May Days

We are enjoying the spring weather.  We've decided to mix up our Wednesday walks and go somewhere new each week after a winter walking in the creek valley.

Last week we crossed the Fraser River and walked along Moon Road.

Nice view of Englishman Road on the other side of the Fraser

The balsamroot were blooming on the edge of the road.

After our walk we sat at the side of the road and had our tea/coffee break.

Patti and I continue to train for our PEI hike and are enjoying the changes in the creek valley as spring progresses.

On May 5 we first noticed the clematis

And the Oregon grape in bloom.

When we first spotted the osprey nest there were only a few branches but every day the nest gets more substantial.

Osprey nest May 10

On May 13 we first spotted an eagles in the eagle nest.  We ran into Leo right afterward on his run and he took this picture with the nest behind us.

Spot the eagle nest.

A day or two later we met Leo again just as he spotted a bear coming down the hill.  We yelled out and it took off before we could get a look at it.

We take our snack break on a pile of riprap right near the eagle nest.  

There are marmot living in the pile of rocks and one day a deer crossed the river right below us.

This week we reached 13 km and have now walked past the lower parking lot (no longer accessible to vehicles since the big flood) and halfway down the old sewage ponds.

Nobody else walks this far down the valley so we have it all to ourselves.

Selfie time!

Yesterday on our walk we spotted a flock of ravens on the side of the road just before the (new) sewage lagoons.  We deduced there must be a kill there and sure enough we found a dead deer.  Always curious, Patti checked it out and discovered a stillborn fawn half out of the womb.  The deer was intact so must have died during labour right on the side of the road.

Patti pulled the fawn out.  I told you she was always curious!

I guess I was curious too because I took the pictures.

We continued on our walk but on the way back we realized we should be concerned about bears.  We made noises but the carcass was still untouched.  Patti phoned the city and they said they would remove it but just in case, today we walked from Patti's house up to my house and back down to Patti's.  Almost 10 km total but it's all uphill to my place.  Back to the creek valley tomorrow.