May 15, 2025 : You know what that means!

Today the gate opened allowing vehicles to drive deeper into the Elbow Valley along Route 66 and that's where Forgetmenot Pond is located.  But, you already know all about this if you have been a loyal follower of my blog because I post about this every year!  I marked my calendar so I would not forget to go to Forgetmenot Pond once the gate opens.  Once a bit of cloud cleared and some blue popped out, it was as beautiful a scene as usual!  

The early birds gave the feel of a Maritime Reunion!  I hoped to be first at The Pond but caught up to a vehicle ahead of me at the turn off before Powderface Trail.  I then noticed a vehicle behind me but it carried on past the parking lot. I parked further along in the lot from where the first vehicle parked.  We ended up meeting up along the trail.  We chatted and decided to carry on together into the forest section looking for birds and with hopes of seeing the Mustangs.  As we meandered along, she shared that she was from Prince Edward Island, I told her I was from Nova Scotia. The next person I spoke to was from New Brunswick who was in the car behind me on the way in!  We Maritimers from the three hour ahead Atlantic Time Zone know there is something about being well ahead of others.  

On the drive out it was showering off and on yet it stopped when I arrived at The Pond.  It was dull, grey, overcast yet atmospheric and moody.  My mind has been wondering to atmospheric and moody lately yet in a good way and it brings a smile to my face.  More about that in weeks to come.

When some clouds cleared, Forgetmenot Pond offered up that view that I love so much!

snow up there on Powderface Ridge

the low clouds danced

We worked our way to where I sometimes see the Mustangs.  

Upon arrival this is what we saw!

Then we saw her! She is expecting and is due any day now!

Then these two came along!

Another followed them!

But, no babies!  Although.....

.....there could be one in ten months!

When all the morning routine was accomplished, then came time to rest!

The birds were plentiful and singing such sweet songs! There were more than I ever saw in this area.  It definitely helped that the PEIslander is a birder and knows her birds!  A few times it was sensory overload for me trying to listen to all the songs and admire the scenery at the same time.  I captured lots of bird photos but the majority of them, this time around, were not the best.  I like lots of good lighting and that was not the name of the game this morning. 

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Solitary Sandpipers

Spotted Sandpiper

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

White-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

bath time in Forgetmenot Pond

When I saw the weather that was forecasted for this morning, I debated whether to head out this way, I am so glad I did.  Forgetmenot was everything I remembered it to be and it turned out being everything I hoped it would be and more, oh except for no baby Mustangs, at least not today!  

World Migratory Bird Day May 10, 2025

In recognition of World Migratory Bird Day, I created the above watercolour painting of a Black-capped Chickadee using a photo I took today as a reference. I picked the Chickadee to paint because this sweet little bird is the Official Bird of Calgary.  Calgary was one of the first cities in Canada to be declared a Bird Friendly City back in 2022.  To be a Bird Friendly City, the city has to have an official bird.  For the month of April in 2022, the city held a public vote to pick a bird.  The candidates were: Black-capped Chickadee, Black-billed Magpie, Northern Flicker, Blue Jay, Red-Breasted Nuthatch.  The Chickadee won by a landslide with 44% of the votes and that included my vote.  On May 14th of that year which was World Migratory Bird Day, the winner was announced.  World Migratory Bird Day is celebrated on the 2nd Saturday of May in Canada and the United States and on the second Saturday of October in Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean.

Today I spent three hours birding at Carburn Park and covered eleven kilometres.  I arrived to this colourful sight with hopes of seeing many other colourful sights.  It was warm already with not even a breeze.  I could here songs and squabbles too.  It was time to hit the trails alongside the ponds and into the forest then down by the river. I have included the majority of species I saw. 

two of ten Mallard Ducklings

one of two Red-necked Grebes building a nest

Yellow Warbler

Red-tailed Hawk

Spotted Sandpiper

White-breasted Nuthatch

male Wood Duck

female Common Goldeneye

two American White Pelicans

male House Finch

Horned Grebes

Tree Swallow

Savannah Sparrow

Lincoln's Sparrow

Bald Eagle

This is the Carburn Bald Eagle watching towards the nest.

I could not see if the other Eagle was in the nest.

Canada Geese still in the nest high in the tree.

This is the photo I took of the Black-capped Chickadee which I used as a reference for the painting.  

Seeing all of the above species, plus others that I did not include, seems fitting for World Migratory Bird Day. Many people were out and about at the Park on this beautiful day. I chatted with a few, sharing sights we saw and where we saw them.  It's a day like this when I am excited to look on eBird and see what others saw at the same location and other locations.  Chick-a-dee-dee-dee-dee what a day-day-day-day!

 

Waterton Lakes National Park May 7, 2025

I hiked to Crandell Lake many times from the Redrock Parkway and only once from the Akamina Parkway.  That time was back in February of 2012 and I needed snowshoes to get there.  It’s a short easy hike from Akamina which was fine by me for this morning as the winds were forecasted to get strong as the hours passed. A portion of this trail turned out being new to me as sections were rerouted after the 2017 fire.

some sights along the way 

a female Mountain Bluebird

one of thousands of Glacier Lilies 

This was my first view of Crandell Lake.  I was excited to see it ice free.

By now I connected up with the trail that comes in from the Redrock Parkway. The Lake sits at the base of that mountain. I was on high alert from the start of the hike and upped it to a higher level as I approached the lake.  

While hiking along the trail, I was sheltered from the wind but it was a different story at the lake itself. Even though, it was an absolutely beautiful view in front of me.  

After playtime came snack time and sitting on this log was the perfect spot for that.

some sights from wandering around the lake area

a log for a seat and a tree stump for a table 

the log where I sat for my snack

After forty-five minutes at Crandell Lake, I was ready to start the hike back to the trailhead.  By the time I was back out in the open at my vehicle, the wind had picked up and it was paired with strong gusts.  Of course it would be, this is Waterton after all!  

I drove to the parking lot at the base of the Prince of Wales Hill and walked up The Hill.

This is the view from just beside the Hotel and this was as close to the edge as I dare go.  It was almost impossible to stand still.  I capture a few photos and then took off back to the trail and back down to my vehicle.

As if I did not have enough of the wild wind, 

I went for more along the shores of Upper Waterton Lake.

That little white spot under the star is the Waterton Lake cruise boat returning from a tour to the end of the lake.  I watched for the longest time as it bobbed in the water not moving very fast.  It was very close to the shore, probably as close as it could go to get somewhat calmer water.  I gave up watching and moved along….

…..to the ice cream store!

The benches in front of the store are sheltered from the wind. 

 I settled in and savoured my child size ice cream on a waffle cone.