Out and about, winter edition

We enjoyed a day with the golden grand-dog this past week and walked around the neighbourhood with her. 

Another day, I did time on the treadmill, which was more pleasant than usual. However, our main exercise was at the boardwalk which is by far our favourite. The physical effort and the social interaction with fellow walkers in nature are a perfect combination.

Conditions were varied last week. Always though, the sun was hidden, sometimes appearing as a ball of light behind the clouds. 

Twilight makes winter mornings unique.

One day we walked while it snowed without any wind and the birds stayed active too. Mourning Doves, 

Black Ducks 

and Tree Sparrows, 

joined the Red Squirrels 

that day along the boardwalk. Out on the bay, my husband and I could hear Black Scoters and see Mergansers, Gulls and other Black Ducks, as the snow almost obscured the lighthouse.

Along the trail, birdhouses were covered with snow, 

creating scenes for Christmas cards but a few weeks late.

Another day I called woodpecker day, since two Hairy and one Downy Woodpecker were in the same area simultaneously. This was an unusual sight. I was able to photograph all three but not in the same frame.

While Bedeque Bay is not frozen solid yet, the amount of ice in the bay depends on whether the wind is off-shore or on-shore. One day, the bay was packed with ice. The next day, wind took all the ice into the Northumberland Strait.

The ducks which frequent the salt marsh leave when the marsh freezes and return when milder conditions melt the ice.

And always, fellow walkers share greetings while some stop to chat. 

We are so fortunate to have this beautiful place where we can enjoy winter, whatever it brings.

Out in the world this week, it is difficult to comprehend the devastation of the fires in California. There are so many homes destroyed plus schools, churches, stores, businesses, everything. Lives have been lost. Climate change is well underway and so many people still don’t believe it. I fear for this planet and all who live here, especially the children.

Finally for this week, in a sad world, it can be the little things that brighten one’s day…

Every day I feed the crows, I say, “Hello,” when I open the door. Yesterday there were four crows perched on the railing and one of them made a sound of two syllables, which sounded like, “Hello,” from deep in its throat. I was the only one who heard it and I couldn’t believe what I had heard. I will attempt to record the greeting in the future. Wish me luck!

Have a wonderful week!

The winter light

It was a lovely holiday season here on the east coast of Canada. The weather was variable, from cold and windy to mild and calm. We walked most days, even if it meant walking on the track at Credit Union Place here in Summerside. The holiday treats make exercise even more important than usual. Time with family and friends was the best.

Time in nature has been lovely too. As I’ve mentioned already, walking in the elements here this time of year, one may experience anything. The sun…always such a welcome sight, is often a stranger in the winter months though. Not so recently however, when on the last day of the year, a mild winter day of 9 degrees C brought us to Cavendish for a walk on the beach. Such a calm day would have been perfect for a picnic had we prepared for it.

The angle of the sun that day near noon, cast long shadows on the sand. 

Six months will make a huge difference to this beach in the noon day sun which draws thousands of sun revellers every year.

Similarly, the noon day shadow on the sea stack at MacKenzie’s Brook just down the road will disappear as the sun returns over the next six months.

Meanwhile along the boardwalk, each day brings enjoyment as we chat with other walkers and appreciate nature as we go. One of our fellow walkers is turning 90 this year. She and her husband can be seen in most weather, confining their walking to sheltered areas on particularly windy days. Another man, a former ferry captain, uses his walker every day, regardless of the weather. A stroke hasn’t stopped him! 

On New Years Eve, ducks were enjoying the last few minutes of daylight as the sun set, highlighting the bits of ice along the shoreline in Bedeque Bay.

On overcast days, even at noon, our winter day resembles twilight as it did on New Year’s Day below.

And always, the birds provide hours of enjoyment. The bluejays, ducks, sparrows, chickadees, woodpeckers, doves, pigeons, eagles, geese and gulls all catch our attention and the camera when possible. The latest species was captured by my husband on his cell phone however. This Ruffed Grouse has impressive plumage, a real beauty.

At home, we are enjoying the company of our Corvid friends, the crows. When the weather turned cold, we began to feed them again. There are numerous crows in our neighbourhood, but six of them frequent our lawn. Occasionally, extras start to gather but are driven away by the regulars. Below you can see some gather on our deck rail, waiting for the treat of the day.

We believe the six to be a combination of older crows and last year’s young. The younger ones wait for the food but will not touch it until the older ones have eaten. The biggest of the six always gets the food first. There is definitely a pecking order among this murder. We always put out extra food for the smaller crows after the older ones have finished. Birds provide hours of enjoyment every winter!

Have a great week everyone!

‘Tis the season

The winter light may be muted but the wishes are not.

To those who celebrate:  Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays.

And to all:  Happy New Year

See you in 2025!

About last week

At some point this month I had to do some Christmas shopping so I started this past week, though reluctantly. Time is running out however. I don’t enjoy shopping. My husband and I find it difficult to shop for the grandchildren these days as their taste and preferences are evolving as they grow. Our daughter accompanied me one day which was a huge help. It was nice to have that time with her too. Her father joined us for lunch which was lovely.

We didn’t get to the boardwalk as often this week as a result but the scene there certainly changed in that time. Early last week, a seaweed dam at the mouth of the salt marsh had resulted in flooding of the marsh which had then frozen.

On Sunday last week, as we walked away from the parking lot, ducks were flying overhead to the north. With no open water in the salt marsh, the ducks had headed out to look for some.

That day, I captured a photo of a Dark-Eyed Junco which was feeding along the boardwalk.

The Bluejays are always entertaining of course. A flock of the pretty avians will appear quickly along the bridge if one offers peanuts, one of their favourite snacks. 

The Chickadees require the shells removed from the nuts and wait patiently for them.

The vessel, Federal Ohio, came into port when Blacky left the previous week. 

From the photo of what looked like a Coast Guard boat further in the bay, you can see how much ice was in the harbour.

Gulls were a highlight another day. 

They played in the bay opposite the stream. 

We heard honking overhead and I found the Canada Geese quickly enough to take a photo.

The mild temperatures later in the week melted much of the snow and ice in the area. The dam of seaweed at the mouth of the marsh gave way and the ducks returned. 

When it turned cold again, they ice skated in the marsh to get to areas where the water was still flowing.

A Downy Woodpecker drilled into trees near the marsh 

and a Mourning Dove perched high above the scene watched everything with interest.

On a more serious note:

In conclusion this week, I have news of a scam which targeted seniors on Prince Edward Island. Two people visiting the island phoned various islanders, addressing those who answered the phone with “Hey, grandma,” or “Hey, grandpa.”

I answered the phone one day. It looked like a local number so I said, “Hello.” When a male voice said, “Hey, Grandma,” I hung up without saying anything further.

Apparently the caller scammed several islanders out of money, saying he was the person’s grandson and needed money for bail. One senior however, arranged a meeting to pass over money, called the police and the scammer was arrested at the appointed place.

There are so many similar and worse scams going on these days that one has to be alert and suspicious of everything, especially unsolicited phone calls, emails and the rest. 

Nature is an important reprieve from the worries of the world.

I wish you a scam-free week.

The return

We had over two weeks of rain before the sun broke through. My husband and I kept going to the boardwalk as often as weather would allow and we used the walking track at Credit Union Place in between. We were thrilled to see the sun again and every scene which featured light was special.

One of my favourite captures was of this Bluejay, in a spotlight, picking up seeds just off the boardwalk. 

We noticed the birds over several days eating seeds in that area. 

It is noticeable how, after weeks without bright light, the slightest sliver of sunlight through the trees stands out on this squirrel.

Long shadows cast by the angle of the sun this time of year are welcome as well. We’ve missed shadows too.

One day, off in the distance, the top of a cargo vessel was visible in the Northumberland Strait just above the horizon. It looked like a mirage. 

Then two days later, what we believe to be the same vessel, came into Bedeque Bay to dock in Summerside.

The Blacky passed the Indian Head Lighthouse to dock further in the bay. Some gulls were eager to greet her.

The lifeboat on the vessel, positioned as it is at the stern, ready to be dropped in an emergency, gives me pause for thought as I watch the vessel pass. I hope it never has to be deployed for an emergency.

Later from the head of the bay, we watched with the geese as the Blacky docked, preparing to unload the usual winter cargo for these parts, road salt, which is being used already this year.

And sure enough, the temperatures have dropped. Snow is common now, as fresh snow falls most days and is lingering. 

Bedeque Bay is on the verge of freezing, with temperatures day and night below zero. Early last week, there was slush in the water of one area along the boardwalk.

By the end of last week, slush and ice covered all but the deepest part of the bay.

Dark-eyed Juncos have been feeding along the boardwalk though I have yet to take a good photo of one. White-throated Sparrows are around too. They are not quite as shy as the Juncos.

The Mourning Doves congregate in groups in the trees when they aren’t feeding. They puff up their feathers against the cold and look at least twice their usual size.

Both Bluejays and Chickadees will feed out of hand or from a toque as happened here with my husband.

Finally, you never know what you’ll see along the boardwalk. Santa’s helpers ran or walked a 5k race to raise money for Make A Wish Foundation. The group fulfills wishes for children with critical illnesses. Despite the wind and cold, each helper looked to be enjoying the event. They were an unusual sight!