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!