Day 120 - 30th April 2015 - Blue Jay, Pine Siskin, Broad-winged Hawk and Yellow-Rumped Warbler

Here we are at the end of another month, hard to believe that four months have passed in this year. Yup, it's going fast. Now if it would just get warmer. Temperature this morning is +4, a chance of rain later today. Back to work today, lots to do. Trying to keep the momentum going. Hoping to get to exercise class tonight.
The sky cleared Tuesday and the sun did make an appearance as did the wind which cast a chill. Not a day to spend much time on the deck, but I did sneak out periodically to study the feeders and trees. The hood is still quieter than I would like. Lexi and I roamed, but nothing terribly exciting jumped out at us. Our summer resident has returned  to the lake - he flew over the house - a Gull. Every summer this is a couple, although they don't tend to come too close to to this side. But you can get a glimpse of them flying or hanging out on rocks. Usually there is a Cormorant further down in the lake as well.

Hiding out in the feeder.

I still have a number of Pine Siskins visiting.

The Male Goldfinch have their summer colors.

Broad -winged Hawk, I think.Hard to get a good shot when they are high in the sky.

Yellow-Rumped Warbler, there is one in our yard yesterday and also Lois'. You can see just a bit of the yellow rump!

By the end of the summer they look different again.







Enjoy your day!

Day 119 - 29th April 2015 - Mallards, Robin and Northern Flickers

Temperature is +1, but the forecast is for sun today - Rah! Can hear the Loons in the lake this morning. My day off, should get some roaming in the hood. Maybe a few new birds will have arrived in the last few days. Must be time for a Warbler or two to make an appearance. It's been pretty quiet in all my regular haunts. It's also a day to get some work done around the house. Still too wet to clean out the flower beds and do yard work. Maybe by the weekend or next Wednesday I can start some of that. Everything is late this year.
Tuesday started off looking nice, but by noon the rain had begun to fall once again and was chilly. It was a relatively quiet day - a few phone calls and researchers, so I managed to make a bit of headway. Hoping that sometime in the next few weeks I've got the backlog under control once again. Some days are better than others. Another evening of going home to a cold house and having to build a fire in the furnace. Maybe it will warm up soon.

Male Mallards dancing along the dock.

At least the ground isn't frozen anymore and the Robins can find worms. This guy was taking a break from breakfast.

A number of Flickers these days. This male found a nice old dead tree with some bugs I'm sure.

A lady friend appeared.

She only stopped a few minutes and another male called. She appears kind of fickle and flew off to the second one. Guess he had more to offer at his roost. All the birds are pairing up and getting ready for nesting.






Enjoy your day!

Day 118 - 28th April 2015 - Clouds, Waves, Squill and Daphne

I slept in this morning til 6 am - nice way to start the day! More rain today. Temperature is +3 and overcast. Maybe the weather will hold til I get my walk in this morning. Feels good to get back to that part of my daily routine. Lots to do today.
A better Monday this week, but still feels rushed and busy. Home after work, quick supper - thank goodness for leftovers and then off to exercise class. I did make some headway on book research for Karen. It's coming along. A wonky weather day - some rain, some snow, I waited for a tornado! Am getting tired of going home to a cold house though - every night we have to build a fire in the furnace. Come on warm weather!

A dull  morning on the lake.

Some beach pics leftover from Sunday - I love to see those big fluffy clouds. They look like they just hang.

Lots of seaweed around. As the waves go over the beach rocks they glisten.

Waves and Common Eiders.





Squill is beginning to bloom in my yard.

The Daphne is beginning to bloom - it's really late this year.







Enjoy your day!

Day 117 - 27th April 2015 - Clouds, Fog, Tree Swallow, Yellow-Rumped Warbler

Monday again - temperature is +3 and a little rain again today. I'm sure we can all do without any more rain, but it is what it is. And so starts the work week. Hopefully I'm back in the swing of things and this week sails through smoothly. Have a ton of work to do over the next month. Book to finish editing, which also means all the photos have to be inserted, layout etc. As well there is everything that's been put off over the winter while I've been off to catch up on. Will also need to search out a summer student. Exercise Class tonight, planning to get there too.
Sunday warmed up quickly and then took a nose dive in the afternoon. Another day we built a fire at supper time. Should say we are lucky we aren't keeping one going all day. In all fairness, this time of year our house just doesn't warm up from the sun. Even so, I could go for a tad more warmth. I got the lunch box menu started for the weekend, Larry cooked breakfast and we headed off to Hemeon's Head. Haven't been there since late last fall and it's one of our favourite spots in the county. The tide was already on it's way in but we still walked down to the lake that's behind the beach. Lots of Common Eiders and Gulls, a few Great Blue Herons, Tree Swallows, couple of Black Bellied Plovers and Solitary Sandpipers. The shore birds were on the other side of a pond so no great shots once again. Back home, Larry began filling up the woodshed once again for next year, I finished up the lunch boxes and a few things around the house.

Beautiful cloud filled skies at Hemeon's Head.

Lobster pots have been tossed up from the winter's storms.

Fog was sweeping in from the ocean.

Nature's debris. Always something interesting or unusual looking.

There were at least a dozen Tree Swallows.

The Song Sparrow blended in so well with the dead grasses.

And this handsome Yellow-rumped Warbler was happy to pose for a few minutes.








Enjoy your day!

Day 116 - 26th April 2015 - Brant Geese,Drift Wood and a White-breasted Nuthatch

Looks like another nice day on the horizon. Temperature is +2, stars are all out and I can hear an Owl up the lake. Not sure what's the agenda other than, it's Sunday and I have to make stuff for the week's lunch boxes for an hour or so this morning. Now that I'm back to work, have to get a few things done on the weekend and not run every day on the weekend. So maybe we can squeeze a couple of hours out to do some birding. Not sure what direction we'll take, guess I'll know when we get to the intersection!
Saturday turned out nice, but a tad bit chilly especially out at the Hawk Beach. There are still some Brant Geese around, spotted the usually Gulls, Common Eiders, Savannah Sparrow and a few Black Bellied Plovers but they were too far away to get a good shot. It was a great morning for a walk. I did go looking for the Scarlet Tanager before heading to Cape Sable Island, but no luck there either.  We stopped and had dinner at West Head Take Out - it was good - Seafood platters. It's our cheat meal from the diet, then a healthy salad for supper. By the time we got home, mid afternoon, the effects of getting up too early were wearing on me (throbbing head). I puttered around the house and Larry did a few repairs to the greenhouse from the ice damage last winter. Hopefully it will soon be time to get things in the ground.

There are still a small flock of Brant Geese at the Hawk on Cape Sable Island.

Looking down the beach.

Lots of unusual looking driftwood after the winter.

There is always something interesting at the beach.

Lots of kelp and seaweed has washed in as well.

Love the way the White-breasted Nuthatches can maneuver.

Can always find a Chickadee.









Enjoy your day!

Day 115 - 25th April 2015 - Bling, The Lake, Song Sparrow and Reflections

Morning greeted me way to early today ( 4 am). Going to be a long day but better on the weekend than during the week. My expectation of functioning well need not be as high. I see some birding plans in my day. Will try to find the Scarlet Tanager that's been spotted closer to town and then maybe off to Cape Sable Island. The shorebirds have begun to arrive. Guess first I better put together a grocery list and plan out what we are eating this week - somewhere between what's in the freezer and the weekly flyers I'll figure it out.
Friday went off with no problems, maybe I'm starting to get back in the swing of things. Would be nice. Had lunch with the bestie - lots to catch up on and a few events to plan. I'm sure the summer will fly by.

The Chipping Sparrow made it to one of the feeders a few days ago.

A little spring bling is always good.

Friday morning on the lake - a little cloudy but still welcoming.

I am almost always guaranteed of finding this little Song Sparrow in the same spot singing away.

Reflections in the flooded section on the private road.

The lake has moved into the swamps now.

There are lots of Common Eiders in the harbour.








Enjoy your day!

Day 114 - 24th April 2015 - Squirrel, Robin, Geese and Grandmother's Journal

It's Friday! Rah! End of the work week. Temperature is +3, no stars this morning. Suppose to be a few showers today - like we need more. The weekend doesn't look too bad and that's what counts. Aiming for a better day today.
A gruesome day of rain and not a fab time at work. Trying to get things caught up after the winter, isn't really working all that well. Guess it will all fall in to place sooner or later. No exercise class last night, had problems with my hand again yesterday. Opted for a walk instead. Wonder if it's the beginning of carpel tunnel - it's happening more frequently than it used to. Too much repetitive motion - ie. computer use. No time for that!
Grandmother's Journal: 
24 Apr 1976: Bob, Tom and I to MC. early, stayed all night. House was cold when we got there. I didn't feel good - stomach and tired. Fine, sunny day but cold and wind. Bob started gardens. Many fishermen around. At the bridge at Cobscootch for kiacks, none yet.
25 Apr 1976: Bob up early and sprayed with new sprayer. Very pleased with it. I did odd jobs.Bob, Bettie & boys up. Mike fishing up river, 4 good fish. Pleased with himself. Bettie and I planted 2 rows blue potatoes, 1 row of onions. Birds singing in the morning. Sunny early but came in overcast, wind very cold today. Very raw. 
Seems it's going to be too wet this year to start our garden any time soon.

Lots of squirrels around, this one was in Lois' feeder.

Pair of Mallards, cruising the lake.

William and Kate, down by the dock. I snapped a quick shot - without bothering them.

This Robin doesn't look overly impressed. They can certainly make a fair amount of noise.

Flying in - the Goldfinches like this feeder, easily handles several of them at once.

The sight we like to see on the lake - no ice, just blue water.








Enjoy your day!

Day 113 - 23rd April 2015 - Chipping Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Northern Flicker and Daffodils

Another rainy day on the way! Temperature is +4 and a mild morning. Woke up to Lexi barking at the bedroom window as someone was parked out in front of the house No idea what they were up to but  I'm sure Larry and I hollering at her made them drive off. Am back travelling with Nancy this morning, this is good, maybe the rain will hold off til I get my walk in.
Had a marvelous day off on Wednesday! After the fog lifted the sun rolled out and the temperature was still +17 at supper time. I think I roamed the hood about 7 times but found  the best stuff in my own yard. I did get a few things done around the house, laundry, light housework, casserole made for supper Thursday and Friday and used up the left over pork roast as a hash for supper last night. Enjoyed an hour on the deck with my Kobo and listened to the constant choir that was singing in the trees and bushes. The Loons arrived back last week, along with a Chipmunk in the yard. All things spring!

 Daffodils will soon be in bloom.

 The Yellow-rumped Warbler is so handsome in his breeding plumage.

 A new lifer for me! Rah! Field Sparrow - I guess he's not all that common, so I was pretty excited.

 A Chipping Sparrow - a great day for new birds in my yard.

The Purple Finch thought he'd sneak in with the Gold Finches and no one would notice.

 Trees are beginning to bud out.

 We still have an American Woodcock in the yard, I almost tripped over him as I was chasing the Flicker.

Female Northern Flicker, he was off in the trees hollering, but she was more interested in searching for bugs.







Enjoy your day!