Sunday 15 January 2017

Wetland walkies, helicopter, nuthatch, plane

It was a cold morning, Saturday, but it warmed up to -5 C. and I went for a walk on the wetland. Is it ON or in?! It was frozen, and the snow is hard as a rock.

First, coyote poop! From the colour, I'd say they were eating cattails. I've noticed evidence of the deer doing this. The snow is too frozen to take any tracks.

The ice crystals are amazing with the thaw and refreeze. Aren't they lovely? I only had my long lens and my videocam, I need to travel lightly, but this give you an idea.



The wetland looks so different in the winter. In the shelter of the trees, there are plants and fungus grown, and now frozen.


Someone's been shooting barrels on the Coutts property. It runs right behind ours. I can hear them from time-to-time.



On the way back I nearly got a soaker! I sunk and the snow was up to my boot top, the water a few inches deep. Whoopsie! I was following our property line, and decided to head back.


Meanwhile, back at the quaint bungalow... an emergency helicopter flew overhead. I checked my Twitter sources, and they think it was going to the Kingston hospital. Ain't Social Media grand?
As a former Muskoka Victim Services volunteer, helicopters and sirens give me the heebee jeebies!

I spotted a red-breasted nuthatch. During the December bird count they were totally absent. Go figure!


Then, an airplane flew overhead, and a red squirrel perched for me.
I looked up the registration for the plane.
C-FJZPCessna150L15074708The Ottawa Flying Club

9 comments:

Karen said...

I saw my first nuthatch yesterday. Need to make a seed bar for them.

Nancy J said...

Looks so cold, and ice crystals, beautiful. Choppers, our rescue one is red and black , and what a way to identify the plane.

Crafty Green Poet said...

lovely ice crystals and cute squirrel!

I love nuthatches, the European nuthatch has only recently moved into Scotland and so I'm always excited to see one!

Lowcarb team member said...

Funny, I've just seen a recent TV documentary about the rescue helicopters, they do a superb job and are needed!

Brrr your pictures make me feel cold!

Hope the coming new week is a good one for you.

All the best Jan

Cat Lover said...

Thanks for sharing your photo of the red breasted nuthatch. I've never seen one in real life. The red squirrel is cute. Today we went for a very long walk. Too nice to be indoors!

William Kendall said...

The squirrel is a welcome sight!

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

It's scary when you can almost sink in the snow right on your own property. Don't do that! We don't want to hear that the heliocopter is coming for you. Eeek! Be careful out there.

Christine said...

lovely wintry photos!

Out To Pasture said...

Interesting observation about coyotes and deer eating cattails. Didn't know that before.