Staycation Newfoundland - Scenic Green Bay

 Newfoundland is still only allowing visitors from the Atlantic Provinces to maintain our non-existent (only cases in months have been from returning travelers in self-isolation) Covid-19 status.  Newfies are all on-board with this policy, and have also embraced the province's Staycation suggestion.  Newfoundlanders are exploring their own province like never before, and I figured I better get in on that before summer was over.

My first stop was the Appleton Peace Park which has a steel beam from the Twin Towers.  Appleton is a small town outside Gander, where 38 planes carrying 6,700 passengers were forced to land when the Twin Towers were hit. The generousity of Newfoundlanders is legendary, but you'll have to "come from away" another year due to the pandemic I'm afraid.

Then it was on to Springdale in scenic Green Bay, just 7miles off the TCH and home to Glassy Beach.  The tiny cove was the site of a former landfill and many shards of now smoothed glass.  Much less than in previous years though as many visitors take bags full home with them.  I left what I found for others to enjoy.

It was getting dark and I was without a place to put my tent.  Glassy Beach was too small and eventually I found myself at the trailhead for Indian River Walking Trail.  I set up in the dark and the rain, and woke to a beautiful morning!

The trail system starts with a boardwalk along the saltwater marsh and continues along the river.

I saw a few ducks and few crows, but luck wasn't with me to see any more birds than that.

The trail was 40 minutes roundtrip and completely flat, an easy walk with lovely views.

Appleton yesterday, Green Bay this morning, you'd almost think I was in Wisconsin. I wanted to show Newfoundland that my heart is with Kenosha and the troubles happening there as I roam the Green Bay area today.  Kenosha I love you, everyone be safe!

Birds in the Morning

I'm sure many of you have heard about the big snowstorm we got up here in Newfoundland this past weekend.  I live a little over an hour from St. John's and we got a bit over 2 feet, which was a good dumping but not nothing we don't usually see at least once a year in Wisconsin.

Our neighbor helped us, then Wayne bought a
snowblower and helped his mom's neighbors

Everything was shut down for a day after the storm out in the Placentia region, but it's day 5 and St. John's is STILL shut down and they had to call in the Armed Forces to help dig out. 

Wayne makes sure the birds can find food after the snow

Today grocery stores are opening from 10-6 so folks can get some groceries resupplied, but things are probably a bit scarce on the shelves as deliveries from the mainland haven't been getting in and even out here there wasn't a loaf of bread to be found on the shelves at our store.

Our kitties watching the birds 

 The airport recorded 78 cm (30inches) of snow and nearby Mt. Pearl got 93 cm/36 inches.  In addition, winds of 105 km/h to 134 km/h were recorded which is hurricane force levels! Those winds created snowdrifts up to 15 feet in some places, burying people's front doors and vehicles.

Me and my fantastic sister-in-law with a view of St. John's behind us

On a November day my sister-in-law and I went for a walk in town.  We thought it was kind of cold that day but what did we know with real winter more than a month away? I remember having to take off my gloves and unzip my coat for heaven's sake!

Just an iPhone shot, but from our trail we could see iconic Signal Hill in the misty distance

Tucked in the heart of St. John's we were walking the Oxen Pond to Long Pond section of the Grand Concourse, a network of trails that totals 120km.  We were enjoying the shelter from the wind and city noise and along our way we spotted a blue jay doing the same.

Winter is far from over, but hopefully there are no more storms like the one we just had in store for us.  Everybody stay dry and warm, no matter where you call home!

A Plethora of Puffins

This post if from a trip to Elliston back in July

Back in July when I decided on the spur of the moment to take a quick road trip out to Elliston, I considered myself lucky to get accomodations on a summer night with no notice.

That being said, when we (myself, my cousin and her daughter) got to the Meems B&B around 9:30 we were met with a very frosty attitude and told not to make any noise. At 9:30. The room was $150 and while it was clean it was not modern, and the shower was too small to attempt to use.

My cousin's little girl has a skunk named Pepsi.
Pepsi loves peanut butter cookies!

At breakfast the jam collection was wonderufl, but toast was stale and unappetizing, and scrambled eggs smothered in chives and paprika were served along with the suggestion of beans.  When we all declined beans she made a face at us like how dare we refuse her food? A large bowl of homemade yogurt sat in the middle of the table.  It was just weird. Not a typical Newfoundland offering, or a typical B&B breakfast. The owner wasn't just borderline rude to us, I heard her do it to other guests as well.  My suggestion is stay in Bonavista and make the short drive to Elliston.

Rosehips jam

Another thing is there is a complete lack of cell service in Elliston so be prepared for that! But you don't go there for the cell reception...

You go there to take the short walk to the Puffin viewing site!

It was my second visit, and I was just as wowed as the first time.

Sorry for the intrusive watermarking, but the images were quite good and quite easy to get without any extreme effort as long as you have any bit of zoom at all. Not much was needed in the way of editing either.  A photographer's dream!

I shot these using my 55-250mm lens.  I've rented bigger lenses with supposedly better optical quality but always find the images using this lens are just as good for half the weight and half the money.  Now of course if I was looking to enlarge and sell these maybe I would have a different opinion, but then again maybe not.  I made an 8x10 enlargement of the shot below and it's hanging on the wall in our home.

I love watching them line up at the edge and then suddenly one will take off to go fishing.  Everything here was shot hand held.  I just laid down on the ground and kept pressing the shutter button.

Look at these faces! I found out from my brother-in-law Jim that their other brother Gerard was the one who helped get the Puffins named the Provincial bird.  Some other bird was lined up to be named and he said why don't we let the kids decide?  Of course the kids are going to pick the comical looking little Puffin!

You can see a few Puffins in Bonavista out by the lighthouse as well, but I don't know why you would bother when there are so many in Elliston unless you didn't have time to make the detour.

I never knew that Puffin often carry up to 10 fish in their beaks, and occasionally even many more!

Mating happens out at sea and then they fly to land to nest.  Those burrows they have dug for nesting are about 3 feet long and the egg is laid at the end. For the first week, the puffling can't maintain it's own body temperature so one parent keeps it warm under a wing while the other goes in search of food.

Unlike other animals you probably won't get to see a puffling while it is small.  They stay in the nest until they are 75% of their adult body weight and when they first start coming out they do so at night to evade predators.

No matter when you go to visit make sure you bring a jacket, it can get windy and chilly on the point even on the nicest of summer days.  It would be terrible not to be able to stay and watch them because it was too cold for your outfit!

Wear appropriate shoes for the walk out and watch yourself on the edges of the cliffs.  Admission is free but donations are accepted.  Once you're done head to Bonavista like we did to see more great Newfoundland attractions!

On a side note, it's November now and I'm in the same again today...but the puffins usually leave in September so no side trip to Elliston! I'm going to try hard to catch up on the blog, I've just been too busy with all my new hobbies to tend to this one!!

Critters at the Garden

At the San Diego Botanical Garden I had no trouble spotting lizards.

And while the lizards basked in the sun, the bunnies played in the shade.

The turtles were either busy taking a siesta or slipping into the pond.

Some of the birds I spotted weren't breathing, but fun to watch nonetheless.

Especially the Bird of Paradise, which was hard to photograph even though it didn't try to fly away.

Surprisingly, I got some pretty good hummingbird shots even though I just pressed the shutter with little hope of actually getting a crisp shot.

Spying this speedster as it zipped overhead was a great end to my 3 hour walk around the gardens!

A few more posts about San Diego and hopefully I'll be ready to start posting about the move!

Bought a Bird Feeder

If you think I love my cats, you'd be right.  But Wayne loves them more.

He went out and bought a bird feeder so that they would be entertained when they can't get outside for their walks.

Male house finch?

Now we're consulting bird guides trying to figure out what is visiting the yard.  If I'm wrong on any identification please let me know! I'm still trying to figure out camera settings, but here's a few images that turned out okay.

Breeding Male House Sparrows?

I imagined these two chatting as they ate.  Jokes, maybe?
Q: Why do birds fly south?
A: Because it is too far to walk!

Black Capped Chickadee?

Q: What do you get if you kiss a bird?
A: A peck on the cheek!

Q: How did the bird break into the house?
A: With a crow bar.

Female Anna's Hummingbird?

 Q: Why do hummingbirds hum?
A: Because they don't know the words.

Female Brown-headed Cowbird?

Q: What do you get if you cross a duck with a firework?
A: A firequaker!

Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird?

Q: What soap do birds use?
A: Dove.

Male Brown-headed Cowbird?

Q: What did the maple tree say to the woodpecker?
A: Leaf me alone!

And with our upcoming trip to Newfoundland in mind:
Q: Which bird is always out of breath?
 A: A puffin!


Help identifying the last little bird appreciated!

Above bird jokes from  http://www.jokes4us.com/animaljokes/birdjokes.html
Linking up to Saturday Critters

Goslings and Bloodroot at Volo Bog

This past weekend I talked my new walking buddy Vicky into going over to Volo Bog to see if anything was happening yet since we've been having sunny days and high temperatures.

The Bloodroot were plentiful in one spot but otherwise the wildflowers are still being shy.

It was International Bird Migration Day at the park, though we saw the usual cast of characters.

Red winged Black Bird

I did see a new one for me with my telephoto lens, and the chart in the visitor center helped me identify it as the male Northern Flicker.

The Great White Egrets were fishing and I know it's nesting time so I should try to scope out a rookery soon with my camera.

I see goslings every spring at the same spot on the Tamarack Trail, I don't know if it's the same parents or just a good spot to hang out! 

Unfortunately I had to shoot into the sun, but they were so cute I didn't want to walk away without trying!

Fuzzy!

I had a good laugh when they had to navigate one of the logs - the babies had an easier time of it than the parents, I'm sure this is one of the few times that is true.