Wild Friends

The chilly temperatures from the last couple of days created a layer of ice on the beaver ponds again.  The geese and coyotes were treading softly across it.
 
The ponds that had open water along the edges were a feeding ground for the muskrats and beaver.  I stopped my vehicle and walked close enough to the edge to hear them crunching their fresh twigs and reeds.  There were numerous beavers atop the ice; their wet coats reflecting the sunlight across the pond.

I drove from one end of the park to the other.  In addition to the muskrats, beaver, and geese, the bison, elk and a  porcupine were out.  The porcupine was waddling up the side of the ditch toward the trees.  I managed to get within five feet of the porcupine.  Each time I tried to get a photo of its cute little face, it would turn its quilled backside toward me.

I'm looking forward to the weekend.  It sounds like the weather is supposed to settle and the temperature is supposed to warm.  I sure hope that happens soon as the new wild babies will be born soon.

 

Could it be the final spring storm?

I'm beginning to think that my days off are jinxed.  I had an outdoor day planned yesterday but ended up spending the entire day indoors.  The view outside my window was that of a spring blizzard.  The wind howled and the snow came down.  I tried to straighten out my gazebo frame from the wind a few days ago but the blustery conditions were trying to tip it again.  

Good thing the temperature in the first half of the day was warm enough to melt some of it as it fell because if it didn't melt, there would be at least 8 inches.  This morning there is 4 inches.

The sun is out and the news reports are saying that road conditions are not good.  I have to go into town later today so am hoping that some of that road ice will melt.


My yard was drying up nicely and now it is back to square one.  The one consolation to the snow storm is that all the plants that I bought are sitting in my kitchen so it's looking like spring in front of the patio door.





 

Rain, Rain Don't Go Away

Robins singing.  Frogs croaking.  Geese honking.  That is what I heard when I opened the door this morning.  I had another early work day and was leaving at 5:15am.  The moon was bright and the light reflected off the water in the sloughs along side the road.  The sky was clear and the stars were twinkling.

Two rabbits hopped across the road and a porcupine waddled along the ditch.  8 deer jumped a barb wire fence; their eyes reflecting the light from my headlamps.  I was the only person on the road at that early hour.  It was great to see all the night creatures going about their business.

Rain showers started this evening making it smell very fresh outside.  It is supposed to rain all night.  I'm looking forward to an outside day tomorrow; rain or shine.  My boats and rain gear are by the backdoor just in case.

Mother Nature smiles when it rains.

Looking Back

April showers are making it smell so fresh.  Now, if only the howling wind would stop.  I looked out the window at work this afternoon and the rain was coming down in sheets.  The wind was whipping the evergreen branches around.  People were huddled in the front entrance lobby; waiting out the storm.

On the drive home there were a couple rotted poplars that had toppled across the ditch.  Broken branches and twigs littered the pavement.  The wind didn't seem to bother the moose that was browsing on the willows or the muskrat swimming in a pond along the roadway.

I got home to find all the garbage carts blown over and the gazebo almost tipped over.    I checked the forecast and there was a wind warning which said that the wind was to let up this evening.  I really didn't care if it was windy or not because after a 12 hour day at work, I decided to light the wood stove and cuddle up under a soft blanket.  What a fine way to relax; listening to sap crackle and spark from the pine that I put into the stove.  

I'm looking forward to having Monday/Tuesday off even though the temperature is supposed to tank before then.   I was looking through my photos and thought that the greening of spring was really delayed this year until I found this photo taken April 27, 2008.  How soon we forget.

 

Sounds of Spring!

Fresh.  That's the word that describes what it smells like outside right now.  A small rain shower went over.  It didn't amount to very much but the smell is outstanding and the rainbow that it produced was beautiful; first one of the season.

I just came in from tucking my plants into the garage.  Canada Geese were honking in the bush behind my house.  They are nesting by one of the sloughs amidst the trees.

There was another sound this evening that I have not heard since last year.  The boreal tree frogs were singing in the bush as well.  I love listening to them.  When they all get singing at the same time, the sound can be deafening; yet when they sense that someone is close by, they will stop immediately and all you hear is dead silence.

I noticed that some Canada Geese were nesting on top of a beaver den along the roadway.  They did that last year as well.  The den is right alongside the road and the geese spent many of their days on the road itself.  They appeared to play 'chicken' with the vehicles going by.

The warm temperatures over the past couple of days have done wonders in my yard.  The big melt has finally happened and now I have a big mud hole.  I had to put my rubber boots on to go from the house to the garage and they felt like they weighed ten pounds a piece by the time I made it back.  The only place that snow remains is on the north side of the fence and the garage.

I'm hoping that the yard will be dried up enough by Monday so I can spend some time marking out where the raised garden beds will go and where the paths will be laid.  I want to order all the supplies and have them on site for my week off at the beginning of June.  Let the back yard construction begin!

 

 

Yey! It's finally spring!

My long anticipated outdoor day finally arrived and it was wonderful.  I didn't have to bundle up in winter gear because the temperature was finally one to be found on April 25.

I spent part of the day in my yard; checking out areas that were now free of snow.  I spread the snow around in the other areas.  It was great to be able to work in the yard.  I got the urge to go plant shopping for perennials so made a quick trip to the greenhouse.  

The staff there had many new plants out already and I found several that I wanted to add to my yard.  Rather than taking the chance that the plants would still be there in a month, I decided to make the purchase today and look after them in the house until they could be planted.  Exciting!

This evening I went for a drive to Elk Island Park.  The wildlife did not disappoint me.  On the way to the park entrance I saw 2 moose, numerous bison, numerous elk and one deer.  As I drove north on the parkway I noticed that much of the snow has melted and the ice is breaking up on the ponds along the road.  

Some movement caught my eye.  I pulled over and noticed a beaver gnawing on some branches.  I remembered to bring along my binoculars so I enjoyed the show that it was putting on.  There were a number of them swimming in the water that was open.  It was fun to watch them come out from under the ice.  I could hear them try to break through where it was still frozen.  

I continued my drive and noticed beavers on top of the ice in numerous other ponds along the roadside.  The sunlight was reflecting off their wet fur; making them easy to see in the distance.

The 2 resident bison at the beach area of Astotin Lake were grazing on the green grass that was showing through in the open areas.  The geese have paired up and were enjoying the open water in the ditches.  The lake ice has not broken up yet.

It is hard to believe that so few people visit the park.  Most evenings that I go for a drive, I meet up with only one or two vehicles.  Tonight was no different.

On my way back from the north park gate, 2 bison were on the road.  As I came closer, one crossed to the other side of the highway.  The other stayed on the driver side of my vehicle.  I slowed to watch him.  He paid no attention to me and just kept on grazing.  

The best find of the night was a young moose.  It was on the road as well.  I slowed, hoping that it would not bolt into the bush.  It did move to the side of the road but stayed there while I pulled up and stopped.

It posed for me until a vehicle came from the opposite direction and scared it off.  Each moose that I've seen in the park has had been tick-ridden.  The poor things have large bare spots where they have lost their hair.

I needed the outside day today.  Work has kept me inside for the past week.  I have another two busy weeks before my life becomes normal again.  My busy event season at work is almost over and I am looking forward to hiking the trails on a regular basis.  Spring is finally here and I am going to enjoy it.

 

April showers bring May flowers? Not this year.

I just checked the forecast for tomorrow so I knew what I was up against for my much anticipated outdoor day.  It's -7C on its way down to -12C for overnight.  I'm really glad that I didn't start any seeds inside this year. The plants would be 3 feet tall by the time it was warm enough to plant them outside.

I left for work this morning at 7:15am and had to take the ice scraper to my vehicle windows.  I'm sure the neighbors appreciated that noise outside their window that early on a Sunday morning.

It was foggy in patches on the way in to work.  In one clear spot there was an open patch in the clouds where the sun shone through.  It looked like a biblical picture with the sun rays streaming through to the ground below.  A large hawk sat on a fence post sunning itself.

It was one of those moments that I was unprepared for.  I had only the point and shoot camera in my vehicle.  Wouldn't you know it; no 300mm lens and no binoculars when you need them.

On the way home a car was tailgating me.  I drive the same road everyday so am quite aware of where the deer and the moose tend to hang out.  I was coming up to one of those spots and noticed 3 deer making their way toward the fence line which meant that they would probably be jumping over it and coming up onto the road.  I slowed to watch what they were going to do.  I glanced into the rearview mirror and noticed that the car was pulling out to pass me until it saw the deer crossing the road.  It would not be the first time that someone with no patience either pulled out and passed or was speeding along that road and hit one of those beautiful creatures.  One of the deer already had a big scar on its leg so obviously it had a run in with something quite recently.

I'm hoping the weather cooperates for me tomorrow.  It's my only chance for another week to spend the day outside.  I'll be glad when April is over.  May will bring a less hectic month at work and hopefully some warmer temperatures to melt the remaining snowbanks in my yard.

Then again, the leaves could be out and everything would be green and it would snow like it did on May 30, 2010.

6 Months of Winter and Still Counting

I've had another week where I've not been able to visit the trails.  Work schedules are keeping me inside.  I have noticed that headway is being made with the melt in my backyard.  The paths that I had shoveled in the winter are down to bare ground and the construction clay is unthawed.  If I don't tread carefully I'm past my ankles in mud.

On Saturday morning I woke to the robins chirping and the chickadees singing.  What wonderful sounds to wake to.  I'd much rather hear them than the alarm clock.  It rained on Friday night so when I opened the door to leave for work it smelled fresh and reminded me of a camping morning in the mountains.

Last night it was snowing again.  Huge flakes fell and the wind was gusting.  The trees were swaying back and forth so much that I thought they were going to snap off.  It was looking like a winter blizzard again.  There's just over a centimeter of snow on my deck.

As I waited for my coffee to brew this morning I checked the weather website for the outside temperature.  It is -7C on April 21.  The first snow of the season fell in late October 2012 and it's been falling ever since.

The yard has been under a blanket of white for more than 6 months.  I want to put away my winter boots and the snow shovel.  I want to put on my sandals and dig out my gardening tools.  In 2008 there was still lots of snow on the ground in April but it didn't start falling in October!

I've lived here at the lake for almost 11 years and this is the first year that the snow has been on the ground for half the year.  I love winter and snow but even I have had enough already.  I'm waiting impatiently for a reprieve.

As I'm ranting here about the weather, a blue jay is squawking in the evergreen outside my window.  It sounds like it is scolding me for the snow that is once again covering its seeds and nuts in the tray feeder. 

I'm looking forward to Monday.  I do have to work but only a half day and in the evening so I plan on enjoying some time outside.  I've not had the opportunity to visit Elk Island this week but have noticed that the deer and the moose are out more often on my drive into work.   It appears that my forest friends know this.  They greet me along the roadside as I travel into town.

April 29, 2008.  I can only dream of brown this year.

 


 

Mr. Golden Sun

So much for best intentions.  My plan was to spend the whole day outside; instead it was a half day outside and a 3 hour nap.  I hiked Beaver Pond Trail early in the morning because I knew as the temperature warmed, the snow would soften and it would be difficult to walk on it.

It is receding but very slowly.  There are not many places where the sun shines directly on the trail so the melt is not happening quickly.  

The little birds were in hiding.  Only crows, ravens and magpies were visible.  There were no calls that I could hear.  On most days I can hear chickadees, jays, and woodpeckers but not today.

The trip to Astotin Lake was more eventful.  There were lone bison on a couple of hills.  When the sun came out, they closed their eyes and soaked up the rays.

The Canada Geese were vocal.  Their honking could be heard across the lake.  As I approached, they spread their wings and walked across the ice while scolding me.

The bison were not the only animals enjoying the sunny slopes.  The elk were out as well; most on the hillsides in the distance.  It's pretty amazing that I've visited the national park for years and have never seen the elk until March of this year.  Since then, I've seen them almost each time that I have visited.

There are visible signs that spring is slowly arriving.  The seasonal park staff were decked out in safety gear and were participating in their chain saw training.  Contractors were busy getting the shower buildings fixed up in the campground and parks staff were busy loading in supplies at the Information Center.

A young snowshoe hare darted across the park way.  I'm happy to say that the little guy was almost brown.

On the drive home the white tailed deer were grazing along the fence line.  The sound of vehicles on the busy highway do not seem to bother them.  They didn't look up until they noticed that I had stopped and was rolling down a window.

 I got home and decided that I was going to enjoy the sunshine as well.  It was beaming through a window directly onto a bed and was inviting me to enjoy it.  Just like the forest creatures, I laid down and felt the warmth radiating through. 

 



 

 

Missing My Forest Friends

I've been busy at work and have not had the opportunity to get to the trails for 6 days.  I was beginning to feel like a caged cat.  When I was driving into town yesterday, two white tailed deer were waiting for me at the top of the hill.  As I pulled up to the stop sign, they stood in the middle of the road watching.  A little further up the road, 8 white tailed deer were grazing in the field alongside the ditch.  I didn't get to my forest friends so they came to me.

I was looking forward to a couple of days off.  Today was spent catching up on errands and attacking a mountain of dirty dishes so I only had time for a quick drive through the park.  On the way there, the deer and bison were grazing along the highway.  I made it all the way to Astotin Lake before I saw more wildlife.  Two bison were grazing by the lake shore amidst the Canada Geese that were pairing up on the ice.

A couple of geese were atop the old thatched roof house.  When I drove by the house, the geese honked and flapped their wings.  They flew off the roof and joined the flock that congregated on the lake shore.  It's going to be a while before the ice breaks up on the lake.  There is still a lot of winter snow that has to melt.



 

There was a lone bison on the highway.  He was feeding on the grass where the snow had melted.  I slowed to watch.  He didn't pay any attention to me.

A young moose was making its way through the deep snow in search of an early evening snack. 

 
The young willow branches proved to be a tasty treat.  I watched for ten minutes as it made its way through the thicket.

I continued to the north end of the park and came across 6 elk at the edge of the forest.  Half of them had found some grassy patches where the snow had melted and were laying down while the others grazed on the long grasses close by.


On the way home I saw another moose on the opposite side of the road and a porcupine looking for some fresh bark to chew on.  I can't wait for tomorrow.  I'm planning on spending the whole day outside as I'll be working another 6 day stretch that will keep me inside.

Another Spring Storm

This morning I woke to another 5 inches of snow on my deck.  I had to push the back door to get it open.  Large, heavy, wet flakes covered everything in sight including the remnants of winter snow.  It still has not melted.  There's about one foot of that left in the yard.  That makes six months of snow.   

The birds were fighting to get at the feeders.  They would fly in and dig around in the snow to grab a sunflower seed.  The redpolls landed in the snow on the deck railing; savoring their morning snacks.

For the first time this spring, I saw a dark eyed junco at the feeder.  It was holding its own amidst the flock of redpolls.



My busiest season has begun at work and I will not be getting out as much as I would like to for the next three weeks so I'm happy with the nasty weather.  I hope it snows itself out while I'm stuck inside so that when my next day off rolls around, I can hit the trails without having to wear a tuque, mittens and winter coat in the middle of April.

Mid-April 2009.  We have a long way to go to see brown grass.

My Reality TV

The warm sunshine and the blue sky was enticing.  I packed up and headed to Elk Island Park.  I love spending time there.  It's a new adventure everyday.  The money spent on my annual park pass was money well spent.

My destination was Beaver Pond Trail.  It's about 3kms long and has a varied terrain.  My binoculars were packed just in case the elusive little boreal chickadees were out today.

I hadn't been on the trail since the last snow.  It just added another 10cms to the snowbanks that have not melted yet.  When I got up this morning the temperature was -19C.  At the time this photo was taken it was -2C.  Given the temperature lately, it is going to be a long while before the banks melt.

I'm so glad that I remembered the binoculars.  The birds were busy.  I spent at least a half hour watching a pileated woodpecker and a hairy woodpecker.  They played on an old poplar tree; following each other up and down the trunk.

When the big guy got to the top of the tree, it tapped out a message on the hollow trunk.  In the distance I heard two others answer back.  It tapped out a message again and I heard the other two answer back.  The sounds were closer.  It was amazing to watch and hear them in action.

There were a number of downy, hairy and pileated woodpeckers along the trail.  They paid no mind to me as I watched their antics in the tree branches.  This was the first time that I have actually put my binoculars to good use.

The chickadees were busy as well.  I wanted to see boreal chickadees but settled for the little black capped ones.  They were very entertaining as they searched for seeds in a stand of birch trees.  The one that I watched for a few minutes worked it's way down a tree from branch to branch; stopping to check for seeds behind each piece of birch bark that was loose along the trunk.  Their little calls to each could be heard on either side of the ravine that was close by.

Most days when I walk that trail, I hear only one or two birds.  Today was a different story.  There was a symphony of calls made by pileated woodpeckers, downy and hairy woodpeckers, chickadees, crows, ravens, blue jays and magpies.  There was a call that I did not recognize but I could not find the source. 

I left the trail parking lot and decided to stop at Astotin Lake to see if there were any bison grazing in that area.  There were no bison but the white tailed deer were grazing on a hill close to the road.  They gave me a brief glance; long enough for one photo.

I kept watch for other animal sightings on the way out of the park.  There were a few bison scattered in areas along the highway.  When I got to the Bison Loop Road I noticed a couple of big ones coming my way so I turned in for a closer look.  

The snow is still very deep in the open areas.  These big guys had a difficult time making their way across the field.  When their body weight made them break through the snow, they were up to their bellies.  One of them caught on really quickly and made his way to a well worn path that was packed down.  The second one followed the first and then walked along the road to the meadow across the highway.

In addition to the bison, a coyote made its way along the fence line to a tree stand in the distance.  At the top of one of the tallest trees, I could see a large bird that turned out to be a hawk.  Ever since the owl prowl that I attended, I've been on the look out for owls but so far have had no luck spotting any.

My outing was relaxing and entertaining.  I would much rather wander the trails watching the wildlife in action than spend my time indoors watching the television.  That is my reality tv!

 







 

Slow Down People!

I've seen the same young moose for the past 3 days.  It was slowly making it's way in the direction of my home.  I first spotted it within the fence that surrounds a garbage dump which is about 5 miles away.  It was nibbling the young willows along the fence line.  It must have escaped when the gate was open through the day.

Each time since, it has appeared a range road closer to my turn off.  I could tell it was same moose from the bare patches of skin showing where the hair was rubbed off to try and rid itself from ticks.

Today it stood atop the snowbank alongside the road that I was traveling on.  I noticed it before I got close.  The driver behind me didn't and was not impressed when I slowed down.  He pulled out and passed me but hit the brakes hard as soon as the moose stepped closer to the edge of the road.

I've lived in this wilderness area for almost 11 years and continue to watch for movement in the ditches or the light reflecting off of wild eyes in the night.  It just makes me shake my head in disgust when I see drivers treat the back roads as a major highway.  The speed limit is what it is for a reason.  They will probably realize that too late.  I just hope my moose friend does not end up in someone's windshield or laying in the ditch being scavenged like the deer that I saw today.

When will the big melt happen?

I was whining about the snowfall today until I looked back at my photos of April 5, 2012.  I was working on a photo collection of new home construction and found photos of the big snow that happened last year at this time; 25cms.

Since this morning, there has only been about 3cms of snow; just enough to get the birds working a little harder for their seeds.  The blue jays were using their beaks to swish the snow out of the way in the tray feeder so they could get at the peanuts underneath.  The redpolls landed in flocks; feeding at every feeder available including the suet.

I'm glad that the snowfall has been minimal because my backyard still looks like a glacier.

 
This was April 8 of 2012.  That big snow on April 5 melted quickly.  I don't think my backyard will look like this in 3 days.

When I was at Elk Island National Park yesterday, the hiking trails still have more than 30cms of packed snow on them.  Many have much more. 

I did however see a glimmer of hope yesterday as I approached one of the trail heads.  The sun had shone brightly on a small hill by the parking lot.  It had melted the snowpack.  Beautiful green grass was coming through.  It was a sight to behold.

This evening I am going to create a list of seeds/bulbs to purchase.  I want to be ready when the temperature warms up and the last snowflake melts.  I need some color in my yard.  

Before I can start my list, I have to grab the shovel and dig out the 60cm snowbank in front of the shed door.  That's where my gardening notebook is hibernating.  Snow boots.  Tuque.  Gloves.  Winter jacket.  Shovel.  I'm ready.