Frostty Morning

We had the first heavy frost of the winter  fall yesterday with temps of minus 5C, that's around 27F in American. While the car was defrosting I took a few photos in the back yard.

Menagerie

I have a new friend M whom I met through this blog. It turns out that he lives on a farm nearby and on that farm he has a few pets: peacocks, emus, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, goats, llamas, alpacas, sheep, goats, horses, dogs, cats, a pig and a donkey. It's a happy place

Enjoy

 

more Fall

 Clear blue skies and reflections on the water. This was taken at Warkworth last weekend.

Just Some More of the Fall

Salmon Run

Chinook salmon runs aren't only found on the west coast as here in Ontario we have our own versions. Some years ago Lake Ontario started to be stocked with those Pacific coast natives to provide fishing fun and a predator for alewives. Alewives are a fish and not a Hogarthian pub landlady BTW, oh and they may now be endangered because of too many hungry Chinook.


Apparently each year between 2 and 5 thousand fish return to the Ganaraska river and head upstream to spawn after living out in Lake Ontario for about 3-4 years.  They die after spawning, I suppose there is nothing left to do in life once you have perpetuated the species.

Looking upstream to Port Hope

 On the way up they have to deal with the added problems of fishermen.  I was in Port Hope today and watched the fishermen from the footbridge. It's amazing how many of them there are right downtown. I spent a good 15 minutes watching them, one guy hooked 3 huge salmon in that time but only landed one of them. 
Another landed two. You see the fish leaping out of the water as they try to get away.

and downstream with the uranium refinery in the distance

Most fishermen throw the fish back. You can eat fish from Lake Ontario but it's not recommended for children or women of child bearing years......... kinda puts you off a little doesn't it?

There were several dead fish lying in the water. One of the people on the bridge said the racoons come down and feast on them, they bring the whole family and pig out on a fish supper. I suppose they then lie at the side of the river rubbing their bellies and belching.

Salmon sandwich anyone?

Fall Fotos

Ontario in the fall. There will be photos, and fall colour blogging galore. I feel no shame in joining in, after all it is absolutely glorious. I like autumn in England with its mellow shades of gold and bronze, the smells of fallen leaves and the mists. Here in Ontario we have the fall. It's sudden and "in yer face" Wonderful reds added to the golds and bronzes. The yellow of goldenrod glows from the fields. The nights are cool and hopefully the days are warm. The end of summer and the threat of winter.

Different Days, Same Lake

Here are two impressions of Lake Ontario, the first images were taken a week ago in Cobourg, It rained heavily all day and the wind was gusting strongly. Yesterday I was a few kilometres west of Cobourg in Port Hope and it was a warm and sunny breezy day.

To the lighthouse!

Wait til the waves die down maybe

Surf's up- there are some surfers in there but hard to see in the grey murk

Now that's better

Seagulls, or should that be lakegulls?

 

Skywatch Friday. Punk Birds

These pileated woodpeckers were in our back yard today, pecking away on the wood on the hydro pole.

I missed seeing them though, my man was the one who took these photos of them outlined against the sky.

They are large birds, 18 inches long, and the noise they make hammering into the wood can be heard over a kilometre away.

Aren't they fabulous? I hope they come back again.

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Wordless Wednesday

wordless wednesday

Skywatch Friday

The sky over the village on Tuesday


For more skies go to SkyWatch Friday

Wordless Wednesday

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Bonfires and campfires

A fine Canadian thing  to do. Just sitting round the campfire chatting with the neighbours.

They had an effigy on the bonfire which was an old scarecrow that the kids had made. It reminded me of the tradition of the British Bonfire Night which is held on November 5th to celebrate the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot. This was an attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London in 1605. One of the conspirators was Guy Fawkes and effigies on bonfires in Britain are called  'Guys'. It used to be that kids would make their guy and then parade down the streets asking for money - 'a penny for the guy'. This doesn't happen very much now, it's seen as begging and children are no longer allowed to buy fireworks. It's also been replaced pretty much by Halloween trick or treating.

 
There are private and organised firework displays with  food, jacket potatoes wrapped in foil and cooked in the fire- they always burn - sausages, apples, beans, ginger cake. It usually a cold and wet November evening but it's fun. Our neighbours liked the sound of it all so we are going to have a Bonfire Night Party in November. I'm looking forward to that.

Now This is Sad, and Not for the Faint Hearted

Driving into Peterborough this morning I saw something dangling from an osprey's nest. Sadly it was an osprey. Its leg caught in some string or binder twine and, unable to get away, the bird died.

This morning the nest had two other birds in it and I wondered what would happen. Was that the male bird who died? Would the female fish and find food for the young? It's almost time for the adult birds to be on their way so would the female leave? Would they all leave?


On my return journey I couldn't see any birds in the nest at all. It's very sad. These birds have been helped by a man-made platform for a nest and this one has been killed by mans garbage.

Visiting

Yesterday's drive and walk took me up north of Highway 7 near Cordova Mines. The scenery changes from the rolling hills and farmland in this area to dramatic rocky outcrops surrounded by conifers and silver birch trees. This is the start of the Canadian Shield, a huge swathe of land covering much of eastern and northern Canada. It's mostly forest with thin top soil covering ancient granite. The rocks have many minerals which have been and are mined. Gold and silver were mined at Cordova.

The buildings and land of my friend's house were previously an fish hatchery but are now a gorgeous home with riverside walks and cabin.

This is the view from the ice house where the fish were stored

A good spot for fishing, or just contemplating

Camping at home

Sharing a stick

The house and outbuildings, with beautiful gardens

The lake at the end of the road

It's Starting............ Skywatch Friday

I saw these leaves today, a hint of the fall, let's hope it's slow to arrive

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Edit, added for those doubters who think that it was a sick tree...........