The main reason for making the trip back to Ontario was to work with my sister to arrange an appropriate memorial for our beloved mother with the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington. I'm pleased to say we have now arranged to have a lovely London Plane Tree planted near the Lilac Dell in the Arboretum in her memory, with an appropriate sign in front. It may take some time for the tree to be planted but, if you're in Burlington in the fall, please do take a walk in the Arboretum and look for it.

Some of my fondest recent memories of my Mom involve the walks we used to take at the RBG (either at Princess Point, the Arboretum or Valley Inn Road) to look at the birds: swans, geese, herons, ducks, shore birds and the tiny finches and sparrows that filled the trees and bushes. So it's natural that a visit back to arrange the memorial would also involve a great deal of bird watching. And this trip didn't disappoint.

It started on the way to the Fredericton Airport, when we spotted a male bald eagle sitting proudly in a tree, gazing down on us as we passed on the Lincoln Road. Then, when my sister Lynn and I drove up to the Arboretum the next day, another male bald eagle soared above the entrance. After taking care of business, Lynn and I went for a walk on the path at Princess Point and saw a wide variety of birds, including goslings (see photo), swans, yellow warblers and a number of other species.

My birding experience was further enhanced by the fact that Lynn and Gavin live in east Toronto, very near to Lake Ontario. As a result, their modest backyard is a haven for all kinds of winged creatures, including purple finches (see the picture), orioles, and cardinals. There is even a family of grackles living in the eaves of the house behind them, giving me a great chance to snap photos of the baby grackles as they cried out for food and then, moments later, their mother feeding them.



I'm not the most spiritual person in the world but I can't help but feel like it's no coincidence that, during this trip intended to memorialise my mother, most of her favourite bird species made an appearance. Their presence made a potentially melancholy task a joyous experience.

Tags: Grackles, Finches, Goslings