Showy Lady's-Slipper

Our Most Beautiful Lady's-Slipper

The Showy Lady's-Slipper (Cypripedium reginae) is our largest and most beautiful lady's-slipper.  It is listed as very rare (S2) and often grows in bogs deep in the woods.  Because of its beauty, populations have been devastated over the years by unscrupulous pickers who want to bring its beauty to their yards and homes.  

Showy Lady's-Slipper

The Showy Lady's-Slipper grows up to 90 cm (3 ft) tall usually in calcareous bogs, fens, boggy meadows and sometimes swamps from Manitoba to Newfoundland and south to North Dakota and Georgia.  In southern regions it is usually in mountainous regions.

Showy Lady's-Slipper Showing its Usual Habitat

 The Showy Lady's-Slipper plant has leaves growing along its long upright stem.  The leaves have prominent parallel longitudinal veining.  The leaves are a bright yellow green colour.  The blossom appears at the apex of the stem and is very evident as you approach the bog where the plants are growing.  The colour of the blooms is bright and beautiful in the otherwise drag-looking habitat.  The flower of this lady's-slipper is large and the white and deep pink colours are contrastingly beautiful.  The plant stem is stout and hairy.

Showy Lady's-Slipper

The first Showy Lady's-Slippers were collected and recorded in New Brunswick in 1876 by G.U. Hay

from a bog near Saint John.   At one time this beautiful orchid was common in New Brunswick.  We have records of bogs and other suitable habitat sometimes sporting thousands in June and July in early days of this province.  They have been drastically reduced by loss of habitat and by unscrupulous pickers.  These plants cannot be transplanted to gardens and must be left in their normal places to flourish for yet another year.  

Showy Lady's-Slipper

A Breakfast Invitation

How about a glass of cooled orange juice on a hot morning?

The croissants and crunchy buns are still warm just out of the oven.

Don't they smell good?

Breakfast is my favourite time of the day to invite friends and family!

Though I know that nobody is such an early bird as me.

I always ask them to come at a comfortable time for them.

Eight-thirty is good for some and the others stretch it out to be a bit later!

The best time of the year to do breakfast invitations is definitely now.

In fact, as soon as it's warm enough to eat outside on the balcony!

We've all been wilting under a prolonged heat-wave over here in Switzerland

so early-mornings are the best times for walks and eating outside.

Would you like to pop in for breakfast one day?

I'd love to have you over for a chat!

Do you prefer tea or coffee or maybe Peppermint or Lemon Verbena?

Just let me know before you come!

I still have a pot of homemade apricot jam leftover from last year

so don't wait too long!

Fresh as a daisy

On a balmy summer's day

Petal poetry.

Chipping Sparrow

Common Summer Sparrow 

Chipping Sparrow

The Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) is a common summer resident of New Brunswick.  It breeds here, usually arriving in May.  It is a resident of most of Canada and the United States.  It winters in the southern US and Mexico.  

The Chipping Sparrow is a slightly smaller sparrow, being the same size as a Savannah Sparrow and a bit smaller than the Song Sparrow.  The Chipping Sparrow is 14 cm long (5.5") and the Song Sparrow is 17 cm (6.25").  The Chipping Sparrow is lighter in colour with no streaks on its gray breast.  It has a rufous cap and a gray face, nape and rump.  It has a distinctive black line through the eye which extends to the beak.  Its legs are pink and it has 2 wing bars.  Its song is very fast pulsating trill.  Its alarm call is where it gets its name, a distinctive 'chip'.  Everybody should be familiar with this call note since this is a common bird around residential areas.  It enjoys open areas around woodlands and parks.  It is often seen in small flocks.

Chipping Sparrow

The Chipping Sparrow builds a flimsy cup-shaped nest of grass and stems, lined with hair in shrubbery or a tangle of vines.  It lays 2 to 5 blue green eggs, with dark brown, blue and black marks.  Incubation lasts from 11 to 14 days and is carried out by the female.  She develops a fluid-filled patch on her breast which enables good heat transfer to her eggs.  

Chipping Sparrow

Chipping Sparrows are friendly, welcome residents of our yards and recreational areas.  Their population is stable.  They feed on the ground and eat insects and seeds.  Take notice the next time you see a sparrow on the ground around your house or recreational area.  It will probably be a Chipping Sparrow.

The Out-of-Towner's Guide to Bark N'at

Bark N'at is a Pittsburgh-themed party fit for even the most experienced yinzers. But, we wanted to help some of the out-of-towners understand what Bark N'at is all about. That's why we came up with a few helpful tips so even if you're not a Pittsburgh native, you'll fit right in!

Parking Chair

You won't need to hold your place in line with one of these if you register online today!

Crick

A smaller version of a river, like the Allegheny that runs beneath the Roberto Clemente Bridge where we'll be partying all evening long at Bark N'at!

Chipped Chopped Ham

A local delicacy you might not find in our food truck alley. But don't worry, we'll have plenty of other delicious hometown favorites to choose from!

Jimmies

Another name for sprinkles ... not to be confused with our Lead Yinzer, Jimmy Krenn.

Dahntahn

Also known as downtown. This is the only place you'll want to be on Sat., June 24 for Bark N'at on the Clemente Bridge!
So how's about you stop putzing around and register for Bark N'at today!

My Balcony in June 2017

These are the last of my pansies which I picked mid-June

so that I could plant the dahlias!

Every season has its flowers

and after pansies come all sorts of beauties

like these orange and yellow dahlias with a fine red line around each petal.

Refreshing pink

and luminous red

and a mixture of warm colours.

Two window boxes of dahlias are planted in front of the garden table

where I eat every day.

A hydrangea heart.

This plant hadn't flowered for three whole years

and I was about to give up on it

and told it so!

It must have heard me because it suddenly started growing

beautiful light pink flower clusters!

This is my oldest hydrangea.

Last year, I bought a new hydrangea to compensate for the 

older plant which had remained dormant for so long.

I'm thrilled with the deep raspberry pink of these new flowers

which can be seen even better here.

but the hydrangea star of the show this year has been this beauty

in tones of  pink lilac, developing into deeper tones of blue.

This one was a beautiful birthday and Mother's Day gift

from my son this year!

The final colour.

Though as I speak, the flowers are changing yet again

to more muted pastel shades with touches of pale green.

Beautiful at every stage!

The Physalis, or Chinese Lantern

is doing so well.

I love to watch the tiny white flower transform into tiny bud

which then develops in to a little green lantern.

They will look so pretty when they all turn orange.

The different stages can be seen here in the collage.

Pink anthemis flower the whole summer through

these are a welcome splash of colour next to my kitchen door.

My small olive tree is laden with tiny flowers which will become olives!

New this year is an oleander plant with beautiful coral blooms.

Two kinds of bell-flowers or Campanula.

The ones above which have grown back from last year

and these smaller ones in a big tub which come back every year.

All these wonderful colours make life living in the town more bearable.

My flowers are my joy and I love to sit outside

for all my meals and read surrounded by all these manifestations of nature.

Sometimes,

I like to pick just a few flowers to enjoy inside.

If you have a balcony or a terrace, or if you're fortunate enough to have a garden,

I hope you are enjoying all the wonders of nature.

Just like me!

Eastern Phoebe

Phoebe Nest Parasitized by Cowbirds

Eastern Phoebe

 We are lucky to have a nest of Eastern Phoebes (Sayornis phoebe) over our patio this year.  The female phoebe has been a diligent mother, faithfully sitting on her eggs and now working hard to catch insects around the yard to feed her brood.  But we did not know until two days ago that she was feeding an interloper.

The Eastern Phoebe is a flycatcher that is common here in New Brunswick.  It frequently nests under eaves, bridges and  other man-made overhangs.  It is a medium-sized flycatcher that characteristically wags or dips its tail.  It is grayish above with the gray being darker on the head.  Its underparts are white with a pale yellow wash on its sides and breast.  It has a friendly call note, saying its own name, 'Phoebe phoebe'.  In our yard it receives a warm welcome as it returns in the spring from its wintering area in southeastern US and Mexico.

Eastern Phoebe

Phoebe nests are made of mud and moss and are lined with fine grasses.  The incubation period is 16 days and both the male and female incubate the eggs.

The first fledgling that left the nest was the bird pictured below, a young Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater).

Brown-headed Cowbird Fledgling

Fortunately, in the next day or two the phoebes fledged.  Their nest was parasitized by the cowbirds!  The female cowbirds watch and somehow find out where there are suitable nests in which they can deposit their eggs.  Each female lays as many as 35 eggs!  That is a lot of normal bird 'families' to be burdened by her young.  The cowbird egg incubation time is 10-13 days.  So, what usually happens is that the cowbirds hatch first and the host adults have to feed this interloper, thinking it is one of their own.  Often the cowbird nestling out-competes the host young resulting in their starvation, abandonment or death.  Yesterday we saw the adult phoebes catching insects around our yard and hopefully feeding their own fledglings as well as the cowbird.  The adult cowbirds are nowhere to be seen.  They leave the rearing of their young to someone else - true parasites!

Brown-headed Cowbirds - 2 Males, Female

The adult male Brown-headed Cowbird is iridescent black and green on its back and sides and brown on the head.  The female is a uniform medium gray-brown all over.

Brown-headed Cowbird Male

The Eastern Phoebe was the first species to be banded in North America.  It was done by John James Audubon in 1804 who placed a silver thread around the leg of a phoebe to see if it would come back to the same place the next year.    We are pleased they come back by the hundreds of thousands every year for a good place to raise their young and for our enjoyment.

Vaccines 101

By Melanie Lippert, Clinic Services Program Assistant


Most people know that their pets should be vaccinated, but do they know what these vaccines actually protect against? It’s worth the time to understand what vaccines your pets need and why they’re so important.

The one vaccine that is required by state law for every dog and cat is the rabies vaccine. Most are familiar with rabies but don’t consider the risk of their household pets transmitting this deadly virus. Rabies is most commonly transmitted through wild animals such as skunks, raccoons and bats. Once contracted, there is no cure for rabies in animals or in humans. The introduction of the rabies vaccine has drastically decreased the number of cases over the years.

Another vaccination, commonly called DHLPP, is strongly recommended by most animal care professionals. This vaccine protects against up to five different conditions that can be deadly to dogs: distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus and parainfluenza. These diseases can be contracted by your pooch from other canines or the environment. While some of these conditions can be treated if caught early, others have no cure and can be fatal.

Even for indoor cats, choosing to vaccinate can be a lifesaving decision. The FVRCP vaccine protects against feline rhinotracheitis virus, calicivirus and panleukopenia. These conditions can affect your cat’s health in a number of ways including attacks on their respiratory, immune and gastrointestinal systems. Some of these cases are limited to minor respiratory problems while others can be deadly for cats if left untreated.

Keeping your pets up to date on their vaccinations is safer, easier and far less expensive than treating a serious (or even minor) illness. Thankfully, Animal Friends offers low-cost vaccine, microchip and flea treatment clinics to help keep your four-legged friends safe, happy and healthy. These clinics are cash only and all services are offered on a first-come first-served basis – no reservations required.

If you have questions about which vaccinations your pet needs or for dates of upcoming low-cost vaccine and microchip clinics at Animal Friends, visit ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org/Vaccine or call 412.847.7029.

The "S Dogs" (part 3)

Read: The "S Dogs" (part 2)

In one of our dog kennels, a staff member was finishing some paperwork at a makeshift desk made from an overturned milk crate. In the kennels surrounding her were about a half dozen of the S Dogs. Occasionally tossing a treat to the kennels’ occupants, she went about her work as the dog nervously paced back and forth. Although it may have seemed like an odd sight to some, this was one of the critical first steps of their rehabilitation. This was getting them accustomed to the presence of people.

This continued for weeks and months. And slowly but surely, terrified looks and shell-shocked stares transitioned into fleeting eye contact or a cautious sniff. Each of these small victories were building on one another as the S Dogs learned to trust.

Then one day as our staff member went in to complete some paperwork, she opened a kennel door in hopes that the occupant would take a few brave steps out. From the corner of her eye, she saw him approach. Careful not to initiate eye contact, she continued her work as he cautiously moved closer. She thought she imagined it, but no, there it was. A cold wet nose brushed against her arm. She dared not move an inch. She threw a glance in his direction, and then, for just a few seconds, their eyes locked. It took everything in her to continue her work because she really wanted to jump up in celebration. For this was a tremendous step in the dog’s progress – progress that had taken weeks of patience. She knew this was something we could build on as we continued to patiently and persistently work with the S Dogs.

As more and more of the dogs began to slowly but surely step out of their comfort zones, we knew the real work was just beginning. We wanted them to understand what it was like to be a dog. Some hadn’t been outside in months because they were so terrified of being touched that collars and leashes simply had to wait. After walks could come playgroups, followed by meeting new friends and, eventually, going home.

The staff members and volunteers who had been working with them for months became the S Dogs’ closest friends. Forming a collaborative network of support, they shared in each of the dogs’ victories – big and small. “Saxon pawed me to keep petting him today!” “Sanderson took treats from my hand for the first time!” It was truly a team effort with one common goal.

Then the day came that some thought might never arrive. A family was interested in adopting one of the S Dogs. Word spread like wildfire. It was hard not to get hopes up because the end result was just too heartwarming not to dream about. And then it happened. Sal was the first of these special dogs to find a loving and understanding family to help him continue his journey.

Since then, more than 20 of the S Dogs have found homes, but there are still some who, more than a year after arriving at Animal Friends, we continue to work hard with each and every day. No matter how long it takes, we’ll continue to work with them tirelessly until they’re no longer in our care.

Interested in learning more about the S Dogs who are ready to find loving homes? Contact our Adoption team at 412.847.7002 or AdoptionInfo@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org to set up a meet and greet today!


Adoptable dog, Sherlock.

Adoptable dog, Simon.

Black Bear

Be Aware of What is Around You When Birding and Botanizing

Black Bear

Black bears are common in New Brunswick.  Their population is presently high, so we need to be aware of what is around us when we are in the woods and fields.  On most occasions black bears present no danger to people.  They usually know you are coming before you arrive and disappear before you even knew they were there.  However, it is certainly possible that you will surprise one when you are rambling through the woods and fields.

The bear shown above was eating happily in the ditch of the road on the edge of Kouchibouguac National Park on Sunday past.  It had found a delectable plant growing in the damp ditch.  It was reluctant to move as we slowly moved past within 10 metres of it.  This bear gave no indication whatsoever of being aggressive towards people.  All it wanted to do was to eat and be left alone.  Unfortunately the cars on the road disturbed it.

Black Bear

The bear shown above was happily sunning itself in our field one afternoon.  It was about 200 metres from our buildings.  It sat happily and watched me as I photographed it.  It remained there most of the afternoon.  We have a good population of bears near populated areas in New Brunswick.

I have come across a lot of bear sign in the last couple of years while birding or botanizing.  I have seen lots of bear tracks and scat.  I have seen stumps and rotten logs torn apart by bears as well.  They are just living their normal lives and leaving evidence behind.  

Black Bear Track

Bears come out of their dens in early spring.  They give birth to their cubs during the winter and the cubs emerge with them.  They are hungry at that time and heavily feed on whatever edible foods they can find.  A mother bear is very protective of her cubs and one must stay clear of a bear with cubs.  On one of our field trips we came across three small bear cubs in a tree.  We knew the mother bear was not far away so we got in the truck quickly.  The little bears peaking down at us were very cute.

Black Bear [Leo Doucet Photo]

When seeing bears photographers are often tempted to get closer to get the 'good' photo.  One must be cautious.  Getting too close to a bear is foolish.  Moving too close disturbs the bear and is not an ethical behaviour for naturalists or photographers.  We must respect the animal and its habitat.  After hearing the story of how the above photograph was taken,  I concluded the photographer was too close!  Leo was lucky the bear ran in the opposite direction!

Bears are an important part of our nature and ecosystem.  They have a definite place in the ecology of our boreal and acadian forests.  We need to be aware of a possible encounter and at the same time enjoy our forests and fields.

To read about what to do when encountering a bear, go to the government of New Brunswick website for good information.  See the address below:

www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Departments/nr-rn/pdf/en/Wildlife/BewareBlackBears.pdf