Time in nature

My husband and I have continued our daily walks along the boardwalk in Summerside where some of the apple trees are late to bloom. 

The resident Belted Kingfisher provided lots of entertainment one day too as it fished in the stream. 

You can see the catch in its mouth in this photo. 

Meanwhile, Rockets are blooming along the trail now.

We also drove to Cavendish one morning to watch for Bald Eagles during the Gaspereau run. Gaspereau are small fish which return from the ocean and swim upstream to spawn in the waterways of the island. The eagles follow their movement and fill up on the tiny fish each day during the run.

After they’ve eaten, the satiated eagles sit in the nearby trees and let their food settle. 

This time provides a great opportunity for eagle watching and photography and we saw eight eagles, mostly immature ones, during our time there. 

This young one didn’t mind us watching from the trail nearby.

On Clark’s Pond, Canada Geese swam 

as overhead, a Osprey surveyed the pond and occasionally dived for fish.

Along the trail, Forget-me-nots greeted us 

while various species of birds sang their praises to creation. Familiar species like the Song Sparrow were visible as were Common Yellowthroats, singing in their best voices.

We had lunch at Cavendish Grove, one of our favourite picnic locations. 

We ate in a shaded area, probably not the best choice on a day when the mosquitos were biting. A table in the sun would have been a far better choice.

Next time.

Return to Clark’s Pond

We vowed to return to Clark’s Pond to see the Bald Eagles again during the Gaspereau run. The birds know where and when to gather for a Gaspereau buffet. This time we met with Helen and Frank, Australians visiting family on the island. Helen is a fellow blogger I had met on-line two years previously.

We started in Cavendish Grove, our favourite place on the island and made our way towards Clark’s Pond. Along the way now, wildflowers line the trail, the most appropriately named, Forget-Me-Nots, always catch my eye. 

The centres of the tiny blooms are white or yellow and tiny pink flowers are the last to open. 

It was a beautiful sunny day but the wind was high which usually means fewer birds. While there were some of the large raptors in the area,

they weren’t in the numbers we had seen the previous week. The younger birds have yet to achieve the unique feather pattern of the mature Bald Eagle.

We walked to the beach through the campgrounds down to where the stream enters the Gulf. 

Here the Gaspereau make their way from the Gulf of St. Lawrence into the pond, a short journey through the sand dunes. 

The sea was rough and the sound of the rolling waves filled the senses. The air was fresh and cool. We could see birds on the far side of the stream as they floated just above the beach.

Several juvenile birds rested atop the trees around the pond, including one which exhibited spiky feathers in the breeze. 

It stayed there the entire time we lingered.

The remains of a tree, against the sea and sky, shows how such beauty can be devastating.

Back at the Grove, the leaves have burst forth for those few warm sun-lit weeks again and the apple trees are in bloom. 

We had a picnic with our friends and enjoyed every minute in nature’s garden. 

Perfect.

To the beach

During our recent visit to Cavendish Grove, after a picnic, my husband and I walked to the beach. A trail from the Grove to the beach runs through the trees and takes you near the Lake of Shining Waters. From there it’s a short walk to the shore.

The trail passes through an area where the trees provide a canopy and shadows dance on the path. 

In an open area of trail, 

trees are in bloom as apple and chokecherry 

display their spring beauty. Along this path, forget-me-nots appear through the woods, 

providing a gentle hint of blue through the undergrowth. Where they line the path, their tiny blue and white flowers are easy to remember.

Bees are plentiful on the apple blossoms and on the last of the dandelions before they go to seed.

Before long the sand dunes and the floating walkway on the Lake of Shining Waters lie ahead. 

From there it’s a short walk to the beach. Since we had the golden grand dog with us, we didn’t go on the beach because dogs aren’t permitted this time of year. We had a look though.

In this stage of the Covid opening, public bathrooms in the park are not open. I hope the next stage of opening rectifies this problem, otherwise park personnel will have a different concern.

We walked back to the car at the Grove and watched a Mallard and her ducklings for a few minutes before we left for home. 

It was another great visit to one of our favourite places.

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