Spring snow flurries fell for most of the day but when the sky cleared in the late afternoon, the sun came out.  It was deceiving.  It was a lot colder outside than it looked.  The forecast for overnight is -20C.  It's the last day of March and it's still freezing.  It is looking up for the rest of the week; +12C for daytime highs on the weekend.  Hopefully that turns out.

The deer waited until 6pm to show up today.  Their coats are really beginning to change color and antlers are beginning to

grow on some of the young ones.  What a great learning experience it has been watching the fawns change.  They have been coming faithfully since November 21 so I've seen them through the entire winter.  I hope they continue their visits through the summer.  With any luck, I'll see some new babies show up.

Today was the first day that I opened the back door and stepped out onto the deck without scaring them off.  They looked up and glanced in my direction but did not run off.  I actually was able to 'talk' to them today.  Progress.

The chickadees were very busy today.  They flitted from tree branch to seed pot all afternoon.  The blue jays were taking their chances to come to the seed pot on the deck as well.

It was great fun to watch the chickadees pick through the seeds; searching for just the right one.  I wondered what they were looking for.  Was it the one that was most filled out?  Was it the one that was just the right color?  How did they choose?  Their little beaks sorted and the flipped seeds over the edge of the pot.

Once in awhile they would get lucky and find some seeds that were already shelled.  Bonus.  Not much work involved with those.

A number of nuthatches were in the yard.  They would fly from feeder to old tree trunk and back.  I loved watching them as they made their way up, down and around the trunk.

The wind was cold this afternoon which may have contributed to the feeding frenzy.  Whatever the reason, there was a lot of action so the feeders emptied rather quickly.  I went out to fill a pail with seeds and noticed that a squirrel has found its way into my garage again.  Good thing it is warming up.  I'll be able to move some things around in there to find the entrance hole that it has chewed.  My guess is that it's come through the wood floor behind a stack of firewood.  That's where I've noticed the little rodent sitting quite often; perched atop the stack of wood.  Where is Spike when I need him?

The last squirrel that made its way into the garage, created a toasty nest in the attic from the pink insulation.  It chewed the insulation and stored its food in the center of it.  I filled two large garbage bags getting rid of its food store. 

If I can't find the entrance hole, I may have to put Spike or the neighbor's cat into the garage for a couple of days with the hope of scaring that bushy tail out of there before it chews up everything in sight.

This morning I was undecided as to where to hike today.  It was already almost noon when I tossed some snacks into my backpack and headed out the door.  I ended up at Elk Island on the Beaver Pond Trail.

There were small patches of wispy clouds in a bluebird sky.  The sun felt warm and made for a pleasant hiking day.

The bison seem to like this trail.  Each time that I walk it, there are large bison 'pies' that I have to tiptoe over.  It is rather silly that at the trail head there are doggy-doo bags provided so you can clean up after your pooch yet the pies left by the bison could fill up more than one pair of shoes.

All was quiet in the treetops.  The squirrels on the ground were the only noise makers today.  I couldn't tell if they were playing a game of tag or hard-to-get.  They would chase each other over logs, around bushes and up and down tree trunks.  A couple of them were close to running into me.

I met up with one other person today.  I think he had just stopped so his dog could do his business.  He didn't look dressed for an outing.

It's going to take awhile to melt all the snow that is tramped down on the trail.  A lot of it has melted beneath the trees and on the banks of the ponds but the trail itself has more than a foot of packed snow in some places; yet in others it is bare.  In 2013, the last of the snow melted in June and I think there was more snow this year.

The drive home is usually uneventful except for today.  I was only a couple miles away from the park gate when a front tire blew.  Thank goodness for roadside assistance and the fact that it was a nice day.  An hour later I was on the road again.  Other drivers don't like it when one travels at 80 kph on a highway where the speed limit is 110 kph but what can you do when you have a temporary little 'donut' tire for a spare.

I made it home safe and sound.  As I unpacked my vehicle, the chickadees were singing their cheeseburger songs in the trees.  The bluejays were squawking as they sat on the fence.  I could see the deer in the forest behind my yard so I knew it wouldn't be long before they came for a visit.

The first to arrive were the five amigos.  Their coats are getting darker.  The young ones are beginning to watch for danger and do the 'tail up' stance along with stomping the ground with their front feet.  They thought Spike the cat was a threat and started chasing the poor guy.  I've never seen him move that fast across the snow!  It was a good thing that he was close to the shed when they spied him.  He didn't have far to go to hide.

Something scared the deer off during the first visit.  They came back about 15 minutes later but there were more.  The two mule deer had shown up as well.  That made for quite the action in the backyard; fighting, head butting, foot stomping and rearing up.  I had my own reality nature show.

I don't usually have more than one light on in the evening but tonight I turned that one off as well to participate in Earth Hour.  I lit a couple of my favorite candles and did some internet shopping for new tires.

The clouds disappeared and the sun shone brightly in the clear blue sky.  I went out early to refill the feeders and heard a chorus of black capped chickadees.  There were no other sounds; only the sweet 'cheeseburger' songs in the forest.

I visited Elk Island National Park this afternoon.  There were only a couple of bison and one lonely coyote visible.  Nobody had visited the Amisk Wuche Trail since it snowed.  The only tracks I saw were those of a number of forest animals; coyotes, rabbits/hares, mice and squirrels.  The fresh snow covered some very icy patches.  I had to use my camera monopod as a hiking pole.  My cleats wouldn't grab into the ice so it was challenging to hike downhill.

I stood for a few moments in my favorite spot on the trail; the one where tall evergreens tower over it.  They create a canopy over the trail that prevents the snow from building up.  As I stood under the branches, the forest whispered sweet nothings.  By nothings, I mean no sound; the sweet sound of silence.  It was wonderful.

I got home and found that the deer had visited while I was gone.  I refilled the tub with hopes that they would come back soon.  The chickadees had been very busy.  They were joined by starlings today; the first I've seen since last fall.  They were feeding on the remaining suet.

It looks like there are going to be a couple days of snow ahead but then it is supposed to warm up nicely.  If that actually happens, it will be perfect timing for spring break.

I took the 'We love snow.' plaque off my door but that didn't stop the snow from falling.  I found two inches of the white fluffiness on my deck this morning.  It's been snowing all day.  I just glanced out the window and it's still falling.  The trees look lovely but the roads are a mess.

The backyard beauties visited while I was at work but the mule deer stopped by after I got home.  There were three of them.  They are more skittish than the white tails.  As they eat, they continually watch for movement and each time they hear a neighborhood sound, their ears move around like radar.  What fun to watch them.

I'm hoping that the weather sorts itself out before next week.  My granddaughters are coming to visit for a spring break sleep over and I'm hoping to have lots of outdoor fun with them.

A little backyard spat.

The calm before the storm appears to be happening right now.  The temperature is decent.  There is no wind.  The deer are having a feeding frenzy.  In the last two hours, the five amigos have come into the yard twice and the odd couple has visited once.  When I got home, I noticed that they had visited during the day as well.  Everything was empty.  I have refilled the feeders twice and they are empty again.

There is a heavy snowfall warning for areas to the west and the weather forecasters are saying that it is headed this way.  Spring isn't spring without a snowstorm.  The latest one in a season that I can recall happened long ago on a May long weekend.  We were tenting and woke to the top of the tent sagging down under the weight of the snow.  

On the drive home today, a small white tail deer was 'trotting' down the middle of the road.  I came within ten feet of it with my vehicle and it did not move to the side.  It continued on its merry way down the center line until it came to a farm driveway where it turned in and trotted toward the yard. 

On the range road that leads to home, two moose were in the ditch just inside the fence line.  Both looked like they were going to jump the fence but a truck coming from the opposite direction scared them back.

It was an amazing day for animal sightings.  I don't know if they were all out due to spring fever or due to the impending storm but they provided some great entertainment this evening.

Up, up and away with room to spare.

Just when I've said that the five amigos are no longer coming into the yard, they show up.  They are all looking filled out and healthy with shiny, sleek coats.  It was fun watching as all five attempted to eat from the grain tub at the same time.  There was actual turn-taking happening; no fighting or stomping on each other.

The snow has melted down to the ground around the hanging bird feeders so only the mamas were able to reach the seeds.  The little ones tried but soon gave up and ate the fallen seeds off the

ground.  One remembered that there is usually food in the tray feeder and came to investigate.  There were no seeds; only grain.  It must prefer the seeds because it only took a couple mouthfuls of grain.

I didn't see the odd couple today.  The five others showed up twice.  When they left the yard, I watched as they made their way through the forest.  The snow has melted down a lot there as well; making it easier for them to travel.

I drove to and through Elk Island Park just to see if any wildlife was out but came home empty handed.  There was more action in my backyard.

The snow is almost gone from the tops of the raised garden beds.  The rocks that border my gravel paths are showing through the snow.  The gravel on the paths is bare.  There is no snow left on my deck.

As I sat at the kitchen table watching the deer and the birds, I flipped through the pages of a Birds and Blooms magazine.  I have to admit that it did make me daydream about having no snow and lots of colorful blooms in the yard.  If the deer continue to visit, daydreaming about flowers may be the only thing I am able to do.

The temperature plunged again. I stepped outside to take out the garbage and I could see my breath this afternoon yet the snow was melting on the deck.  

The birds were in a frenzy.  Chickadees, nuthatches and bluejays flew back and forth from tree branches to feeders.  Hairy and downy woodpeckers were enjoying the suet.  I heard a pileated woodpecker behind the house. 

The deer odd couple showed up during daylight hours today.  I wondered how frequently mule deer hitch up with white tail deer.  They appear to be the equivalent to a human inter-racial marriage!

The female white tail is the aggressor over the male mule deer.  When he wants to eat from the grain tub, she chases him away until she is finished eating.  Once she is done, he's allowed to come for feed.  I noticed this a couple of visits ago so I have been putting grain in the tray bird feeder for him.

He came to the tray feeder before I had a chance to put out the grain today so began to eat the seeds.  The shells were made him gag.  I thought that I may have had to provide first aid for choking on the poor guy.

My day was spent spring cleaning.  Even though it was chilly out, I turned down the thermostat and opened up the windows to let the fresh air in.  The curtains are washed and the bed covers have been switched to the lighter spring/summer colors.  I'll celebrate spring inside until the temperature rises again to continue the melt.

 

 

I missed seeing the first day of spring but I heard it.  My head was stuck under the covers so I did not see the blowing snow but as I drifted in and out of sleep, I could hear the wind create havoc with the roof vents.  When I finally crawled out of bed in mid afternoon, I noticed that only a small amount of snow had fallen. The wind was still howling; rocking the bird feeders back and forth.

As I watched out the window, the chickadees fought the wind while trying to land on the moving feeders.  The magpies were being blown sideways as they tried flying forward.  The wind had knocked over the snow shovels that were leaning against the garage. It broke off branches from

the willow tree next door.  They were littering my deck.

It was the first time in a couple of days that I saw the yard in daylight.  The snow has melted down a lot.  I can see the dirt in the raised garden beds and the mountain pines that I planted last year are visible.

Two deer came into the yard.  It was the odd couple; one white tail and one mule deer. The bumps on the male's head are getting larger.  I wonder how long it takes for antlers to break through.  I also wonder if the growth of antlers equates to cutting a tooth.  Do the deer experience pain as the antlers grow?  Hmm, that's a question to ponder as the wind howls and the snow swirls.

The forecast is for -20C for overnight.  Happy first day of spring!

 

Ah yes, eau de spring.  The skunks are out and I do believe one of the neighbor's dogs has found that out the hard way.  I went out to the deck to get a good look at the full moon and got a BIG whiff of Pepe le Pew.  It's not too pleasant on my deck right now.

The moon is gorgeous.  The backyard is light up like daylight.  Slivers of cloud float past and as they do, their colors change from white to pink to orange.  The tree branches look as if twinkle lights adorn their tips.  Beautiful.

The drive home from work was beautiful as well.  Even though there was more cloud than there is now, the open fields were lit up enough for me to see the silhouettes of deer grazing.  A couple of them crossed the road in front of me, possibly thinking that the grass may be greener on the other side of the fence.  Little did they know that the snow was deeper.

As I was leaving for work this morning, the cat from next door parked himself on my deck railing.  That is also a sure sign of spring.  He's locked up in the house all winter long but when spring rolls around, he gets to go outside.  From now to next winter, he'll spend 80% of his time in my yard, away from the large dog that lives in the same household.  Why should he alter his plan?  He's been doing the same thing for the past 10 years.

Sunshine, blue sky and fresh air filled my morning.  The Beaver Pond Trail at Elk Island was quiet and peaceful.  As I made my way around the 3.5km loop, I heard a fox yipping in the forest.  If it was waiting for a friendly reply, it didn't happen.  The birds were busy in the trees.  I heard a pileated woodpecker, a nuthatch and some bluejays.

A light breeze was blowing.  It swayed the tree trunks enough to make them creak.  Some of the aspens had dead leaves clinging to their branches that rustled in the wind.

The remaining snow is still about a foot deep on the trails.  For the most part it is packed but the edges are beginning to crystallize.  There were a lot of animal droppings on the trail; bison, moose, elk and coyote.  It is rather pointless to provide bags at the trail head for cleaning up after dogs when the wild animals use the trails for their 'deposits'.

There is a section of the trail where large spruce trees tower on either side.  Boreal chickadees called from the highest branches.  The cones at the top were providing a supply of seeds.  I usually see both boreal and black capped chickadees but today there was no sign of the little black capped ones.

The hike was great.  When I got home I sat outside on the deck for another half hour.  The sun felt so warm.  I was fighting not to fall asleep.  There were some chores that still needed doing.

The ice on the driveway is almost melted so I dragged out a bucket of hot water and washed off the spring grime from my vehicle.  I can see out the windows again!

When I was done and had everything put away, I couldn't fight the urge to have a nap any longer.  That two hour break was just what I needed.  

Two deer showed up shortly after I woke.  I noticed that the pair was made up of one white tail and one mule deer.  The white tail had no intention of sharing the grain in the tub yet the mule deer shared the sunflower seeds in the tray feeder.  The snow has melted down enough that it is making it difficult for them to reach the seeds in the hanging feeders.  There are some bare patches of ground showing along the fence.  The deer have been trimming that grass.

The rain that was in the forecast did not materialize.  I wish I would have.  I love the fresh smell that a spring rain shower brings.  I broke down and removed my 'We love snow.' sign from the front door.  After being on the trails the past couple of days, I have to admit that I am also ready for spring.

 

It's been so long since I've been on the trails.  The hike this morning was long overdue.  I didn't want it to end.

On my way to Elk Island National Park I had a first time experience.  Just a short distance from home, close to the Strathcona Wilderness Centre, I saw an animal come out of the bush.  At first I thought it was a dog or cat.  As I got closer, it came up from the ditch and crossed the road in front of me.  It resembled an otter and moved with undulating motion.  It was larger than a weasel, dark brown with no markings and had a tail that could be described as 'tubular'.  From nose to tip of tail my guess would be that it was close to two feet in length.  The first thing I did when I got home was look it up in a reference book.  It was a mink.  Beauty!  Chalk up another first.

On the way to the park the deer and bison were grazing along the fence lines.  The sun was shining and the sky was blue.  I had a hard time deciding which trail to hike but my vehicle turned into the Amisk Wuche parking lot.

The boardwalks were bare but there was still a lot of snow on the trail itself.  I heard coyotes howling in the distance.  Crows cawed and chickadees sang.  Squirrels chattered from the tree tops.  The pileated woodpeckers had been busy creating large holes in the old decaying tree stumps.

The forest smell was amazing.  It was waking up from the long winter nap.  It smelled fresh and full of life, making me think that spring was definitely around the corner.

During one of the winter wind storms, a very large spruce tree toppled onto the trail.  The park staff finally cut the tree into small logs, clearing the trail.  I could have stood in that spot all day.  I love the smell of spruce and pine tree sap.  The freshly cut logs were oozing with sap. It was perfume to my nose.

The morning was so beautiful that I hiked a second trail.  I drove to Astotin Lake and visited the Lakeview Trail.  The snow on that trail has melted down quite a bit, leaving many moose and elk 'deposits' to dodge.  

I made it to the first bench where I sat and enjoyed the sunshine and the view.  The snow had melted on the lake surface leaving sheer ice that sparkled in the morning sun.  There was a breeze that rustled the tall grasses, dead leaves and bits of birch bark.  That was the only sound in the forest.  It was peaceful and calming.

I was about half way around when two squirrels raced back and forth across the trail.  They ran up and down tree trunks.  I stopped to watch.  They came straight at me. I could imagine how loud my scream would have been if they tried to climb my leg like a tree.

I approached the cook house on my way back to the parking lot.  I could smell the smoke from a wood fire.  That is the best aromatherapy ever!  A couple of guys were having an outdoor picnic alongside the lake.

I had almost four hours of outdoor time today and it was just what the doctor ordered.  The time was relaxing. A nap was next on the agenda.  When I woke, the deer were in the backyard.  The five regular white tails and one mule deer were filling themselves up.  They kept looking toward the forest.  I couldn't see what they were looking at until three mule deer came into view.  They didn't come into the yard but it appeared that they wanted to. 

The day was beautiful.  I'm trying to get all my chores done this evening so I can enjoy more forest time tomorrow. 

Water, water, everywhere.  The big melt is here.  The temperature has been above average and the snow is melting rapidly.  The timing for our ski lessons was perfect.  On day two, the girls got to wear 'real' x-country boots and skis.  What fun!

The lesson included a game of 'What time is it Mr. Wolf?" on skis and instruction on going up and down hills.  The girls were pretty speedy on the downhill tracks.

They will be back for a sleepover during spring break.  If the weather continues to be warm and sunny, there may not be snow left for them to go out one more time this season.

The backyard deer are enjoying the sunshine even though the snow has softened so much that it makes it difficult to walk through the deepest areas.  Now that the snow has melted down in the back of the house, numerous deposits of deer 'fertilizer' have appeared.  

I glanced out the window this evening and saw six deer at the feeders.  The mule deer was still hanging out with the white tails and the mean mama was still mean.  I never tire from watching their antics.

The sunset was beautiful tonight.  I could see it go down over the lake.  The colors were brilliant.  It was the perfect ending to a beautiful day.

I've been watching the forecast.  I'm hoping that the sunshine and blue sky continues for a couple more days.  My weekend is almost here and I plan to spend it outside.

There was a whole lot of melting going on today.  It was a good thing that the ski lesson for my granddaughters was early in the day.  By the time we were done, the snow was getting so soft that it was sticking to the skis.

The instructor was fantastic.  She had a bag of tricks up her sleeve to keep the girls entertained while teaching them at the same time.  They learned how to do 'the turtle' to get back up if they fall down. Squeaky toys were put alongside the tracks.  The girls had to bend their knees and transfer the toys from one side to the other.  The squeaky toys were then placed on the tracks so that they had to step out of the track, around the toy, and back into the track again.  They made such progress that they got to go onto the actual trails today.  Tomorrow they will learn what to do to go downhill!

When we got back to the house, water was dripping everywhere.  We could hear it coming from the downspouts, coming off the garage roof and dripping from the deck railings.  The snow was sticky enough that we made snowballs and threw them at a target.  We made one big snowball and left it by the grain tub to see what the deer were going to do with it.

The deer put on quite the show for the girls; coming into the yard four times throughout the day.  Wren would bee-line into the bedroom to get a better view when she would see the deer making their way into the yard.

We went for a drive to Elk Island Park to see if any animals were out.  Six deer were grazing along the fence line.  A porcupine was balancing on a tree branch and a little muskrat was waddling down the road at Astotin Lake.  The girls wanted to see a bison but had to settle for the smaller creatures.

It looks like tomorrow will be another great day.  Elora thinks that I should bring my skis to lessons in the morning.  If they are learning to go down hills, I may have to practice 'the turtle' myself.

Daylight saving time begins tomorrow so it will take some time to get used to 'losing' an hour but the good thing is that the deep freeze is over.  I hope the snow does not melt too quickly and that there will still be enough for us to take the skis out over spring break in a couple of weeks.

Deer may look cute and cuddly but they can be very aggressive.  Last night I noticed them making their way into the backyard for feed.  Something was different.  There were 6 of them instead of 5.  After taking inventory, I was able to see that there was an extra adult.  

It was already getting dark but not dark enough to hinder viewing the fight that ensued.  There was no way that the 2 regular does were letting the outsider come to the food tub.  The newbie circled round and round and tried to make her way closer but the more aggressive female veered up on her hind legs and continually tried stomping on the new one.

The mean mama would veer and chase to try and get the intruder to jump the fence.  The new one was smart.  She would circle round and round the spruce tree and eventually circle back; only to be chased again.

During one of the bouts, I noticed something different about the deer being chased.  It had a black tipped tail.  It not only was a new deer to the yard but it was a mule deer.  There are not too many in the area.  What a treat to have her visit!  I refilled the food tub when all left with the hope that the mule deer would return.  

I hope they come back tomorrow during daylight hours.  My granddaughters are coming to visit and they love watching the deer in the backyard.

The weather is finally warming up and we should be able to enjoy lots of time outside.  We're starting each day with a x-country ski lesson.  Each girl wants to 'go faster'.  The lessons will give them the know-how to get up when they fall with the skis on.  Better to learn this technique before going faster.