Living in Balance
By Jenipher Appleton

While cross-country skiing in the field behind our property, I have frequently been treated to the majestic sight of a soaring rough-legged hawk (Buteo lagopus). During summer, they can be regularly seen in their flight patterns over farm country and can be easily mistaken for a red-tailed hawk, golden eagle or even a turkey vulture. Unless the distinctive markings can be seen (which often depends on the light), identification can be tricky.
Both the common and scientific names refer to the fact that this hawk’s legs are feathered all the way down to its toes. The only other known birds to sport this feature are the ferruginous hawk and the golden eagle. The rough-legged hawk is 19 inches in length and has a wingspan of 52 inches. The beak is hooked (handy for ripping flesh) and it has long, broad, rounded wings. In flight, the underside of the wings shows large black patches at the wrists. The broad tail is white at the base with a dark terminal band. Adult hawks occur in both dark and light phases of colour.

Durable relationships
Rough-legged hawks are monogamous; pairs have been observed together over a period of many years. They breed in the Arctic tundra and taiga regions of Canada and Europe. There is one brood annually with a clutch of 2-7 eggs, depending on the availability of food for the nesting pair. Nests are built on the edges of cliffs or in the tops of trees. Some have been found to have the bones of caribou amongst the nesting sticks.
The hawk’s diet consists of small mammals, fresh roadkill, rodents, and large insects. It hovers over its prey like a kestrel, and then plummets toward it feet first. Puppies and kittens beware! The hawks love the open country and are frequently seen riding the air currents over the agricultural fields of Middlesex County. Fortunately, this species is not listed with any particular concern either in Canada or the United States. At one time, however, enormous numbers were shot in the U.S. because of the tame behaviour of the species. Numbers have increased in recent years as a result of more stringent hunting guidelines and regulations. The rough-legged hawk is also vulnerable while feeding on roadkill on local roads and highways. Just recently I was disappointed to see a red-tailed hawk that had succumbed to that same fate on county road 81.

Recent sightings
Keep your wits about you as you travel throughout the region. The bald eagle is definitely making a strong comeback. If you think you are seeing a large hawk, look again more carefully and you just may see the distinctive white head and tail of the bald eagle. I have been treated to several such sights near Ailsa Craig over the past few months.

Living in Balance
By Jenipher Appleton

What’s wrong with a little memory work anyway? In past decades, a requirement of learning English in Canadian elementary schools was a certain amount of memory work. It usually was in the form of poetry. One would be asked to choose a poem and commit it to memory; the teacher would dutifully record the number of lines memorized in her special record book. There was normally a prize for the person with the most lines memorized at the end of each term.
It seems to me that a certain amount of rote memory exercise is helpful to the learning process. We are, after all, still tested for some exams on our ability to recall thoughts and ideas. But poetry gives the memory experience a whole other dimension.
Webster’s defines poetry as “an imaginative awareness of experience, expressed through sounds and rhythmic language” – or – “an artistic representation of what it feels like to experience the emotions of a human being”. Robert Frost once wrote, A poem begins with a lump in the throat. Something would be missing in my everyday life if I could not call to mind a few lines of poetry, memorized long ago, when I find myself in certain situations.

While walking in woods on a summer’s day, to recall the words of Joyce Kilmer’s poem ‘Trees’ seems most uplifting. Here is an excerpt.
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair.
Or in autumn, while in the meadow with Fergus the Lab, the ability to quote from Wilfred Campbell’s ‘Indian Summer’ adds to the tranquility of the experience.
Along the line of smoky hills
The crimson forest stands.
And all the day the blue jay calls
Throughout the autumn lands.

In the depths of winter, I call upon the words of Robert Frost’s ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’ to enhance the sensory experience of silent snow.
Whose woods these are I think I know,
His house is in the village though.
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

The foregoing excerpts are only a few of the poems that often come to mind.
Even to be able to quote a bit of Shakespeare when words of wisdom are needed can be fun. Lines like “Something is rotten in the State of Denmark” (Hamlet), “Brevity is the soul of wit” (Hamlet), or “Smooth runs the water where the brook is deep” (Henry IV), bring metaphorical depth to certain situations.

On the very day my father passed on to eternity, Dad and I were able to recite together our favourite lyric by Robert Frost, ‘The Pasture’. It is a moment in time I will forever cherish. I was thankful that he had instilled in me the desire to both read, appreciate, and to memorize so many wonderful poems.
Our sons have been raised to be lifelong learners and have caught the same bug of using quotes in many situations. Our younger son, Andrew, recently took it to another level while he was outside on a very snowy day in early January. He carefully observed the behaviour of a white-breasted nuthatch for several minutes and subsequently found himself inspired to create the following poem that captures a beautiful snapshot of the little bird.

The Nuthatch
By Andrew Appleton

Oh little Nuthatch, upon the tree
His feathery throat ruffled by the breeze.
A proud pointed tail and little black hood.
With a slate grey back like the Maple tree’s wood.
His upside’s his downside.
While on the tree-side’s lea side
He sits inverted and safe
From the wintery wind.

For what he awaits
I’m not quite sure.
But the winter is sweet
And his heart is pure.

Recalling and creating poetry can definitely be ‘food for the soul’.

Living in Balance
By Jenipher Appleton

The back section of our three-acre property is an expanse of wonderful thickets, shrubs, and hedgerows. In late October, while walking just before dusk, Fergus the Lab managed to flush up a stocky, short-bodied bird with a very long beak. I knew immediately that it must be an American woodcock (Scolopax minor). It flew about 100 meters and landed in the dense brush. A little research renewed my knowledge of and interest in this most unique of game birds.
The American woodcock is nicknamed the timberdoodle. It is very similar to the common snipe, which is also classed as a game bird. I would think that there would be some very slim pickin’s if you wanted to make a meal of one of these birds, which weigh in at well under half a pound. The woodcock’s population is relatively common and its behaviour migratory.

Appearance
The American woodcock has a short, dumpy body, is short-tailed and robin-sized. The plumage is a patterned cinnamon on top and on its back, beautifully camouflaging it against the dead leaves of the forest floor. It is brown underneath and has black and brown barring on the crown of the head. The legs are short and pinkish and the bill is very long and also pinkish. Its eyes are located high in the head, affording it a visual field of 360 degrees in the horizontal plane and 180 degrees in the vertical plane. It is certainly adapted to seeing predators coming from overhead.

Breeding
During courtship, the male will circle in flight as high as 90 meters, hovering, chirping and then gliding in a zigzag pattern toward earth. The feathers make a sort of whistling sound during this courtship display. The woodcock female lays a clutch of one to four eggs, which are creamy buff with brown spots. The nest is on the ground (similar to the killdeer) in an open wooded location. Also like the killdeer, the young are precocial, which means they are fully fledged and ready to leave the nest almost immediately. They are dependent on the mother for the first week for food and begin probing for worms after three or four days.

A strange perambulation
When I was in grade school back in the ’60s, my father was the local public school inspector. A few times a year he would end up in my classroom to ‘inspect’ what the teacher and students were up to; much to the chagrin of the teacher. Usually I was delighted by his entertaining visits, but one visit sticks out in my mind as simply mortifying.
Dad was a naturalist and birder, and on this particular day he was talking about the American woodcock. He took it upon himself to demonstrate the unusual walk of the stocky little bird. My father would plant one foot firmly on the floor ahead of him at the front of the classroom, and then proceed to bend his knees and wiggle himself forward and backward. He would then proceed to do it all over again with the other leg in the forward position. He looked completely ridiculous up there in his three piece suit demonstrating the American woodcock’s silly antics. My classmates found it hilarious as I was trying to slide myself under my desk and out of sight. However, I have learned through my current research the reason why the woodcock elicits this behaviour.

A feeding strategy
The woodcock eats mainly earthworms and arthropods, and sometimes plant material. Its long bill is somewhat flexible and acts like a pair of tweezers. In order to procure its meal of earthworms, the woodcock will step heavily on the ground with one foot forward (possibly causing earthworms to move). It then rocks its body back and forth without moving its head. This may make the worms move around in the soil and make it easier for the bird to probe around and catch the worms in its tweezer-like bill. So the antics of the woodcock (and my father) have a purpose after all. Watch for this interesting bird at dawn or dusk near thickets and young forests.

Living in Balance
By Jenipher Appleton

October 31 is upon us. The shops have had their Hallowe’en wares on display for weeks now, and the children are beginning to make their plans for costumes and trick-or-treat destinations. Heaven help us parents, grandparents, and teachers alike!
Hallowe’en is a wonderful time for people of all ages to indulge in the luxury of just plain fun. October 31, or All Hallows’ Eve, gives us a legitimate excuse to dress in costume and pretend to be something we are not. Even the Appleton boys, well into their 20s, celebrate the occasion with some highly creative costuming, and perhaps a little tipping of the elbow along Richmond Row in London.
And now to the children. Hallowe’en is perhaps even more exciting than Christmas to some! Turning out the lights and listening to a scary (but not too scary) ghost story, dressing up as their favourite character and wearing the costume at school, going out for trick-or-treat and bringing home all that candy! All that candy can often present problems for the most diligent and organized parents. Perhaps we worry too much about the amount of sugar that our children consume at this spooky time of year.

Sugar and hyperactivity
Sugar has had a bad rap for decades. It seems to have begun back in the ‘70s when the Feingold Diet proclaimed that food additives were the main culprits in contributing to hyperactive behaviour in children. Certain food colourings and preservatives can certainly cause erratic behaviour, but is sugar also responsible for the same actions? According to some studies in the 1990s, sugar does not affect behaviour. Let us not forget that sugar is a natural product; its source is either sugar cane or sugar beets. The fact that it is refined simply makes it more readily absorbed into the blood. However, this may not mean that a child is going to behave in a hyperactive manner.
When children finish dessert and finally get to leave the table after a family gathering, all the running and expending of pent-up energy may be simply that they have been sitting too long. The sweet dessert takes the blame for the ensuing behaviour. One study explained that a group was given foods containing real refined sugars and the other group was given a placebo (no sugar ingredients). Both groups consistently reported hyper behaviour after the consumption of the foods. The conclusion was that the placebo group of parents had the expectation that their children would be hyper and that expectation influenced how they interpreted what they saw.

Caffeine, chocolate and cola
Cola beverages, hot chocolate, chocolate bars, etc. not only contain high levels of refined sugar, but also high levels of caffeine. The latter is the more likely culprit for any hyperactivity following consumption. Kids often associate soda beverages with a party atmosphere and will act accordingly. In support of this theory, I have seen many groups of very hyper children in a social situation who have not consumed any sugars at all.

Tips for Hallowe’en Survival
You can either suffer through your child eating their Hallowe’en candy within the first few days, or you can have them ration it into Zip-loc bags and stretch it out over a longer period of time. Either way, they are not getting enough of the right kind of foods if the focus is on the sweets.
Your dentist would likely rather that they eat it all at once. That way they will not be subjecting their teeth to multiple acid/sugar attacks which could result in many more cavities. Having it over and done with, then brushing well, is better for their teeth.

The Bottom Line
When all is said and done, children should be eating a balanced diet and consuming only a small percentage of refined sugars. While the sugar may not be responsible for the hyperactivity, it is most certainly responsible for much of the obesity, diabetes and heart disease so prevalent in our society today.
Happy Hallowe’en!

Living in Balance
By Jenipher Appleton

The leaves are beginning to change with each passing day. It brings to mind some lines of poetry from my youth.

Now by the brook the maple leans
In all his glory spread.
And all the sumachs on the hills
Have turned their green to red.
Excerpt by Wilfred Campbell of Kitchener

The nights are chilly and the misty mornings bring the sounds of migrating geese and the barbwire fence screeching of Mr. Blue Jay. The sugar maple in our back yard is quickly turning its foliage to a glorious crimson.
What is the cause of all this colour change in our trees and forests? It all gets down to two key components: pigments and chlorophyll.
We associate autumn with reds, oranges, yellows, and browns. All of these pigments exist within the deciduous leaves. However, they remain unseen because of the presence of chlorophyll, which is green.

How it works
Leaves are food factories for trees. The leaves take on water from the roots of the tree, and also carbon dioxide from the air. The tree then uses sunlight to turn water and carbon dioxide into glucose, or sugar, through photosynthesis. Chlorophyll helps make photosynthesis happen. As long as it is present, the leaves remain green.
In autumn, as the days grow shorter and the temperature begins to drop, mother nature helps the trees to take time out for a rest.
As the trees begin to shut down their food factories, the green chlorophyll disappears from the leaves. This in turn allows the other coloured pigments to shine through and give us our beautiful autumn palette.
If the weather is cold and rainy, the colours tend to show mainly yellow and brown hues. On the other hand, if it is warm and sunny with crisp nights, the brilliant reds and oranges are more prevalent.
Evergreens and the like
In autumn you may notice changes in our coniferous (evergreen) trees as well. If needles have been on the pines or spruces for two to three years, they no longer receive as much light. The tree will withdraw the chlorophyll from the needles, which in turn will change to a yellowish hue and eventually be shed from the tree. The remaining needles will stay on the tree through the winter. New needles will grow in spring. Some trees like the tamarack and European larch will shed their needles every fall and are not a true evergreen.
So, get out for a walk in the autumn vistas. It will undoubtedly calm your nerves and lift your spirits!

Living in Balance
By Jenipher Appleton

Algonquin Park beckons us each year; we have just returned from our 21st camping trip. And I mean camping. No RV, no pop-up camper. Sleeping in a real tent on the ground with a little help from an eggshell mattress and Thermarest.
You can hear everything from within a tent. Some of us have to get up in the middle of the night when nature calls. Standing in the bushes (as if anyone could possibly be watching you at 4 a.m.), you can detect snoring from just about everyone’s tent in the campground. I could even hear the steady drone of a camper about five sites away from ours. I’m sure his sleeping partner was thrilled.
Of course I cannot leave out the sound of zippers. Yes, I said zippers. In order to get out of a tent you have to zip-zip at least three times; one for the sleeping bag, one for the tent door and the last one for the tent porch. Then you have to do it all over again when you return to your resting place. That’s a lot of zipping.
Our son Andrew was two when we began camping with him and his older brother Tommy. They loved it from the start. As a result, they have continued to pursue this annual camping trip ever since. Now that Tommy is the proud father of a baby boy, he had no intention of missing this year’s trip. Yes, you can camp with a six-week-old baby. As a matter of fact, it worked out really well.
Oscar Thomas Henry Appleton was born on June 29th of this year. That makes us grandparents, if you hadn’t already figured that out. Oscar’s mother Sonja also shares a love of camping and was very enthusiastic about preparing for this year’s sojourn. Oscar’s sleeping accommodation was a red laundry basket lined with a bed pillow. He was swaddled up in a bunting bag each night around the campfire and went to sleep willingly in the laundry basket. He was shifted into the tent when his mommy went to bed and would proceed to sleep soundly, five nights in a row, until around 6 a.m. At that point Sonja would feed him and he would return to his slumber until well after 8:30 a.m. Must have been the fresh air. I would be up making coffee and starting breakfast long before Oscar thought it was time to awaken.
So, you can camp with an infant. Who knew? The benefits of camping the old-fashioned way far outweigh the hassles of the packing, and pitching of tents. A good cook tent or dining shelter goes a long way as well. So give it some consideration if you haven’t already made the plunge. Your family memories will be worth it.

Living in Balance
By Jenipher Appleton

During the summer months, plenty of hawks and falcons are on the prowl for rodents and smaller birds. Red-tailed hawks, the rough-legged hawk and goshawks are seen perched in dead limbs, on wires, or soaring over the fields. To identify a rough-legged hawk in flight, look for a large, dark patch on the underside of each of its wings. The red-tailed is very easy to identify because of its large size and the distinctive rusty tail feathers that stand out against its white underbelly. I have actually witnessed a red-tailed hawk swoop down on an unsuspecting black squirrel perched in a maple tree. The hawk then proceeded to sail away into the distance, squirrel in talons. You’ll also see Cooper’s and sharp-shinned hawks visiting back yards in hope of scooping up an unsuspecting songbird.

Giving the sparrow hawk a bad name
The smallest hawk in our area is the sparrow hawk, or American kestrel (Falco sparverius). The name is actually a misnomer because it is neither a hawk, nor does it consume very many sparrows. The sparrow hawk is actually a member of the falcon family. The American kestrel is a mere 9-12 inches in length, or about the size of a blue jay. It is the only small hawk with a rufous back and tail. The combination of the blue-jay wings and rust back makes for a very attractive bird. Both male and female have a moustached black-and-white face pattern. The little falcon would fit nicely into the poetry of Edgar Allan Poe or other medieval lore.
I often see kestrels perched on roadside hydro wires. They hover for prey on rapidly beating wings, much like a kingfisher. The voice is a rapid high “klee-klee-klee!” Foods include rodents, insects, bats, small birds, small reptiles and frogs.
The kestrel is a solitary nester and will readily nest in bird boxes built especially for them. During breeding season and courtship, the male gathers food and feeds the female in the air. Both parents nurture their single yearly brood, which consists of three to seven creamy to pale pink eggs, which are heavily blotched with brown, and measure 3.6 cm in length. Their population is common throughout North America. You can spot the American kestrel throughout the year in our region, but most likely in spring and summer months.
The fact that we have so many hawks and falcons in our region suggests that they are well fed. Therefore, the rodent population would appear to be in good shape as well.

Living in Balance
By Jenipher Appleton

‘A change is as good as a rest’. The old adage carries much truth. A short getaway during the summer months can be just what the doctor ordered. Whether you choose a local day trip, or a few days in or out of province, the benefits can be outstanding.
In July, my better half took me on a five-day trip to Quebec City. It was an experience not to be missed. We felt as if we were transported to some European town, without the hassle of passports or overseas flights. The people were welcoming, friendly, and helpful. Our attempts to order meals in French were greatly appreciated, but all of the employees were equally fluent in both official languages, a claim that we could not make about ourselves.
A daily highlight was sitting in a café, at a table by the open window (no screens) watching the people and bicycles passing by. The horses clip-clopping on cobbled streets pulling calèches (open carriages) full of happy tourists added to the old European charm.
The place is steeped in Canadian history. Jacques Cartier and Samuel de Champlain were the first Europeans to discover the narrowing of the St. Lawrence River where Quebec City now stands. A tour of the Plains of Abraham, where the great Battle of 1759 was fought, helped us to visualize what really happened during the line battle between the English and French troops, led by Generals Wolfe and Montcalm. Both generals perished as a result of the battle and the English claimed victory.
The Citadel is an active military base situated on Cap Diamant (Cape Diamond), Quebec City’s highest point. It has an obvious vantage point for anyone who might be looking down the St. Lawrence for approaching enemy ships, as the French did during the 17th and 18th centuries. Possession of the city was tossed back and forth between the French and English several times during those years, ending up in the hands of the British Empire. Quebec City truly is the birthplace of this great country of Canada.
Today, a French-speaking regiment occupies the Citadel. This is none other than the famous Vingt-Deux (nicknamed Van Doos by their Anglophone comrades during WWI). They are the 22nd Regiment of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. This group may speak French, but they dress in the red coats of the British, complete with the tall bearskin hats you would see at Buckingham Palace. The Vingt-Deux were originally formed as the 22nd French Canadian Infantry Battalion and went to France in WWI as part of the 5th Canadian Brigade. They have fought in every war since and are currently serving in Afghanistan.
Each morning at 10 a.m., they perform the changing of the guard, complete with their mascot, a white goat descended from a goat gifted by Queen Victoria. Following this ceremony the soldiers return to their combat uniforms to go about the business of being a Canadian soldier. They are proud to be in a position to protect and serve our country. The tour guide explained to us the importance of keeping alive the French language and culture of the 22nd Regiment. It is their very essence, and it makes them stand out as the unique group they are today. The motto on their coat of arms is “Je me souviens” (I remember).
The inhabitants of Quebec are proud to be Canadian but wish to maintain their individuality of language and culture. The Quebec experience commands a great deal of respect and admiration, from both an historical and human perspective.
It can be said that if you understand your history, you may have a better chance of knowing where you are going. Our excursion to La Belle Province has certainly helped us to understand better how our country came to be. You really don’t have to leave it to be both enriched and entertained.

Living in Balance
By Jenipher Appleton

(The following is a justifiable divergence from the usual topic of ‘our feathered friends’.)
As a member and co-director of the Ailsa Craig and District Historical Society, it was recently my turn to open the museum and attend to any tourists who might happen by during an afternoon. The museum, also known as the Donald Hughes Annex, was originally the Ailsa Craig Baptist Church, erected in 1871. Now, lovingly restored as a tribute to local heritage, it houses a myriad of artifacts, antiques and objects of interest. It is readily found on George Street. Just follow the signs as you come into town from any direction.
It turned out to be a slow day – actually nobody came – perhaps due to a pending thunderstorm. To pass the time, my first hour was spent enjoying some showcases and displays, including quilts, clothing, kitchen supplies, old sales receipts, ledgers, cameras, furniture, etc., from well over a hundred years ago. A look through some scrapbooks of local community events, along with some high school yearbooks, proved to be highly entertaining.
Then it began to rain. Hard. Really, really hard. When it rains like that I get nervous. What to do? Aha! I had brought along my current knitting project. I seated myself near the front door of the old church and began to knit. As my nerves calmed, it dawned on me that I was sitting in a 19th century building, surrounded by objects from a simpler way of life, doing exactly what a woman from the 1800s would likely do. My needles weren’t wooden, but the knitting process had not changed. My ball of wool was not cooperating as I demanded more yarn, so I put it into the bowl of a 1930s cream separator, which happened to be beside my chair. It worked, simply and effectively.
After about an hour of rain pounding on the church roof, my husband burst through the front door, soaking wet. He said he had come to see what I was up to. “I had to shut down my computer because of the storm,” he announced. I smiled and continued with my knitting while my only ‘tourist’ for the day took a half hour away from the computer to observe the legacy of a much simpler era. And he really enjoyed it.
If you’re wondering where the connection to my usual birdy topics is, when you visit you’ll notice there is pigeon poop on the front porch of the church. They live in the belfry.
Summer hours are 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays, or:
To arrange a tour, call (519) 293-9388 or email acdhs [at] hotmail.com

Living in Balance
By Jenipher Appleton

The killdeer Charadrius vociferous, a member of the plover family, is named for its piercing call. On a leisurely walk at the back of our property, I heard the familiar “kill-dee!” and noted a female killdeer sprinting away from her nest. In an effort to divert my attention, she went into the usual broken wing act, crying in a pitiful voice. Treading carefully, I finally located the nest; a shallow scrape in the gravel, beautifully camouflaged and endowed with four brown speckled eggs. When I glanced away toward the frantic mother, it was very hard to relocate the nest when I looked back, although I had not moved an inch. I took a quick photo and promptly left the mother in peace.

Born at last
For several weeks Fergus (the Lab) and I would wander past the little nest. I would marvel at the fact that they were still intact. Finally, on one sunny afternoon, I managed to distract Fergus away from the area by saying the word ‘bunny’. After he had bolted into the bush, I checked the nest to find four beautiful, fuzzy, killdeer infants, soaking up the sun’s rays. I left quickly, accompanied by the screams of the concerned parents.
The next day they were gone; all evidence that they had ever been there had disappeared. I wondered if something had found and eaten them. However, a little research revealed that once the babies leave the nest, the parents clean up every scrap of eggshell. If these babies had succumbed to the ravages of a predator, certainly there would been some remains of the nest’s contents. Minutes later I heard the killdeer parents calling their young. I can only assume that all was well with the baby birds.

Precocial indeed
The killdeer offspring are among the cutest of baby birds. Fluffy replicas of their parents, they come out of the egg running and with eyes open. These ‘precocial’ babies are much closer to independence than most newborn birds. They are incubated longer and so are further developed at birth. Camouflage aids in their survival rate after hatching. One of the first lessons is to teach the chicks to ‘freeze’ on signal from the parents. The fact that the offspring are so cute is often an attraction for curious onlookers, especially children. Parents need to make their own offspring aware of the importance of leaving things in nature as they found them. A curious human intruder can seriously disturb a family of killdeers or other birds, sometimes causing the death of the baby birds.
The killdeer is very helpful to farmers because of the large numbers of insect pests which they consume. Unfortunately, they are quite vulnerable to pesticide poisoning. The use of these chemicals has a very negative impact on the entire food chain. I don’t need to see a “pesticide use” sign to know when the stuff has been sprayed. The odour lingers for a couple of days. Any birds which eat insects or worms are affected, along with countless other species. Thank goodness recent legislation has dispensed with the residential use of such poisons. It is the least we can do to help repair some of the damage toward nature we have caused.