ve been having more […]
By ANN BROKELMAN I have spent the last 10 days watching all sorts of animals and birds on Prince Edward Island, but it was the foxes that made this a trip to remember. While away I not only saw the red foxes, like the ones we have here in Ontario, but an abundance of the […]
By ANN BROKELMAN Take a minute, maybe a few, and just go outside and listen to the sounds of the birds. I think we can all appreciate it, because we all notice it. After a long winter, waking up one morning and realizing the birds are singing is rejuvenating. Don’t we tell our friends/family/co-workers about […]
By ANN BROKELMAN Just the other day I was sitting on the side of a pond by the Brick Works, hoping for a couple shots of some of the returning migrant birds who like to nest in the area. While I came to this spot for that particular reason, in these moments I generally like […]
By ANN BROKELMAN Perhaps my biggest guilty pleasure, aside from my photography of course, are my bird feeders. I regularly purchase salt free peanuts, black oiled sunflower seeds, fresh suet, premium bird feed, and niger feed. So, why do I do it? Probably the same reason many of you keep a simple bird feeder in […]
By ANN BROKELMAN While over the years I have seen many owls, if all you ever saw were my posted photos or heard were my favourite stories, you might assume it is easy to find them. Unfortunately, when friends assume this and then come to visit and ask me to take them to see one, […]
By ANN BROKELMAN Just because it may be more comfortable to stay inside, by the fire or just under some blankets, doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of amazing birding to be done around our city. Yes, it may not be as pleasant to be outside as it is in the spring and summer, but […]
