Guess what! More firsts! I love going to the trail in the early morning. As the sun comes up, the light plays peekaboo through the branches and leaves. One can get some amazing photos using that warm, back-lit light. I also love going to the trail as the sun goes down. One can get some amazing photos using that orange glow. Both of these times are great for wildlife/bird watching.

I found a moose staring at me from across a pond and beavers busy as can be in the early morning. Most often the woods are quiet and still as the forest creatures wake for the day. The smell is amazing while the dew is still on the grass.

The beavers are more active in the evening. The swans come off their nest and swim around the pond. The setting sun casts a warm glow over the forest.

The sun was beginning to go down on one of my walks this week. The woods were cloaked in shadows but the birds were still active. I heard a tapping sound and followed it; only to find a black-backed woodpecker. That was a first for this season!

The most amazing find this week and my second 'first' for this week was spying a hummingbird moth in my lilac bush in my yard. There are ruby throated hummingbirds in the yard and at a quick first glance I thought it was one of them. As I came closer I realized it was not a bird but a moth that looked like a bird.

They are the size of a hummingbird. Their wings are transparent and they feed on the nectar of flowers but they don't have a beak or feathers. They are unlike other moths because they fly and feed during the day. It was great fun to watch as it flitted from flower to flower.

The third 'first' of the season happened this morning. As I made my way to the coffee pot I glanced out the kitchen window. There was a skunk wandering in the middle of the backyard. It probably owned the tracks left in the snow on my deck a couple months back. I opened the backdoor to try to get a photo but it high-tailed it toward the back of the yard. Thankfully there was no smell involved. 

As the days move forward toward summer, the vegies in the garden are growing like weeds. New growth is showing on all the evergreens. The berry bushes have flowers and the fruit is forming. 

The butterflies and bees are really busy now that some of the perennial blossoms have opened and the mosquitoes have arrived in swarms. 

That's another plus for early morning hikes. The mosquitoes are still hidden underneath the dew covered grass. They don't like being wet so remain there until the dew drops disappear. 

I tried a hike a couple hours later than I usually would go and ended up having to use a net hood over my cap. Even with bug spray, it felt like I would breathe a mosquito in with each breath. They were everywhere! That hood is the best purchase ever. 

Those who know me personally know that I am not a summer person. Winter is my favorite time of year. There are no bugs, no pollen, no dust and the cold temps are what I enjoy. I love being outside even when it is -25C. I can make myself comfortable with layers of clothing. In summer you can only take off so many layers.

I know that I'm outnumbered when it comes to loving winter but that's okay. Each season has it's own sense of wonder and there are things like the hummingbird moths or the swans swimming in the pond that I wouldn't get to see if summer didn't come round. It's my body that doesn't like summer. Hives, itchy eyes and runny nose are a constant reminder of that. 

As the days get longer, I look forward to being able to spend more time outside in the evening. This will allow me the opportunity to explore some different trails that are a bit longer. I'm hoping to get to them this week in anticipation of more firsts.

A moose watches from across the pond.

Black backed woodpecker

Hummingbird moth

Hummingbird moth

I love when I can say that my week was filled with firsts.

It rained, albeit not much, but enough to green things up and wash down the pollen that has coated everything.

I took a walk after the rain. It was fresh and the water droplets glistened in the sun. I love that earthy smell that occurs after a rain. Did you know that there is actually a word for that? Petrichor is defined as 'the earthy scent produced when rain falls on dry soil'. Who knew? I certainly didn't. That's first #1.

The beaver pond was active in the morning. I had been at the pond by 7am on a couple of mornings and was surprised to find the beavers in action. I watched as one dove down and returned with scoops full of mud that were added to a dam. When enough mud was in place, it grabbed branches and proceeded to use claws and teeth to push the branches into the mud. I've never seen how they maneuvered the large ones into place. That's first #2.

My backyard has been abuzz with bees. The blossoms on the honeyberries were a favorite spot for the pollinators until I planted out my annual flowers. This made the bees and the butterflies very happy. 

I was happy when I sighted the first hummingbirds of the season. The feeder has been up for a few weeks but a pair of ruby throated hummingbirds appeared yesterday. Hooray! That's first #3. There's more!

The wildflowers are in bloom. I saw violets, marsh marigolds, wild purple clematis and wild strawberry blossoms this week.

I came across new species of waterfowl that I have not seen before and was able to ID them. What fun!

I visited Elk Island National Park to check out the completed Living Waters Boardwalk. It was the first time on the new structure and it is beautiful. What a great place for birdwatchers. There were grebes, coots, geese and loons within close proximity.

I lost track of the number of firsts that I experienced over the past seven days. Have you witnessed any spring time firsts this week? If not, you may see some over the long weekend. The sun should be out so I hope that you will be able to get out and explore the spring beauty.

Living Waters Boardwalk at Elk Island National Park

Purple clematis

Marsh marigolds

They're back! An amazing number of species returned from warmer climates this week.
 
I got to watch a pair of trumpeter swans raise their families for the past two summers. Last weekend they returned to the pond that they have been nesting in and they put on quite the show. There was a lot of showing off and preening. As I watched, they rolled in the water so their feet were sticking up in the air. They stretched and flapped their huge wings and called to each other. It was great to watch the two of them in action.

While the swans were putting on a show, so were the Greater Yellowlegs. They balanced carefully on the floating logs as they reached into the water for food with their long bills. When the hunting was done, they playfully chased each other. I didn't know which birds to watch; both were very entertaining.

The sandhill cranes were still migrating as were the White fronted geese. I hadn't heard of them before but they came over my backyard. It wasn't until I got a clear photo of them that matched my bird ID book, that I found out what they were. That was a first for me!

Today a purple finch showed up at the tray feeder. The tree swallows returned to the nesting boxes. I heard a small song bird that I could not recognize. I hope it returns so I can get a look to identify it. It's song was beautiful.

This was a very eventful week in my yard and at the ponds. It was filled with lots of opportunities to watch the antics of the returning birds. 

Have you had a chance to get to a local pond or a neighborhood lake to see who has returned near you?

The ponds along the roadsides are filled with waterfowl. This week I've seen pairs of mallards, buffleheads, green-winged teals and northern shovelers.

The ponds at the Beaver Hills Biodiversity trail are filled with waterfowl as well. I keep checking to see if the trumpeter swans have returned but so far they have not appeared. I've watched them raise families for the past two summers. They were back the last week of April in 2017 but no sign of them yet. There were still flocks of migrating birds overhead this week so perhaps they will still show up.

The ponds are also filled with active beaver colonies. What fun it is to sneak up on them and watch as they go about their business of chewing, chewing and more chewing. When they get tired of that, there's a bit of mud lodge/dam repair and then more chewing. There were four adult sized beavers out at the same time during one visit. That was a treat to see them interact and go about their daily routines.

The most out of the ordinary find this week was a red-necked grebe. It was out of the ordinary because it was not in the water. The grebe was on the trail; not even close to the edge of the water. It was on a hill, overlooking the pond. 

At first I thought it was injured but it looked okay as I approached. It began its warning call and it fluffed up the feathers on its head to look bigger. I passed by and continued on my way. It was gone when I returned. I guess it wanted to take in the view as I do each time I reach the crest of the hill.

With the arrival of spring, there are so many opportunities to spend time outside. Walk through your neighborhood and observe how many different species of birds there are. Go for a color or a texture walk before the trees leaf out. You'll see colorful lichens on the tree trunks and many textures of bark. Watch for animal tracks; especially in the wet areas. Listen to the bird calls.

Spring affords us the opportunity for rejuvenation so spend some time outside with the sights, sounds and smells of a new season; before the mosquitoes arrive.

Red-necked grebe

3 of 4 beavers at the pond