My binoculars were busy this evening.  The spontaneous trip to Elk Island National Park netted views of the many waterfowl babies that have hatched recently.  Every pond that I passed by had new families swimming in it.  Some of the mamas had up to 10 little ones trailing behind them.

Ravens swooped in and out of the willow thickets.  The red-winged blackbirds were trying to fight them off.  I guessed that the ravens were raiding the blackbird nests.

Some of the goslings that I've been watching for a few weeks are already half the size of their parents.  Many were grazing in the green grass that lined the ditch.

The park staff have slowed down the beavers.  The recently installed cage in the largest beaver pond is preventing the construction of a new lodge that would plug up the culvert.  I saw only one swimming beaver.

The best sighting this evening was that of a common snipe.  As I watched the duck families, I scanned the shoreline and saw a snipe sunning itself in muddy area.  It sat perfectly still as I approached.  I managed to snap a couple photos before it took flight.  Beautiful.

I was up early and it was beautiful outside so I decided to go on a road trip.  The highway led me to my favorite spot; David Thompson country.  I left home at 6:30am hoping for some good photo opportunities.

Two hours later I saw a Great Grey Owl sitting on a fence post facing a large field of tall grass.  It was watching and listening intently.  I stopped to snap a couple photographs.  It turned its head now and again to see what I was doing but it was more interested in catching breakfast.  I didn't stick around long enough to watch the hunt.  When I first saw it, I thought that it may have been the same owl that I saw on the last trip through but I knew it wasn't when I saw its beak.  The bottom half of the beak was deformed but the bird was big and healthy looking so it learned to adapt.

My first stop to stretch my legs was at Fish Lake.  The surface of the water was as smooth as glass.  A couple of kayaks were out in the distance.  People were fishing off the dock.  The lake must have been restocked recently with rainbow trout.  The little fish were jumping right out of the water.  I could see them swimming close to the shoreline.  If I would have had a net, I could have scooped them out of the water.

All those new little fingerlings created a smorgasbord for the loons.  I saw 3 pair swimming back and forth across the width of the lake; feeding on the new little fish.  They swam quite close to the shore; not bothered by the fishermen.

After watching them for a half hour, I hiked the trail that loops into the forest beside the lake.  There were so many wildflowers in bloom!  Indian paintbrush, columbine, shooting stares, lungwort and vetch were only a few.  There were many that I could not name.  

The blooming flowers brought out the bees and the butterflies.  They flitted from blossom to blossom gathering their food.

As I walked the trail I could smell wet pine needles.  Spongy green moss carpeted the forest floor.  The whiskey jacks flew from branch to branch in the tree tops and the squirrels chattered as I came by.

The low spots on the trail were filled with water.  There was a lot of rain during the past week.  The creeks in the area were flowing with more water than usual.

On my travels I saw a chipmunk for the first time.  I've seen lots of squirrels but never a chipmunk until today.  I'm looking forward to a couple of camping days in this area in the near future.  I'll be checking out some new trails and hoping to see more wildlife and wild flowers.

The rain let up this evening and I went for a walk at the Strathcona Wilderness Centre.  The air was fresh.  The greens were bright and the birds were singing.  Every once in awhile, the wildflowers provided a splash of color to break up the wall of green.  The honeysuckle was in full bloom.

When I arrived there, three families of geese were out for a walk around the edge of the pond.  As I walked by them, the adults hissed at me.  I kept one eye on the trail and the other on the geese, just in case I had to make a run for it.

The trail was so peaceful.  I could hear the water dripping from the leaves.  The sun tried peeking through the clouds but that was short-lived.  

I was almost to the end of the trail loop and had to make my way down a very steep, wet hill.  The mud on it was slippery and my rubber boots had no grip.  I think I invented a new sport, mud-skiing.  Note to self:  wear boots with better grip when going down steep, wet hills.  Good thing there was not too much mud at the bottom of the hill where I landed!

I got back to the pond and found a single beaver collecting branches for a new lodge.  The red winged blackbirds balanced carefully on the cattail heads and the tree swallows swooped through the air, capturing food for their young.

I got back to the house and noticed that the sugar water is going down in the oriole feeder.  I wonder if it's actually an oriole or if the hummers have been snacking at that feeder.  Looks like I'll have to set up a backyard stake out on my next day off.

Birds.  I have to say that I did not really pay too much attention to them until the hummingbirds began to frequent my yard a few years ago.  Since then, I've kept track of how many different species visit the yard each year and have learned more about the many species of waterfowl that frequent the nearby ponds.  

My favorite water birds by far are loons.  Hearing their haunting calls on a mountain lake is something I look forward to on each camping trip.  Well, camping season is short lived, so when not in the mountains, I've come to appreciate the local feathered population.  There are many that I've observed and still do not know their names and there are many that I've heard and still do not know their calls to ID them.  Nonetheless, it has come to be a regular part of my outings to pay attention to the swimmers and tweeters.

My backyard has a number of feeders in it.  They entice chickadees, nuthatches, bluejays, red-winged blackbirds, hummingbirds, orioles, magpies, pileated woodpeckers, downy and hairy woodpeckers, flickers, grosbeaks, goldfinches, purple finches, etc.  The poplar snag in my yard has deep holes created by the pileated woodpeckers.  The holes have become nesting spots for tree swallows and house wrens.  The nuthatches work their way up and down the loose bark collecting insects.  The local feathered friends have provided hours of entertainment.

During my trip to Elk Island yesterday, I was witness to a couple of crows raiding a blackbird nest.  Each one had an egg in their beak.  The parent blackbirds fought hard to keep the crows at bay.

The goslings at the park have started feeding in the water.  It has been fun to watch them grow. Some are beginning to grow their feathers.

The tree swallows at the Strathcona Wilderness Center provide entertainment to those heading to the hiking trails.  Anyone walking on the east trails must walk by the many birdhouses inhabited by the swallows.  If you get too close, you may have one of the swallows swooping at your head.

This morning not one but two blue herons flew over the road in front of my vehicle.  I was in no position to take a photograph but if I could have, I would not have needed a zoom lens.  What beautiful, graceful birds.

There have been many occasions that binoculars would have come in handy and I didn't have them along.  They now have a home in one pocket of my camera bag.  

I had a most productive day.  The bag of soil that has been sitting in my yard is now in a flower bed.  My vehicle is washed inside and out.  

After supper, I had two choices; sit down and read or go for a drive.  I chose the drive.  My eyes would have closed if I would have sat down with a book.

I made my way to Elk Island Park to see if any animals were out.  I checked out the ponds first.  At the beaver pond by Astotin Lake, the goslings were feeding in the water.  They were so loud that I could hear their slurping while I sat in my vehicle.

The beavers are going to keep the park staff busy all summer.  They have been building lodges that clog up the culverts.  The staff have had backhoes there on a couple of

occasions to break up the lodges.  Before long, the beavers have it clogged up again.  This time, the park staff have put up a cage-type structure that the beavers will not be able to penetrate.

I didn't see any beavers this evening but a muskrat was feeding on the edge of the pond.  It nibbled dandelions like it was its last meal.  

As I drove toward home, I thought that the best possible ending to a great day would be to see a moose.  I saw some willow branches move as I drove by and backed up to see what was creating the motion.  A moose head popped up from the shrubs.  

I pulled over and kept my eyes on the prize.  The moose was at the far end of the meadow.  I watched it move from one shrub to the next, feeding on the tender young branches.  It moved closer to where I was until it began drinking from a wet area right in front of me.  What a treat!

I came across a bison as well.  He was walking right down the middle of the highway.  It looked like he was doing a sobriety test.  He didn't veer off the yellow line!

The day was great from beginning to end.  In the morning, I was tempted to take off on a day trip but opted to get some work done around home.  I got so much accomplished and was treated to my favorite animal putting on a show for me.  Fantastic.

My outdoor time was split between Elk Island National Park and my backyard.  This morning I spent three peaceful hours exploring the ponds along the parkway and hiking the Beaver Pond Trail.  I hadn't been to that trail since all the ice and snow melted.  

I'm usually the sole soul on the trail on a weekday but I met up with 4 other people enjoying a morning trek.  It was quiet and peaceful and an excellent way to spend my outdoor time.  The birds were singing in chorus.  I've never heard as many different calls as I did today.

The wild flowers are in bloom.  Honeysuckle, lungwort, vetch, marsh marigolds, Canada violets, bunch berry and wild strawberries were just a few along the trail.  My favorite wild prairie roses are beginning to bloom as well.  In a couple of weeks the aroma of the roses will be permeating the air.

I stopped at the Bison Loop Trail on the way out of the park.  There were a number of bison calves with their mamas.  Some were resting in the tall grass while others were feeding.  Their red coats were easy to see in the green grass.

One little fellow was close to the road.  He was not to far from his mama.  I stopped to take a couple of photos and he fully cooperated.  What a treat to see these little ones.

After getting home from visiting dad today, I had two choices of things to do.  Choice #1 was to have a siesta but it was already 6pm so I chose choice #2 which was to mow the lawn.  At least that kept me awake.  If the siesta would have happened, I would be awake again at 3am.

The lawn got mowed and trimmed.  Things are growing nicely.  There was no wind tonight.  The birds were singing and the coyotes were howling so I decided to light the fire pit and sit outside.  A pair of robins called to each other.  The magpies were cackling in a tree.  A coyote's wail echoed through the bush and another answered.  

The nutty squirrel that chewed a hole through the plywood on my garage floor found a new way in to the garage attic and Spike the cat was sitting on the fence waiting for the squirrel to come back out again.  That was until I brought the wieners out to roast.


Spike and the neighbor's cat must have wienie radar.  The minute the meat hits the fire and begins to sizzle, they begin circling.  They are very entertaining. If I don't throw them a couple of pieces, their circles become smaller and smaller until they are sitting in front of me.

What a beautiful night.  The forecast is looking great for the next couple of days.  The to-do list is looking great as well however what is great is the number of items on it.  Maybe I can sneak an early morning hike in before yard work.

I had to be at work at 5am this morning.  When I opened the backdoor to leave home, I was greeted by a choir that tweeted sweet songs from the forest; so many bird calls, so little time to enjoy them.  It was calm so the only sound that I heard was that of the birds and it was beautiful.

The sunrise was a beauty as well.  Purples, pinks and oranges filled the morning sky.  A low lying mist on the pond surfaces added to the overall experience.  I stopped and watched the fog roll across the road.

A deer glanced up from the tall grass to acknowledge my presence.  It wasn't bothered by me watching.  It returned to eating its morning meal.

It was a great way to begin the day.

The last time that I was at Elk Island National Park, I stopped at the beaver pond at Astotin Lake.  The water was overflowing a trail.  I had my rubber boots on so ventured through the water in search of the goslings that were there on a previous visit.

As I walked north, there was a sudden rustling of tall grasses and an adult teal began putting on a show.  At the time, I wondered what the bird was doing.  I realized that the mama was trying to draw my attention to her so her brood could swim out of the tall grass.  She kept at it until all the little ones were a safe distance away.  I've only read about that behavior and had never witnessed it for real until that day.

I watched the babies swim in unison to the opposite side of the pond.  They were quick.  It was difficult to get a decent photo.  Mama teal was pretty quick as well.  She turned out to be a blurr.

The ponds are filled with many types of waterfowl; most with newly hatched babes.  What fun I have visiting the ponds and watching the antics.  

The goslings at the Strathcona Wilderness Center are keeping their parents very busy.  They no longer stay close to the adults by the pond.  I've noticed that they love to wander.

I saw them nibbling the new green grass and the dandelions so I had to stop and watch their antics.  The little ones spread out across the width of the trail.  The parents had great difficulty trying to keep them together.  

After a couple of minutes, two goslings made their way under the fence, across the ditch and onto the road.  It did not take long for more to follow.  Mama goose tried her best to get them to stop.  She squawked at the group but they kept on walking.  They were almost across the road when Mama finally rounded them up, turned them around and brought them back to the pond side of the road.

"Hey, come back here right now!"

"I told you not to leave the yard."

My visit to the pond did not last long but it was reality entertainment at its finest. 

Not many people venture out when the clouds open up, but I do.  I'm usually the only one on the trail.  I love to walk in the rain so when the showers started on Monday, I drove to Elk Island Park.  

The understory along the Amisk Wuche Trail is getting thick and leafy.  I could hear many species of birds but to see them was impossible.  They created a symphony amidst the tangled upper branches.  

I heard the raindrops on the leaves.  Their soothing sound created a serene and relaxing environment for a hike.  At the beaver pond the drops gently hit the pond surface. 

As I walked, there were areas on the trail where the tree canopy overhead was so thick that the rain did not penetrate.  In other areas, little streams flowed down the trail.  I love the sound of running water.

There were many wildflowers in bloom.  Each provided a hint of color in the green canvas of the forest.  Lungwort, marsh marigolds, bunchberry and Western Canada violets were just a few of the many flowers along the trail.

There are many positives to walking in the rain.  The water keeps the pollen in check.  No itchy, swollen eyes.  The water keeps the mosquitoes at bay.  Those miserable little bloodsuckers don't like to be wet.  The sound of the water rejuvenates the soul as the droplets themselves rejuvenate the forest.  There is nothing more relaxing than heading outside when the clouds open up.

My day trip adventure to David Thompson country ended with a first time experience.  Last year, as we were leaving the area, a black wolf stepped out of the forest as we drove by.  That was a first time experience.  It was breathtaking.  This year's finale took my breath away as well.

I accompanied one of my sons on both outings.  We made lists of what we'd like to see.  The 2014 trip included bears, a blue heron, an eagle, a wolf and a cougar.  I live in a wilderness area and see moose, coyotes and deer almost everyday around home so I was wanting to see creatures that are not as common.

We did see the bear and the eagle which made for a successful trip.  When we go on a road trip, we both scan the ditches for signs of wildlife.  Matt was the lucky one to spot the bald eagle.  I spotted the black bear and kept looking for a blue heron at every pond and slough that we passed but had no luck.

As we said farewell to the mountains, left the foothills and headed for home, we continued our

search for the more common wildlife.  We rounded a curve in the highway.  A farm bordered it on the north and I caught sight of an owl perched on a fence post.  Both of us thought that it would be gone before we got turned around.  Lucky for us, it was still there.

Traffic was non-stop. We were close to a lake resort and everyone was headed home from a weekend away.  The noise did not scare the owl.  Matt creeped up on it.  It was a Great Grey and it must have wanted its picture taken.  We watched for more than 15 minutes, snapping more than a hundred photos each.  We've both seen Great Greys before but this time we were treated to a once-in-a-lifetime hunt, right before our eyes.

The owl clutched the top of the post with its talons and leaned down, looking and listening.  It swooped into the long grass beneath the post and came back up with a prize mouse in its beak.  It bent over to grab the mouse with its talons and began to rip at the mouse.  That must have been too much work. It took the mouse into its beak once more and swallowed it whole.  As it sat on the fence post, it appeared to 'smile' after its belly was full.

We could not believe our good fortune in witnessing this owl feeding.  We were only about 20 feet away from the post and the owl put on quite the reality show for us.  Now, that was entertainment at its best.  What a fantastic way to end our outdoor adventure day.

The road trip to David Thompson country included a bald eagle sighting; actually two sightings of the same eagle.  As we drove west on Highway 11, it sat at the top of a tree.  We noticed that there was roadkill in the ditch which explained why the eagle was sticking around that area.

I wondered how such a big bird was able to remain perched on such a little branch.  It watched as we snapped off our photos and then it soared over our heads and over the valley to the south.

On our return trip through Nordegg, the eagle was still in the same area.  It was perched on a branch looking down at the deer corpse.  It flew from the tree, soaring over our heads.  It headed south and then circled west and north; eventually appearing to be headed back to the area that we were standing in.

I've seen bald eagles before but this was the biggest of them all.  What a magnificent, graceful creature.