Man! Was it windy yesterday! Sucked the breath right out of you. Temps around +3 and wind chills at -12. Phew! Speaking about the wind, (that's called a segue, Richie, a noun, To move smoothly and unhesitatingly from one state, condition, situation, or element to another, your welcome) I neglected to tell you about a meeting that we had last Monday in North Bay with a company named Innergex  that would like to build wind turbines in Merrick township. This was an introductory meeting in the preliminary stages of the project. They plan on having more meetings in the future and being able to contact more land owners and summer residents etc. It looks like they are thinking of building 30-40 turbines in a line from Moose Lake down past Valin Lake, mainly following the power line. This is the same company that had looked at building turbines around the Mattawa area, but backed out due to concerns from many parties. The gentleman who spoke to us is Francois Morin, Senior Advisor - Public Affairs. If you have any concerns or would like to be kept up to date, his email is fmorin@innergex.com. 

It appears that the ermine/stoat/brown tailed weasel payed us a visit during the night.

Looks like it came up to the patio door to say "hi" to George.

We had a skiff of snow that drifted up in some places due to all of that wind. I haven't had any reports that the Sand Dam road needs plowing.

Camouflaged redpolls, how many can you count? I'm at around 20.

Stop the presses! This just in! We have a whiteout happening right now.

 

Again,  sorry Rachel, would a pylon or two help?

 uh, huh.

That's why I forgo...., neglected, to tell you about that meeting.

 That's why I went to rehab, har, har.

 Retro funny.

Is that you, Timbit?

There is no cure for this malady, but retirement helps a lot.

Fooled again.

/

Firstly, Sir Edwin is in the North Bay hospital with a badly infected foot. He will be going to Sudbury for more tests on Monday, so, keep him in your thoughts.  Get well soon, Ed. 


Last Monday morning we had a lone wolf walk across our bay, not too far out. By the time I got the camera it was off to the right and the camera decided to focus on the bush. That brown blur under the red V is the wolf.

Here is a flying squirrel, they are usually nocturnal.

Weasel tracks.

Fox tracks. The energy that they expend running around in circles?

Redpoll tracks.

Mouse

Little birdy takeoff track.

More little birdies.

A bigger birdy takeoff.

Bunnies.

We had had a fresh snow, so all these tracks were made over night.

This is the wolf's track.

This is where it turned around to look at us.

You can get some perspective on the length of it's stride.

It stopped to look at us here too before going into the bush.

Tuesday morning we had an ermine come to visit us on the deck.

It also checked out the peanut butter feeder.

It travels thru tunnels in the snow.

Thursday morning, almost white out conditions.

White breasted nuthatch under the chickadee.

The whiskey jacks are on the nest now and won't come to hand. Yeah, it must be chilly sitting on eggs at this time of year.

Red breasted nuthatch.

We have one dark eyed junco.

Hahaha!  A male hairy.

Double ended peanut butter feeder.

Still all alone.

This morning, it is the 28th of March?

Here are some videos for you. In the first one, we had gone to town the day before and had some meat freezing in a Costco cooler bag. The ermine could smell it, I guess, but couldn't figure out how to get at it. 

Ermine1    

In the next video, we brought in the cooler and the ermine couldn't figure it out. At one point it was in between the cushions looking for the meat.

Ermine2 

In the last video you will see a flying squirrel feeding and a whiskey jack @ the peanut butter. 
Flying Squirrel     

Sorry Rachel.  

It's cheaper than OHIP, and the lines are shorter.

That's why I'm so tired.

Yeah, do the math.

8 glasses of water a day would make you dizzy.

Or Arizona, Sis.

Cruel bstrds.

 Right Jamilyn?

Again, do the math.

I don't have this feeling much, since I retired. 

OH! WAIT A SECOND. I've been meaning to post this video of a North Bay Busker, busking in -35C weather. Were tuff boy, were tuff.  You might have to rewind it to get the whole song.


 Alain Bradette