Down in the Hollow

February Daydreams

2012-02-15T17:21:00.000-04:00

Right about now,

I'm missing

this!

An afternoon paddle

around Canso, NS

and onto a deserted Dover, NS beach.

Although this trip

occurred

during the hottest and buggiest it's ever been

during the whole 9 years

I've been visiting Cape Breton,

I now look back on it with fond memories.

See the little island just below Louisdale
in the upper right hand corner?
That's where my home is!!

No, we did not paddle from there!!
It's about 32 miles across the bay...
just a tad bit too far!
But it's closer than driving!!
Takes about 1.5 hrs. to drive to Canso.

Halifax Public Gardens

2012-02-02T14:33:00.000-04:00

Halifax Public Gardens

Halifax, Nova Scotia

The goose.

He was behind a wire enclosure by this waterway.

People were sitting on a bench in front of him,

walking past and stopping for a quick visit,

talking to him,

and he just sat there.

Big and fat, (notice he only approved the head shots)

old looking,

bored silly.

I happened along with my camera,

and as soon as he saw me aiming it in his direction,

he got right up and posed,

to the left, to the right, looking up, looking down,

'here I am when I want to look demure',

'this is me when I want it to look like I'm paying attention'...

His many admirers were in stitches

by the time our 'photo shoot' concluded.

He was.....

wait for it.....

a silly goose.

Halifax, Nova Scotia

2012-01-24T22:22:00.000-04:00

Halifax, NS

Founded 1749 by the British Government

Weekend Reflections

2012-01-21T14:38:00.000-04:00

Weekend Reflections

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Other Egypt Falls Treasures

2012-01-05T18:31:00.000-04:00

The magnificent waterfall wasn't the only treasure

that beautiful fall day.

Along the trail were some little treats

to stop and admire,

and take a breath!

These little moths were flitting around everywhere.

I love mosses and lichens!

An opportunistic fern.

These were lined up like stacked coins
along the entire length of this fallen tree.

Have a great day!

Making Quite a Splash

2012-01-03T18:55:00.000-04:00

Egypt Falls

Cape Breton, NS

One crisp, clear fall day,

when I was asked if I would rather sew or go on an adventure,

I'm so glad I chose the adventure!

Although it was a long ride,

we headed off to a mystery destination.

I brought along a book, which I read as we traveled,

looking up and around every few minutes.

Much to my delight, as we passed a farmers field,

I counted 8 Bald Eagles, so we stopped.,

and counted 48 more!

And as we scanned the trees beyond,

there were even more! If there weren't 75 Bald Eagles, there wasn't one!

Pictures? Hmmmm, they were awfully far away.

Too far away for MY camera.

Sorry!

We drove and drove and drove,

until we came to this little path off a dirt road in the Margaree Valley.

The trail was steep, blanketed with wet beech leaves,

and for fear of falling, I hung on to the trees all the way.

Only a half mile trek, it felt like forever...

...until I spotted this through the trees....

As the trail became steeper,

I was relieved to see that someone had
strategically strung a rope
allowing one

to hang onto for dear life

in order to descend safely to the bottom.

And OH! My gosh,

The falls feed into this brook.

(I must apologize for the darkened pictures,

as my camera is dying a slow death.

Attempts to lighten them obliterate the deep blue sky

that we enjoyed that day.)

(I wish I knew how to imbed a video.)

If I thought going down was difficult,

you should have seen this old lady on the climb back up!!

But it was worth every moment of discomfort,

believe me!!

Can You Smell It?

2011-11-10T07:09:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, when I am hiking along the ocean's edge

or making my way under the canopy

in the thick of the forest,

I just wish I could share the essence du jour!

Old Growth Forest

2011-10-25T08:15:00.000-03:00

Glendyre,

Cape Breton, Nova Scotia

Glendyre is a small, Scottish gaelic community

that hosts a very large and almost

obsolete phenomenom - one of the last remaining

and possibly the best example of an old growth forest.

With white birch and sugar maple trees

measuring close to 100 cm in diameter.
That's over 10 feet around!!

I was in a total state of bliss.

An off-trail hike of only 1.1 km seemed like 10!

The banks of the brook we crossed were steep

and laden with downed trees covered with moss

and hidden from view by mammoth ferns.

There were treasures everywhere!

Wood Frog
(Rana sylvatica)

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker holes.

Artist's Conk
(Ganoderma applanatum)

This is only a small sampling!

Rest assured, this parcel of land is being strongly considered

in the 12 Per Cent Plan,

an effort by the Nova Scotia government

to secure the natural wonders

of the province.

Fuzzy Visitor

2011-10-02T10:49:00.000-03:00

Fingered Dagger Moth Caterpillar

(Acronicta dactylina)

(5th instar larva)

I found this little guy walking through my rock garden.

Listed as uncommon but widely spread,

the Dagger Finger Moth,

as pictured below,

(Janice Stiefel/bugguide.com)

is found in deciduous and mixed wood forests

in all of the U.S. and S. Canada.

Larva feed on willow, alder, birch, poplar and hawthorn,

overwintering as a pupa in leaves or debris.

Larvae are present from July to October.

A Quiet River Paddle

2011-09-02T09:50:00.000-03:00

Framboise River

Cape Breton

I don't know if the name of the river really is Framboise River,

but it is a river and it is in Framboise.

Originally, plans were to paddle the mudflats a few miles up the road

to observe migrating shore birds,

but the flats were fogged in and it was cold!

However, a few miles down the road,

the sun was shining, the air was hot,

and the river beckoned.

Eastern Forktail, (Ischmura verticalis)

Horned Bladderwort, (Utricularia cornuta)

A lone white water lily.

I don't know my water bugs!

Juncus canadensis

Variable Dancer, (Argia fumipennis),

hitching a ride.

Not a clue, but oh, so pretty!

All visiting paddlers 'otter' be entertained!

There were four and they were SO cute!

I'm still toiling over my hawk identification skills.

Judging from all the other photos I took,

I believe this to be a juvenile Red-tailed.

Sparganiium spp, perhaps emersum, with Northern Bluet (Enallagma cyathigerum).

And last, but not least, a Greater Yellowlegs.

Simple Abundance

2011-08-02T07:52:00.000-03:00

Gooseberry Cove

Cape Breton, NS

Perhaps one of the most beautiful spots
along the Cape Breton coast,

Gooseberry Cove took my breath away
the first time I visited the area.

On that particular day, the angry sea
sent waves crashing among the rocks.

But today's visit was relatively calm.

This is 'Crown Land', owned by the government,

and much to my delight, Nova Scotia is considering

making Gooseberry Cove

a protected wilderness area.

An hour and a half drive, and well worth every mile.

Approximately 30% of the land in Nova Scotia

is 'Crown Land', and the government has proposed

to set aside 12% as protected areas by 2015.

If I'm reading the information correctly,

they are not adding an additional 12%, but are

combining new properties to bring

the total of protected wilderness areas

up to the 12% mark.

Black Guillemots were everwhere!

If only I could include the delicious smell of the sea air,
almost acrid at low tide.

The only way I was going to capture

this Chalk-fronted Corporal (Ladona julia)

was to catch him in mid-air!

This little toad was there all day.

One of my most favorite bog plants to photograph,

the Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus)

is considered a delicacy!

Locations are often kept secret!

The carnivorous Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia purpurea).

Blue Flag (Iris versicolor)

I applaud Nova Scotia's efforts to preserve the wilderness.

Progress is encroaching rapidly.

I have the opportunity to see a lot.

and it isn't always pretty.

Lots of ATV's damaging the bogs

and dunes, illegally, of course.

Forested areas are just as abused.

Simple Abundance?

Only if they become more conscientious about managing

these protected areas.

That's

Silly Willet

2011-07-18T17:57:00.000-03:00

Eastern Willet

(Catoptrophorus semipalmatus)

Upon my return to Cape Breton late this spring,

(spring was late, too!!),

The Ranger surprised me with 3 completed

and installed Tree Swallow nesting boxes.

Much to my delight, the Tree Swallows returned the very next day

and after much 'to-do', inhabited all 3 boxes.

What does that have to do with silly Willets, you ask?
Well, they were under the impression that the Tree Swallow houses
were installed for their benefit!

It gives them a perfect vantage point for

keeping an eye on their territory, my 2.5 acre wet meadow.

From spring until mid-July, my airspace is filled with

their relentless, loud, piercing call.

On this particular morning, there were two willets

really making a racket,

and they were everywhere....

These two birds filled the sky.

You could have easily thought there were 20!

The Willet is often described as a large, chunky, shore bird with drab brown plumage.

That is until it takes of in flight!!

They were on the house top.

On the shed roof.

On the street lamp and.

even on the road.

This went on all day long. I couldn't figure out what was going on.

Until around 2:00 when I was taking clothes in from the line.

Yep! Three baby willets finally emerged from the grass

and went across the road to the shore, one at a time.

A fourth wasn't too far behind.

I grabbed my camera and binoculars

and sat on the shore,waiting patiently.

Almost one hour later, they worked their way through more grass,

and popped out onto the shore,

where I lost them because they blended in so well.

It took them all day, but those babies made it

across the 2.5 acres of meadow,

and across the ditch by the side of the road.

I was so impressed with the parent birds.

They stuck to those babies like glue.

An eagle came down 4 times,

and they fought him off each time.

They stuck around for a day and a half,

then worked their way down the shore.

Today I observed them about 1/2 mile away

at a friend's house.

I will miss them.

The female will eventually take off

and leave the rest of the parenting to the male.

Reminder: Tuesday is the last day to enter for a chance to win
a copy of Avian Architecture over at KaHolly.

Avian Architecture: Book Review and Give-away

2011-07-13T08:28:00.000-03:00

Avian Architecture

How Birds Design, Engineer and Build

by Peter Goodfellow

When Peter Goodfellow was growing up in England, he must have been one of those affectionately annoying little boys that asked a lot of questions, all the time. “How does this work?”, “Why does that happen?”, Where do you imagine that goes?”. And now, as an adult, Peter has taken that need for knowledge, that childlike curiosity, to a whole new level.

To read more,

and to enter the give-away,

click HERE!
(This will take you to my other blog.)

Silver-bordered Fritillary

2011-07-08T19:25:00.000-03:00

Silver-bordered Fritillary

(Boloria selene)

This sweet little butterfly was fluttering

around the property with it's companion.

I felt lucky that it decided to land for a few minutes

and that my camera was handy.

I've seen them before, but they don't usually

stop long enough for me to grab the camera!

This is one of the fastest flying of the lesser fritillaries,

but it regularly visits flowers, such as asters and daisies.

It's host plants are violets.

Measuring approximately 1 3/8 - 2 1/8 inches,

the Silver-bordered Fritillary is the most common

and widespread lesser Boloria in the Maritimes

and is found in a variety of wet habitats

- lucky me with over 2 acres of wet meadow!

The underside is distinct with bright,

metallic silver spots on an orange-brown base.

They have two overlapping broods

from mid-May to mid-September,

so perhaps they'll grace me with their appearance

a few more times!

Tranquility

2011-07-05T19:05:00.000-03:00

(Photo courtesy of The Ranger)

Just Another Scene From the World of Inbetween

2011-07-03T15:23:00.000-03:00

You never know what you will find,

while hiking interior Cape Breton.

This moose dropped both it's antlers in one spot,

with a mighty shake of his head.

This is a full sized, man sized back pack!

One antler weighed 13 lbs., the other, 17!

(Photos compliments of The Ranger)

Finally, A Few Nice Days!

2011-07-02T18:47:00.000-03:00

Mother Nature saw fit to grant SE Cape Breton a reprieve from inclement weather just in time to celebrate Canada Day, and I took advantage. We literally had no spring, but a few warm, sunny days isn't quite reward enough! I need MORE! However, if you follow my other blog, KaHolly , you already know I have kept busy at the sewing machine, patiently waiting for a break in the weather. Any random nice day that DID come along was regretably spent mowing the lawn!

A day on the water resulted in these photos:

Lobster season is over and traps are stacked and ready for storage.

Moon Snail egg case

There were a total of 15 Great Blue Herons

Barrier Beach, low tide.

Score!

Coming in for a landing

Moon Snail with it's 'foot' extended under about 6" of water.

Black-headed Gull

Window Views

2010-12-20T22:48:00.000-04:00

While hiking along this past summer, somewhere in Cape Breton,

we happened upon an old, dilapidated house.

I couldn't resist taking this picture looking up at the window.

The rounded top made me believe that once upon a time,

this old house had lots of character in all it's simplicity.

I wonder how many children

watched out this very window

in anticipation Santa's arrival?

To find more 'Window Views'.

click HERE.

My World Tuesday

2010-12-06T16:48:00.000-04:00

Island Time

"How often we forget all time, when lone,

Admiring Nature's universal throne,

Her woods, her wilds, her waters, the intense

Reply of hers to our intelligence."

- George Gordon, Lord Byron, 1823 [The Island].

Click right HERE

for more MyWorld posts!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-03T14:27:00.000-03:00

Wordless Wednesday

Camera Critters

2010-09-19T08:05:00.000-03:00

Variable Darner

This Variable Darner flew at me while

I was working in the yard one recent afternoon.

I thought, "How cool is this? He's going to land on me!",

and I stood stock still.

However, it seems my face was his destination,

and I couldn't help but step back and dodge his final approach.

Nonplussed, he landed on a post directly behind me for a quick photo shoot,

before lifting off and trying to land on my face a second time. The funny thing (for me anyway) is that I've been tracking these darners all this late summer, hoping and waiting for one of them to land.

Not only are they busy, they are fast!

Click here to see more delightful Camera Critters!

Baleine Peninsula

2010-09-13T17:33:00.000-03:00

Fall is in the air and the weather is rapidly changing.

Summer sped by in the blink of an eye

and I can't quell the feeling that I missed it.

But then I journey back through the hundreds of photos I took,

and realize I was part of summer this year.

Here I sit, enjoying a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, after hiking several hours through the barren headlands of the Baleine Peninsula., what seemed like a hundred of acres of bog, and several miles of isolated beaches

Black Guillemots

experiencing the wonder

Remains of a drowned forest

of such diverse habitat.

Artful sculptures

Nature's nursery

Fine dining

The bog extends right up to the edge of the cobble beach. I couldn't resist including a snapshot of these empty sea urchin shells, left all in a row. Reminded me of the story of the Three Bears.

No matter where I turned, or where I wandered,

a magnificent display surrounded me.

Truly, MY WORLD rocks!

Won't you check out other My World posts

by clicking HERE?

Post Script - Fuller's River

2010-09-06T19:55:00.000-03:00

.
I have posted about my kayaking excursions to Fuller's River here and here. Today I had an opportunity to take a few photos from a another location to give a different prospective of the area.

This is all marsh, much to this harrier's delight!

Toward the left,

center stage,

toward the right.

You can see the tidal canals interlaced throughout the marsh.

And this is but a small portion!

Today, hidden within the depth of these tall grasses,

there were about a dozen or more Great Blue Herons.

The Yellow-legs, plovers, and sandpipers spent the afternoon

dodging the pair of harriers that were relentless in their hunting.

We were there for several hours, and so were they!

This is my world!

You can see why I return to this spot over and over again.

Please take a moment to check out these other MyWorld Participants

by clicking right HERE!

Canada Burnet

2010-09-02T07:03:00.000-03:00

Canada Burnet

(Sanguisorba canadensis)

Imagine acres of these beautifully simple flowers growing

along side the wetlands! Not a grass, not an herb,

the Canada Burnet is referred to as a forb/herb.

A forb/herb is a non-woody plant that is not a grass.

I learn something new every day.

For more flowers from around the world,

click here.

Southward Ho!

2010-08-30T16:50:00.000-03:00

Cape Breton, Nova Scotia isn't exactly on the major migration route for northbound shorebirds, but we are dead center on for Southward Migration! During migration, shorebirds occur primarily in shallowly flooded coastal or freshwater wetlands or on intertidal mud flats.

Well, guess where I paddled on Sunday? Correct! Intertidal mudflats, that even during high tide, they are so shallow, we had to proceed with caution so we wouldn't continually get grounded. Canals interwoven among themselves. Mud flats, forest, floating bogs, brackish backwaters, and open ocean across the dunes.

The birds were bountiful. Semi-palmated Plovers, Semi-palmated Sandpipers, Short-billed Dowitchers, Black-bellied Plovers, Greater Yellowlegs, Sanderlings.........I'm sure I'm forgetting a few. And of course, resident eagles and osprey made multiple appearances.

So busy feeding, we could drift right up to the sandbars/mudflats

and watch without disturbing even the resting birds.

It was peaceful, exciting, and relaxing all rolled into one.

I loved the way they'd all lift at once,

then land again in the exact same spot.

I will add a photo of the Black-bellies with S.B.Dowitcher, although it isn't of the greatest quality.

But to compensate, here are a few additional images while I ponder the miracle of from whence they came - the arctic, circumpolar, the sub-arctic; and where they are going - it just blows me away!

Safe journey, my feathered friends!

Check out more My World posts

HERE!

Weekend Reflections - Gotcha'

2010-08-07T08:54:00.000-03:00

A few weekends back I posted just the hummingbird feeder with the

reflection of the trees. I was able to finally capture a hummer

and not just any hummer, but a juvie that I am very excited

about because she has a distinct marking on her belly

making her easier to track next year!!

For a large variety of weekend reflections from all over the world,

just click HERE!

A Brave Journey

2010-08-04T09:21:00.000-03:00

What heaven is this? Where am I?

Hey, guys, can we have a little chat??

Please don't chase me away from the feeder!!

My baby and I were blown in on during yesterday's gale force wind!

We're lost and we're hungry!

Can't you hear my poor baby, calling and calling for food?

Oh, thank you, thank you.

We'll be out of your way once we 'power up'!

Okay, sweet child, we can stay here, rest up, and get our bearings.

But you have to behave yourself and stop that loud and incessant begging!

Our hosts will only tolerate so much!

You poke around here, where you'll be safe,

and I'll be back in a minute with a tasty treat!

Mmmm-mmm-mm, try this!

Which way did she go?

Hope she brings back more!!

Junco's are not residents on my property, and only pass through in the spring.

Imagine my surprise when I heard the unfamiliar voices

of these sweet little birds in my rock garden.

The little story is true. I was glued to my seat

as I watched it unfold and realized what was going on.

Initially, the adult junco tried to access the feeder and the ground below,

but the song sparrows kept chasing it off.

I'm glad I grabbed my camera when I did!

By late afternoon of the following day, they were gone.

Safe journey, my little friends.

Glad you found refuge here with me!!

Eagle Eyes

2010-08-02T09:55:00.000-03:00

Yes, this handsome devil was looking right at me!!

Or was he "looking down at me",

as if I was just another one of those lowly humans

infringing upon his territory!

What nerve I had!

But, oh, there's something to be said

about being in the right place

at the right time!!

The Mighty Moose of Cape Breton

2010-07-27T12:04:00.000-03:00

Moose (Alces alces) are the largest living members of the deer family in the world. Here on Cape Breton Island they are in abundance. This is not true on mainland Nova Scotia, where the moose has been officially listed as endangered and presently numbers less than 1000 individuals.

During the 1600's, with the onslaught of European settlers, the fate of the moose and caribou population, as well as the timber wolf, was sealed. Overhunting as a result of greed, mismanagement of land use (including gross negligence resulting in massive fires), and the introduction of the white-tailed deer (they brought the 'brain worm' to the territory) caused the extirpation of the caribou and timber wolf, and all but wiped out the moose population on Cape Breton Island. Records also indicate that by the early 1800's, the Micmac Indians became so outraged by the exploitation of the moose by the white man that they slaughtered up to 10 times more moose than they needed for their own survival, rather than leave them for the white man.

By the turn of the 20th century, moose on Cape Breton Island were all but extinct. During the 1940's, a western species of moose was reintroduced to the highlands. 18 individuals were released, and by the 1960's their number had only increased to approximately 100.

In the late 1970's, the spruce budworm devastated the balsam fir forest of the upper plateau of the Highlands. The regenerating forest has provided an abundance of high quality of winter food, for Moose love young fir best, and the opportunity to graze this prime habitat, and the absence of the wolf, has allowed the moose population to grow to its current size of approximately 5000 animals.

When food becomes scarce, as it often does toward spring, moose will strip bark from trees.

In summer, they vary their diet with leaves, some upland plants, and water plants in great quantity. I was quite surprised to learn that Moose are quite at home in the water and can dive up to 18 feet or more for plants growing on a lake or pond bottom.

However, once the animals reach such high densities, they reduce the ability of the land to support them through their destruction of successional stage browse plants in their winter range. Some areas of Cape Breton are in jeopardy of being overgrazed as the population of moose has grown to five individuals per kilometer, the ideal being two. In other words, they are eating themselves out of house and home!

Presently, 300+ moose hunting licenses are distributed each year by a lottery drawing, and moose country has been divided into four zones with three designated fall hunting seasons in an attempt to control this growing population. To the best of my knowledge, the Micmac Indians are allowed to take moose, as needed, throughout the year.

To quote from a publication put out by the Canadian Wildlife Service in conjunction with Hinterland Who's Who - "Moose in many regions will be kept from starvation only if most Canadians understand that population control is essential for the health of the species."

This is my world. Take a few minutes to check out other My World entries by clicking here!!

Nature Notes

Weekend Reflections

2010-07-24T14:04:00.000-03:00

Wish there was a hummer in this photo, too!

That would have been TOO perfect.

For more reflections photos, click here!!

My World Tuesday

2010-07-20T16:33:00.000-03:00

The weather has been too, too nice and I'm late with my post. Today I'm going to take you up to the Cape Breton Highland Plateau, a place where most people do not have access. But the loggers do! And hundreds of miles of roads wind through the plateau for the paper company to access the wood.

Back in the 1950's, the Nova Scotia government gave the paper company the right to all the wood on all of the crown land. Well, in Cape Breton, that is a substantial area. I am imagining it was to sweeten the pot to entice the company to set up business here. The agreement is so ironclad, that when the provincial government wants to designate an area as protected, they have to get permission from the paper company, and that only comes after the paper company has looked the land over to make sure there are no good trees on it.
.

Just what am I admiring here?

The reason the government needs to rescind,

or at least re-work, the agreement.

(The Ranger has a polarizing filter on his fancy camera.

makes a big difference!)

Welcome to Cape Clear, overlooking Margaree Valley.

That's My World. Check out these

other entries.

White Admiral

2010-07-18T06:01:00.000-03:00

White Admiral

aka Red-spotted Purple

(Limenitis arthemis)

The White Admiral is a mimic

of the poisonous Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)

and is typically found in open woodlands and along forest edges.

Their numbers astounded me, and they were a curious lot,

flying all around me, inspecting me from head to foot.

I had the funniest feeling, as if they were trying to communicate with me,

and it felt that if I held out my hand, they would have landed on it.

I felt like Cinderella.

(I didn't look or smell like her, though, after several hours

bushwhacking in the sweltering hot forest

swatting hundreds of deerflies and mosquitoes!)

You'll find more Camera Critters HERE!

Sand Castle Art Contest

2010-07-12T14:36:00.000-03:00

My World Tuesday

I was asked to be one of three judges in the annual

Sand Castle Art Contest

at our local public beach on Saturday.

It was an overcast, foggy day,

but it was the perfect day for building sand castles and sculptures.

No hot sun to fend off and nice wet sand to work with.

These are just a few of the entries. Aren't they wonderful?

Everyone had so much fun, young and old.

I felt quite honored.

(Visit my other blog for a give-away!)

Take a moment and check out these

other MyWorld entries!

Meadow Walk

2010-07-10T13:15:00.000-03:00

Pink-edged Sulphur

(Colias interior)

This is a Boreal Zone species that also occurs in the U.S. in the west to Oregon and in the east from New England south in the Appalachians to Virginia. It is widespread in all provinces of Canada and into southern Northwest Territories at Fort Smith and Little Buffalo River.

Clicking HERE will take you to

more Camera Critters!

Lobster Season's Over

2010-07-07T09:01:00.000-03:00

Wordless Wednesday

My World Tuesday

2010-07-05T19:55:00.000-03:00

Black Point
Cape Breton, Nova Scotia

There's an advantage to having a Forest Ranger as a best friend!

It gives me the opportunity to hike in some of the most

remote areas of Cape Breton!

We spent the day hiking along this isolated, cobble beach.

Where the ocean has ravaged the shore over time.

And erosion is evident everywhere.

A Kingfisher flew off upon our approach.

Here's it's nest.

Probably 8 feet high?

And one must be careful if walking at the top among the grasses.

There were some nesting Arctic Terns that weren't too happy

about our presence. They made sure we didn't get too close.

We happily gave them their space, but sat quietly with our lunches

and observed them for identification purposes.

Circling the perimeter of the barrachois was the most interesting leg of our journey.

There were about 30 male Common Mergansers flying in and out.

They were difficult to photograph, but here are a few.

And the largest loon I've ever seen in my life.

Who was there, in the same spot,

three hours later when we passed by again.

This young seal was either entrapped during a flood stage between the barrachois and the open ocean, or was dragged up into the tall grasses by a predator.

The coyotes pass along the top of the beach each morning to see what they can scavange.

The buzzing of the Nelson's (Sharptail) heralded

from the tall grasses between the little lake and the open ocean.

The Savannah Sparrows watched us carefully as we trespassed upon their territory.

The Red Admirals paid no attention to us at all.

And this Spotted Sandpiper was too busy to care.

Further down the great expanse of beach,

the seagulls were holding their weekly convention.

I took a ton more photos than this, but they'll have to wait for another day!

That's MY World. You can visit other My World posts by

clicking HERE!

My World Tuesday

2010-06-30T08:07:00.000-03:00

I know, it's Wednesday! But I was away on Tuesday, fabric shopping! When the closest fabric store is 1-1/2 hours away, and the opportunity to get a ride up presents itself, fabric shopping takes precedent!!

The Ranger was exploring a block of Crown Land (government owned) on our little island last week, with the hopes of being able to recommend it as a protected area. This parcel is not accessible to the general public, as it is surrounded by privately owned property. Judging by the photos he returned with, I'd have to say it is most beautiful.

While he was wandering the coastline, he heard a most welcoming sound, and looking up, saw this magnificent creature!

He'd heard it spout,

and said it was massive.

Not the typical Pilot Whale we often see in our local waters,

we hit the books in an attempt to identify it by it's fin.

The best we could figure is that it's a Fin Whale, but we aren't sure.

It appeared to be all by itself.

Take a few minutes to check out more My World

entries by clicking HERE!

Meadow Walk

2010-06-23T08:14:00.000-03:00

Savannah Sparrow

(Passerculus sandwichensis)

The Evil Stare

No matter where I went!

Ohhh, a baby! No wonder!!

Remember a few posts ago, I put up a picture of a

Willet (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus)

in the treetop?

He was protecting a nest, as well. And now there are three!

The Eastern races of both Willets and Savanah Sparrows nest in the grasses,

favoring wet meadows by the shore.

An interesting note about the Willets - the female departs

after 2 or 3 weeks, and the male becomes

responsible for the young.

My meadow abuts an old church, and these willets,

alarmed at my presence, sought refuge in the graveyard.

My World Tuesday

2010-06-22T10:48:00.000-03:00

Fuller River, Cape Breton, NS

Finally, my first paddle of the season,

and oh, didn't it feel wonderful!

Fuller River flows from the ocean to the most wonderful floating bog in the area.

Today we chose to paddle out to the ocean.

The tide was going out, so the paddling was easy

(until it was time to return!).

There was a lovely little pond, but not much activity.

I could hear birds,

but was unfamiliar with their songs.

We beached our boats, grabbed our lunches,

and climbed the headland.

This view is showing what we just paddled.

See the lovely little pond?

This view shows what was on the other side!!

Pretty amazing!

An old wooden lobster trap,

remnants of days gone by!

Street-side again. This is where we went.

Only the willets and one Northern Flicker
graced us with an appearance.

But, this is a hot spot during fall migration!

That's My World! Click here for other My World postings!

Common Yellowthroat Warbler

2010-06-19T19:18:00.000-03:00

Common Yellowthroat Warbler

(Geothlypis trichas)

During a walk along the ocean this afternoon,

in the close vicinity of a bog and a barrachois,

I came across this handsome fellow.

"Wichity-witchity-witchity-witch",

he called out to me.

You'd think that if he wanted me to know he was there,

he could at least have stayed still long enough

for me to take a decent picture.

This is as good as it gets!

His black mask is called a 'domino'

and he prefers swamps, marshes, and wet thickets

from Canada to s. Mexico.

Clicking here will take you to more

delightful photos of Camera Critters!

My World Tuesday

2010-06-15T09:18:00.000-03:00

Arichat Harbor

on a sunny afternoon.

Doing what I like to do best,

except this is more civilized than the usual

destinations, but handy.

When I am out skimming the surface of the ocean,

I have no sense of size.

I am just me, in my 17 foot long boat, working hard against the tide and wind,

in awe of the surrounding beauty, listening to the song of the thrush,

the cry of the angry osprey........

......but when I look out over the harbor from the road,

I realize just how small I was against the vast landscape.

It's powerful.

During autumn, 1776, Revolutionary giant John Paul Jones

once navigated through this harbor

while on a tour of the coast of Nova Scota

reeking havoc against the British fleet,

and burned the fishery that had been established here.

For more 'powerful' My World posts,

click HERE!

Alder Flycatcher

2010-06-08T08:08:00.000-03:00

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It was with sheer delight that not only was I greeted by a temperate, mild, sunshiny morning, but to sounds of "Re-veal, re-veal" coming from the meadow, announcing the arrival of...

...Yep! My Alder Fl ycatche r, (Empidonax alnorum), and a quick referencing to last year's yard notes "reveals" that he's right on time, one of the later migrators.

According to Kenn Kaufman's Lives of North American Birds, "...many other kinds of songbirds have to learn their songs, but (Willow and) Alder flycatchers are born instinctively knowing the voice of their own species."

He's only passing through, as he does each year, and I could track his breakfasting attempts across the meadow until he was out of earshot. I was unable to photograph him, but last year he posed quite nicely for me. And there's always the possibility he'll be back before he moves on.

It's not surprising to have an Alder Flycatcher in the vicinity, for they prefer to feast in the thickets of the alder and willows usually near the water and along brushy swamps, and guess what? That's my world. And it offers him sustenance along his journey to a more remote, less disturbed habitat of similar vegetation.

True to its name, an Alder Flycatcher dines mostly on insects, but not exclusively flies! An occasional spider and a berry or two round out a most superb diet. They perch within the branches of tall shrubs and low trees and fly out to catch their prey in mid-air. Kind of reminds me of Mr. Miyagi in older version of The Karate Kid, sitting at his table, trying to catch a fly with is chopsticks! But I think the flycatcher has better success!

(A few hours later...oh, oh, oh! He did return, giving me a few minutes of opportunity to watch him flitter through the canopy of the stand of willows by my back door through my binoculars, but no photo opp! There's still hope!")

( Munutes later.....I felt like a cat in the window chattering at a bird I'm unable to pursue through the pane of glass! So off I went for a stroll through the squishy, wet meadow. I found my flycatcher, but he led me on an elusive chase. Again, no pictures. However, I watched a Willet land in a tree...

...took two blurry photos of a couple of Savannah Sparrows

(new to yard list!),

and came across this beautiful Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta).

I overlooked many other treasures as I tried to keep the flycatcher within eye and earshot,

but couldn't help but admire my blueberries in progress!

Just a note: If I wasn't familiar with a little birdtalk, I wouldn't

know that half of my visitors were there.

If you haven't already, I highly recommend purchasing or accessing

an audio CD of bird song.

My World Tuesday

Eagle Encounter

2010-06-06T11:53:00.000-03:00

Bald Eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephlus

It was the day before Hurricane Bill, August 18th of last year.

The calm before the storm.

I was battening down the hatches, preparing to slip my kayak

down the cellar stairs.

But the harbor was so calm and inviting,

I decided to go for a quick paddle first.

I paddled around for about an hour, enjoying the serenity

that comes with being out on the water, so small

amid such a vast environment.

When returning across the harbor, I noticed some eagle activity

just around the bend from my house,

so thought I should paddle over to check it out.

There were 5 eagles. FIVE! Feeding on this large boulder.

Two juvies and 3 adults. Upon my approach, one adult flew across

to the old causeway out to yet another island.

I often see him sitting out there in the early mornings.

Even at a distance, his profile is pretty unmistakable.

Anyone watching me would have thought they were watching

an episode of America's Funniest Home Videos

because I was trying not to spook them,

but the tide was rushing in and directing my kayak the wrong way.

There I was, trying to manipulate the paddle as a rudder

to keep to the left, my binoculars and camera around my neck,

and all tangled up as I was shooting one picture after another.

In all my excitement, I kept pushing buttons on the camera, so

I'd turn it off and on again and keep shooting.

They were flying in and out. Once I thought one was

going to fly right at me!

I didn't want any buildings in the background, no telephone wires,

only a natural background, but it was difficult to swing that boat around.

One by one they all flew away

Leaving that lone adult. And he/she just sat there for the longest time

as I floated nearer and nearer,

shooting photo after photo,

until I didn't need to use my zoom at all.

I was so pumped!

Bill hit with a vengeance, but it wasn't quite as devastating as predicted,

and all was well.

I made some cards from that first photo.

There are more Camera Critters HERE!

Baby Robin's First Day Out

2010-05-30T06:33:00.000-03:00

First day out of the nest for this baby robin!

He's just a little fella' and keeps ~~mom~~ Dad hopping as ~~she~~

he follows him around everywhere he ventures.
According to Kenn Kaufman's Lives of North American Birds,
Dad takes care of the fledglings while Mom
builds a new nest for the next brood!
And, Robins are fruit eaters! No wonder they devour the
jellies and jams I leave out!

For more Camera Critters from all around the world,

CLICK HERE!

My World Tuesday

2010-05-27T07:15:00.000-03:00

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Today was a lovely day for a ride

and I found myself on the headlands.

Here are the crowberry barrens,

the feeding grounds for the migrating Whimbrels in the fall.

Here is where one can go to escape the hum drum of every day life or the neighborhood noise.

Here is where one can spend hours alone (I call it getting 'lost in time')

without even realizing it.

This Willet was sharing space with a Spotted Sandpiper, who flew

away just as I raised my camera!

Canada Mayflower (Maianthemum canadense),

almost ready to bloom,

carpeted the headlands. This little beauty is also called

a Wild Lily-of-the-valley.

An empty mussel shell left behind after providing someone's lunch!

Looking across the harbor at the historic church,

Notre Dame de L'Assomption

in the village.

On the re-tern ride home, we stopped to check out "Tern Rock",

where I guess-timate over 100 terns nest during the summer months.

Just this early morning, my shore was in the flight path

for two of them, a delightful sight first thing in the morning.

A little closer view!

Another lighthouse sits behind and just to the left of Tern Rock.

It's lobster season, as evidenced by the boat trolling the harbor

on the right, checking traps.

I couldn't resist taking a picture of this outcropping.

It looks like a man, looking down,

keeping watch on the shoreline.

That's my world!

For more My World photos,

CLICK HERE!

Sweet, Sweet, Sweet, so very Sweet

2010-05-24T13:43:00.000-03:00

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That's what they sing to me every time
they see me!
It is the

Yellow Warbler
Dendroica petechia

Finally, a day made to order here on the island.

Even as the afternoon wind picks up, today from the NW,

it's a warm wind.

Yellow Warblers are residents on my property each summer

and I am always delighted to welcome them home,

to step out the door each morning to be greeted

by their cheery call.

Peterson's Field Guide describes them as being

the yellowest of all warblers. "Even the tail spots

are yellow (white in many other species)."

Sadly, Yellow Warblers are among the most frequent victims

of cowbird parasitism. But, unlike many other birds,

they can quickly recognize these rogue eggs,

and will either abandon their nests,

or will rebuild right over the unwelcome eggs,

sometimes persistently over and over again.

There are no cowbirds here, however, so it isn't a problem for my little family.

Their diet consists mostly of insects and spiders, but they will also

eat a few berries now and then.

Today, the Yellow Warbler shared it's space with a visitor

who was just passing through!

Blackpoll Warbler

(Dendroica striata)

I couldn't miss the unmistakable shrill, high-pitched trill of this beauty!

And I knew instantly to go take a peek among

the budding branches of the tamarack and maple.

The Blackpoll Warbler stops by every year for a day or two,

before continuing along it's journey.

I have found them nesting in the white spruce of the heath and scrub

of a beach approximately an hours ride from here.

"The Blackpoll is the greatest warbler migrant: weighing less than a wet teabag, eastern migrants are known to fly south over the Atlantic, leaving land on the east coast of Newfoundland and not resting until they reach the northern coast of Venezuela. In a single year, a Blackpoll Warbler may fly as far as 24,000 kilometres!"

Source: Birds of Atlantic Canada, Roger Burrows

They certainly are welcomed visitors to my yard!!

As are all Camera Critters! To see more,

just click HERE!

For more Nature Notes, CLICK HERE!

Wilson's Warbler

2010-05-18T08:52:00.000-03:00

I am very excited this morning to have stepped out to observe a lone, FOY Tree Swallow skimming the calm, early morning water's surface for tasty insects only to find a Wilson's Warbler (Wilsonia pusilla) in my budding maple tree on the corner of my property. Although the Wilson's has been reported on the island in the past, I've never seen one here!! And in MY yard!

He wasn't the easiest subject to photograph as he flitted around catching insects, but I managed to obtain a few. It seemed just as I was in a good position, my resident Song Sparrows would fly in and chase

him to the other side of the tree, where undaunted, he just continued to feed.

He had a sweet little song, quite similar the the Yellow-rumps that have been hanging around for the last couple of days, but with a different ending.

According to Kenn Kaufman's Lives of North American Birds, the Wilson's nests from coast to coast across Canada, but is far more common farther west. In the east, it is seen in small numbers. So I feel honored to have welcomed this spritely little warbler to my home.

For more nature notes, click here!!

Baltimore Oriole

2010-05-14T09:23:00.000-03:00

For the past three days, I have had the pleasure of a visiting
Baltimore Oriole, (Icterus galbula),

a nice treat as they are not very common in Cape Breton.

I took a flurry of photographs, but few came out worth keeping.

However, here were a couple that barely passed muster.

After gorging himself at the suet feeder for the duration of his visit,

he's apparently moved on, as I have not

seen him today.

In spring, the Baltimore Orioles come to North America

from the tropics to breed. The Baltimore Oriole's name,

wrote Mark Catesbyin his eighteenth-century book

Natural History of the Carolinas "

comes from the Lord Baltimore's coat of arms."

The lord, Sir George Calvert, was governor of Maryland

in the early 1600's, and the coat of arms

was the same colors as the bird's plumage.

(Source: 100 Birds and How They Got Their Names, Diana Wells)

For more interesting Camera Critters from around the world, click here!

My World Tuesday

2010-05-04T14:53:00.000-03:00

Arichat Harbor

Arichat Harbor is the 4th deepest harbor in the world. In the 1800's, it was a booming seaport.

Now it rests quietly for all to enjoy.

During late July and into August, it is not uncommon to observe

Atlantic White-sided Dolphins and Pilot Whales feeding on the incoming tide.

The harbor hosts a small boat club, and the tiny islands and rock outcroppings

sprinkled throughout the harbor bear rookeries for terns and cormorants,

and a nesting site for eider.

Click HERE for more My World Tuesday posts

from all around the world.

Common Terns

2010-04-21T12:06:00.000-03:00

Common Tern

Sterna hirundo

These small, graceful terns dive to catch fish,

and were once call "sea swallows".

Almost everybody's back! But I'm still on the lookout for the

resident Osprey, and for these little beauties!

Yes, this is in the harbor in front of my house,

taken last summer while paddling around

in my kayak.

Day before yesterday, a Red-winged Blackbird appeared at my

feeder to let me know he had returned, and this morning

a Willet was noisily flying across my meadow!

THEN? The warblers will return and pepper my stand

of willows!! But I'll not wish the time away

as I wait, for spring isn't long enough.

(It would be nice, however, if the weather cooperated!)

Click HERE for more

from around the globe!

Bald Eagle

2010-04-18T15:15:00.000-03:00

Bald Eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Did you know that with a visual acuity 4 - 8 times better than a human's, the bald eagle is a formidable predator?

An eagle riding a thermal at an altitude of nearly 1,000 feet uses it's binocular and peripheral vision to spot prey across a distance of nearly 3 square miles.

The bald eagle plucks fish from the water with its talons without diving into the water.

Not to demoralize the stately bald eagle, but it is a stated fact

that they prefer to feed on carrion,

and are known to "pirate" live fish from Osprey.

Perhaps the path of least resistance?

Click HERE to view more amazing Camera Critters

from all over the world.

Only His Hairdresser Knows For Sure

2010-04-07T19:38:00.000-03:00

Wordless Wednesday

Click HERE for more Watery Wednesday selections

from all over the world!

Great Blues Return!!

2010-04-01T14:33:00.000-03:00

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March 30, 2010 marks the return of the Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) to Cape Breton. At least to my little corner of the world! I spotted 3 flying overhead, presumably heading to the small island in front of my home where they have a rookery. And a fourth, just minutes later, heading in the same direction! Much to my delight, they are one of the last birds to leave us in the fall and one of the first to return in the spring.

Did you know that none of the members of the heron family has a preen gland, from which most birds obtain oil to condition their feathers? Instead, herons have 'pulvi-plumes', feathers that disintegrate at the tip, becoming a cleansing powder, which the bird spreads with the comblike edge of its middle toe.

For more interesting facts and pictures of herons,
check out Daily Heron!

To see more Nature Notes go to Rambling Woods.

The Hiker

2010-03-28T11:58:00.000-03:00

A hiker's shadow displayed against a granite outcropping

near a lake in the Halifax, Nova Scotia area.

(Photo courtesy r.wms)

Click for more shadow shots!

Late Winter Action

2010-03-13T11:37:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a beautiful late winter, almost spring, day in Cape Breton. The temperatures hovered around the 32 degree mark, but the skies were clear and windless. Checking out the windows all day has become an obsession, looking for FOY birds to arrive. My binoculars live beside my sewing machine as I stitch and watch the feeders out back in the rock garden through the sliding glass door.

Here's a shot of one of my birdfeeders that hangs from the front porch, with the small island in view across the harbor. This winter, American Goldfinch were the only permanent visitors to the feeders. They are always a delight, and are now beginning to change back to their lemon yellow color. It appears as though they are wearing yellow scarves around their neck, the first place to show the change. I love to step out the door to hear them chattering away, every once in awhile I hear, "j'eet? no, j'u?" At any given time, there are 20 or 30 flitting around the property and their delicate little vocalizations fill the air.

American Goldfinches (Carduelis tristis) are late nesters, not even beginning to nest

until midsummer. They plan it just right so the thistle and weeds are ready to go to

seed when it's time to feed those babies!

Too far away to photograph, the pair of resident adult eagles were perched in one of those trees straight ahead on the island. I was drawn to the scope and checked over and over again as they sat there for hours, until someone onn an ATV accessed the island at low tide and scared them off.

There were 8 male red-breasted mergansers and 3 black guillimots

feeding in the harbor this morning,

which I did attempt to take photos of, but they were just too far away!

I wandered down to the shore and sat for a long time,

drinking in the calm and tranquil early morning.

This morning dawned calm and clear as well, the surface of the water

in the harbor as smooth as glass.

A quick scan with the scope revealed 5 red-breasted mergansers,

4 males, 1 female.

The males were "strutting their stuff"!

According to Kenn Kaufman's Lives of North American Birds,

during courtship the "male stretches his neck forward and upward,

then suddenly dips his neck and the forepart of his body underwater,

with head angled up out of the water and bill wide open."

And that's exactly what they were doing!!!

Skimming the surface, darting and chasing each other away,

circling the female while trying so hard to make an impression,

THE impression - "Pick me! Pick me!",

back and forth in the middle of the harbor.

This display is called a "salute curtsy".

It was so comical and truly amazing to watch.

Any attempt to walk closer only causes them to swim away.

I wish I had a big, fancy camera!

For more CameraCritters from near and far,

CLICK HERE!

Whale's Tale

2010-03-12T18:15:00.000-04:00

Last summer, my longtime friend and mentor brought me a gift. He has been a Rangerii canadensis (I call him The Ranger) for several years and has a plethora of natural history artifacts that he has collected during his reign while roaming the prairies, forests, and shorelines. Sometimes he gets an inkling that I might delight in possessing some of his treasures, and he is always right!

This particular day, he showed up with the vertebrae of a whale,

which makes quite the conversation piece in my livingroom.

What woman could turn THAT down?

There is little to show for scale in this picture,

but it reaches the windowsill,

which is 33.5" from the floor, and it spans 36" in width.

Not too shabby.

It is pockmarked with age

and has a bit of a common yellow lichen growing on it, as you can see.

What stories could it tell,

I wonder?

Twice Blessed

2010-03-10T14:27:00.000-04:00

Upon rising, I was greeted with a perfectly stunning day, the first since my return to the island 2 1/2 weeks ago. With a steaming, hot cup of coffee in hand, I bounded out the back door to find that although the temperature was only in the 20's (F), it was a day made to order. The sky was a promising blue, the air saturated with the aroma of the sea, four male red-breasted mergansers trolled the harbor looking for tasty treats (too far in the distance for photographs), and the cacophony of bird chatter was almost deafening in the silence of the early morning. Does it get any better than this?

Well, when I next did a quick check of my e-mail, I found that my blog had been awarded the Sunshine Award by Inverness Daily Photo! I was being twice blessed! A huge, heartfelt thanks is certainly in order here!!

Now, here are the rules for accepting this award:

Put the logo on your blog or within your post
Pass the award onto 12 bloggers
Link the nominees within your post
Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog
Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

One reason I feel receiving an award such as this is important is that it gives me the opportunity to share blogs that I covet with others. The difficulty lies in selecting only 12. Yes, that's right, I follow many more blogs than 12! From birds to bugs, to other wildlife, to quilts, to history, to art, to photography - any opportunity to learn more about the things that interest me!

Be sure to visit:

1. Arroyo Colorado River Blog

2. Living in Williamsburg Virginia

3. SusanBethStudio
4. JRandSue
5. Desert Colors
6. The Early Birder
7. Hasty Brook
8. Count Your Chicken! We're Taking Over!
9. Traveling with Eileen
10. My Life as a Crafting, Searching, Saving StepMonster (Fabulous 'give-away" opportunity!)
11. West Country Birding and Wildlife Diary
12. Nature of a Man

Well, there you have it! It has taken me the better part of the day to get this far, now I have to share with these 12! It was a difficult choice.

Thanks again to Inverness Daily Photo.

~ks

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

2010-03-06T11:42:00.000-04:00

I have made my return journey to my island retreat in Cape Breton, a little early this year, and the weather has been uninspiring. It's too cold and windy to venture out of doors, camera in hand, just yet. So, today I am posting one of the photos I took from my front deck during last summer.

There is a small fisherman's wharf, as you can see, which has since been reconstructed and no longer has open sides! This handsome devil found refuge while hunting a tasty treat in the shallows!

Here he is a little closer up.

Across this small harbor sits a small island, 2 km long by 500 m wide,

which is thickly forested in spruce and fir.

The far end of the island hosts a heron rookery, and they are daily visitors to the shores nearby.

I imagine there is more than one rookery around.

It's nothing to see 20 or 30 heron at one time

hunting in the shallows and mudflats during low tide.

I think the funniest moment was while gazing out across the harbor, reveling in my good fortune at being here, a small flock of herons flew in and landed in the trees. I thought, no way can those tree branches support such a large bird as that! They range from 42" - 52" tall!

It amazes me, too, that at night when I am sitting on my front porch admiring the stars and enjoying the calm, I'll hear a deep, harsh croak and realize there is a heron hunting in the dark right in front of me! They hunt day or night! I wonder if they take turns?

I'm glad to know that the numbers of Great Blue Herons are stable

and they'll be around for us to observe and enjoy for a long time.

I look forward to the warmer summer months when my neighbors return!

For more CameraCritters from around the world,

Click Here!

Weekend Reflections

2010-02-28T10:04:00.000-04:00

For more WeekEnd Reflections photos: http://newtowndailyphoto.blogspot.com/

Great Give-Away!

2010-02-24T13:17:00.000-04:00

My daughter, Kirsten, is sponsoring a terrific give-away on her blog and it's worth taking a quick trip over to check it out. She makes beautiful greeting cards - seems to have "the gift"!! Now, she is graciously offering her creative talent to YOU!

I, for one, never have enough greeting cards on hand! Here's an opportunity for you to brighten someone's mailbox with a hand crafted card for just the right occasion!

Here's a quick peek of just a small sampling:

Visit her new Etsy store, too!

Thanks for stopping by! ~ks

SkyWatch Friday

2010-02-18T18:20:00.000-04:00

My Cape Breton house sits on a small harbor. The day before Hurricane Bill, during the calm before the storm, I was out in the yard "battening down the hatches". As I readied my kayak for it's safe haven down in the cellar, I decided to take it out for just a little paddle first.

I spent about an hour paddling across the harbor, then along the shore, and back, when I spotted some eagle activity not too far from the shore in front of my home. Out of curiosity, I paddled over. To my amazement, there were 5 eagles flying to and from their perch upon a massive boulder sitting at the water's edge. I watched them for quite some time and surmised by their activity that it was a family, 2 adults, 1 young adult, and 2 juveniles who were as large as the adult birds.

The adult male flew away upon my arrival, but the remaining 4 were undaunted by my quiet presence.

He went to his favorite spot on the old, abandoned causeway that leads to a nearby, now uninhabited island.

I see him out there most mornings. In the fall, there are usually 2 - I always assumed Mr. and Mrs.

Sometimes when I paddle the shore out to the open ocean, they accompany me to the end of the island,

flying on ahead, landing along the tree line, flying ahead a little more as I approach, and so on.

I'm heading back to the island tomorrow, where I have more pictures of this grand adventure, so stay tuned!

Treat yourself to more SkyWatch Friday entries by clicking HERE!
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Sky Watch Friday

2010-02-12T15:29:00.000-04:00

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Reaching into the archives, longing for long, warm summer days, I came across this photo of a quiet paddle through some tidal flats in Cape Breton.

This is an area we return to time and time again. It offers several different habitats for us to explore, from a beautiful raised bog to a barren barrier beach, from quiet slumbering waters to the rough and tumble open ocean. On this day, the wind was at rest, the air was warm, and the tide was almost just right! We had to get out of our boats a few times to tow them to deeper water. Just made for more laughs!

Wildlife is ample! Nesting terns, willets, and waterfowl, to name a few. Migrating birds such as the Black-bellied Plover and Yellowlegs. Deer. Even the occasional seal! Not far from this site, we saw a Golden Eagle on one trip. A lifer for me!

Cape Breton offers such a variety of habitat for exploring and making discoveries. I usually stick to the East Coast, but have had the pleasure of hiking into its interior and witnessing the most beautiful waterfalls, exploring hardwood forests, meeting moose and bear along the way.
(photo by rwms)

Visit more SkyWatch Friday posts by clicking HERE!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-10T23:53:00.000-04:00

Snow Angel

Wordless Wednesday

My World, Tuesday

2010-02-08T17:05:00.000-04:00

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I'm on the road, and don't have many photos with me, so continuing to reach into my archives to participate in the My World Tuesday meme.

During the spring, summer, and fall I travel the coastline of Cape Breton to bird and beachcomb, sometimes to camp. My friend and I approach on foot, as well as kayak to barren beaches. On this beautiful fall afternoon, in celebration of my birthday, we spent the day at Point Michaud Provincial Park.

It was a blustery, but sunshiney day, with lots of migrating shorebirds to watch.

The wind was so strong, I had to hold the birding scope with 2 hands, but it didn't bother the birds one teeny, weeny bit!

I love how the grasses contributed to my delight with their artistic charm.

Back at the parking lot, I came across this site. What is wrong with this picture?

What could the province have been thinking?

No, that center post is not removable!

This is my world. For more MyWorld contributions, click HERE!

Thanks for stopping by!

Come visit my other nature blog at http://www.kaholly.blogspot.com/!

Northern Moon Snail (Lunatia heros)

2010-02-07T11:39:00.000-04:00

Not common on all the beaches in Cape Breton, the moon snail is a delightful find, especially if it is still alive! While birding in Glace Bay, came across this beauty!

Photo compliments of Little Sister!

Northern moon snails are found in moist sands and mud at low tide, and are members of the class Gastropoda.

The word Gastropod comes from the Greek and means "stomach foot".

They feed on clams and other snails, and even other moon snails.

They plow under the sand in search of food

by using their powerful foot.

When they've found their tasty treat,

they drill a hole into it's shell,

release digestive enzymes,

and suck out the contents.

While beachcombing, if you find a shell washed ashore

with a nice, neat hole drilled through it,

it is evidence of predation by a moon snail.

When breeding, the moon snail will construct a "collar" from saliva and sand to house its eggs.

It's quite an intricate process,

and another amazing phenomenom of nature!

I always delight in finding moon snail shells washed ashore,

and have amassed quite a collection of all sizes.

I never seem to be able to resist,

therefore, I never have quite enough!

If you enjoyed this post, and would like to view more Camera Critters, click HERE!

Thanks for stopping by!

Weekend Reflections -Silence of the Fog

2010-02-06T21:36:00.000-04:00

I have already mentioned how much I love the fog. Here in Cape Breton, we certainly have our fair share of foggy mornings! And it was very early one morning, while out for a drive, that this simple scene took my breath away. I was so glad to have had my camera at hand. It's one of my favorite pictures, and one I use often in my cards.

There are lots more Weekend Reflections photos from around the world.

Just click HERE!

FOG

The fog comes

on little cat feet.

It sits looking

over harbor and city

on silent haunches

and then moves on.

Carl Sandburg

Skywatch Friday

2010-02-04T12:23:00.000-04:00

The scene from the top of my meadow!

To the left....

and to the right!

That's the same spit of land in the background as in the picture of the church a few posts ago.

Visit more SkyWatchFriday participants

by clicking

HERE!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-03T13:09:00.000-04:00

I am just a regular person when it comes to using a camera. I get lucky sometimes, however, and I think this photo represents one of those lucky moments!

To view more lovely Wordless Wednesday photography, go HERE!

My World Tuesday

2010-02-01T23:03:00.000-04:00

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Deciding to participate in My World Tuesday is like opening pandora's box! I don't know if it is a good thing or a bad thing that I am traveling and only have my flash drive full of pictures with me.

My World. It's a pretty awesome place, full of wonder, adventure, and a sense of belonging. I have immersed myself in nature as part of a healing process for the soul and have discovered a whole new world.

One of my favorite things to do is beach hop, hike from one beach to the next, over rocks, through the forests. On one of my favorite hikes, I pass by this barachois. There is always one Red-winged Blackbird that voices his dismay at my intrusion. This path leads through the woods on the edge of the rocky coastline for almost a mile. Sadly, the last time I passed this way, surveyors had left their mark, cutting swaths of trees, preparing the area to be parceled off for development. I haven't been able to return.

Another day long hike through forest and bog brought me to this location, overlooking the church behind my house. See the blue ocean meet the sky. Trailing off the top left of the church is a spit of land that widens into an island. There is an old cemetary that abutts my property at the rear. At least those neighbors are of quiet and unobtrusive! That can't necessarily be said of the rest of them.

THIS is my world!!

I hope you'll take the time to visit other places by clicking HERE!

Arctic Rush

2010-02-01T11:39:00.000-04:00

Look at THIS little pretty that grows between my house and the harbor!!! She's in bloom! My sister, a botanist, was visiting last summer and boy, oh, boy, did she get excited when she saw this Juncus arcticus!

It's tons of fun when she comes to stay because she brings all of her paraphenalia and takes over my house. I have grasses and junci and rushes hanging all over my house that she has labeled with brightly colored sticky-note tabs in the hopes that I would eventually learn them all! They make great decorations, and are certainly conversation pieces when someone comes to visit.

I am excited because it is a pioneer species! And, it is beautiful!

For more delightful Macro Monday entires, click HERE!

"Star"ring Role in the Theater of the Sea

2010-01-30T13:21:00.000-04:00

Northern Sea Star

(Asterias vulgaris)

A familiar site for me during my forays along the shores of Cape Breton Island,the Northern Sea Star, also called the Purple Sea Star, takes center stage. I know, it isn't purple, but usually it is! It's color depends largely on what it has been feasting upon, and it can range in shades from pink to red to orange.

As carnivores, their favorite food of choice includes mussels and oysters. The majority of sea stars have the most remarkable ability to consume prey - from outside their bodies! They use tiny, suction-cupped tube feet to pry open clams or oysters. Their stomach then emerges from their mouth and oozes inside the shell.

They wrap this stomach around the prey to digest it, and finally withraw the stomach back into their own body.

There are approximately 1600 different species of Sea Stars world wide. Once called "starfish", scientists have changed the name to Sea Star because they obviously are not fish! They are actually echinoderms and are cousins to the sand dollars and and sea urchins! Their spiny outer layer protects them from prey, and they are famous for being able to regenerate a missing limb. Not all Sea Stars have 5 limbs. Some have up to 20, even 40!

Purely marine animals, they use sea water instead of blood to pump nutrients throughout their bodies. And, they don't have a brain! Amazing that they can do all the things they do without a brain.

Those of us with brains should take a lesson!!

For more amazing critters, click HERE!

Through the Mist

2010-01-29T21:33:00.000-04:00

One very early, foggy morning, this was the view that greeted me upon waking. This little boat was anchored in the small harbor in front of my house.

I love it when the fog rolls in. The thicker, the better. The driveway circles around the back of my house, and I have a tiered rock garden beyond the driveway that is the same length as the house is wide.

When my yard is blanketed in fog and I can't see beyond the perimeter of the property,

it gives me the feeling of being in the bottom of a bowl.

Somehow, it makes me feel safe.

If you'd like to see more reflections, go HERE.