Natures Breakfast

I just got back from a quick overnight visit with my mother.  This morning as we were saying goodbye some of the creatures she feeds made an appearance for breakfast.

First the boy hummingbird.

Then the girl hummingbird.

Mr Squirrel

One of the many finches she feeds

It was a glorious day with the sun shining and I finally got some pictures of the hummingbirds that dive bomb me on her front step everytime I visit.  Spring must be coming soon!

A Winter Walk and Favorite Things

Yesterday we accomplished one of things on our "Have more fun in 2013" list.  We took a walk in a newly discovered park.  This is what Vancouver Island looks like in winter.  It has not rained in a few days and was 3 degrees celcius so a perfect day for a bundled up walk.

The Path

Northern Flicker Woodpecker

Ivy overtaking a stump

Holly bush found in the middle of the forest

The Estuary at the end of the path

The one legged seagull (not really, he was just warming his other foot)

We burned a few calories keeping warm and walking.  We saw lots of birds and were amazed at how loud the birdsong was in the forest.  

I thought I would share with you what a minimalist asked for this Christmas:

A double-decker bird feeder (with attached suet). We are still in the process of attracting birds as there are few large trees right around the house but a quarter of a mile away there is a thick woods where they hang out. A few finches have found us, they are very shy so no photos yet.  I took this photo this morning, as you can tell there is thick fog about today. This feeder is five feet from our patio so we can sit at the dining room table and watch them.   Hubby also got me some smelly candles from Bath and Body works, my favorite.   The kids got me a gift certificate to Canadian Tire where I can buy seeds, plants and flowers to my hearts content (I asked for it).  Mom bought me a beautiful faux fur blanket to go on the bottom of our bed and some warm socks. She also found me a couple of antique/vintage bottles for my collection.

Happy Sunday!  Linking up with Claudia at Mockingbird Hill Cottage for Favorite Things.

Nature Day

This week hubby was out of town so I drove to hang out with my Mom for two days.

Meet the Pacific tree frog. This particular guy has been residing in my mothers hanging pot on her porch. She found him while watering her plants and he seems to come back every three days or so. Pretty amazing as I didn't even know we had tree frogs until she pointed him out to me.

She also has deer that visit her little patch almost daily. This doe had twins, and seems to have picked up a third fawn along the way. Sorry for the poor photo but they ran away before I could get a decent picture. We are not sure if the doe was babysitting or perhaps recently adopted herself a third baby.

Many spiders reside on Vancouver Island, primarily because of our moderate climate. Most are completely harmless and in this case, completely beautiful. I still prefer to find them outside versus inside though.

It was a great couple of days. I took my time on the way back stopping in at farm markets and thrift stores. My next post is a thrift store find!

Every Little Bit Helps

Today is Earth Day. This morning after breakfast myself and my 14 yr old stepdaughter and 16 yr old stepson picked a whole bag of garbage up from the public path that goes beside and behind our home while hubby stayed back to do the dishes. Although legally, our County is responsible for keeping the area clean with the recent warm up and snow melt winter's garbage left behind is now apparent and it was time to clean it up. Part of it is from ignorant people throwing cigarette buts and coffee cups away, part is due to the fact that we have mandatory recycling and high winter winds unfortunately blew a bit of the neighborhoods paper recycling all over the wetland.

10 Minutes and one full bag of garbage. Our view, the pathway and wetland look better and the birds can have a cleaner pond.

What can you do? Anything - everything. Pick some garbage up, reduce consumption, recycle. Kind of like breathing - easy.

Friday Night On The Pond

Springtime on the pond in Alberta - these pictures were taken this evening around 730pm on the ponds that our house views. The ice came off the pond yesterday and the birds are back!

Two boy red winged blackbirds trying to turn the girl redwinged blackbird's head. Lots of song and dance, lots of tetosterone. The girl is at the top with the boys on either side vying for attention. One night I will shoot a video so you can hear them sing - they sound wonderful.

The Northern Pelicans are back - they just landed this morning, I spotted them on the way to work. Five so far, last year we had a group of thirteen who stayed through the summer.

Ducks, Canadian Geese, Northern Pelicans, Red Winged Blackbirds, the gang is all here.

The First Goose Has Landed! It's Officially Spring!

I heard the first goose of the year a few minutes ago (thought I was hearing things) and yes, he was there, all by his lonesome on the ice, waiting for it to melt. For the next month they come, a few at a time, then by April in hundreds as the ponds at the back of my home play host to thousands of migratory birds. Geese, ducks, red winged blackbirds, herons and a few Northern pelicans.

I couldn't be happier to see him. THIS is what will help sell my house!

Update (10 minutes later) - another one landed so my little buddy is not too lonely - it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I love nature.

The Canadian Rockstar, The Beaver

A small beaver made an appearance in our back pond last night as hubby and I braved the mosquitos to take a walk to attempt to capture a photo of the new baby grebe (one of the three eggs produced).

No luck on the baby Grebe although there is a shot of Baby Grebe's Father (baby was hiding with Mom in the reeds), ducks, a small finch of some kind, red winged blackbirds (the female is the brown bird holding the dragonfly), and a small young beaver.

Nature is free so take a walk today! (and use bugspray)