The temperature rose overnight.  The sky cleared.  The sun was shining and the fluffy snow that fell over the past few days was waiting to be played in.  I left home today at 8:30am.  By 9am I was at the Beaver Pond trail head at Elk Island Park and was ready to venture out with my snowshoes.

I saw a coyote along the highway on my way to the park.  It was romping in the snow; rolling, jumping, rolling some more.  That coyote was enjoying the fresh snow as much as I was planning on enjoying it.

I was the first on the trail this morning.  The chickadees kept me entertained as they searched for seeds.  I'm always amazed at how they can hang upside down from the branches.  

The morning was calm.  No rustling leaves.  No people sounds.  Just a peaceful, silent world.  Every now and again a pack of coyotes would call to each other.  Their haunting calls echoed through the forest.

 

There was some fresh snow on the ground.  Hare, deer, coyote and squirrel tracks criss-crossed the trail.  Bits of bark were left laying beneath the shrubs that the hares were nibbling on.  A squirrel was upset that I stopped underneath the canopy of some large evergreens.  As I enjoyed a water/snack break, it jumped from one snowy tree to another; creating an avalanche that almost ended up on my head.

I spent 1.5 hours on the trail.  The timing was perfect.  As I approached the parking lot, five other snowshoers were headed out.  Another group was gearing up by their vehicles.  My timing was impeccable this morning.  I beat the rush and thoroughly enjoyed my quiet time.

When I got home, I noticed that the doe that has been visiting my yard, had emptied 2 out of 3 feeders that I filled prior to going to the park.  I refilled the empty ones for my feathered friends.  The deer had a well worn path from station to station so I didn't have to walk through the really deep snow.



The sun was shining and the sky was blue.  I made a cup of coffee and enjoyed it on the deck while watching the flurry of bird activity.  Four bluejays flew in and shared the seeds at the tray feeder at the same time.  Nuthatches and woodpeckers enjoyed the suet feeders.  The chickadees were not fussy.  They fed at the suet, tray and hanging feeders.  


 
I went inside to tend to some chores.  As I walked past the patio doors, the bright red crowns of two pileated woodpeckers caught my eye.  I could not believe what I was seeing.  Each woodpecker sat on a fencepost, side by side.  I ran for the camera and hoped that the pair would still be there when I got back.  Jackpot!  I managed to get a shot of them as proof that the two beauties were in my yard at the same time.


After the sun went down this evening, I turned on the outside deck light with the hope of catching the doe sneaking into my yard after dark.  She didn't let me down.  As I watched from the window seat in my room, she visited the tray feeder that the blue jays frequent.  For 30 minutes she moved all the way around the tray, using her tongue to reach the seeds.  When she couldn't reach anymore, she proceeded to forage for the seeds that dropped into the snow.  I'm sure she would have remained longer but a car door slammed and scared her off; her white tail in the air as she bolted to the back of the yard.

The past three days off have been fantastic.  The new snow made for some great outings.  The wildlife in the backyard made for some great entertainment.  The wood stove provided some cozy warmth at the end of each day.  It's been a relaxing mini-staycation!  

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.  Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.  The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.  ~John Muir