Burgeoning spring

While all the leaves aren’t quite open yet on many trees, 

the forest floor in a Prince Edward Island is alive again with green. 

Last autumn’s leaves have fertilized new growth and wildflowers are in bud

or bloom, such as these Woolly Blue Violets. 

Ferns are unfurled and quite prolific in places.

Shrubs are in bloom, bursting forth into the grey of late spring,

changing it into a wonderland of beauty. 

Even the trees do their part with the early blooms. 

Meanwhile, the animals are busy tending nests or raising young. At Cavendish, this Osprey searched for food, 

periodically calling to its mate sat on the nest nearby. 

Spring is when the tiny fish, such as smelt or larger trout swim upstream to spawn. This draws large birds, such as Bald Eagles to ponds to feed in the early morning. Having gorged on fish, they sit in the trees nearby, as they digest it.

On our recent visit to Clarkes Pond at Cavendish, my husband and I saw five Eagles perched in old snags in the distance.

Meanwhile this young Eagle sat near the trail, digesting its meal and watching the walkers. 

Later that morning, a Goldfinch in Cavendish Grove, a fraction of the size of the Eagle, is a beauty in its own right.

We walked this past week during cold, windy, sometimes wet weather. Spring clothes were put aside one day for winter's warmest again. On a day when we walked half of our usual distance due to the cold, wind and rain, we met few of the regular walkers, except two. She will be ninety this year. He uses a tall walking stick and she has a cane. They have missed very few days on the boardwalk and walked in a sheltered area that day to complete their walk in spite of conditions.

They inspire my husband and me to keep moving. I hope you find your motivation to keep moving too!

A week with birds

Last week was a great week for photos. It started with the sighting of our first Great Blue Heron in the salt marsh. 

Such a welcome sight! I didn’t walk much that day, watching the bird instead as it stealthily captured tiny fish in the stream. 

Later, from the bridge nearby, the bird added lots of interest to a familiar scene.

As I proceeded along the boardwalk, I looked back to the stream and the same bird was along the shoreline of Bedeque Bay. 

Welcome back, Great Blues!

Another fascinating experience this past week involved Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. Early last week, I heard tapping as I passed an area of woods along the boardwalk which I had never explored. I followed a path towards the tapping and discovered this male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker drilling a huge hole in a tree. 

The next day, a female Sapsucker worked on the same hole. 

I suspected they were drilling a cavity for a nest.

On the third day, the male was back and worked diligently, often its top half disappeared into the tree as below.

Since then, I haven’t seen the birds though I check every day. 

The stream through the salt marsh has male Mallards these days, as the females tend nests this time of year. This Mallard looks pleased with himself as he called out to someone.

One fine day last week, the sky was full of jets, many looking to have followed great circles across the Atlantic. I cannot determine if this is an Air Canada jet or one from another carrier.

Magnolia began to bloom last week in Summerside. One place we like to visit is the local homemade ice cream shop which has a lovely garden with Magnolia trees. One was in bloom and we enjoyed their ice cream and the tree while we sat in the garden.

There is another tree about to bloom there this week…

Saturday we packed a picnic and headed to Cavendish to see if the Bald Eagles were feeding on the fish migrating upstream to spawn. Clarkes Pond is one place in the National Park where one can see the Eagles resting among the trees after they’ve had their fill of fish from the pond.

We weren’t disappointed as this adult Eagle was resting in an old snag

and nearby, a younger Eagle with immature feathering, sat with its head on a swivel looking backwards as I photographed it. 

Great Blue Herons and Osprey flew overhead as well while along the sand on the far side of the pond, Double-crested Cormorants looked like they were satiated too.  

I also saw a Gray Catbird in Cavendish that day.  This is not a common bird on Prince Edward Island and it was the first time I saw one. It entertained me for several minutes with its beautiful song.

Our last stop on Saturday was at an Osprey nest we chanced upon another day we were out and about last week. This one is in the countryside, on a pole along a red dirt road, surrounded by fields. 

This nest is huge and well maintained compared to the smaller Osprey nest at Cavendish.

Finally on Sunday, we smiled at the sight of this Elbows Up sign placed on this birdhouse along the boardwalk. 

Birds, including migrants, are urged to be watchful during these uncertain times! 

Have a great week!

The joy of May

Last week was a busy one but my husband and I managed to a visit to the Dunk River Trail and Scales Pond where we enjoyed a picnic. 

Otherwise we walked the boardwalk during a week when temperatures fluctuated, the wind blew and we walked between the raindrops.

The Dunk River Trail is one of our favourites on the island and the trail is well groomed and ready for the season. Soon, as the trees erupt with leaves for another short growing season, the beauty of this trail will surround hikers. Meanwhile we enjoyed the sound of the river and everything around us.

There are dozens of fallen trees along the river and some show evidence of the Spruce Bark Beetle, which left a worm-like track in the wood.

Butterfly season has begun and this Mourning Cloak was flitting about as we followed along, 

attempting to capture it digitally.

The tapping of Woodpeckers accompanies the sound of the river. One Hairy Woodpecker appears to be accustomed to people on the trail and starts lower down on this favourite tree.

This time of year, male Mallards are on their own as females are nesting.

In Scales Pond, Double-crested Cormorants float by or dive for food. One jumped on some wood in the pond and spread its wings to dry.

A Canada Goose nearby doesn’t need to spread its wings however.

Meanwhile, on the boardwalk, a Snowshoe Hare hopped towards my husband one day. 

The Hare stopped and stared for a few minutes before moving along. We hope it avoided the Bald Eagles which hunt in the area.

The male Red-winged Blackbirds are in fine voice again as they overlook their domain.

On Mother’s Day every year, we enjoy the first lobsters of the season. Yesterday was no exception. They were so good!

Finally this week, I want to thank all the dance teachers who work so diligently and do such great work teaching our children the movement and joy of dance.

Last weekend we watched Ballet Jörgen perform in Summerside. Our eldest granddaughter was part of the production of Sleeping Beauty which included local dance students. The music, costumes and movement take one on a beautiful journey for a few hours. 

Our granddaughter was a two year old watching a video of the Nutcracker Ballet, exposed to it by her mother who always loved the story and watched the ballet too. However, her daughter wanted to dance and has taken lessons since she was three. At fourteen, she hopes to do point this year. Dance is in this young woman’s soul. A great dance teacher has trained and nurtured her love of dance. We thank her and all dance teachers for their great work.

April to May

Lobster season began recently and it draws us to the sea every spring. 

My husband and I went to the New London Lighthouse this year, 

one of our favourite places where boats are so close to land in the channel. 

One will always find Cormorants and Gulls in that area. One Cormorant flew off in front of a mussel boat which was headed to port.

We picnicked at Cavendish Grove that day, 

enjoying the beef stew I made for the occasion. Later we walked towards the coast, passing an Osprey nest which was occupied as its partner ate nearby.

Last week I saw my first Merlin, which was a thrill! However I have seen it since along the boardwalk and fear for the Song Sparrows in the area. Merlin’s can grab their prey right out of the sky.

One evening, my friend and I did another Owl Prowl without any luck. We did see lots of woodpeckers that evening near the Dunk River though. 

My friend and I will go another evening soon. The old dirt roads are waiting.

One morning, as my husband and I prepared for our walk, we saw a fox across the street. We don’t usually see them in the day, but this time of year, when foxes are feeding their young, we often see them hunting in the area in daylight. It was a foggy morning which affected the clarity of the photo but this fox has something in its mouth, probably food for its young.

Another day, when we arrived at the end of the boardwalk, two large hares were eating in the grass there. They were both brown except for their feet and lower legs which looked like white boots. Another walker with a dog scared them off before we could get better photos. 

It was a rainy day which required use of an iPhone for photos. Such circumstances almost guarantee we will see some interesting creature and struggle to take photos.

Finally today, I am struck with how adaptable seniors have to be to continue to have any quality of life. With diminishing senses and bodily functions, declining mental acuity and physical ability, life requires we adapt.

A friend told me recently she didn’t want to adapt. We talked about what she wanted for her life at this point in time. If she didn’t adapt, her life would get much smaller, confined to the house. By the next week, she had come to terms with the conditions she faces. She has adapted.

In some respects, we become invisible as we get older, an afterthought in society which bustles around us. However, we are here, adapting to life as it is for us at this stage. Just give us a few minutes!