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.

More photos at https://www.facebook.com/Ramblings-of-an-Outdoor-Girl-1015659961820012/