Tuesday, April 15, 2014

OUT AND ABOUT OVER THE LAST WEEK OR SO




With warmer weather arriving we were out and about several days over the last week or so


A picnic table out on the beach
Whoa..........it will be fun digging it out of the sand





Of course Gwennie had to have a quick dip in the lake


Nice to be wearing a jacket instead of the big bulky down coat


Melting snow brings big puddles


Poor ol' Susie
Every day we think this is her last day but she keeps surprising us
We keep saying she is 20 


Ipperwash Beach
Cars drive out on the beach
Must be packed during the summer months





Getting some exercise!!!!!!!!!
She is weighing in at 59 lbs






Bing is soooo wanting to go outside
Last Saturday we took him to the cottage for the day


Kitty stayed away for a few days
Happy to see her again
My friend Kathy named her 'Camper"
She isn't as jittery now
and 
Will let me walk by her without running away


For some reason or another Bing started to check Gwennie out
and.........
Gwennie tolerated him!


We tell her every day how beautiful she is


We hitched a ride over to the island with  neighbours/friends
Ray and Diana



Not very much ice in the river
on that particular day


WOW
What do we have here???
When we left in September the boat 'roof' had not been built
Showing off Ray's handy work
Well done Ray!!!!


Ah...............
We'll soon be here to stay 
We hope!!



When we left we did not get to see the sunflower in full bloom
I'm sure the birds had a good feed



Diana and I went for a walk around the island
Had to dodge snowdrifts from time to time


Waiting to go back outdoors



A good view of the new boat roof
It is amazing
We will be able to sit out on the dock
Will enjoy the cool river breezes without the sun beating down on us



A pair of loons stopping by on their way north



On our way to Chatham for a haircut
Don't know why but this horse caught my eye????
Maybe it is the nice red coat!



Camper had a friend come to visit
Looks like they  might be related?



OH..............
This 'mean' guy came for a visit too
Lots of noise
Lots of fur flying.........white fur
We shooed him away
Maybe he is the King of the castle??


Back to the island last Friday
First boat load of the season


The Captain of the boat


It looks soooo bare


Lots of leaves sticks and branches went into
 the fire pit


Homemade vegetable soup made by Ray
Lunch on the deck on a nice warm sunny April day


One of our few canals that has water


When we were on our walk this past Friday I saw these spring flowers that were completely covered with oak leaves
I brushed them off
Ha....today they will wish I had not done that!


Our first sighting of deer


THIS MORNING
APRIL 15

This was to be our last day at the campground
However
We decided to sit another day and wait out this lovely storm
We are heading to Connecticut tomorrow to visit with Joe's sister Alice and family
Surely the island will be open 
'for business'
when we return home






Friday, April 4, 2014

TUNDRA SWANS


The Tundra Swan
Weight  7 kg.  (15 lbs.)
Top Air Speed:  55 mph.
Mates for life
Life expectancy :  15 years
Formally known as the whistling swan
The most widespread swan in North America
Is entirely white with black bill, legs and feet
Today these impressive birds are protected from hunters during their long migration

In early spring the tundra swans leave their wintering grounds on Chesapeake Bay along the east coast of the United States and begin their 6500 km (4000 mile) journey to their breeding grounds in the Canadian Arctic
Along the route they stop at staging areas - wetlands and fields where they can feed and rest.  The Thedford Bog is one of the staging areas along this vast migration route.


Over the past week or so Joe and I have made 4 trips to the 'Bog"
Because of the cold weather and icy fields the swans have been late arriving






Last Sunday morning we checked on the swans
You can see where the swans are nesting on the ice One swan had broken through and was having a hard time getting back up on top of the ice


Across the road swans were nesting in another field
They were 'sleeping' on top of the ice


Tuesday morning we went to see if there was any action
This was our best day yet!!!!!!!























Interesting to the 'eye' to see the different colour combinations of the bird's 'bodies' against the sky







The swans were flying from field to field with the road separating the fields
This is where I got  the overhead photos
I stood on the other side of the truck so they would not see me
As soon as there was any movement on my part they would immediately fly further away



Swans joined by Canada Geese











Starting their decent








Neat how the camera caught the position of their wings
This pair were in sequence



They have taken off












There can be two
There can be three
or
There can be many who take off together

I must say..........
It was quite the morning
I was like a child in a candy store

Fascinating
Simply fascinating