Long Weekend Observations

This weekend again finds me on Ste Joe's Island, near Sault Ste Marie. It has been a very warm and wonderful weekend so far.

My first little 12 km walk on Saturday morning I came across these little flowers I figured they were Lilac, but the smell is not right and they were a little way in the bush from any property. The branch looks like willow, it is a woody stock. Correct me if I am wrong. Maybe the strong Lilac smell was not present yet so early in the morning.

This morning I went for a little bit longer walk. I traveled along the snow machine trail. In past years on easter weekend I have walked on the snow on the snow machine trails, but not this year. The snow is long gone from the trials in this area. intersection map

I reached the top part of the loop I was walking and should have turned for home. My side kick Roll'n was not looking tired at all so instead of turning for home we continued toward the sound of the sand hill cranes.

Another km and I knew we were getting very close. The noise was just on the other side of some alder swamp. A little further up and a path opened into a field. Stepping into the open I could clearly see the cranes.

I wondered if Roll'n might want to go chase them, but he was much more interested in the trails of deer and rabbits he had been following. Birds do not interest him any more. Even grouse do not get chased anymore - they just fly away.

These are my first sandhill cranes I see on the ground this year.

I try the video setting on the little camera to see how the sound will come out. Sounds pretty good.