November 15

Good Morning

I have been off the grid for a few days. Connor and Hailey both had time off school so we went to Canmore to do some hiking and visit Sheryl’s sister Barb and her family. We squeezed in a social distanced lunch with my Mom and my sister Lorna and her husband Terry in their unheated garage!

On Thursday, Connor and I ventured down Highway 40 in Kananaskis to the Highwood Pass. This is the highest pass in the Rockies at 2206 meters. The road is closed from Dec 1 to June 1st. 

Birders often visit the pass in late November to seek White-tailed Ptarmigan. These small grouse normally reside much higher in the mountains above the tree line. In the winter, females will come down into the higher valleys.

 We were fortunate to see a single bird working it’s way through the deep snow. It would shuffle slowly between exposed willow branches and feed on the shoots. When it was done, it shook its body from side to side and submerged itself into the snow. Only it head was visible above the snow and then it disappeared!

Stay well