Visit to Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick - Part 2

12 May, 2022

Baker Shore B&B - Mount Carmel Church - The Bottle House - Egmont Bay Lighthouse - North Cape - Black Marsh Nature Tail - Baker Shore B&B

     Miriam got us coffee in our room as was our habit every morning, and we sat and discussed preparations for the day.

     While we were doing this Maestro Darrell and Maestra Lynne, were busy making sure that our day would start off on the right footing.

     A freshly baked, still warm muffin, with cold orange juice is guaranteed to kick off the day just right.

     Especially when it is followed by a plate of happiness.

     Scrambled eggs topped with homemade salsa, hot spicy sausage (Darrell had checked with us first), cut up into bite-size chunks and  browned on all sides, home fries, toast with avocado liberally spread on it, and an extra slice of toast to slather with Lynne's homemade preserves. Now that's breakfast!

     Permit me to tell you about Darrell's attitude to breakfast. A couple stayed at Baker Shore and their first tongue was not English, which they barely spoke. One of the guests indicated with hand motions how she wanted her eggs and Darrell interpreted her actions as meaning scrambled. In fact she wanted poached and was mimicking the swirling of the water. When her plate was delivered to the table, it was obvious she was not happy with the eggs, but said, "It's okay." Darrell removed her plate and and said, "That's not the comment I want to hear. I want only to hear, "It's great" and remade breakfast for her.

     That's a commitment to excellence if you ask me!

     Our travels are always centred around birding, but we are not averse to a little general tourism and we set out to visit Mount Carmel Church, a massive monument to religion.

     The interior was appropriately grand.

     The church and the adjacent residence of the priest(s) are in serious need of immediate renovation. Parts are actually crumbling, but unless the site is adopted by the province as a tourist venue, I doubt that a rapidly dwindling congregation will ever be able to provide the funds to halt the process of decay.

     The adjacent cemetery would no doubt enable a skilled historian to trace the history of the region.

     A curiosity called The Bottle House is no doubt a magnet for tourists seeking the unusual.

     Imagine all the 20 cents deposit on the wine bottles that have been forfeited!

     We paid a visit to nearby Egmont Lighthouse, where Édouard T. Arsenault, the creator of the Bottle House, was the last lighthouse keeper, two of his children having been born there.

     A Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) serenaded us.

     There were classic views of the PEI coastline.

     Fierce storms descend on this area, especially in the winter, and their effect on the coast is easily seen.

     Erosion is ongoing and the coast recedes annually.

     The views are glorious, however.

     Our prime destination for the day was the North Cape and it was not long before we arrived.

     In a field nearby was a group of horses.

     You will have no trouble guessing who captured everyone's attention.

     A distant sandspit was covered with gulls, but even with a scope it was difficult to get a whole lot of detail.

     Certainly they were predominantly American Herring Gulls (Larus smithsonianus) with a smattering of Great Black-backed Gulls (Larus marinus), but we were left wondering what else might be there.

     The Visitor Centre was impressive, but closed. 

     The tourist season on PEL doesn't seem to get underway until about mid June.

      We were thrilled to see a pair of Spotted Sandpipers (Actitis macularius) fly in close to where we were standing. 

     There is no shortage of suitable breeding habitat.

     A Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) is anything but common where we live in southern Ontario, and we were thrilled to see this handsome male.

     Before the day was out, and for the rest of our trip, it was without doubt the most common duck. Familiarity does not detract from its handsomeness. 

     White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) have taken up residence throughout the Island and are no doubt breeding.

     The North Cape Lighthouse was a stark reminder of the many sailors who have perished in the savage storms that sometimes mount an assault on PEI. Mariners and fishermen had little but the beam of the lighthouse to guide them to safety; for some of them it wasn't enough. Gravestones and monuments throughout the island render tribute to those who died.

     Anyone who has ever walked along a seashore knows that a world of fascination is right at your feet.

     Common Coralline (Corallina officinalis), a corallin alga, is easily found, branching like little trees on suitable substrate, exquisite in its formation.

     We brought back the one Miriam is holding and so far it has remained intact. A glance at it evokes the smell and the sound of the ocean.

     Knotted Wrack (Ascophyllum nodosum) led us to ponder the array of life beneath the waves, most of which we will never see.

     By now, you are familiar with this topography, an iconic image of PEI it seems to me.

     As mentioned above, eiders became a familiar sight.

     The constant breezes blowing in off the ocean make PEI an ideal candidate for wind power and these turbines generate clean energy, much needed in a catastrophically warming planet.

     Once in a while, during a southern Ontario winter, 

a Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) will show up on Lake Ontario, and the birding community is agog with excitement. This bird of crashing waves and rocky shores is at home around the coasts in the east and west of the country, and it was nothing short of blissful to see a couple of flocks cavorting off the North Cape.

     We were constantly reminded that Prince Edward Island is inexorably being eaten away by the forces of erosion.

     As we were gazing out across the water and scanning for birds, a couple of Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus) flew by, a spectacular bird if ever there was one.

     Male Red-breasted Mergansers (Mergus serrator) were beset by a maelstrom of hormones, with one Cassanova doing everything but turn himself inside out to attract the attention of a female.

     As best we could tell his efforts only brought him increased frustration without consummation!

     It's always good to look down at one's feet. A Bronzed Tiger Beetle (Cicindela repanda) is a handsome insect.

     The Black Bog seemed to hold a lot of promise and we would have liked to have had more time to explore there. Maybe next year.....

     I have several times referred to erosion and here is a classic illustration of what is taking place all around the coastline of PEI. A formation known as Elephant Rock is shown in the inset on the billboard in the picture below.

     Twenty-five years later all that remains is a section of the trunk.

     The combined forces of wind and wave are unremitting.

     Myrtle Warbler (Setophaga coronata) was very common, and that would be true throughout our time in the Maritime Provinces.

     We caught sight of a Merlin (Falco columbarius) zipping through the woodland. It perched too far for a decent picture, but we welcomed the chance to take a shot for the record anyway.

     A Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) was a little more obliging.

     We ate dinner at the Breakwater Bar and Grill in Summerside. Miriam had fishcakes and I don't remember what I had, so I assume it was not especially memorable!

     Back at Baker Shore we took our usual glass of wine out back, and Darrell leaned over the deck and asked if we would care to join him in a little post-dinner snack. How could we refuse our genial host, so a decadent chocolate cake with a sauce made in Elysium no doubt, topped with strawberries, made its way from table to mouth in short order! Miriam, still full from dinner,  actually declined, but Lynne placed a slice for her in our room.

     Lynne and Darrell joined us, along with their two little dogs, Oreo and Blizzard, and we spent a wonderful hour chatting on a pleasant, warm evening.

     It was a great way to end the day.

Visit to Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick - Part 1.

 08 May, 2022

Waterloo, ON - Montmagny, QC

     We set off from home in high spirits, looking forward to our visit to Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, and settled in for the long drive to Montmagny, an hour or so east of Québec City on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River.

     It was a great day for driving and our journey proceeded smoothly the whole way. Miriam kept me on my toes by asking for a translation of many of the signs and billboards we saw as we sped along the highway in Québec. It kept us both alert and entertained. We had packed food and drink for the whole day, so other than breaks to refuel and to use the washrooms we didn't need to stop.

     We stayed at the Econo Lodge in Montmagny, a faceless motel with little to distinguish it. The room was quite large, but expensive. We had clean sheets, lots of towels and hot water, so were all set for the night.

09 May, 2022

Montmagny, QC - Summerside, PEI

     The "free" continental breakfast was a miserable affair, but a bowl of raisin bran cereal with a coffee got us on our way. As usual, the utensils, plates, bowls etc were a sea of plastic and styrofoam, making me shudder. In every other part of the world we have had real plates, and metal knives and forks. Why we are so backward in North America is beyond my level of comprehension.

     We were on our way a little after 06h:00, after watching a huge skein of Snow Geese (Anser caerulescens) while filling up at the gas station. We were looking forward to a renewed acquaintance with Prince Edward Island. Visions of Baker Shore B&B were already dancing in our heads.

     Our drive was pleasant for the most part, except for the fact that I got a speeding ticket. Now let me say right up front that I was exceeding the speed limit. It was in a rural area of New Brunswick where the speed limit drops from 90 km/hr to 60 km/hr for a very short stretch at a small settlement, and I would bet that this is a regular speed trap well known to local residents. I was offered service in English or French by the smiling officer and after he dinged me for $172.00 he bade me to have a nice day!

     Google Maps had suggested a route other than the Trans Canada Highway and we took it through the back country where the scenery was splendid, other than for some ghastly clear cuts, but the roads were atrocious at times. From a birding perspective it was interesting with woodpeckers, thrushes, White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) singing everywhere it seemed, Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) overhead, and others. Sadly, a Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) appeared to have been struck by a car, and was in its death throes when we saw it.

     It expired as Miriam was taking her pictures.

     Road kill always seems especially tragic to me. In addition to having taken over so much wildlife habitat, we then mow down the creatures with our lethal machines, with alarming regularity. Perhaps this grouse was seeking a new home having witnessed its forest haven being destroyed.

     By early afternoon we were entering Prince Edward Island via the Confederation Bridge.

     In no time at all, we were pulling into the driveway at Baker Shore B&B, with Lynne and Darrell there to greet us.

     Some regular readers may recall that we fell in love with this place when we last visited in September last year. We became quite convinced that it was the best B&B in the world, with the most convivial hosts. 

     Since then, I'm happy to report that I have done further research. A quick check with the International Space Station revealed that nothing rivals it up there, the accommodation is crowded, the washroom facilities limited and the food bland and repetitive. Nothing to approach the standard of Baker Shore was found on Mars, Jupiter was devoid of B&Bs, and the moon offered little in the way of hostelries. So, it is safe to conclude that Baker Shores is the best in the Universe! And you can't get much better than that.

     Here is our lovely room.

     What you don't see are the delicious, home-baked cookies Lynne left on the dresser for us. The pampering had begun.

     A Song Sparrow (Melopsiza melodia) warbled in the garden, and Common Grackles (Quiscalus quiscula) adorned the trees.

     We went out for dinner - I had fish and chips and Miriam had a Cesar Salad - and returned to Baker Shores to have a glass of wine on the front porch.

     You don't have to look far on PEI to see an American Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus).

     We were happy to be back!

10 May, 2022

Baker Shore B&B - Cavendish Grove - North Rustico - Baker Shore B&B

     It was our custom each morning to have a coffee in our room before going to the dining room for breakfast, and Lynne kindly placed milk in the fridge for Miriam, and never failed to make sure it was there every day. 

     Breakfast at Baker Shore is always a splendid affair, and this is how it began on our first morning.

     At home, what you see above would be all we would eat, but a vacation is a time to indulge after all, and Darrell made sure that we would not lack for energy on our walks.

     This picture is actually cribbed from our final morning because we had forgotten to take a picture the first day, but the plate is the same.

     Lynne was always there for a friendly chat, often joined by Darrell, and since we were the only guests we had them all to ourselves. 

     Breakfast every morning was an event!

     We had been contacted by our friends, Rick and Marie, and had arranged to meet them at Cavendish Grove for a walk through the park and a picnic lunch.

     We arrived early, so had a little time to explore.

     The leafing out of the trees on PEI was behind Ontario by a week or more, but it made it easier to spot small birds among the bare branches.

     Myrtle Warbler (Setophaga coronata) was very common, and that morning alone, even before Rick and Marie arrived we saw a half dozen.

     I was gazing into the marsh looking for amphibian activity when a pair of Gadwall (Mareca strepera) splashed down for a visit.

     Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) called cheerfully from everywhere, and were not shy.

     We were unable to make up our minds whether this individual was checking out a nesting cavity, or simply probing for insects.

     The same might be said for this one.

     Rick and Marie joined us and we set off to explore. 

     The Cavendish section of Prince Edward Island National Park is very lovely.

     That's a bit of an oxymoron actually, the whole island is lovely!

     Common Grackles, for those who take the time to look, are exceptionally handsome birds.

     We heard White-throated Sparrow frequently, and every so often saw them too.

     American Robin (Turdus migratorius) was never out of earshot and rarely out of sight.

     We meandered along together, stopping every now and then to discuss some finer point of nature, or to resolve the problems of the world, since the politicians we elect are totally incapable of doing so!

     Marie and Rick brought a terrific lunch for us all to enjoy - quinoa salad, various cheeses, ham, buns, pickles, olives and coffee. While we were enjoying our outdoor repast a male Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors) dabbled in the wetland. 

     Lunch over, we returned to the parking area where we said goodbye to Rick and Marie, and four Bald Eagles, three adults and a juvenile, soared above our heads.

     It seems to me that's better even than a royal gun salute, without the noise and smoke.

     The red sandstone cliffs are spectacular, yet fragile, and the wind and waves are responsible for constant erosion, making for wonderful views, however.

     Highly photogenic, yet ephemeral scenes are to be found all along the coast.

     One cannot help but wonder what the coastline will look like fifty years from now, or even twenty years,  as storms become more severe in a changing world climate.

     Perhaps the following view will have been swallowed by the ocean. It seems likely that it will.

      The fishing village of North Rustico is a picturesque Acadian community, almost totally dependent on the fishing industry.

     In recognition of the importance of the fishery a statue of a fisherman in the water was unveiled in 2018.

     The Acadian heritage of the region is commemorated too.

     Other sculptures by the same talented artist are to be found along the boardwalk skirting the ocean.

     The afternoon was wearing on, nudging early evening in fact, and we had trudged enough for one day, and headed home towards Summerside.

     Still well satisfied from Marie's splendid meal we opted to pick up a couple of wraps at a Pita Pit, and enjoyed them on the front deck at Baker Shore, with a glass of wine, waiting for the first hummingbird to arrive.

     We left the deck in suspense, however, sans hummingbird. There's always tomorrow!

11 May, 2022

Baker Shore B&B - Prince Edward Island National Park, Greenwich - Baker Shore B&B - Scales Pond - Dunk River Nature Trail - Baker Shore B&B

     After a great night's sleep, we had coffee in our room, and sallied along the hall to the dining room at 08h:00 for breakfast.

     How's this for a start?

    Darrell, who I am quite sure could wrestle a bear to the ground, then served us the following delicate masterpiece. All of this is homemade I hasten to add, and carries the stamp of Darrell's creative flair.

    Fresh fruit, a pear drizzled with honey and topped with cream, freshly baked toasted cinnamon bread, and sausages, with maple syrup on the table to make it even more delectable.

     We are so grateful that Darrell gave up his pipe-wrench for a spatula, and he would go on to surprise and delight us every day.

     Both plates were empty before we arose from the table! 

     When we had visited PEI last September one of our favourite places was the National Park at Greenwich, with its floating boardwalk, and we headed there for a return visit.

     Even before we entered the trail a male Hairy Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus) put on a display for us.

     As we walked along, we were never far from views of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

     Alas, when we arrived at the entrance to the Greenwich Dunes Trail to the floating boardwalk it was closed!

     Even boardwalks need periodic maintenance and the work was being done before the official opening of the season. Our disappointment was but momentary and we embraced the opportunity to explore another trail.

     I am quite sure this Song Sparrow sang a hearty welcome to us.

     We benefitted greatly from picturesque views as the trail wound its way along the shore.

     Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis) were very common, and fervent males advertised for mates.

     It was a delightful walk.

     From shore to forest, from woodland to grassland, the path meandered through different habitat.

     Northern Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) is an interesting looking plant.

     Wild Strawberries (Rosaceae) were not hard to find; the fruit no doubt provides food for many of the park's creatures.

     As was true everywhere we went on the island, Myrtle Warbler was ubiquitous. This warbler is also often referred to as Yellow-rumped Warbler and you can see why.

     American Crow (Corvus brachyrynchos) was never far away.

     We returned to Baker Shore to refresh ourselves a little and then made a visit to Scales Pond, a mere twenty minutes or so away from our B&B.

     It was a pleasant walk around the pond, but we were surprised at the total absence of waterfowl. Not even a Mallard (Anas platyrynchos) graced the waters, not a Black Duck (Anas rubipres) dabbled in the shallows. Gulls didn't even call to us from overhead.

     I could get into a whole discussion of misplaced apostrophes, but that's best left for another time!

     The lake was tranquil, with the signature red soil of PEI along its shores.

     An American Robin kept us company for a while.

     Scales Pond is part of the International Children's Memorial Place, which commemorates the lives of young people who died far before their time, some even stillborn. A tree is planted with a plaque to honour the child, providing grieving parents a connection to the healing power of nature.

     It is a sobering experience to see the memorials to children who died so young, made especially poignant as I write this by the senseless murder of innocent schoolchildren in Uvalde, Texas. I hope that their parents too will be able to find solace in nature.

     Across the road from the Children's Memorial Place is the Dunk River Nature Trail, a wonderfully tranquil spot.

     Miriam and I both commented almost instantly about the becalming sound of water trickling over rocks, burbling and singing, hauntingly calling to all who care to listen

     Fish swam in the water.

     Having just experienced a sombre reaction to the death of young children, commemorated across the road, my mind shot back to the days of my youth,  loving even then Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem, "The Brook". How often did I wander alone, as a young child even, and contemplate the enduring qualities of nature.

"And out again I curve and flow

To join the brimming river,

For men may come and men may go,

But I go on forever."

     A crow had none of these thoughts; the next meal being uppermost on its mind.

     Ferns are a sublime component of a forest understory, difficult to identify as to species, but always delightful.

     One may observe the shallow root systems of trees that make a home on meagre soils on top of rocks.

     It is not surprising that many are felled by strong winds, crashing to the forest floor to return their nutrients to the soil, continuing the eternal cycle of decay and renewal.

     The highlight of our walk was to come across a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius).

     I have seen many Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, so why such a highlight you might ask.

     It landed quite high on the slender trunk where it had been excavating holes so that sweet, nutritious sap would flow, and hitched its way downwards.

     Soon, it was lapping up the rewards of its labours. As mentioned, a sapsucker is no stranger to me, and many is the time I have seen them busy with their excavations.

     This was the first time, however, that I have actually seen them feeding on the sap. And for a lifelong naturalist that's quite an event!

     I doubt that this Black-capped Chickadee was equally impressed!

     Shortly afterwards we left for Summerside and decided to have dinner at Brothers 2 restaurant. We shared a spinach-cheese dip with nachos, which was quite delicious, and in fact could have served as the whole meal. However, we had ordered chicken quesadilla (Miriam) and a donair for me. Neither one was exceptional, and the restaurant was a little noisy.

     It was good to return to Darrell and Lynne's Shangri-la on Baker Shore to finish the evening with a glass of wine on the front veranda - still without a hummingbird to keep us company!