What a difference a week and a few foggy nights make. There may not be much snow on the ground but the tree branches made it look like a winter wonderland on the Beaver Hill Biodiversity Trail.

I love walking the trails when the branches are coated in ice crystals. The forest was silent so I could hear the trees creak and the crystals crackle. 

A slight breeze created a shower of ice. I came out of the forest looking like a snowman and learned that I need to wear a hooded jacket on the next hike so those icy flakes do not end up down my back.

There is not much snow on the ground; just enough so I could see who else was on the trail. Most of the tracks belonged to the squirrels. There were a few heart-shaped deer tracks and a few left by some hares.

The rose hips that are still clinging to the bushes stood out against the white frost. Each one was covered in ice crystals.

At home, the birds continue to visit the feeders. It's been the blue jays, chickadees, nuthatches, downy and hoary woodpeckers that have been providing the entertainment. 

The deer continue to raid the feeders under the cover of darkness; leaving the tray feeder empty and the chickadees looking for seeds. It doesn't take them long to find the feeding station on the deck.

I'm working on the outdoor evergreen arrangements for the yard. I may need to spray on some 'fake' snow if there isn't more of it soon.

Winter is taking its time with its arrival this year. Sparse snowcover makes for easier hiking but I'm anxious to begin the winter sports.

It's Friday; the first day of my weekend and 'post day'! I'm still waiting impatiently for snow. There has only been a little sprinkling of it that melted the next day. It's November 18. I should have my x-country skis and snowshoes out. My nose is pressed against the window every morning with the hope that snow fell overnight.

The birds have continued to be busy at the feeders; more frequently at one than the other as the deer come at night and empty the one in the middle of the yard. This morning when I went into the kitchen there were three blue jays and one hoary woodpecker at the feeder and a little downy woodpecker was waiting on the railing for a turn. They provided great entertainment while I had my morning coffee.

Before the cooler temperatures arrived, I hiked the Amisk Wuche trail at Elk Island National Park and the Beaver Hills Biodiversity trail. The day I was out there it was still +12C and the sun was shining.

I noticed the grass was turning green again. This made me pay particular attention to the colors that remained on the trail; the mossy green logs, the red berries and the yellow/orange leaves that still clung to the branches. 

I love walking and paying attention to the little things; the things that I cannot see or hear when I'm inside. There were ladybugs looking for a hiding spot and grouse standing like sentinels in the brown grass. There were hawks and crows flying and calling overhead. There were squirrels chattering in the treetops.
You don't need to live in a rural area to enjoy nature and all it has to offer. If you have a neighborhood park or trails in the river valley, take an hour to shut off the devices and tune out all the man made noise.

This is your challenge for the week. Turn on your senses and tune in to the sights and sounds of nature. You will come back rejuvenated. Tell me about your favorite place to walk.

There has been non-stop action at the backyard bird feeders this week. I set a new feeding station up on my deck. This year I put a 'squirrel block' in it in addition to some shelled sunflower seed. The feeding station in the middle of the yard is filled with the same seed but holds a suet cake.

The birds have been in a feeding frenzy. There were up to six blue jays in the yard at the same time. They swooped down from the branches to the squirrel block and worked at it just as the woodpeckers do. 

What fun it was to watch them in action. Each had a different personality. I wondered what was going on in their bird brains as they pecked for a bit, cocked their head as if to contemplate their task and then begin again.

The woodpeckers were abundant as well. Male and female downy and hoary woodpeckers took turns with the jays. They were more skittish and flew up into the tree branches each time I walked by the window.

The black capped chickadees flitted between the two feeding stations. There were still seed pods on some of the backyard shrubs so they were also busy gathering those from the branches. The leaves were still in place but I knew the little birds were in there because the shrub would tremble as they searched for food.

The birds were not the only ones that took advantage of newly filled feeders. The deer are back for regular visits. They have been feeding on the sunflower stalks/heads and my strawberry plants. I caught them raiding the sunflower seeds in the tray feeder. The deer make the rounds from yard to yard, pruning shrubs/plants and emptying the bird seed.

I had the best reality tv right outside my back door. 

19.2C in central Alberta on November 3. It is hard to believe but true. Today was another warm day.
It's been a few weeks since I've been on the trails. I was down for the count with laryngitis; no voice and what felt like a 20lb weight on my chest. I'm still not 100% but I had to get out and enjoy the day because the only walking I had been doing was from the couch to the bed and back again. Being at home, I did manage to see a beautiful bald eagle fly over my back yard. It skimmed the tree tops. I could see it holding something that it caught for breakfast. I also saw a couple dozen trumpeter swans fly over. Their graceful flight was not taking them south; but west to the lake across the road from my home. Maybe the snow that fell here when I was in Fernie was winter; come and gone.

I stuck close to home. I hadn't been to the Biodiversity trail since before Halloween so that was my destination.

A grouse greeted me at the trail head. Numerous moose and deer tracks were embedded in the mud. The beavers toppled a tree that on a bench and across the trail. The muskrats and ducks were swimming in the ponds.

I made my way to my favorite spot in the forest; a bench that sits beneath the towering spruce. The sun shone between the branches, casting long shadows on the trail. A gentle breeze fluttered the spider webs in the spruce boughs. As they moved, the sunlight reflected off them and made them shimmer.

The once colorful leafy carpet is now brown. The only color along the trail can be found on the mossy logs that lay strewn on the forest floor.

The ponds were serene. The breeze created tiny ripples on the surface. Sparkles appeared on the water as the sun reflected off the splashes created by the surfacing pond bugs.

The birds sang and the squirrels chattered. It was a beautiful day to be outside. I wish I could have explored more trails but it wasn't meant to be.

I did spend some time in the backyard, watching the antics at the bird feeder. The chickadees and blue jays were busy enjoying the feast that I set out for them. They were making my cat's head spin. I thought he was going to get whiplash as he watched all the birds in flight.

The days are getting shorter and I find myself leaving for work in the dark and coming home in the dark. The occasions that I can get to the trails are limited to the weekend. I'll be posting on Fridays only through the remainder of fall/winter. Join me again next Friday! Until then...Happy Trails to you.

Last weekend when I was at the trail, in addition to the wildlife, I paid attention to the beauty beneath my feet. There were a couple of frosty nights that left the grass crispy and the leaves trimmed with ice crystals.

The sunshine created sparkles that lead me through the forest. There was no sneaking up on the wildlife; the grass crunched under my boots. Jack Frost coated the landscape and I enjoyed every sparkling moment.

When I finished my hike at the Beaver Hills Biodiversity Trail last Saturday, there was still plenty of time left in the day so I ventured to Elk Island National Park.

That was my first visit in October. I stayed away because the park staff had been working feverishly on ripping up and repaving the parking lot. They also ripped out the pavement on the trails beside the lake. That meant a whole lot of noise. I wanted to see how much they got accomplished.

On my way there I saw bison grazing inside the park fence, a coyote hunting for mice in the tall grass and a hawk that dived off a fence post but came up empty-clawed. That was a lot of action and I wasn't even at the park gate yet.

The pond surfaces were clear of ice so the ducks were busy diving and dunking for plants. The muskrats swam around the ducks; creating v's in the water.

The heavy equipment at Astotin Lake sat idle. The parking lot looked great. The trails along the lake are still being worked on. I spent only enough time there to see the progress made. 

As I drove toward the highway, a raven pecked at some garbage. I pulled to a stop. It squawked at me and took off toward the nearest garbage can for more trash.

On the way home I saw five white tail deer at the edge of the forest. The bison were still grazing and the coyote was still hunting. There were not as many people frequenting the park during the cooler temperatures so the animals were out in full force; lucky for me.

I'm looking forward to dusting off the snowshoes, x-country skis, ice skates and kicksled so I can spend more time at the park. Now all I need is snow.

I had such a great hike last Friday that I returned to the Biodiversity trail on Saturday. The sky was clear and the sun was shining. I like heading out early enough to catch the wildlife that is out and about. Bird songs could be heard from the trees. A muskrat swam across a pond. A hawk flew up from tall grass and landed on a spruce bough. I came across one moose and numerous grouse on the trail. It was my lucky day. One of the grouse was not camera shy.

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.

It rained off and on during my three day visit to Fernie but that didn't stop me from enjoying the beauty around it. 

It was still raining when I left and continued to do so until I reached the turnoff to HWY 22 from HWY 3. The clouds parted and the sun shone through creating one last rainbow for me.

The drive north on HWY22 to the secondary HWY540 was quiet and scenic. Cattle grazed the wide open ranges. Snowy mountain peaks could be seen in the distance. 

I turned east on HWY540 but kept watching my mirrors so I wouldn't miss the last glimpse of the mountains.

I saved the best hidden gem of this trip for last.  After seeing the beauty of the first lake, I wish I could have made it to the third but it wasn't meant to be this time.

We started at the bottom of a steep, washed out gravel road that runs under a power line. A trail veered off into the forest. It was wet and leaf covered at the start but progressed up a steep, rocky section.

Once we reached the top, the trees opened up and a beautiful, clear, mountain lake appeared. Bright yellow larch stood tall at the water's edge of the first of three Silver Spring Lakes near Elko, BC. Moss covered the boulders. We could see fallen logs beneath the water's surface. The sight was breathtaking.

I could only imagine the beauty as one continued the trail to the second and third lakes. That's a challenge for the next trip.