The sights and sounds of spring

While spring broke through the remnants of winter last week, my husband and I watched for the signs of spring we see every year as we walk the boardwalk in Summerside.

The bay was free of ice on the first day of spring and including the mouth of the bay, unlike two days earlier. This scene always reminds me how endangered the island is when it comes to rising sea levels.

At the mouth of the Wilmot River, we discovered the huge flock of Canada Geese we had seen overhead. The return of the geese in mid to late March is always a rite of spring.

The Song Sparrows returned to our garden last week. We have seen them around the yard and look forward to their serenade in the early morning when we can leave the windows open again. Meanwhile, we hadn’t heard them singing yet until one day, along the boardwalk where many sparrows nest, a hardy little bird was singing one of the first serenades of the year.

The robins are back and while others have seen them, we saw our first of the season yesterday.

A strong on-shore wind blew ice back into the bay this past weekend. The ice is diminished compared to the previous week and is mainly slushy now. Walking along by the shoreline however, one can hear pieces of ice cracking, a spring sound to anyone who is familiar with an icy sea.

The gulls have been raving about spring too, with their best calls to the sea, a sound that is music to my soul. 

March every year, Black Scoters, diving ducks which visit the island every winter, spend time feeding in the bay before they head north to breed. We saw the ducks and heard their whistles on Sunday. They are part of the symphony of spring.

Winter is holding on to the island, but the signs of spring around us keep us hopeful and eager to experience the season.

Picture perfect

It was a picture perfect day, with the blue-grey overcast winter sky and calm winds which made it possible to hold the zoom lens without shaking. We were past due for a visit to the head of the bay this winter. We’d spent hours there last winter watching a convocation of Bald Eagles make lunch of geese who were unfortunate enough to fall prey to the gathered raptors. 

Along the bay, we paused at a couple of areas where I’ve been meaning to stop all winter. One wharf has a fishing boat tied up for the winter, encased by the ice which has frozen it in place. 

Owners of the Iron Horse are not concerned about her being crushed by the ice. This time next month, she will probably be free of the icy grip on her hull. A fishing vessel left in the winter ice is a rare sight here.

We also stopped at the new swing the city installed last summer which is popular with tourists and residents alike. No one was swinging that day as I aimed for the lighthouse through the swings. 

The expanse of ice which stretches atop the bay looks vast and barren, dwarfing the lighthouse at the entrance to the bay.

A smelt shack sits on the ice near the shoreline, offering shelter and a heat source by the look of the propane tank at the back. Fishers will sit in comfort as they catch smelts in the bay.

It is the only shack in this part of the bay this year, probably due to the unpredictable nature of the weather, going from mild to freezing so quickly. The little shack should be secure for the next week.

Island birding sites are abuzz with news of Bald Eagles nesting already this year. At the head of the bay, we can see that area’s nest across the bay on the opposite shore. 

Sure enough, a pair of mature eagles are in residence atop the nest, scanning the area.

I missed the shot of one taking off but later discovered it having a rest in a nearby tree. 

It didn’t stray far from its mate.

At the mouth of the Wilmot River nearby, a pair of Barrow’s Goldeneyes dived for fish as they enjoyed their island holiday. They are fun to watch among the geese and black ducks as they quickly dive into the depths.

We will return to the area soon!

A rare day

We had a three day storm last weekend and it took another day to dig out. Here is western Prince Edward Island, the wind was the worst part of the storm. While we didn’t have as much snow as the remainder of the island, the high wind caused drifting and white-outs. 

It was Wednesday before we walked the boardwalk again, and we weren’t surprised to see that the wind, which had been out of the northeast during the storm, had blown off-shore much of the ice, except that at the head of the bay.

By Friday, slushy ice was forming over the bay again. 

Before long all of the bay would be frozen again.

However, Sunday was a sunny day with 3 degrees C and it provided the look and feel of spring.

A pair of Mallards floated by the bridge 

and a small flock of American Black Ducks lined the banks of the stream, enjoying the rare February day. 

The weather is turning cold again this week but the taste of spring this past weekend was lovely.

Blue on blue

February arrived calmly, without the howling wind, so we had two pleasant days walking the boardwalk. Saturday the high winds arrived and with just a few centimeters of snow, it made our walk impossible. Since then, exercise has been relegated to indoors . This is the third day of the storm and while the western part of the island didn’t have as much snow, the drifting from the high winds with what we did have, resulted in white-out conditions which continue today.

On one of the calm days this past week, the Blue Jays put on quite a show along the boardwalk. Two of the regular walkers brought a supply of peanuts they left for the birds and squirrels at the birdhouse overlooking the salt marsh. The Jays wait nearby for them every morning.

That morning, walkers stopped to take in the scene as Jays hurried to the rail of the bridge. 

The birds lined up for their chance at the raw peanuts and those in shells. 

After each acquired peanuts, raw or shelled, they flew off to stash or consume them.

Black-capped Chickadees waited in the trees for any peanuts the Jays might leave. No chance of that! The Jays took all the peanuts but a Red Squirrel came by to check for himself anyway. He ate some of the birdseed from the feeder.

Meanwhile further down the stream, two American Black Ducks were mere silhouettes in the bright sunlight. 

On the other calm day this month, the view from the bench was peaceful with the Confederation Bridge visible at sea level on the left. The winter sky was barely distinguishable from the frozen sea. 

We wonder about the animals through all of this bad weather. We will take peanuts with us when we can return to the boardwalk.

Winter wonder

My husband and I haven’t missed many of our daily walks along the boardwalk in Summerside this month despite the wind and cold. We don’t feel right if we haven’t walked by the sea and visited the chickadees and squirrels. That time in nature makes the troubles of the world disappear for a few minutes every day. Besides, the cloud cover makes a difference to the look of the day and it is always interesting to see what the wind has done to the ice the previous night.

This was the scene yesterday as we headed to the gazebo which is always our starting point. Fresh snow covered the setting and the heavy cloud cover hinted at blue sky above. 

From the bridge, where you can see a bit of the gazebo on the left, the heavy blue clouds freeze the scene in time. Without the wind to disturb the setting, it is peaceful there.

Compare the same scene to a somewhat foggy day last week when the setting had less colour and the sun’s rays provided a spotlight. Without the fresh snow, it looks stark.

Ten days ago, the sun and clouds gave the ice a sheen in places and it looked blue in other areas.

Another day, the ice rafted due to the on-shore wind the night before and piled up on the shore and shoreline. The texture distinguished it from sky. 

The winds this year have rafted ice all over the harbour. Along Water Street, the beach has piles of ice which may be there until spring. You can see the island’s red sand in the ice.

When we arrive home, we often have soup, our favourite winter meal. We’ve had a number of varieties, including mushroom, turkey, ham and split pea, French onion, and cream soups, such as potato and butternut squash. The last of the turkey soup will fill bowls and bellies today. Yum!

As always though, we wonder what nature has to offer today.

Update:

This morning, January 23/24, it was a beautiful sunny winter day!

Time with the animals

Temperatures have been low enough the past few days to freeze the shallow water in Bedeque Bay at Summerside. 

The animals which live along the boardwalk have been preparing for these winter conditions and walkers have been entertained by their efforts, including those of the Red Squirrels.

These small, industrious rodents are present most days when we walk the trail. If they are absent, you can bet there is a predator in the area.

Last year, my husband and I watched a squirrel as it harvested cones from a spruce tree, chopping off the cones which fell to the boardwalk where the squirrel hastened to cart them away to its midden*. This year, we watched one of the squirrels harvest winterberry holly berries.

A gazebo overlooks the salt marsh in the area of the trail we frequent. We always begin our walks at this gazebo, to see what is happening in the marsh that day. One day in October, when we arrived at the gazebo, we heard a squirrel in the winterberry holly tree by the side of the gazebo. 

The tree had lost most of its leaves at that point, and the red berries were quite obvious. Watching the tree, we saw a squirrel harvesting the berries, unconcerned about the humans who could almost reach out and touch it.

The little rodent worked furiously to cut off twigs of berries as you can see in this short video here.

By the time we were leaving the gazebo, the squirrel was headed to its midden with a twig of berries in its mouth.

Overhead, the birds always entertain as well, including a flock of Canada Geese which yesterday was headed inland ahead of the forecasted high winds and rain. The birds didn’t have it sorted as to which one should lead the V on the way. 

Eventually a small flock broke away from the undecideds and managed a great V.

On the home front, Daisy, the Golden Retriever, visits every week. This week she met BB, the crow with the broken beak which visits us every day. BB now looks in through the glass in the patio door, usually when we are eating at the kitchen table. Daisy and BB watched each other for several minutes. 

Surprisingly Daisy didn’t bark at the crow. I think now they are friends.

*midden: an underground tunnel where a Red Squirrel stores its food. It is separate from its nest or drey which is in a tree.