Susan had said, "We should go to Vermont. I've never spent much time there." Not part of the plan, but a good idea. I always liked Vermont. Change the plan! We crossed the border and went through customs at Rouses Point, New York.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Playful River Otter
River otters are playful mammals that spend much of their lives in and around the water. Their antics include chasing other family members through the water and on land, wrestling with siblings and playing with fish that they have caught - prior to eating them, of course.
On The Road Again: Quebec City
Morning found us on the way to Old Quebec City. We found a parking garage that, at 18$C, seemed like a bargain compared to Montreal. We made our way to the tourist information office, immediately impressed by the old, well-kept buildings, the profusion of flowers, and the street art.
Renewal
The early fall season is an active time for wildlife in this part of Montana. The moose are in full rut, and the elk are bugling, while working out a hierarchy of the biggest and baddest bulls. Bighorn sheep and mule deer are still in bachelor groups during the truce time before their own annual wars of dominance.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Pied-Billed Grebe
Have you ever seen a pied-billed grebe? Maybe a better question is: Have you ever heard of a pied-billed grebe? These relatively small aquatic birds are common throughout North America, but unless you spend some time around lakes, ponds and wetland marshes you might never see one.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Ailanthus Webworm Moth
Did you know there are nearly 11,000 species of moths living in the United States? Most people have seen many of the various common moth species living around their house, yard and garden, but there is one species in particular that is pretty unusual. It is the Ailanthus Webworm moth.
On The Road Again: Montreal
Our hostess at Camping Amerique Montreal spoke excellent English, which was good. Our French is abysmal! Moneau patiently showed us on the map how to get to Montreal, a 30-minute drive. She also showed us where to park, explaining that the 25$C we'd spend for parking was the best parking value in the city.
Backyard Bucks
Forget the deep forests, far-flung mountains, or sprawling plains, the buck of your dreams may be hiding next door. Today’s whitetails have become urbanized.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Brilliant Blue Indigo Bunting
Have you ever seen a bright blue bird? Well, yes, there are blue jays which are mostly blue, and there are eastern bluebirds that are also mostly blue. But we mean a blue bird that is such a bright blue color that it looks almost neon-blue in the sunlight! That bird is the male Indigo Bunting.
On The Road Again: Ottawa!
Susan asked, "Why are we going to Ottawa?" "It's the country's capital," I said. "There ought to be something worth seeing there." As it turned out, I nailed it. Ottawa boasts several world-class museums (and quite a number of smaller ones!), two of which we got to visit.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Voracious Bowfin
One of the most fearless and voracious fish swimming around in the eastern United States today is the Bowfin. Also called dogfish, mudfish, mud pike, swamp trout and grindle, these hungry predators are always on the hunt for something to eat.
On The Road Again: Toronto to Ottawa
The drive through Toronto, well, I've had nicer nightmares. Twelve lanes of traffic, slow-and-stop-and-go, for well more than 50 miles. I'd been prepared for it to be bad, but I reached a breaking point and had to get off the 401, Ontario's main east-west route.