Few activities are as rewarding as finding and watching wildlife in a natural setting. God has created all living things and that in and of itself is a testimony to their worth. God has endowed humans specifically with "dominion" over animals and plants. This, in my view, is the basis for conservation. Humans have the responsibility to protect/manage CAREFULLY. This responsibility is not arbitrary, but in a sense covenantal and God-given.

Also, the less needless harm inflicted on our environment, the more we are able to enjoy our surroundings and live healthy and happy lives. And when we properly fulfill our role in this, we are faithfully serving our God-given duty to subdue and care for our environment. With that said, some of my favorite pastimes include going on nature hikes and photographing wildlife.

• Agelaius phoeniceus - Red-winged blackbird
• Anas platyrhynchos - Mallard duck
• Archilochus colubris - Ruby-throated Hummingbird [Backyard]
• Ardea herodias - Great Blue Heron [Ojibway Park; Northern Ontario]
• Branta canadensis - Canada Geese
• Carduelis tristis - American Goldfinch [Ojibway Park]
• Cardinalis cardinalis - Northern Cardinal [Backyard]
• Carpodacus mexicanus - House Finch [Ojibway Park, Backyard]
• Cathartes aura - Turkey Vulture
• Chlorostilbon ricordii - Cuban emerald [Cayo Coco, Cuba]
• Contopus caribaeus - Cuban Pewee [Cayo Coco, Cuba]
• Corvus brachyrhynchos - Common (American) Crow
• Corvus corax - Common Raven
• Cyanocitta cristata - Blue Jay [Backyard, etc.]
• Gavia immer - Common Loon [Northern Ontario]
• Icterus galbula - Baltimore Oriole [Ojibway Park]
• Larus argentatus - Herring Gull
• Larus delawarensis - Ring-billed Gull
• Melanerpes carolinus - Red-bellied Woodpecker [Ojibway Park]
• Mimus polyglottus - Northern Mockingbird [Cayo Coco, Cuba]
• Pandion haliaetus - Osprey [Northern Ontario]
• Parus bicolor - Tufted Titmouse [Ojibway Park]
• Passerina cyanea - Indigo Bunting [Ojibway Park]
• Pelecanus occidentalis - Brown pelican [Cayo Coco, Cuba; Cayo Largo, Cuba]
• Pheucticus ludovicianus - Rose-breasted grosbeak [Ojibway Park]
• Poecile atricapilla - Black-capped chickadee
• Picoides pubescens - Downy Woodpecker [Ojibway Park]
• Picoides villosus - Hairy Woodpecker [Ojibway Park]
• Sitta carolinensis - White-breasted nuthatch [Ojibway Park]
• Turdus migratorius - American Robin [Backyard; LaSalle Woodlot]
• Zenaida macroura - Mourning Dove [Backyard; Cayo Coco, Cuba]

• Ambloplites rupestris - Rock bass [Northern Ontario]
• Cyprinus carpio - Carp [Point Peele, etc.]
• Esox lucius - Northern pike [Northern Ontario]
• Lepomis gibbosus - Pumpkinseed fish [Northern Ontario]
• Micropterus dolomieui - Smallmouth bass [Northern Ontario]
• Micropterus salmoides - Largemouth bass [Detroit River]
• Perca flavescens - Yellow perch [Northern Ontario]
• Salvelinus namaycush - Lake trout [Northern Ontario]
• Stizostedion vitreum - Walleye or Yellow Pickerel [Northern Ontario]

• Bufo americanus - American Toad
• Hyla versicolor - Gray Tree Frog
• Osteopilus septentrionalis - Cuban treefrog [Cayo Cocco, Cuba]
• Rana catesbeiana - Bullfrog
• Rana clamitans Green frog [LaSalle Woodlot]
• Rana pipiens - Leopard frog

• Anolis carolinensis - Green anole [Southern Florida; Cayo Coco, Cuba]
• Anolis sagrei sagrei - Cuban brown anole [Cayo Coco, Cuba]
• Chelydra serpentina - Common snapping turtle [LaSalle Woodlot, Ojibway Park, etc.]
• Chrysemys picta - Painted turtle [Ojibway Park]
• Cyclura nubila - Rock Iguana [Cayo Largo, Cuba]
• Elaphe gloydi - Eastern foxsnake
• Emydoidea blandingii - Blanding's Turtle [Ojibway Park]
• Eumeces fasciatus - Common five-lined skink [Point Peele, Rondeau Park]
• Leiocephalus carinatus - Saw-Scaled Curlytail [Varadero, Cuba]
• Storeria occipitomaculata - Red-bellied snake
• Thamnophis sirtalis - Common gartersnake [LaSalle Woodlot, Northern Ontario, etc.]

• Argiope aurantia - Yellow garden spider
• Cheiracanthium mildei - Black-footed spider
• Cicindela sexguttata - Six-spotted Tiger Beetle[LaSalle Woodlot, Ojibway Park]
• Coccinella septempunctata - Seven-spotted lady Beetle
• Euborellia annulipes - Earwig [Backyard]
• Gerris remigis - Common water strider
• Harmonia axyridis - Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle
• Hexagenia bilneata - Mayfly
• Hippodamia tredecimpunctata - Thirteen spotted lady beetle
• Isia isabella - Banded Woolly Bear
• Libellula pulchella - Twelve-spot Skimmer
• Lepisma saccharina - Silverfish
• Lumbricus terrestris - Earthworm
• Lycosa ??? Wolf Spider [LaSalle Woodlot]
• Nymphalis antiopa antiopa - Mourning Cloak Butterfly [Ojibway Park]
• Papilio glaucus - Eastern Tiger Swallowtail [LaSalle Woodlot]
• Phidippus audax - Daring Jumping Spider
• Photinus pryalis - Big dipper firefly
• Pyropyga nigricanans - Firefly
• Salticus scenicus - Jumping spider
• Stagmomantis carolina - Praying mantis [Backyard, Devonshire Mall (!), etc.]

• Coenobita clypeatus - Caribbean hermit crab [Cayo Coco, Cuba]

• Didelphis marsupialis - Common opossum [Front Porch]
• Marmota monax - Groundhog or Woodchuck [Northern Ontario, Ojibway]
• Mustela vison - Mink [Northern Ontario]
• Odocoileus virginiana - White-tailed deer
• Ondatra zibethicus - Muskrat [Front Porch]
• Procyon lotor - Racoon [Rondeau Park, Point Peele, etc.]
• Sciurus carolinensis - Eastern gray squirrel
• Sylvilagus floridanuss - Eastern cottontail rabbit
• Tamias striatus - Eastern chipmunk [Ojibway Park, Northern Ontario, etc.]
• Tamiasciurus hudsonicus - Red squirrel
• Sciurus niger - Black squirrel [Backyard, LaSalle Woodlot, etc.]
• Ursus americanus - Black Bear [Northern Ontario]

• Centaurea maculos - Spotted Knapweed [LaSalle Woodlot]
• Erigeron annuus - Daisy Fleabane
• Fragaria virginiana - Wild Strawberry [LaSalle Woodlot]
• Taraxicum officinale - Common Dandelion
• Trillium grandiflora - Eastern Trillium [LaSalle Woodlot]
• Typha latifolia - Broadleaf cattail

• Polyporus squamosus - Dryad's Saddle [LaSalle Woodlot]
• Stereum hirsutum - False Turkey Tails [Ojibway Park]