We have a fine nature sanctuary here. Part of it was farmed but most of it has never been logged. It consists of two oxbow lakes, heavily wooded escarpment and valley floor. It's been a sanctuary for over 100 years, It's a good habitat for many critters.
One critter I found there I will never forget. I saw a large reed shaking vigorously while all the other reeds were still. I watched and soon saw a mouse climbing up the reed. Now the reed was in about 70-80 cm (14-15 in.) of water. All of a sudden the reed broke off and I heard plop. So I said, " Goodbye mousey. " No sooner I had said goodbye and another reed started shaking.
Now when I got back the the nature center they looked it up and found that it was a western meadow jumping mouse. I'd never seen one before.
So with camera around my neck we set out to do the 4 km (2 1/2 mi) trail around the sanctuary. The camera batteries went dead before I made it half way around.
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| Yellow aspen from the north |
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| Same grove of aspen from the south |
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| A gray day when it's difficult to see sky |
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| Hangin out on a beaver lodge |
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| A few ducks were feeding. Now my camera batteries went dead. |
Hi Red, Your Aspens are ahead of ours. I think we may have a grey week, it is raining now:(
ReplyDeleteThings are just about ready to turn to great fall colors. It's been wet here too.
DeleteWhat beautiful pictures, I can imagine,
ReplyDeletethat the battery has not kept too long;-)
The yellow aspen particularly liked me.
Greetings Sadie
The aspens have a very bright golden color. There will be more fall colors.
DeleteWell, you got a lot of good pictures, anyway! I wonder what that mouse was doing in the water? Poor thing. I hope he made it to dry land.
ReplyDeleteThe habitat for these mice is in reds and other plants where they are over water.
DeleteIt truly looks fall up your way. I have seen a few trees changing and lots of leaves falling
ReplyDeleteWe are about to change color very quickly here.
DeleteNice those yellow trees, looks a bit like fall already.
ReplyDeleteWe've had cooler nights..4-5 C.
Deletea gray day made for some wonderful reflections!
ReplyDeleteIt was certainly hard to see in my monitor.
DeleteLove that pretty golden aspen. Reminds me of Colorado. The camera took great pictures until it didn't. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to more color.
DeleteWhat a beautiful area. I hate dead batteries and almost always pack a spare in my pocket!
ReplyDeleteI don't mind if batteries go dead around the house but out in the field is a pain.
DeleteWe have Wooded Jumping mice, too. No water, though! We need rain!!!!
ReplyDeleteThere's not a great number of them for us to see.
DeleteI am smiling about the mouse and the battery because had that happen to me a few times. Your photos are great.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to smarten up and take spare batteries.
DeleteWow - you have fall colors already! Beautiful place.
ReplyDeleteMore fall colors are coming very soon.
DeleteThe camera might have gone dead but you still managed to get some compelling shots. Thanks fore sharing.
ReplyDeleteYes, you take a whole lot of shots and keep the best.
DeleteBeautiful place to walk. I would have enjoyed seeing your mouse friend. I didn't know there was such a thing.
ReplyDeleteYou didn't get much of a view...only enough to tell that is was a mouse.
DeleteBeautiful the colors already where you live. I guess we soon will be starting here. I just don't
ReplyDeletelike the heat we had this summer. I love Fall and when it is in full bloom with colors. Great for sight seeing. Had trouble with adverts on my Imagination Red. For now had to change it somewhat. For now. I had to do school theme. I had only one pix of me grade two show and tell. Let me know if you get in to comment. Trying to fix it. I am not savvy with engineering things on computer . Sandra helped me. Now if I can read her illustrations dummy me. I will be okay. Your pictures are lovely Red.
I'm quite sure every photo gives you an idea for your art.
DeleteI wonder if mice make okay swimmers.
ReplyDeleteThe aspen's gorgeous. I hadn't known they go golden until I visited my parents one fall and saw all the needles like that.
These mice are excellent swimmers as their habitat is over water. Pike prey on these mice.
DeleteThat was the first fall colors I've seen! Clouds or not, they are beautiful. I hadn't heard of jumping mice. I had to look them up.
ReplyDeleteI think there are three or four species of jumping mice.
DeleteI hate that when it happens. Aspen sure are moving into fall right now. My brother once found a jumping mouse in his house in California. He sent it outside, later finding out in was endangered. You have great places to take walks.
ReplyDeleteWe do have some great trails and parks.
DeleteBeautiful scenes around the pond. Even when it is gray we can still appreciate the scenery ;-)
ReplyDeleteI keep forgetting to use the adjustment on the camera for brightness.
DeleteWow, what a beautiful area! A wonderful place to enjoy time in and take photographs!
ReplyDeleteWe are fortunate to have parkland set aside.
DeleteOh my goodness! A jumping mouse? I hope they stay in the wild. It would unnerve me to see one around the house.
ReplyDeleteNext time please take spare batteries and when you are down at the beaver lodge, please try to snap a couple of beavers. You are fortunate to live near to such lovely wild country Mr Red.
ReplyDeleteI always hate a dead camera battery.
ReplyDeleteHi Red, Sure enjoyed the photos. Wow, I can't believe how yellow those Aspen trees have turned already! You are way ahead of us down here. :-) Hope you have a great day!
ReplyDeleteNice walk indeed. Serene I'd say...;)
ReplyDelete