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.
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.
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| A moose watches from across the pond. |
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| Black backed woodpecker |
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| Hummingbird moth |
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| Hummingbird moth |
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