Hays Falls

Last weekend, Wendy and I joined our adventurous cousins Todd and Tanya to hike up the Maliseet trail and visit Hays Falls, one of New Brunswick's highest waterfalls. Approximately 30 minutes outside Fredericton, near Meductic on Hwy 165, a wide pullover parking area marks the head of this historic 200 km portage that was used by the Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) First Nations people to connect the Saint John River to the Penobscot River in Maine. Blue square trail markers highlight the nearly 2 km trail as it slowly climbs almost 90 meters in elevation over exposed roots and slippery rocks. Although there were plenty of rustic handmade benches and picnic tables to rest on, the path is comfortable at a slow pace, however good footwear is essential. At the top of the falls the water is squeezed through a narrow cleft and sprayed out to drop nearly 20 meters as it spreads creating an excellent example of a Veil type falls.The view at the bottom of the falls is most impressive and offers a unique experience as the force of the falls creates a misty breeze on your face and a low rumble in your ears.

Paradise

Here are pics from 2 afternoons of kayaking at the causeway behind my house. The causeway is the local name for the meadow created where the Newcastle Stream meets Grand Lake. This is such a diverse area with lots of flora and fauna, beautiful lush grasses and wild rice, and lots of wildlife. This is a bird watchers paradise as a family of osprey, two bald eagles, several kingfishers(my personal favourite), terns. red-winged blackbirds and many other birds call the meadow home in the summer. The main channel of the river flows lazily through the meadow and the many inlets and small lakes created by the grasses are great for exploring in the kayak. Another interesting spot to explore is to paddle up the river to the head of tide, that is the farthest point upstream where the river is affected by the tide. Here huge trees, with exposed roots, hang eerily over the water casting long shadows giving it a feeling of mystery and danger

Riverside Rescue

Wendy and I rescued this little guy off the road near the twin bridges on the through fare to the River Road in Mauggerville. He was standing in the middle of the road beside his sibling who had been hit. As I slowed down and pulled over he ran into the ditch and disappeared. I went to check on the one still on the road and as I picked up his lifeless little body I realised it was a beautiful baby loon. I felt so bad I didn't have the heart to take his picture. As I was removing him from the road, Wendy noticed the other one standing quite still near the ditch. As we approached him it became obvious the he had entangled himself in the short weeds and could not escape. As I reached to free him, he was calm and quiet. I cradled him in one hand and removed the short vines from around his neck.Once free, he remained calm and was grateful enough to pose for a quick pic before we guided him toward a small pond in hopes that his mother was nearby and that they would be reunited.

Chocolate River

While in Moncton last weekend, we visited Riverfront Park for an early morning stroll along the banks of the Petitkodiac River. Known locally as the Chocolate River and once named the most endangered river in Canada, the Petitcodiac raises and falls up to 7.5 meters, twice daily, in scync with the Bay of Fundy tides. As the tide rises, a wave of up to two meters high, known as the tidal bore, gets pushed upstream at speeds of up to 8 mph. Riverfront Park boasts 5 km of twined trails, one paved / one dirt, where visitors can walk, run, bike and skateboard or just relax on one of the many benches. The park is also home to one of Atlantic Canada's largest concrete skateboard parks.

Naught I

Wendy recently went to see the New Brunswick Festival of Tall Ships on the Miramichi. As you can see, I am not the only one in the family who likes to take pictures. In all, eight tall ships sailed up the Miramichi River and docked for the week-end, offering ship tours and a glimpse into everyday life aboard a tall ship. Of course, where ever you find tall ships, you can also expect to encounter pirates.

Osprey again

The Osprey, also known as a Fish Hawk, is one of the larger Raptors with a body length of up to 2 feet and  a wingspan approaching 6 feet. The Osprey can be found on every continent except Antarctica and have a global population of approximately 500,000. Nests, built of sticks in trees and on power lines, are located near water as fish make up 99% of the Osprey's diet. The Osprey generally mates for life and reaches reproductive maturity at about 3-4 years when the female lays 2-4 eggs. The average lifespan is 7-10 years. For more info see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osprey






















 

Neighbourly Love

This guy just recently moved into my backyard. I have heard many horror stories regarding groundhog conduct, but I am remiss to recall a one. Even though he appears to be a little grumpy, I am reluctant to "google" him to discover his past. I think instead we will co-habitate and occasionally share some neighbourly love

April's End

Its nice to see the Osprey have returned, (check out the talons on the first pic) and I found a new nest this week....looks very sturdy. The picture of the hawk/falcon (possibly a Merlin falcon) was taken from my kitchen window shortly after daybreak as he was silently watching my backyard. When he saw me coming the yellow bellied sap-sucker took his time finishing his lunch, but the young porcupine ran away, almost before I could get the camera up. I'm always looking to collect pussy willows for my Aunt Jo, and the first ones I see this year are surrounded by spring flood waters. Finally, a beautiful sunset over a placid Keyhole Lake.