Trick Or Treat

Someone very cute and cuddly came for a visit to surprise us in her Halloween costume. I have to admit that Emma is the cutest elephant I have ever seen. Thanks to mom and dad for bringing her by and brightening our day since we are not out in natures beauty this weekend. I'm sure you will not have anyone as adorable as this trick or treating at your door today.

Say Cheese.......

What a cutie!!

Love that tail

Awwww

MacGregor Oct. 23-25 2015

After a rather difficult start to our weekend at MacGregor we were able to relax and enjoy our weekend away.  The water at the filling station had very little pressure so it took us 40 minutes to fill and when we headed to our site there was someone else setting up. We found out they had booked it to someone else while we were filling and we therefore had to pick another site. After one and a half hours at the park we were finally setting up for the weekend. We went for a scenic drive through the countryside to see the fall colours and try and relax. When we returned we did a short tour to see if there were any deer out and about. Unfortunately there were none to be found. We enjoyed a yummy dinner and spent a few hours by the fire before climbing into our warm bed.
 Saturday we went into Southampton for a while and did some shopping in Port Elgin before returning to camp. It was quite windy and we had brief showers off and on during the day. The blue jays, chickadees and nuthatches were visiting and enjoying the nuts and seeds I had out for them. It is amazing how fast a jay can swoop in, collect a peanut and be gone. Some of the chickadees and the female nuthatch would feed from my hand. If I didn't have my hand out when the nuthatch arrived she would land on the camera lens and wait for me to put it out. Before dinner we went for a drive and were able to see one doe in the forest along the park road. She would look up at us once in a while and continue her eating. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner of homemade turkey pot pie and fresh buns before settling in for a movie night. There would be no fire tonight as we were getting thunder storms rolling through. We enjoyed watching Gravity and Almost Famous before heading off to bed.
 We both slept in on Sunday which I was quite surprised about. I am usually up by 8 but not today. The sun had returned and it was quite a nice day. There were two red squirrels trying to get the peanuts out of the bird feeder but not having much luck. When one was there the other would be chattering away to try and get it off and would eventually chase it away only to have the other do the same thing back to it. They gave up on the feeder after a period of time and started to eat the seeds and nuts I had put out for the birds on a log. It was fun to watch the squirrels go and hide their nuts and the clever blue jays would then collect them from where they just hid them. We stayed on our site until 3 and then headed home. Our Sundays in the park are not as long as they use to be since the sun is setting so much earlier. We always try to be home before dark so that we can get parked without having to use a flashlight to avoid hitting anything. It was a wonderful relaxing fall weekend away and I enjoyed the antics of the wildlife.
 We will be staying home for Halloween weekend so that we can hand out treats to all the ghosts and goblins that come for their goodies. Hope you have a great Halloween and don't over indulge in to many treats.

Mennonites were working the fields with a four hitch team

Help! Were about to fall off the edge

The red dragonflies were enjoying the warm sun

A couple horseback riding through the park

Swans feeding on Lake Huron

Still some fall colours to enjoy

Posing for a photo

Red Squirrel giving the other one hell

Note the teeth showing

 

Blue Jay keeping its eye on red squirrel

Remains of the scotch thistles

Doe, a deer, a female deer....

Ms. Red-breasted Nuthatch waiting her turn

Open wide.... getting ready for another bite

Friendly chickadee coming for a seed

Orange fungus still braving the cold weather

Mr. Red-breasted Nuthatch collecting a nut for himself

They are such tiny birds

Peek a boo

Blending in with the fall colours

Looking for a peanut to enjoy

This chickadee has been banded

Look into my eyes and leave me some nuts

Nuthatch hiding his seed in the tree bark

Autumn's beauty in green, yellow and golds

MacGregor Point Bound

We are off to MacGregor this weekend and I am hoping to have a wonderful relaxing time since I have now caught up on all my blog posts and have gotten back on track with things at home. Hope you have a great weekend as well.

Home to the rare Pitcher plant

Hoping to spend some time watching these little fellas

Rondeau, Oct. 16-18 2015

 It was migration time at Rondeau Park this weekend. We have never been there when so many birds where traveling through to there winter homes in the south. The most impressive sight to see over 300 Turkey Vulture soaring overhead late on Saturday. There were a number of Ruby Crowned Kinglets, Yellow Rumped Warblers, Robins, Tundra Swans and a first for me was the Black-throated Blue Warbler. We also were able to enjoy the company of a number of deer at the park.The park still had a lot of green foliage but there was lots of yellow and golds mixed in to give it a rich look. I had fun with the Blue Jays as I made them work a little to get there peanuts. We were able to listen to a few owls hooting away as we enjoyed a few hours at the campfire each night. Saturday morning was quite cool and there was frost on some of the open areas of the park.  Both mornings we were awaken by the sounds of gun fire as it is duck hunting season in the bay area of the park. It was quite windy all weekend but our site was well protected by the trees and we enjoyed just sitting outside and enjoying nature.

Duncan in his glory following a firetruck

Blue Jay hiding its peanuts

Golden light on the seed pod

Lesser Yellowlegs in the bay

A young buck at the edge of the woods

Seeds caught in a spiders web

Yellow Rumped Warbler at our site

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Mom and her young one out for an evening stroll

Turkey Vultures soaring over the park

 

Closer view of a few of them

Turkey Vultures roosting in a tree for the night

Who's watching me?

Ruby-crowned Kinglet showing its ruby spot

Kinglet taking off

What are you looking at?

Scenic park road

Mr. Downy working the vine

White-breasted Nuthatch winking at me....

Got my nut so I am out of here

Flowers still in bloom and looking amazing

Jay all fluffed up

Blue Jay perched on the jar lid

Reaching for a peanut in the jar

The road less traveled was breathtaking