 Bushtits are irregular visitors to Leaning Oaks, tiny gray balls of fluff with a tail that are almost always travelling in a gang. Flocks here have been as large as 28 individuals. To date, we don't have records for May through the third week of July and we don't have any breeding records from the property yet either. They are commonest here during the winter months. These are tiny birds that seem to play an endless game of follow the leader as the move around the neighbourhood occasionally gathering together in a small group. The often visit our suet feeders, sometimes packing onto the hanging wire cages that hold the fat blocks so tightly that you can't tell where one Bushtit stops and the next begins. Bushtits are relatively new immigrants to Vancouver Island, first recorded in the 1930's. 
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 I thought I knew where all of the Olsynium douglasii were on Leaning Oaks - but tonight I found a new small group shimmering in the evening sun and swaying seductively in the breeze. Satinflowers are one of the earlier blooming flowers along the edges of the meadows, often showing in March. Douglas' blue-eyed grass is another common name. This member of the iris family just gets into Canada on southern Vancouver Island.
Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsutum) is a non-native winter annual that grows in our Garry Oak meadow, along paths and in the garden. It flowers very early and by the first truly warm days of spring it is starting to form silicles (the seed pods) and is getting ready flick it seeds at the slightest touch. It can be an abundant winter weed in the garden. For a few tricks on controlling this pest see Dave's garden blog: http://gardennotesfromleaningoaks.blogspot.ca/
 This small....very small snail takes patience and keen eyesight to find! Vertigo columbiana is found in moist forests, under leaf litter, and in this case in the crack of a Big-leafed Maple. Thanks very much to Andy Teucher for the use of his photographs.
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AuthorsTwo biologists on a beautiful property armed with cameras, smart phones and a marginal knowledge of websites took up the challenge of documenting one species a day on that property. Join along! Posts and photographs by Leah Ramsay and David Fraser (unless otherwise stated); started January 1, 2014. Categories
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