Diamond-studded

Just a quick shot taken on 26 November 2015. It was a cold morning, when I met friends for a three hour walk at Griffith Woods. Temperature was -10 to -4°C. Eventually, the warmth of the sun could just be felt, which always makes such a welcome difference. This photo shows a Willow gall, covered in ice crystals. Horribly blown out, but there was still something that I liked about it.

“Pine-cone willow gall” is caused by a gall midge, Rhabdophaga strobiloides. This dipteran (related to flies and mosquitoes) deposits an egg in the developing terminal leaf buds of the willow in early spring. The larva releases a chemical which interferes with the typical leaf and branch development of the willow, instead causing the formation of this cone-like structure. The adult dipteran emerges the following spring, after having spent the winter in the gall. (Information taken from Botany Photo of the Day website, with thanks).

Not a huge variety of birds - but we saw so many Bohemian Waxwings flying overhead and sometimes landing near the tops of very tall Spruce trees.

Canada Goose-110
Mallard-10
Bald Eagle-1 juv.
Merlin-1
Downy Woodpecker-1
Hairy Woodpecker-1
Northern Flicker-2
Northern Shrike-1, chasing a Blue Jay
Blue Jay-4+
Black-billed Magpie-7
Common Raven-3+
Black-capped Chickadee-25
Boreal Chickadee-4+
Red-breasted Nuthatch-1
White-breasted Nuthatch-3
Golden-crowned Kinglet-1
Bohemian Waxwing-600+.
Pine Grosbeak-4
White-winged Crossbill-4+
Common Redpoll-2
House Sparrow-1

On a totally different note, I had a wonderful surprise a few days ago. After receiving a notificiation e-mail telling me that someone had 'buzzed' me on the FriendsReunited website that I had joined quite a few years ago, I discovered two words, "Remember me?" To my amazement, it was from someone who had been in the class I taught for one year in England (my very first year of teaching, in a mixed class of Grade 5/6 (equivalent). He had been a delightful, quiet, shy boy and I remembered him as if it was yesterday : ) I am so impressed with what he has done with his life - I'm still in awe today! Most of his 36 years of working were spent teaching. When he sent me the message, he had just finished taking part in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race - the boat he was on came in third place out of twelve! Such a good, good feeling to hear that a student from so many years ago has used his life so well!