September discoveries

Our past week started with a picnic in the community of Cape Egmont. We had driven along the Evangeline shoreline of Prince Edward Island, and stopped at the Cap Egmont lighthouse. The sea stack there is another favourite of my husband and I and we like to observe it seasonally.

This year, the size of both openings in the stack continues to grow and the first part of the stack visible from shore has two faces. 

Can you see them? We will be interested to see how they change this coming winter.

The Double-crested Cormorants have enjoyed the stack this year if the guano is any indication. 

The birds perch on the stack between their fishing flights along the shoreline.

This nearby cove, accessible via a narrow path and chain to hold was beyond the risk we would take, though I wanted to try it.

The shoreline has Goldenrod and Asters in abundance and the lighthouse is a wonderful backdrop.

At Cape Egmont, Arsenault Pond is a beautiful setting for a picnic.

A trail around the pond goes through the wildflowers such as Fireweed and Joe Pye Weed all gone to seed.

A fish ladder on the pond was busy that day as little fish were on their way down stream.

Just below the ladder, a Great Blue Heron knew of the fish too. You can bet it wasn’t his first day in this location.

We walked the boardwalk this past week as well. One location along the boardwalk is frequented by a flock of European Starlings. The chatty birds sometimes hang out in the trees in that area or among the seaweed along the shoreline below. 

Later this past week we cared for the golden grand-dog, Daisy again. She keeps us on our toes! It is cooler weather now so we didn’t take Daisy to the beach. Instead all of our walks were on the Confederation Trail, where we saw a few interesting things.

We expect this bird, probably a duck, fell prey to a raptor. 

Of course Daisy discovered it along the way. Only feathers remained around a headless body cavity. That predator was efficient! The tail feathers on this bird were beautifully coloured.

Also along the trail we discovered two tiny garter snakes. It looked like they had been run over by bikes. The tiny creatures would have been difficult to see as one rode along. We had never seen such small Garter Snakes.

The fields along the trail are near harvest time, potatoes having been sprayed, waiting for harvesting. Corn fields are tall and provide beautiful texture to the wildflowers bordering the fields.

Meanwhile, this young dog, along for a walk to use up some of the energy she has in abundance, can run free on the trail when no other walkers or bikers are around. The faithful creature, runs ahead as fast as she can, stops suddenly and looks around, checking on the two seniors walking along behind her. 

We smile and walk on…