I returned from Fernie to find about eight inches of snow at home. Most has melted but some remains where the sun does not shine on it. I didn't know what to expect at the Beaver Hills Biodiversity Trail but I was ready for snow or mud.

The trail turned out to be in great shape. There was snow in areas where the trail is tree covered and a leaf carpet covers the areas that would be muddy.

I had to take advantage of the day. The sun was brilliant and the sky was cloudless. I took a few moments to enjoy it from one of the benches that overlooks a pond. The waterfowl were gone. I wondered where the swan family settled for the winter. It was great fun to watch them through the summer.

I could hear Mother Nature's choir on my travels through the forest. The bluejays called. The squirrels chattered. The chickadees sang. A pair of moose were browsing in the woods. They heard the crunch of frozen grass under my boots and took off through the trees. A grouse flew up from the underbrush. 

I was there in mid morning. The sun was beginning to melt the frost. Leaves were holding drops of water that reflected the light. The forest carpet sparkled. It was a great day for a hike.

The drive to work is becoming more scenic each day.  This morning the sun was rising on my way in.  As it came over the treetops, its rays shone on the reds, oranges and yellows of Mother Nature's canvas. 

The colors were stunning.  The water in the pond was as smooth as glass.  The reflections were brilliant.  I had to stop and take in the beauty.

My favorite autumn colors are displayed on the chokecherry trees.  The reds 'pop' amidst the yellows and oranges of the aspens.

The weather is holding out as the first day of autumn approaches.  I noticed flocks of cranes flying overhead and Canada geese gathering in the fields.

I'm looking forward to an extra day off next week.  There's a big pile of wood waiting to be split which will take a day to complete.  This means that I'll still have two days left to get out and enjoy the beautiful sights, sounds and smells of autumn.

One of the highlights of living in a 'wilderness' area is the abundance of wildlife that I get to see while commuting to and from work.  During my thirty minute drive, I often see white tail deer, porcupines, skunks and moose. On one rare occasion I saw a large mink crossing the road in front of me.

The moose is my favorite animal.  I was fortunate to see a bull moose cooling off and feeding in a

pond along side the road.  I'm always on the look out for wildlife and my camera is never far from the front seat in case the opportunity arises for a photo.

The day was very hot and I noticed this big guy right in the middle of the water with the waterfowl.  He was in no hurry; taking his time drinking and feeding.  A red-winged blackbird sat on a cat tail close by.  I could hear the bird scolding the moose.  There was probably a nest close by.

I watched this beautiful animal for about ten minutes before he decided to exit the water and head to the closest willow stand for some tasty twigs.

Every now and again I'm able to capture a once in a lifetime photo.  This was one of those days.

There is truth to the statement that you learn something new everyday.  I found out what muskrats do during the winter season.  In the summer, they can be seen along roadside ditches, munching on fresh grasses and reeds.  In the winter, they are busy as well.  They do not hibernate.  If you drive by a snow covered pond and see small mounds on the surface, they are probably the

handiwork of a muskrat.

I wouldn't want to find out how sharp those little teeth are.  Obviously, they are not only capable of chewing up the reed stalks, but they are also capable of chewing through the ice that forms on lake and pond surfaces.

I was on a pond surface today.  There were numerous mounds

on it.  I took a closer look and saw that the dark areas of the mounds were underwater plants that the muskrats had brought to the surface.

There were many animal tracks in the snow today; coyote, elk, bison.  They criss-crossed the open area like roadways on a map.  The coyotes had checked out all the muskrat mounds.

I took my skis out today.  I use adventure skis that are made for either groomed trails or breaking trail.  They work much better when I'm breaking trail.

I created a large loop that started along the shoreline, went south up to a beaver lodge and then back to where I began.  There is the perfect amount of snow on the pond for x-country skiing.  I went around my loop a couple of times; soaking up the sun and admiring the blue, cloudless sky.  

The temperature was above zero again today.  When I got back from skiing, I enjoyed a cup of coffee on the back deck.  The chickadees, nuthatches and woodpeckers were busy at the feeders.  A squirrel chattered up in a tree.  A couple of magpies were raiding the grain that was put out for the deer.

It was so beautiful that I looked for more tasks to keep me busy outside. I took down the decorations from my backyard Christmas tree.  I chopped a bin full of wood for the indoor stove.  I could hear water dripping off the garage roof and the snow on my neighbor's metal roof was sliding over the edge; landing in a big bank on the ground.

It sounds like there will be some fresh snow this evening. Another few centimeters would make for excellent skiing in the days to come.  

My Forest Friends

After two days of gusty winds, most of the trees are bare.  I hiked the trails at the Strathcona Wilderness Center this evening with the hopes of seeing some wildlife.  When the underbrush is covered with leaves, the deer and moose have a place to hide.  With the empty branches, I really wanted to see some forest friends.




 


I spent some time gazing at the beauty of the pond.  There was still some color on the trees that reflected in the water along with the reflection of the fluffy white clouds.  What a serene scene!

I started out on the Wagon Loop trail.  The carpet of leaves crunched under my shoes.  Blue jays were busy hiding food under the leaves.  Squirrels ran up and down the bare trees, nattering at me as I came by.  Dark eyed juncos flew through the underbrush looking for seeds.  A large owl swooped out of a tree top.  Once again I miss getting a photo!

My first bit of luck happened early on the hike.  A young hare was sitting amidst the leaf carpet.  It was still brown in color and showed no signs of turning color.  Looks like its not thinking of winter yet.  A moose was drinking at one of the sloughs.  It heard my noisy steps and ran off into the trees.

I kept watching for the owl.  As my eyes traveled up and down the tree trunks, scanning the branches for the elusive bird, I felt some eyes staring at me.  A couple of white tail deer were not far from me.  I hoped that they would stay put while I got the camera out.  Lucky for me, they did not run off until I got a few shots.  A raven flew over and scared them off.

I made my way back to the trail head at the pond.  The muskrats were busy swimming from shore to shore.  As they made their way through the water, they created v-shaped ripples on the surface.

The rose bushes alongside the pond are still holding onto their leaves.  The bright colors stand out against the bare tree trunks.

The evening was calm.  As I stood by the pond at the end of my hike, I could hear geese, chickadees, ravens, and bluejays.  It was peaceful, serene and the perfect way to end the day.