Island beauty

It has been a windy week and the temperatures have been cool, which we enjoy. It was a busy week and we walked between the raindrops a few days. The grasses along the boardwalk bent to the wind and we held on to our hats.

The bay was busy this week as well with sailboats, pleasure boats and an occasional fishing boat.

In the salt marsh near the mouth of Bedeque Bay, two Green-winged Teals joined the regulars, 

Mallards and Black Ducks. The Teals are small compared to the regulars and camouflaged in the marsh. Can you see the two Teals in the picture?

One day, I discovered a male Northern Flicker 

among the trees as I watched the now former nest site of a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

We spent some time at Cavendish with our friend, Helen, last week. Sadly, I had forgotten my camera’s card that morning. We did manage some photos with the cell phone, however. The Grove has the green glow these days and was the perfect place for our picnic.

It was a great day and Helen and her husband, Frank, are like family now. We hope Frank will be able to visit next year again.

A chipmunk ran up a nearby tree after lunch was over.

Along the trail, a dragonfly flitted about, stopping long enough to be photographed.

We stayed close to home with our bike riding last week due to the high winds. However, we hope to be back on the trails this week.

Despite the wind, the peonies 

survived the worst of the week. The blooms are huge 

and plentiful but short-lived.

This past Saturday, an airshow at nearby Slemon Park, meant we could watch the show from the front of our house. The airport was part of the Canadian Air Force Base which was established during World War 2 and closed in 1991. The airport is still in use, such as the night our first grandchild was born in distress and was airlifted to Halifax hospital within a few hours of her birth.

I took photos of the aircraft during the show. 

The best photos were of the Canadian Forces Snowbirds 

in their Tutor jets. 

The loudest was a Hornet which flew over the house, the sound following it at a distance. It was a reminder of the sounds which many people in the world hear today and fear as the sounds of war. However, in an age when drones are used in war too, some cannot be heard apparently. Is that better? 

As we watched, safe at our home on a pleasant afternoon, it was impossible not to think of others in less secure situations in various places around the world. It was a reminder of how fragile our peace can be and a thought for those suffering now.

Meanwhile, we are thankful for the peace we enjoy and the beauty around us. We will never take it for granted.

Our daughter took this photo of her husband bass fishing on Grand River last week. I wish everyone in this world such peace.

Waning days of summer

It is that time of year again when many of the tourists have left the island for another year. A few remain but cruise ships will bring thousands of voyagers for daily excursions over the next two months. Autumn is knocking on the door and we are enjoying these waning days of summer at some of our favourite places and one place which was new to us.

We’ve watched the fishing boats in the bay this past week as the lobster season in this part of the province continues. One day, gulls stayed close to a boat, expecting offal to be cast away which they could eat. 

Another day, we saw a trap coming out of the water. 

Fresh lobsters are a common meal in homes and restaurants this time of year.

Meanwhile, along the shoreline, a Great Blue Heron was fishing too.

On a visit to Cavendish for a walk and a picnic, we watched a squirrel chasing a chipmunk which disappeared into a tree. The chipmunk poked its head out as we watched, hoping it had escaped the squirrel.

Nearby, a fallow field has become a mass of Queen Anne’s Lace and Red Clover. It is mesmerizing, in a good way.

At the Oceanview Lookout, 

newly built since Hurricane Fiona destroyed the previous one, one can see the length of Cavendish Beach nearby.

We visited the Borden wetlands last week as well. This area is new to us, but is an area popular with birders on the island, especially at low tide. We saw Semipalmated Plovers and Sandpipers. I was happy to see this juvenile Caspian Tern. 

The Canada Geese coming in for a landing were a beautiful sight too.

The wetlands and beach are in the shadow of the Confederation Bridge, which connects the island to the mainland of Canada. The curved line of the bridge is a massive structural wave high above those of nature.

On the way home, sunflowers were the highlight. They can grow tall, as you can see by these specimens growing beside this old Volkswagen van.

Also along the way, the sunflowers in this patch were facing the morning sun. We find ourselves doing the same as we enjoy the last few weeks of the summer spectacle.

Have a great week!

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 day at North Cape

One of our most memorable outings ever was to North Cape on Prince Edward Island which we visited recently. We saw on social media about seals at North Cape and changed our plans that morning in the hope of spotting some. We weren’t disappointed with the seals but they were a small part of the experience that day.

North Cape is on the northwest tip of the island and on a beautiful autumn day, the hour drive was enjoyable. When we arrived, the seals were obvious, 

on the rock reef, part of the longest such natural reef in North America. There the waters of the Northumberland Strait and the Gulf of St. Lawrence merge.

Double crested cormorants and a variety of gulls enjoyed one end of the reef 

while the seals took up two areas at the far end. 

Looking at the water nearby, bobbing heads of the furry mammals basked in the sun between fishing forays into the briny blue. 

Meanwhile, human fishers shared in the bounty of marine life as well.

We walked along the shoreline to the sea arch in the area which has greatly expanded since our last visit. Storms may make a sea stack out of this arch in the near future.

The trails along the shoreline are lined with grass which was full of crickets in an orchestra that was loud but tuned. As we walked by, dozens of Savannah Sparrows flew out of the grass and flew nearby, waiting for us to pass so they could continue lunch. This one landed on a nearby rock on the shoreline.

We had lunch at the head of the Black Marsh Trail, and listened to the sounds of the crickets and the sea. Afterwards, we walked the trail and watched three Turkey Vultures as they sailed on the thermals above the shoreline, smelling and looking for carrion. 

The trail meanders along the edge of the shoreline and through trees nearby. One viewing area lets observers see what lies ahead. 

The wind turbines in the scene always give me hope that one day, humankind will be easier on our environment.

At the black marsh, we sat and looked out over the landscape, a marsh which is familiar to Newfoundlanders like us, containing cloudberries and pitcher plants. 

We continued on to the sea stack, past the remains of the trees along the shoreline. Weathered by sea spray and wind, they stand as sculptures created by nature’s hand.  

When we arrived back near the reef, we noticed sea birds enjoying the area too, floating around among the seals bobbing in the water. Eider Ducks, Scoters and Mergansers added to the nature quest for the day. 

Nearby, a small flock of Sanderlings landed on the rocks in front of us.

On the way home, we stopped at St. Simon and St. Jude Roman Catholic Church to see man’s creation compared to the natural one we had just left. 

The church is a beauty, with some stained glass windows, not often seen in island churches. Its ceiling is reminiscent of a night sky.

It was a gorgeous fall day on the island and at every turn, there was something to appreciate and enjoy!