Natural Entertainment

Today was a great 'nature day' beginning with an impromptu visit to Elk Island Park.  There is a one hour drive between my home and where my granddaughters live.  To pass the time we play a game watching for animals out their windows.  Our usual list includes horses, cows and 'sheeps'; as Wren would say.  We've also had deer and mad 'mooses'.  Today we can add a couple of new animals.

The girls were watching closely out of their windows to see what they could spy next.  As we were getting close to my turn off, I asked if they ever saw a bison.  Wren asked "What's a bison?"

The last time that I was at Elk Island, the bison were very close to the road so I took a little detour to see if we could find some.  There were quite a few but all were a good distance from the road.  We drove through the bison loop hoping to get a better view but that was a bust.  They must have been there recently though as the highway was covered in 'bison poo' as the girls would say.  Both agreed that the park warden needs a big pooper-scooper.  Wren was worried about how I was going to get the poop off my tires.

As we were heading back to my place, we spied an elk.  It was the first time that I had seen one at Elk Island.  What a beauty.  We parked and watched him as he searched for food in the snow.

When we got back to my house, each of the girls brought a couple scoops of peanuts to the bird feeder.  They like watching the action at the tray feeder.  The chickadees were singing their 'cheeseburger' song and both girls started singing back.  

We went inside for lunch and as we were eating, the blue jays started swooping in.  This would be quite entertaining so we all headed to the window seat closest to the feeder.  Just as we got there, four jays tried landing at the same time.  Two of them did not take kindly to each other and started a fight right in front of our window.  They flew in circles trying to snap at each other.  While they were busy fighting, the other two were loading up on nuts.

The weather looks to be warmer tomorrow so we should be able to get in some more outdoor activities.  I wonder what Mother Nature will have in store for us.