The wonders of nature

Temperatures have dropped making warmer clothes a necessity. My husband and I have probably had our last picnic for the year but our outings will continue. Late last week, it was a windy, overcast day on the boardwalk but in the distance in the Northumberland Strait, we could see the sun had broken through the cloud, making a streak of brilliance on the sea.

I have noticed the tree behind this bench every time we walk the boardwalk.

Over seven days, the tree went from green to yellow. 

Another sign of the advancing autumn is the coming end of the lobster season this year. One day last week, I saw a boat in the distance near the Confederation Bridge. I tested the limit of my camera and my ability to hold the camera steady to take this photo. 

One calm day this past week, we drove to Water Street to see if there were any Great Blue Herons along the shoreline. 

We counted twenty of the birds in the area which, with the rising tide, began to disperse. 

One flew along the shoreline towards the salt marsh where we normally see a Great Blue.

This past week we saw numerous ducks in the marsh. One day, a flock of small ducks, Green-winged Teals, 

enjoyed the marsh, along with the usual Mallards 

and Black Ducks. 

Along the shoreline, some of the smallest gulls in the world, the Bonaparte’s were in a line behind the largest species, a Great Black-backed Gull. 

There is a huge variation in size among gulls.

We met with our friends, Helen and Frank this past week and walked a part of the Rotary Trail in Summerside, through the colourful autumn canopy. 

Maples are a big part of the forest in the area and the Striped Maples are in various stages of  autumn splendor. 

Some are still green while others are translucent yellow before they fall onto the trail. The Red Maples make a pretty covering on the forest floor too.

Along that trail, Helen spotted an American Toad, a great discovery camouflaged among the autumn leaves. 

Finally this week, our daughter took this photo of the Aurora Borealis. 

The colours were bright enough to lighten the night sky to resemble day. We have never seen such brilliant colours though we’ve seen the Aurora numerous times, especially when we lived in Buchans, Newfoundland.

P.S.

Helen and Frank are leaving the island this week, beginning their journey back to Australia. We will miss them and look forward to their return next summer. Safe journey, friends!

Moody sky day at the beach

There is something to be said for a moody sky day at the beach. And it was such a day recently when my husband and I headed to Cousin’s Shore for a walk. Overcast with sunny breaks, the wind made it cold enough for gloves for the first time this autumn. The moody sky created some drama as thunder clouds were interspersed with patches of blue, nature unsure of how she felt that fall day.

Cousin’s Pond lies behind the dunes along the north central coast of Prince Edward Island mere metres from the sea. 

A stream from the pond wends its way through the sand into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 

I walked along the meandering stream to the beach and listened for several minutes to the power of the moving water, the constancy of the stream and the rhythm of the sea. The sounds of the water filled the senses. You can see a short video here.

The grey blue cloud over the reflected grey of the sea looked ominous at times. 

However, periodically breaks in the clouds gave a blue sky reflection on the wet red sand. 

We walked the beach which is lined with cottages and summer homes behind the dunes. One, partially hidden by the dunes, resembles a lighthouse.

A dune restoration project of the cottagers and the Island Nature Trust is underway in the area. Several strategies are in use, one involving dead conifers placed horizontally in exposed areas. 

Some driftwood along the beach has characters within depending on which way you look at it. From one angle, a gull appears in the wood. 

From a few feet west, a rodent’s head rests on top..

On the way back to the car, the plants on top of the sand dunes are reminders of warmer days when Goldenrod bloomed against a late summer sky. However, winter is on the horizon!