Narrows Lock Road: swans!

Our otter trip gave us a bald eagle. We went off to Narrows Lock to see if we could see some more birds. On top of the Rideau Ferry bridge, I could see an ice fishing hut.



Here is the turn.



YES! It was a mild day, but it was REALLY cold in the middle of the lock area. The wind just whipped across that cold ice to the other end of the water.



The water rushes through from Westport, northeast through the Big Rideau.




There they were, 7 swans. After a bit of research, I think they could be trumpeter or tundra swans. Both have black beaks, with a bit of colour (red or yellow). My photos really aren't good enough to tell which.

Signs of Spring: Osprey, Spring Peepers

We went down to the locks to see what was up. The ice hasn't gone out from the lake yet. There was an empty car sitting there. I didn't realize someone was photographing birds on the far shore! Can you see her?


The osprey hold their fish catch to streamline it under their bodies! All along highway #43 there are several osprey nests. It's not until the lake water melts that they return, more or less!

Spring Peepers

There were just a few last night, but my 5-year-old video plays the sound.

Yes, they are here, but they prefer to 'peep' in the dark, loudly, since I often work in my garden near their frog pond. The moment I spoke they became silent. I added their songs to my photos of peepers. First is the jelly-like mass in which they lay eggs. Slowly, they grow. You can see the tadpole clouds of 100s later on in the season. The tails disappear once their limbs grow. They are incredibly tiny but have large voices.



Spring Peepers Lanark is another video!

Rideau Canal Locks in the fall

The Rideau Canal Locks are a  huge part of southeastern Ontario. They are now closed for the season, and work is being done on many of them. They are old, and the government is putting money into refurbishing them.

Newly announced:
Over the next five years, Parks Canada will invest $2.6 billion to rehabilitate infrastructure assets within national historic sites, national parks, and national marine conservation areas across Canada.

Oct 3, 2016 - Parks Canada is investing an unprecedented $3 billion dollars over 5 years to support infrastructure work to heritage, visitor, waterway and highway assets located within national historic sites, national parks, and national ... stone repair, repointing, grouting and repair of the stone arch dam toe drain system.

Beveridges Locks

The site is so calm, and peaceful. Water rushing down.


The buoys were COVERED in zebra mussels.

Narrows Locks on the Rideau

Lots of geese and swans. Some stay a long time. The first two photos are from Dec., 2015!

 

There is a group of Canada Geese in the foreground, a group of swans further away. You can see how the swans were chasing the geese away!

Back to school for some of us!

He's a good sport!

such a range!

It was a lovely day, Tuesday: 30 C., although it wasn't always so across weather history!

Tuesday was back-to-school for many. Not for me! It's
bitter sweet. I still have nightmares about teaching.

Hubby delivered Meals on Wheels, both Monday and Tuesday (his regular day). I have my client on Tuesday afternoons. So it was a normal day for us. The kids had been over and Josee brought her glitter tattoo kit. Grampa was proud to go and deliver meals wearing his tattoos! I visited my client with tattoos on my face and arm. She was impressed!

It's that time of year when the gardens are at their peak. We are still in a drought, so I water sparsely. Happily, we had 1 mm of rain Thursday. It helps, but won't fill the aquifer. We had 2 cords of wood delivered, and it got damp, but will dry. The goldfish pond was filled, and snakey was back.

I am keeping the bird bath and fountains going for the birds and critters. Daisy was helping herself.

Thirsty Daisy

The hibiscus is blooming

The other morning, having my coffee on the back deck, I counted 13 bird species. There was a loon, then a vulture flying overhead.
Also, several American Robins, including some late season juveniles, a red-eyed Vireo, Blue jays, Goldfinches, female Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Nuthatch, Red-tailed hawk squawking, Eastern Phoebe, female Yellowthroat, Swainson's Thrush, and a yet-to-be-ID'd birds chirping at one another in the trees.

We had a Swainson's Thrush at the fountain. Much fun!

Swainson's Thrush

She is, apparently, quite thirsty!

After our working day, hubby suggested we go out to dinner on the patio, since there may be only a few summer-like days left. Fall approaches. There was much traffic on the water.

This guy kept circling Tuesday morning. Drove me nuts. (Not a long drive!) He circled three times, then I was at my client's house, and they were circling there, too. sigh. I looked up the plane ownership and emailed the club. (It belongs to the Brockville Flying Club.) There is no need to circle like this, so low, over and over again. I got a response back, and they apologised. They asked where I live and said they'd tell people to avoid hovering over our house.


GQCS has its 'home' airport in Brockville and is currently registered with a status of active. The owner is the Brockville Flying Club.