The gusting wind kept me inside this morning. I had plans to work in the yard but instead I watched through the window as branches snapped off the willow next door and my firewood holder blew over on the deck.

It let up a little by mid afternoon so I drove to Elk Island National Park. Not far from home, a young moose was feeding on pond plants.

The bison were active today. A small herd was grazing in the Bison Loop. I noticed that one of the big boys had a collar on. I've never seen that before.

There was a pair of bison along the parkway. Neither paid attention to the park visitors that stopped to watch them.

I noticed that the ice on the shallow ponds has melted. The geese and ducks were enjoying the open water. The deeper ponds are still covered in ice but it is beginning to break up along the edges.

On the drive home, a large bull elk was grazing along the park fence. He was a beauty with a huge rack of antlers.

There was only a light breeze by the time I got to the Strathcona Wilderness Centre so I dug out the pedometer and hiked one of the loops.

I glanced at the trail and decided to wear runners instead of boots. Big mistake. The trail head was deceiving. Further in there were numerous patches of snow; especially on the north side of the hills. Trying to get to the top of them was challenging. I took one step forward and slid three steps back. At the bottom of the hills, huge puddles of water stood. 

The trees creaked in the wind. The chickadees flitted from branch to branch. A flock of waxwings sang from a tree top. Pairs of geese flew overhead. Their honking echoed through the forest.

I detoured off the main trail to the spruce bog. It is my favorite spot to sit and listen to the forest sounds. The sap from the towering black spruce provided some aromatherapy while I listened to the wind and the birds.

On the way back to the trail head, I hiked by the beaver pond. There is still a lot of ice on it. The water level is only half of what it should be. 

My shoes were pretty soggy by the time I finished the hike. There was a squish each time I took a step. Rain clouds were getting close and the drops began falling by the time I got home.

I had to stay on the deck for a few minutes because there is nothing like the fresh smell of a spring rain.

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The timing cannot be more perfect. I have some time off soon and the weather forecast is looking fantastic.

Yesterday's sunshine melted all the fresh snow in the yard, leaving the packed down icy patches. The garden beds are bare again and the perennials are reaching for the warm rays.

The lettuce that began growing in January is still crisp and green but only an inch tall; not quite enough for a salad. The strawberry patch is greening up. Let's hope the deer don't notice this. The perennials are poking through the old growth.

I'm ready for some color in the yard. The deer have helped to ready the yard. They apply the only fertilizer that the plants and lawn get. Note to self; don't walk with cleats on in the backyard.

Yesterday, the first robin of the season sang its spring song and a flock of cranes flew overhead. Spring is in the air and I'm going to enjoy every minute of the warm temperatures forecasted while I'm off; rain or shine.

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Well, there was not as much snow as was anticipated but enough to provide some much needed moisture. Most is gone now from the yard but the trails at Elk Island still had a lot on Friday.

The morning began with a grey, gloomy sky. Big, fluffy snowflakes fell lazily to the ground. Their life was short lived. The clouds parted and the sun came out around noon. 

We traveled to Elk Island National Park for some outdoor time. There was about an inch of sticky new snow on the trails. It was tricky to stay upright because the snow covered the icy patches on the trail.

It was a beautiful day. Some of the parking lots were filled with cars yet the trail we chose was not being used by anyone but us.

This morning the sun is shining. There is not a cloud in the sky. The first robin of the season was singing from a treetop. The chickadees joined in from the forest. What a great spring morning! Happy Easter!

Here it comes! There is a bright, red band across the EC website that reads 'Heavy Snowfall Warning'; expect 10-15cms. That will give us some much needed moisture and a little taste of winter driving again.
I was curious to see what this date was like in years past so I went through the archive of photos that I have collected. A heavy snow has fallen at this time of year for the past few years.

On March 21, 2013 the snow created icy conditions on the Yellowhead Highway, west of the Elk Island Park gate. Semi-trucks littered the ditch. When all was said and done on March 20, 2015 there was more than 15cms on my deck.

The roots of my strawberry plants will be doing a little happy dance with the addition of this moisture. They are greening up nicely in their bed.

The perennials that are growing along the south side of my house will welcome the snow. I've had to water them but there is nothing like the natural moisture of rain or snow.

I hope it doesn't melt off too quickly. The hares in the area are still white. Easter is this coming weekend and the Easter Bunny needs some camouflage.

Happy spring! I wait anxiously each year for the ice on the pond surfaces to break up. One of my favorite activities on a spring/summer evening is to do a stake out at the beaver ponds. I love watching these creatures go about their evening routine of searching for food, grooming and swimming gracefully back and forth.

When I was on the trails the past couple of days, I noticed that the pond creatures could be in trouble unless there is a good amount of spring moisture.

Usually the snow melt fills the ponds but this year there wasn't much snow and the ponds are looking pretty sad; more like bogs than ponds. Where does that leave the beavers, muskrats, waterfowl and all the creatures that are not visible?

Both the ponds that I enjoy going to the most still have ice cover but the level of it is down to about one third of what it should be. I sure hope that spring will bring some good rain or my favorite pond creatures could be in trouble.

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Sometimes I am just in the right place at the right time. This morning I was in the right place to get up close and personal with a lone coyote.

We scared each other. I was headed toward the boardwalk on the Amisk Wuche trail, looking at the beaver lodge on the east side of it. The coyote was in the cat tails on the west side of the boardwalk. As soon as it heard my feet on the boards, it began to howl. It took me a couple of seconds to actually figure out where it was.

It was investigating the muskrat 'push ups', in search of food. The coyote was afraid, yet it wasn't afraid. Curious might be the word. It watched from a distance, came closer then ran away; always watching me.

When it was close, I could see that it was injured. It ran on three legs. It also had a bad case of mange. Looks like the moose are not the only ones infested with ticks at this time of year.

What a great experience to actually see and hear that howling coyote. When it saw me pass over the boardwalk and head into the trees, it went the opposite direction to the next muskrat 'push up'.

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The early bird gets the worm. Well, in this case, the early bird (me) got to see the morning sparkle left from a frosty night and all the wildlife that was eating, hunting, grazing or sunning themselves.

I left home at 9am, really 8am if I go by real time rather than daylight savings time. Elk Island National Park was my destination.

The drive there was sparkly. The humid, chilly overnight temperatures left frost on the bare tree branches and tall grasses. As the morning sun shone through the trees, the light reflected off the frost, creating a million 'twinkle lights' that I got to enjoy.

After turning off the highway into the park, at the Bison Loop, a few bison were out grazing. Their thick coats were covered in frost. As they ate, their steamy breath enveloped their heads.

Not much further up the parkway, I had to hit the brakes. As I drive through the park I am always scanning treetops to see if there are any owls perched in the upper branches. Well, no owls today but I did see a juvenile bald eagle. Talk about excited when I spied this beauty.

It was quite a distance away but the white head and tail was distinguishable. I had my binoculars along so I watched for about 10 minutes as it sat in the upper branches, sunning and grooming itself. What a great find!

I walked the Amisk Wuche trail, 4960 steps on my new pedometer. There was an inch of fresh snow that covered the icy patches. I was glad that I put the cleats on my boots and that I took a hiking pole with me.

There were lots of animal tracks. They were out and about even earlier than me. The birds provided some background 'music'. I noticed more bird calls today than I have heard through the winter, making me think that some of smaller migratory birds might be back already. Pairs of Canada Geese flew overhead. Their honking echoed through the treetops.

On the drive home, a lazy coyote crossed the road in front of me. It cast a quick glance in my direction before it entered the forest.

There is much to be said for the early morning visits to the park. It is serene and a good time for wildlife sightings. This morning had the added bonus of being frosty. It was a great outing all around.

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I love hearing the lonely howl of a coyote; especially under a star-filled, night sky. Coyotes are a common sight in the open pastures. I see them almost as often as I see the local moose.

On the drive to work yesterday I saw a coyote move from one pasture to the other, crossing the range road in front of me. Its thick coat blended in with the coloring of the tall grass along the fence line.

As I stopped to watch, it glanced up at me but got distracted. I could tell there was a tasty morsel in the grass because the coyote cocked its head and pounced. It came out with a mouthful. Breakfast was served.

I was lucky to observe a coyote in action up close. A couple of years ago a lone coyote would hunt in the tall grass alongside the parkway that runs through Elk Island Park. It would move through the ditch, stop, listen, pounce and eat. What a great experience it was to watch it up close in action.

There are so many opportunities to observe wildlife in their natural habitat. I often wonder why people do not take advantage of them more often.

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The neighborhood greeters were out this morning; welcoming travelers along the way. A willow stand at the Strathcona Wilderness Centre is a popular spot lately for a couple of moose.

I've seen them 3 times within the past week. When I stop, they look up for a second or two and then continue their feeding. I'm sure they know me.

Mama appears healthy but the youngster appears to have a bad case of ticks. The poor guy is missing hair and appears underweight but is still eating.

I had some unexpected visitors yesterday as the sun was going down. I stepped outside and heard their song but didn't know where it was coming from. That feathered choir is not heard here very often.
After searching the backyard tree tops, I looked over top the house and found them on the high branches of a tree in the neighbor's front yard.

It was difficult to tell which species of waxwing it was but the sun's rays lit them enough for me to see their telltale crest. They flew in and out of the tree until a noisy truck came by and scared them off.

It wasn't until I loaded my photos onto the laptop and cropped them that I was able to tell that they were Bohemian Waxwings! This was a first for me. Waxwings have visited the mountain ash tree across the road but they were the Cedar species. When my photos were cropped I could see the wing patches and the cinnamon colored undertails.

They were in the tree top for about 10 minutes before being scared away. What a treat to see these 'royal' looking birds. 

I've planted some berry producing trees/shrubs in the backyard with the hope of attracting more birds like the waxwings. It will be a couple of years before they are mature enough to begin producing berries but when they do, I'm hoping that the waxwings will stick around for more than 10 minutes.

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Each morning as I drive by the Strathcona Wilderness Centre, I glance at the trails and see that there is still snow on the visible spots that can be seen from the road. I checked it out and am so glad that I did.

I wanted another outing with the kicksled before storing it away. Most of the snow is melted at the beginning of the trail so I had to carry the sled in to a start point. It wasn't too far. Once I was all set up and good to go, I didn't have to take any detours. There was enough snow around the loop to keep me mobile and sliding.

The sky was cloudless and the sun was shining brightly. In places the grass is beginning to show through but in most there is still 2-3 inches of snow. 

I chose to go just before noon so the surface was still solid enough so the sled maneuvered well. There were tracks from die-hard skate skiers on the trail but I didn't come across anyone else while I was out. 
The chickadees sang their songs to me as I made the most of the beautiful day.

It won't be long before all the snow is gone. When I got home, water was standing on the driveway. All the garden beds are rid of their snow blankets and much of the grass in the backyard is uncovered.

I hope I can still take the kicksled out for another outing but if that doesn't work out, the kickbike is ready for action.

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I stood on the deck and looked to the sky. Millions of twinkling stars shone down. What a beautiful night.

I could smell a wood fire and hear a coyote in the distance. The stars were bright. There were no streetlamps to pollute the darkness and no car exhaust to pollute the air. I live within the Beaver Hills Dark Sky Preserve.

The sights, the smells and the sounds of the night were amazing. I don't have to go far from home to appreciate this beauty. I just have to step out the back door. 

As I watched the sky in wonder and listened to the lonely coyote howl, I heard the deer filing into the yard. It was a perfect ending to a 15 minute fresh air break.

I had a big smile on my face. About 5kms from home I glanced toward the forest and saw my favorite animal. Whenever I see a moose, I have to smile. I love those clumsy creatures. I don't know why. They are not graceful and kind of funny looking but I could watch them for hours.

When I moved to the lake fourteen years ago, I was so excited when I saw the first moose. Now it is common for me to see one or two each week.

I've seem mamas and their babes; some with twins. I've seen big bulls with huge antler racks. I've seen yearlings and protective cows.

I recall going on a hike and accidentally coming across a cow with a set of young twins. As I rounded a bend, there they were. Mama's ears went back and she stared me down. I began talking to her. Soon her ears came forward and she began munching the willow twigs beside the trail.

I didn't get to pass by but I did get to watch them in action for more than an hour. What a treat!

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My snow shovel is feeling ignored. The official first day of spring is just around the corner. I shoveled the driveway only 5 times this entire winter. That wasn't the case in 2013. I'm pretty sure that I shoveled 5 times per week.

On March 22 of that year, the snowbanks were almost 5 feet tall. I dug out my fire pit. The high banks formed around it created a cozy sitting area that was sheltered from the wind. That certainly was not the case this year.

Currently there is about 2 inches of snow in the backyard; maybe 4 where it is packed down. There was some fresh snowfall yesterday afternoon but it melted as it touched the ground. The snow turned to rain. The raindrops were falling at 10pm when I got home from work last night.

On the weekend I stood on the back deck listening to the neighborhood sounds. The geese were calling. They flew overhead. It appeared that they were looking for some open water. Even though it has been warm, the pond and lake surfaces are still frozen over. I think they came back too early.

There are many signs of spring already. The pussy willows are open. The sea buckthorn in the backyard have silvery leaves that are open. The perennials are greening up where the snow has disappeared. The ditches are filling with water where the culverts are still frozen; preventing the flow to the lake.

When I was on the deck listening to the geese on Saturday, I noticed that it smelled like spring. I tried to identify as many smells as I could. There was the smell of damp leaves, spruce sap and deer poop. 

As the snow melts to the ground, the annual first fertilizer of spring appears. Who needs to buy the bagged stuff? By the time lawn clean up happens, those little nuggets will be dry. The lawn mower will spread them around and I end up with nice green grass. It can't get any more organic than that.

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I put the trail cam in the backyard last night. It's been a while since I set it up. The cold overnight winter temperatures drained the batteries too quickly. I thought I would try again.

Each time that I bring the memory card in for viewing, it's like opening a box when you don't know what is inside. A bit of excitement is felt when I see that images were recorded. It is so much fun going through the photos. You just don't know what to expect.

Last night the deer showed up around 8pm. There were no inquisitive ones. Once in awhile they will investigate the infrared flash and I'll end up with a close up of a nose. 

There was no investigating; only a quick trip in and out of the yard. I think I'll leave the camera out for the next few evenings to see who else comes roaming out of the darkness. 

I know the skunks are awake. Their aroma has filled the air a couple of times this week. I hope they don't become regulars in the yard; been there done that. That's a tale for another time.

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It's +11C outside. The sky is clear and the sun is shining. It was a great day for a hike at Elk Island Park. There was supposed to be a winter sport event there today but it was cancelled due to the weather conditions; not enough snow for snowshoeing/skiing and icy trail conditions.

I didn't venture out without the cleats on my boots. I could tell that the person in front of me didn't have any. He/she was slip sliding away on the trail.

There were only a couple of vehicles out and about. My hike was quiet, except for all the squirrels. They were running rampant; up and down the trees, scolding me as I walked by. 

On the way home I stopped at the Astotin parking lot to see what was happening there. The timing was perfect. I was able to observe a mule deer family nibbling on some tender branches. They crossed the road in front of me and headed toward the campground; stopping at the campground registration sign. It was perfect. They looked like they were lining up to get the first camp spot of the season.

I had hoped for enough snow on the trails so I could take the kicksled out one more time. That won't be happening but I might be able to get out on the pond surface before all the snow is gone.

This transition period doesn't have enough snow for winter activities and is too icy for the spring/summer ones. I'm ready for when the trails are dry. 

I have had so much fun with the kicksled that I ordered a new toy for the summer; a kickbike. It arrived this week and I put it together yesterday. The road in front of my house is dry and I'm itching to get the kickbike out there but I think I'll practice under the cover of darkness first. I don't want to be ending up in the water in the ditch in front of all the neighborhood children!

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It began in December 2013 under the cover of darkness. Tracks in the snow. Broken bird feeders. Pruned shrubs. I was determined to see who was creating the destruction in my backyard.

I replaced many bird feeders before I finally caught the culprits in daylight hours. I wondered how the feeders ended up empty and in pieces and then I knew.

I live in a small hamlet alongside a lake. There is a farm behind my property and my backyard fence happens to be a barbed wire fence that belongs to the farmer. It's great for keeping his horses out of my yard but not so great for anything else.

The white tail deer that traveled through his wooded area, found their way into my yard and then to my bird feeders. When the feeders were empty, they pruned the shrubs at the back of the yard.
This has gone on for years now. My neck ached as I watched them twist their long necks to reach the seeds in the tray feeder. I've stopped using hanging feeders. There had to be at least a dozen feeders in the recycle bin; broken by the sharp little teeth that grabbed hold of the perches.

I couldn't stop them from coming so decided to add some more appropriate feed to a tray feeder so the deer would leave the sunflower seeds alone. Eventually they weaned off the bird seed. Thank goodness. That seed was twice as expensive as the grain mix. We had a little chat. "I'll give you some feed through the winter and you leave my shrubs alone." That's how our relationship began. 

The deer continue to visit the yard. I am able to tell them apart now. There are timid ones and aggressive ones. There is a hierarchy with specific ones able to eat first. My grand daughters have had many opportunities to watch them; something that they cannot do in an urban area.

I wondered what to do in the summer when my garden was growing. A motion sensor sprinkler took care of that problem. It also took care of the neighborhood dogs,cats, skunks and porcupines.

When winter rolls around and the sprinkler is gone, they are back. Our relationship began in 2013 and continues through today.

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