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.

I had only a short period of time to spend in the woods so decided to visit the Strathcona Wilderness Centre this morning.  The sun was just beginning to come over the treetops.  The sky was cloudless and only a sliver of the moon was visible.  It was the perfect morning to hike.  I didn't have to wear a jacket. There was no wind and the temperature was warm.  It was only 9am!

The water in the pond at the end of the driveway did not have one ripple.  There were no ducks or muskrats swimming.  Most of the leaves have dropped and the cat tails have bloomed out; leaving masses of fuzz on the pond surface.

The beginning of the trail was quiet.  No bird calls.  No chattering squirrels.  The sun's rays created long shadows on the leafy carpet.  

There were a number of berries and rose hips clinging to branches.  I was surprised that the squirrels hadn't plucked them off.  The rose bushes were the only shrubs still clinging to leaves.  

As I made my way around the trail, I decided to visit the Spruce Bog.  A large owl flew up from a branch as I approached the area.  I followed a long boardwalk into a sheltered area that contains labrador tea, paper birch and towering spruce trees.  There are benches for those that wish to sit and enjoy the quiet or watch the squirrels gather food.  They were not happy to have me sitting there this morning.

I was the only person on the trail today.  I wish I could have stayed out longer but winter will show up sooner or later and there were windows to be washed before the snow falls.

I was surprised at the number of creatures, big and small, that I saw yesterday.  I was not the only one taking advantage of a sunny day.  There was more wildlife on this trail than my usual Elk Island trails combined.

I was about a half hour into the hike when I spied a cow moose.  She ran as soon as she caught sight of me.  I could hear her crashing through the trees.

The birds were busy and vocal.  Black capped chickadees, white breasted nuthatches, juncos and blue jays flew from branch to branch in search of food.  I could hear magpies, crows and ravens in the distance.  As I approached the lake, a choir of waterfowl calls filled the air.  A flock of cranes called from overhead. 

The wood bison were close to the trail.  My first sighting was along the lake shore.  I could see his horns and the top of his head above the tall grass.  I saw four of them grazing in an open meadow and another four came thundering across the trail.  The ground shook as they stampeded into the trees.

Squirrels were gathering mushrooms for their winter stores.  One balanced atop a snag.  It stopped long enough to give me a scolding.

There were so many butterflies visible.  All were feeding on the remaining wildflowers; flitting in front of me on the trail and then stopping to rest on the warm sand.

I counted five grouse and four more moose along the way.  The one photo that I did get was of the south end of a north bound moose. 

I took the long way home to see if there were more creatures out on the parkway.  

Two young coyotes were walking in the ditch.  I pulled over to watch them and both came lopping to my driver's side door.  They waited to see if I would give them some food.  I could tell that visitors have been feeding them.  They were not afraid.

Astotin Lake had a couple of bison visiting the picnic area.  One decided that he needed to wallow in the sand on the beach.  He used his front hooves to dig in the sand before rolling back and forth.

Yesterday was fantastic for a number of reasons; the sun was shining, the temperature was perfect, there were no flying insects to bother me and so many of the forest creatures stopped to say hello.  What a perfect day!

This morning I was undecided as to where to hike today.  It was already almost noon when I tossed some snacks into my backpack and headed out the door.  I ended up at Elk Island on the Beaver Pond Trail.

There were small patches of wispy clouds in a bluebird sky.  The sun felt warm and made for a pleasant hiking day.

The bison seem to like this trail.  Each time that I walk it, there are large bison 'pies' that I have to tiptoe over.  It is rather silly that at the trail head there are doggy-doo bags provided so you can clean up after your pooch yet the pies left by the bison could fill up more than one pair of shoes.

All was quiet in the treetops.  The squirrels on the ground were the only noise makers today.  I couldn't tell if they were playing a game of tag or hard-to-get.  They would chase each other over logs, around bushes and up and down tree trunks.  A couple of them were close to running into me.

I met up with one other person today.  I think he had just stopped so his dog could do his business.  He didn't look dressed for an outing.

It's going to take awhile to melt all the snow that is tramped down on the trail.  A lot of it has melted beneath the trees and on the banks of the ponds but the trail itself has more than a foot of packed snow in some places; yet in others it is bare.  In 2013, the last of the snow melted in June and I think there was more snow this year.

The drive home is usually uneventful except for today.  I was only a couple miles away from the park gate when a front tire blew.  Thank goodness for roadside assistance and the fact that it was a nice day.  An hour later I was on the road again.  Other drivers don't like it when one travels at 80 kph on a highway where the speed limit is 110 kph but what can you do when you have a temporary little 'donut' tire for a spare.

I made it home safe and sound.  As I unpacked my vehicle, the chickadees were singing their cheeseburger songs in the trees.  The bluejays were squawking as they sat on the fence.  I could see the deer in the forest behind my yard so I knew it wouldn't be long before they came for a visit.

The first to arrive were the five amigos.  Their coats are getting darker.  The young ones are beginning to watch for danger and do the 'tail up' stance along with stomping the ground with their front feet.  They thought Spike the cat was a threat and started chasing the poor guy.  I've never seen him move that fast across the snow!  It was a good thing that he was close to the shed when they spied him.  He didn't have far to go to hide.

Something scared the deer off during the first visit.  They came back about 15 minutes later but there were more.  The two mule deer had shown up as well.  That made for quite the action in the backyard; fighting, head butting, foot stomping and rearing up.  I had my own reality nature show.

I don't usually have more than one light on in the evening but tonight I turned that one off as well to participate in Earth Hour.  I lit a couple of my favorite candles and did some internet shopping for new tires.

Ahhhh. That's all I can say.

There is a full moon tonight in a cloud free sky.  It is lighting up the night and streaming through my windows.  The wood stove is lit and I'm in front of it with a cup of coffee.  It's the perfect ending to a relaxing outdoor day.

I hiked one of my favorite trails at Elk Island National Park.  On the way, I came across a young coyote along the roadside.  It was showing off its hunting prowess.  I watched him for less than 10 minutes and during that time he caught at least 5 mice. 

It isn't the first time that I've seen him in the ditch but it is the first time that I was witness to his successful morning hunt.  As he snacked on his wiggling treats, he gave me a toothy grin.

I had not been on the Amisk Wuche trail for awhile and so didn't know if there was still some opportunity to take in the autumn colors.  

Most of the leaves had dropped but the grasses provided color along the boardwalk.  There were still a number of ducks in the pond.  As I watched, they dunked their heads under the water to reach the plants, leaving me to see their duck butts above the water.

While standing on the boardwalk, a couple of squirrels were having a squabble.  One was chasing the other at top speed.  The one in front came within 6 inches of running right into my leg.

My favorite part of the trail snakes through a stand of spruce trees.  It reminds me of a mountain trail.  I can smell the sap that seeps through the bark.  I love to stop here for a few minutes and take some deep breaths.

The squirrels have a number of middens at the base of the trees where the remains of their chewed up spruce cones lay in heaps.  

I noticed that there is a number of young trees that are only about 4 inches tall, growing up through the leaf carpet.  As I admired the new growth, I heard a pileated woodpecker.  It was difficult to tell where the sound was coming from.  I scanned the tree tops but was surprised to find it on the ground.  The sun shone from behind the large bird, illuminating its red feather crown.  It too, was putting on a show for me.

The walk through the woods this morning was very calm and peaceful.  The only sounds that I could hear were those of the forest; trees creaking, blue jays squawking, ducks quacking, squirrels nattering and the woodpeckers boring for insects in the bark.

I came across a decaying log that caught my attention.  The bright green moss that covered it stood out against the brown vegetation.  The contrast was a beautiful sight.  I could see that the squirrels were using the log to store their winter food.

Autumn has been beautiful.  Last year at this time there was snow on the ground.  It seems to be holding off with no mention of it in the forecast.  If the butterfly that I saw today has anything to say about it, the snow won't be coming anytime soon.

Planning the Planting

After seeing the flurry of bird activity in my backyard yesterday, I dug out the garden magazines once again.  Spring is around the corner and I need to make some decisions on what will be planted in my expanded back yard.

I have the winter birds taken care of but want to ensure that my summer feathered friends are taken care of as well.  The feeders are well stocked through the summer but I need to replace some of the 'leafy trees' that came down for my home construction.  Since then, many of the warm weather birds and all of the squirrels left the yard and I want to lure them back.

I planted a few shrubs in the fall.  I'm hoping that the dogwood and the ninebark will grow rapidly.  The squirrels used to love running along the branches of the old pines.  I've got some new mountain pines planted just for them.

I'm still looking for more bushes or trees with berries such as mountain ash, chokecherry or sea buckthorn.  My choices need to be rapid growers and 'non-fussy' as to where they are planted.  This will take a bit of research but I am hoping that it will be sorted out before spring thaw so I can get them into the ground as early as possible.

 

In addition to the trees and shrubs, I'll be making sure that the holly hocks are replanted and that the trellises for the scarlet runner beans are put back into place.  The hummingbirds will appreciate having the fresh blooms supplement their sugar water in the feeders.


 

A raised garden bed and a strawberry patch have to fit in as well.  So many ideas, so little space.  I'm getting excited just thinking about how much fun it is going to be to re-create my yard.  Bring on spring.