Birds, Butterflies and Snakes

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 of all: 

Thank you all for your kind birthday wishes! 

I was overwhelmed. How different it is when one is connected to the world via internet. Word gets around. 

On top of the whole Peter baked this outstanding cake.

The Cake!

Appreciated it all greatly! Thank you again. 

***

The girls were out for a hike again. 

One of the lasts ones before everyone has to go back 

to their summer jobs.

We scoured the island from the eastern most point to the southern part.

It is such a pleasure as one of my friends has been able to get hold of a small telescope. 

Checking for seabirds on Cranberry Point

It makes it much easier to identify the birds that can be seen as dots 

way out on the water.

The weather is still cool and not many migrating birds have arrived here but there are a few.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

It is a hard time for my mere 200 mm lens 

to get a close enough photo, but I manage somewhat 

with the help of digital cropping.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Belted Kingfisher

Red-breasted Merganser, female 

Red-breasted Nuthatch building a nesting hole.

The warm sunshine had produced the first butterflies.

Variegated Fritillary on willow tree

An early garter snake is enjoying the sunshine too. 

We patted her and she didn't even move.

Snapping a photo of the garter snake

The final spot one of my favourites. A look over part of 

Passamaquoddy Bay

My birder friends

My favourite view point

Walk Around The Block

Yesterday, the "weatherman" talked about a blizzard 

that we would get here in Southern New Brunswick. 

That didn't happen. 

Must have ended up somewhere else.

We only got a thin layer of fresh snow; 

enough to make everything prettier again.

View from the the second floor this morning.

Not having a wide angle lens, I have to show it this way. 

After lunch I took Molly around the block. 

There was a cold breeze from the Northwest,

but in the sunshine temperatures read +7°C (44°F). 

Not bad at all.

The walk took us from our upper road 

down to the lower one, along the water, and back up again. 

It is a stretch about 1.4 km (0.8 mi). (See red ring on map) 

Just about enough for the old gal.

While walking I took some photos of our surroundings.

Whether I walk southwards or northwards 

depends on the direction from where the wind blows. 

Today I turned northwards.

I like to have the wind from the back later on.

I like the colourful houses, 

especially now in the clear winter light.

 At the next intersection we walk westwards, 

down towards the Bay.

This is a view towards Deer Island. 

The "white speck" in the distance is their campground, 

which is located right on the water. 

This road runs parallel to our road, just a bit lower 

and closer towards the waters edge. 

That's where I love to stop and look over towards Eastpoart, Maine.

From her on we turn South 

and walk all the way until the next intersection. 

 This lovely view, (taken in 2013) towards where our summer ferry landing is located, 

is now blocked by a new building (built 2014/15). See below.

The one who buys this house will have a fantastic view 

over the water from most angles, that's for sure.

 Arriving at the intersection we turn back and northwards, 

ending up on our road again. 

The snow on the old wooden fence 

makes a decorative picture.

An old shed in the neighbourhood. The view is

again drawn towards Eastport, ME.

That was my daily dose of beautiful landscape.

See, I told you - it was enough for my old girl.

Molly, dreaming about the walk 

we had around the block.

______________________________

Auntie's translation

Man hatte uns zwar einen Schneesturm vorausgesagt, aber der ging woanders nieder. Wir haben nur ein bisschen Neuschnee bekommen. Heute Morgen war der Blick vom ersten Stock besonders schön. Ich habe keine Weitwinkellinse und musste das Photo zusammenschustern.

Nach dem Mittag bin ich dann mit Molly einmal um's Viereck gegangen. Ich habe die Stecke auf der Karte mit einem roten Ring markiert. Es sind ungefähr 1.4km, gerade genug für die "alten Knochen". Die Photos zeigen was ich auf dem Spaziergang so sehe. Auf der anderen Seite des Wassers liegt die amerikanische Stadt Eastport im Staat Maine.

An einer Stelle haben sie jetzt die Aussicht verbaut.

Anschliessend musste Molly erst einmal eine Runde schlafen.