Ptarmigans & Buntings

Location: Churchill, Manitoba, Canada
Address: Churchill Wildlife Management Area
Date: Oct 2014
Website: www.everythingchurchill.com

  Most people come to Churchill, Manitoba to see the bears.  There are also lots of interesting birds out there on the tundra.  Two that we encountered were the willow ptarmigan and the snow bunting.  We would have loved to see a snowy owl, but there is always next time.  We suspect that the owls saw us even if we didn't see them. 

  Willow ptarmigans can usually be found walking along the ground out on the tundra.  They build their nests on the ground as well.  We spotted groups of them as we surveyed the terrain looking for polar bears.  The birds had already changed into their winter plumage which made them easier to spot against the brown, rocky tundra.  Normally the birds are also brown which helps camouflage them throughout the summer months.  Soon enough the snow will come and the birds will blend back into their surroundings once more.  Willow ptarmigans are members of the grouse family and we would put their size at somewhere between an overgrown pigeon and a small turkey.

  Another bird we spotted out on the tundra is the snow bunting.  Buntings are a small songbird and love the northern climate.  They can be found anywhere up in the arctic. We spotted a bunting on the rocks (below) sitting not far from where a polar bear was digging through seaweed.  This was the only one that sat still for any length of time.

  The photograph of the bunting on the train tracks was a lucky shot as the bird only remained still for a second.  It was taken behind the Churchill train station where there were a few snow buntings flying from rail to rail.  They all had their brownish winter plumage which both sexes have this time of year.  During mating season the males will turn all white with only some black remaining on their wings.

  We enjoyed the ptarmigans from the safety of our Tundra Buggy and the snow buntings from the relative safety of the train station platform.  As always while in Churchill you have to be on the lookout for bears.  We recommend that you bird watch with a buddy.  You never know who might be watching you.

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Map of Our World
 Ptarmigans , Snow Buntings

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Post # 157

The Quebec City to Levis Ferry

Location: Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Address: 10 Rue des Traversiers
Date: Feb 2010
Website: www.traversiers.com

   We didn't need to get to Levis, in fact we didn't even get off on the other side.  We rode the ferry that goes across the St. Lawrence River for sheer pleasure.  We had been staying at the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City and from the hotel we could see the ferries pushing through the ice that had formed on the river's surface.  We just had to get a closer look.

  So despite the bitter wind and cold we took the funicular (incline railway) down to where the ferry departs.  We rode the ferry from Quebec City to Levis and back again.  The trip only takes about 20 minutes each way.  At these low temperatures you could get frostbite much faster.

  From the middle of the river you get great photo opportunities of Old Quebec along with Chateau Frontenac (top of this page) and the famous Citadel.  That is if you were willing to leave the warmth of the  ship's interior and head out onto the deck 

  Broken chunks of ice jutted up from the river's surface.  These had been broken up by our ferry or other boats from further up river.  We watched as the ice moved from our path or sometimes huge cracks formed as our boat fought its way through.

  In some spots the ice was moving rapidly because the current was so strong.  The ferry had to adjust for the current so it would force its way against the current and then ride with it in order to arrive at the station on the other side.  The St. Lawrence River runs from the Atlantic Ocean, through the provinces of Quebec and Ontario until it finally ends its 3,000 kilometre journey at the first of the Great Lakes, Lake Ontario.  

    It wasn't long until the ferry scraped up against the icy wall on the Levis side of the river.  While the ferry off-loaded and re-loaded we took the opportunity to warm up back inside again.  Our cameras also appreciated the break.  Just be aware that changes in temperature can lead to a foggy lens so be sure to give your camera some time to adjust. 

  We had started off on the upper deck but now we wanted to get even closer to the action.  The lower level of the ferry is where vehicles are secured while they make the journey across the river.  This also just happened to be the best spot to get right up close to the cracking ice and the metallic creak of the ferry as it forced its way along.  Oh what a noise!  In the video below you can hear for yourself.  Mostly what you will hear is the wind blowing into the tiny microphone on our camcorder, but beneath that is the crunch of ice.

  As the boat scraped against land once more on the Quebec City side we were glad to be back from our adventure.  We headed up to the warmth of our hotel where we were happy to report that everyone, camera equipment included, had survived the trip.

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Map of Our World
  Quebec City to Levis Ferry

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Post # 156

Not Bay Station

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Address: 14 Bellair Street.
Date: Jan 2017
Website: deciem.com

  We were walking through Yorkville in Toronto when we came across two signs.  One sign lead down to the TTC's Bay subway station and the other was over a store for The Abnormal Beauty Company.  The Abnormal Beauty Company is a Toronto based cosmetics manufacturer and above their store the sign read "Not Bay".  We wondered if each evening they had a rush of commuters coming into their store and then stopping with confused looks on their faces when they realized this was not a subway entrance.  The sign would be a helpful way to let people know that this was not Bay station before they even entered the store.  The more likely reason for the sign, that appears in a similar font and style to the subway entrance sign, is clever marketing.  We just bet that they are hoping people will see the sign, find it amusing and then post photos of it online or even write a blog post about their store.  It might just work.

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This location is near Bay subway. Visit other Toronto TTC stations.

Map of Our World
Not Bay Station

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Post # 155